NEWS: New Year, New Look!

Presenting… a shiny and new logo and layout for asapmusicblog.ca! The new website has been in the works for awhile now, and we are very excited to finally be able to launch and reveal it. Web development and maintenance has been provided by Michelle Devera.

Take a look around the website and our updated “About” page (includes links to our Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram). For those looking to get in contact with us, we have a new form under the “Contact” page.

Subscribers: If you are reading this from a WordPress or e-mail subscription, we are currently waiting for WordPress support to transfer our subscriptions over. Please hang on tight, or feel free to resubscribe to us – the mailing list is on the side or bottom of the homepage – depending on your browser.

Readers, thank you so much for your support and we hope that you love the new website as much as we do!

SOTD: Sky Ferreira – You’re Not The One

Sky Ferreira achieved a number of things with her debut Night Time, My Time, with the release of the album being a huge accomplishment in itself – the album that almost wasn’t. Notably, the album did not leak ahead of its digital release last October, and Night Time, My Time is set for physical release today..

Ferreira’s debut album had been in the works for almost five years, with release dates being pushed back continuously, but her musical efforts slowly and steadily gained recognition. The track “Everything Is Embarrassing” off her Ghost EP (2012) propelled Ferreira’s songs onto the radars of music fans and critics, and hinted at the grunge-electro-pop sound that her debut would suffice.

Taking matters into her own hands (creatively and financially), Night Time, My Time was written and produced with Ferreira and her regular collaborators, Justin Raisen (Charli XCX) and Ariel Rechtshaid (Vampire Weekend, Haim), within a timeframe of a few short weeks.

SOTD: JPNSGRLS – Monarch Butterfly

JPNSGRLS released a music video for ‘Monarch Butterfly’ earlier this week. Check it out, and then head over to the JPNSGRLS Facebook page or Twitter to find out how to get a free download of the track.

The song is off the The Sharkweek EP and will be re-released by Light Organ Records on February 11, 2014 as a limited edition 12″ vinyl, with a bonus track.

EVENTS: Cat Thomson w/ Kate Kurdyak & Chersea @ KOZMIK ZOO – January 18, 2013

This Saturday, Cat Thomson will be headlining an all-ages show at the Kozmik Zoo. Joining her in the line-up for the evening will be Kate Kurdyak and Chersea.

Tickets for the show will be $10 at the door, or $7 if you make a reservation with Kozmik Zoo. For more information, RSVP on the Facebook event page here.

INTERVIEW: Sidney York

There is something refreshing about Sidney York.

It might be in how quick Brandi Sidoryk and Krista Wodelet are to admit their band geek pasts. It might be in their use of unconventional instruments such as the bassoon and the French horn on stage. Whether it’s their willingness to write songs about geeky subjects, or in their musical training, Sidney York is definitely a lot of fun to listen to and to see live.

The two lovely ladies of Sidney York are ready to take over the next ten months of your life, musically. Their sophomore release, <3s (Hearts), will be released in five subscriptions, two songs at a time, every two months starting today. The first volume of <3s features the title track, ‘Hearts’ and ‘Electrolove’.

We had the opportunity to chat with Krista ahead of their show at the Biltmore Cabaret last week, and found out what Sidney York has planned for the year ahead, and what you can expect when you subscribe to <3s.
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asapmusicblog.ca: 2013 was a busy year for Sidney York, not only traveling across Canada, but also to the US and Australia. What were some of the highlights from your travels last year?

Krista Wodelet: Australia was definitely a big one for us. That was the first time we’ve ever played outside of North America, so it was pretty crazy. We had a great time playing the show and we had some vacation time as a band too, which is sort of fun – we got to hold koalas and hang out at the beach.

a: With the release tour in support of <3s kicking off tonight at the Biltmore, 2014 is set to be another busy year. What are Sidney York’s New Years resolutions or expectations?

KW: A big thing for us is that both of us are classically trained – I have a master’s in orchestral performance in bassoon and Brandi [Sidoryk] has her master’s in opera. We bring our classical backgrounds into this pop realm in a way that I don’t think any other band is doing, and I guess that’s sort of an ongoing goal of ours is to try to spread the good word about the weirdo instruments. We play bassoon and French horn on stage, just to show people that you can use these really crazy instruments in a way that’s totally mainstream and listener-friendly.

EVENTS: Mounties Tour with Rich Aucoin, JPNSGRLS, The Zolas, & James Younger

Mounties, the super-group consisting of Hawksley Workman, Steve Bays (Hot Hot Heat, Fur Trade), and Ryan Dahle (Limblifter, Age of Electric), announced their Canadian tour dates last month. Today, JPNSGRLS revealed that they will be joining their label mates for the Western Canadian dates, along with the previously announced Rich Aucoin. The Zolas and James Younger will be supporting Mounties for the Ontario and Montreal shows.

Mounties’ debut album Thrash Rock Legacy is set for release on March 4th via Light Organ Records – a few weeks before the band heads on the road. If the singles “Headphones” and “If This Dance Catches On” are any indication, this album might just be one of 2014’s most highly anticipated local releases. The full list of tour dates for Mounties is below with ticket links, for your clicking pleasure.

March 19th – Nanaimo, BC – The Queens *
March 20th – Victoria, BC – Sugar Nightclub *
March 21st – Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom *
March 22nd – Kelowna, BC – Habitat *
March 24th – Nelson, BC – Spirit Bar *
March 26th – Calgary, AB – Republik *
March 27th – Edmonton, AB – Starlite *
March 28th – Saskatoon, SK – Amigo’s *
March 29th – Winnipeg, MB – Pyramid
April 1st – Kingston, ON – Grad Club ^
April 2nd – Ottawa, ON – Mavericks ^
April 3rd – Montreal, QC – Cabaret du Mile End ^
April 4th – Hamilton, ON – The Casbah ^
April 5th – Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace ^

* with Rich Aucoin & JPNSGRLS, ^ with The Zolas

For more information on Mounties, head over to: http://mountiesband.com.

EVENTS: 2nd Annual String Fling Concert @ RIO THEATRE – February 6, 2014

The 2nd Annual String Fling Concert is set to be tied together by strings on February 6th at The Rio Theatre, presented by the Four on the Floor quartet.

Four on the Floor is a Vancouver-based string quartet with a total of seven rotating members and with the passion of collaborating with local artists in recording and live performance. The Four on the Floor line-up for the evening will be: Michelle Faehrmann  on cello, Elliot Vaughn on viola, and Stephanie Chatman and Emily Bach on violin. Hannah Epperson will be performing on the violin for a few songs as well.

The special guests of the evening include: Ryan Guldemond of Mother Mother, Jay Malinowski of Bedouin Soundclash, Steve Bays and Parker Bossley of Fur Trade and Hot Hot Heat, Brandon Scott of Yukon Blonde, Laura Smith of Rococode, and Tonye Aganaba. Each artist will be performing three songs with the quartet, and Four on the Floor will be playing original pieces and covers in between the sets.

Tickets are $20 and available at Red Cat Records, Zulu Records, and hipcity.ca. Doors are at 7:30pm at The Rio Theatre. Please note that this will be a 19+ show.

EVENTS: Coastal Sound Youth Choir with Woodpigeon @ Club Push at Performance Works – January 18, 2014

The 10th annual PuSh Festival, Vancouver’s International Performing Arts Festival, will be running from January 14th to February 2nd.

Coastal Sounds is bringing together the Coastal Sound Youth Choir and Woodpigeon, otherwise known as Mark Andrew Hamilton, who will be making his first performance following his move from Vienna to Vancouver. The evening will feature renditions of both new and old music, and promises to infuse classical choral music and indie rock.

I have previously seen the Coastal Sound Youth Choir in action, and they are a talented group – as evident in their placing in competitions of national status. The evening will feature a three-act performance as the Coastal Sound Youth Choir and Woodpigeon perform separately, and join together for the final act.

Tickets are $25.00 ($6.50 for children 16 and under; group rate is $21.00) and are available online at the PuSh Festival website. There will be two performances, the first being an all-ages show at 7:00pm, and the second being a 19+ show at 9:30pm.

PLAYLIST THURSDAY: Sidney York

The first of the five volumes that make up Sidney York’s sophomore release, <3s, is set for release next Tuesday. We had the chance to chat with Krista Wodelet before she and Brandi Sidoryk kicked off their album release tour at the Biltmore this past Tuesday evening – the full interview will be up next week.

In the meantime, check out Sidney York’s favourite tour van songs in this week’s installment of Playlist Thursday!

THE OCEANOGRAPHERS & THE RUFFLED FEATHERS, Biltmore Cabaret – January 4, 2013

In a way, the first show that you attend sets the bar for the rest of the year, musically. If the Little Wild, The Ruffled Feathers, & The Oceanographers show this past weekend at The Biltmore was any indication for 2014, the year is set to be another year full of solid shows from the local music scene.

Starting off the night was Abbotsford’s Little Wild, who released their debut album Victories at the end of last year through Neptoon Records. Tracks such as “Brown Vest” off their debut showcased the band’s energy and penchant for anthemic vocals. The band is set to tour the US later this year, including a showcase at SXSW in Austin, Texas.

The Ruffled Feathers are no strangers to the Biltmore stage, but the Vancouver band has experienced a shuffle in the line-up since last summer. Gina Loes (vocals, guitar, ukelele) Andrew Lee (trumpet), Sam MacKinnon (drums) welcomed violinist Molly MacKinnon, pianist Sophia Xiang, and bassist Paolo Brian to the band. The intricacies in The Ruffled Feather’s arrangements translate well in their live performance.

It was the first time that The Oceanographers graced the Biltmore stage, and were warmly received by the hometown crowd. 2013 was a busy year for the band, releasing their debut album Thunderous Goodbyes, winning the Cellar Launch Project, and 99.3 The FOX Seeds competition.

The show was the band’s last full set show until the summer, as bassist Matt Prior is heading to Ireland for a semester abroad. However, The Oceanographers will be part of the line-up for the upcoming “The Songs of Bob Dylan” – Bob Dylan songs covered by a fine list of local artists, also at the Biltmore.

It’s always a great time at the Biltmore, and Saturday was certainly no exception.