I’d planned to began this entry talking about where I’d first heard Bowerbirds, but I honestly have no recollection of how their album - “Hymns For A Dark Horse” - made it into my iTunes library. You won’t hear me complaining though, after several passes I’m happy to see it sitting there, supplying my perpetual desire for folk-enthused sea shanties and gorgeously melodic acoustic ballads. I very heartily recommend you take a more conscious approach to place it amongst your own music library.

Bowerbirds play Auntie Annies on Wednesday 24th September with support from Boathouse and Three Tales. As a bonus, enjoy their recent La Blogotheque session as they wander around downtown New York.

Bowerbirds - In Our Talons

Bowerbirds - Slow Down

I was immediately affected by Apologies to the Queen Mary - the debut album by Montreal group Wolf Parade - when I first heard it.

Every song had a very distinctive, rough and urgent sound, helped by the unique vocals of Dan Boeckner and Spencer Krug. After that, I followed almost every side project and foray these artists were involved in. From Spencer Krug’s Frog Eyes, Sunset Rubdown and the amazing “indie super-group” Swan Lake (with one of my Album’s Of The Year - Beast Moans) to Handsome Furs, Boeckner’s “mini-group” he started with his wife last year.

With so many bands, and so many songs to write, perform and sell it’s understandable that Wolf Parade took three years to produce their sophmore album At Mount Zoomer. Three years and fifty sevens bands on, they’ve created a very rounded and mature album, but ultimately darker piece than previous offerings.

This album doesn’t have the grab-your-face singles that Apologies To Queen Mary possessed, like the anthemic Shine A Light or I’ll Believe In Anything. But that’s not the point, with the band allegedly warning Sub Pop that At Mount Zoomer would contain “no singles”. Instead you’re treated to that rare occurrence in music: a complete album. Every time I’ve listened, it’s been from the first track Soldier’s Grin… to the end, with the only weak song luckily being the last one, Kissing The Beehive. Highlight’s would have to include the single Call It Ritual and the next track Language City which is where Boeckner and Krug’s maturity and talent, in my opinion are most evident.

Wolf Parade have slowed it all down and chosen a different direction in which to take their music. Time will tell if this was a seminal moment in the bands career.

Wolf Parade - Language City

Wolf Parade - Shine A Light

Swan Lake - All Fires

Sunset Rubdown - They Took A Vote And Said No

Frog Eyes - Masticated Outboard Motors

Handsome Furs - Dead + Rural

Not to be outdone by his slightly less-bearded cohort, Brendan Canning has now taken control of the latest Broken Social Scene presents project, releasing what will essentially be another reconfiguration of the regular collaborators to release what is and isn’t essentially both another ‘Social Scene record.

Personally, I have absolutely no problem with the tour breaking down to the occasional song from Canning’s record and a ‘Social Scene heavy setlist prevailing as they get closer to the end of the tour. Still, Canning can definitely hold his own as what has leaked from the album so far is absolutely fantastic - and in my opinion much stronger than previous efforts from Kevin Drew.

Brendan Canning - Churches under the Stairs

Brendan Canning - Hit the Wall

It was Bloomsday yesterday and if you’re like me and don’t have the mental capacity to sit down and read Ulysses or Finnegan’s Wake, then you might enjoy Chamber Music - a musical adaption of Joyce’s poems by Fire Records and a not-shit-Reindeer-Section-esque Rock & Roll collective.

Chamber Music is a collection of Joyce’s poems but with added jangly guitars and melancholy vocals. With artists like Peter Buck from REM, Ed Harcourt, Mercury Rev and Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth lending their talents. There’s a few free songs and if you like what you hear then a mere 15 quid will get you it in touchable form.

Of course it’s not the first time that Joyce has made an impression on musicians - some links are tenuous at best. But, I am The Walrus is apparently influenced by the “stream of conciousness” style of writing that Joyce employed. Sonic Youth’s Secret Girls could be said to take influence from Ulysses (a head melter of a book by anyone’s standards) and Van Morrison pretty much used Joyce lines in every song he released, except Brown Eyed Girl.

So happy Bloomsday, and I’ll leave you with this video that was posted on Slugger O’Toole earlier today.

X (Owen Tromans)

XXI (Great Depression)

XXII (Puerto Muerto)

XXVI (Gerry Mitchell & Little Sparta)

My Morning Jacket have been on my “bands to be evangelical about” since the first time I heard At Dawn almost 7 years ago. Since then they’ve continued to record some of the best music of the past century - as well as releasing one of few live records thats merited repeat listens from someone who rarely gives live records a look in - all the time retaining their rigid allegiance to resonate, rumbling vocals and an almost operatic use of country-guitar riffs.

They’re also one of a limited number of bands who don’t need to be investigated on mp3 blogs or music review sites to know that a new release is going to be something special. But their latest offering, Evil Urges was something I wasn’t expecting at all. At times totally departing from the bands “signature sound” to create something almost totally unrecognizable as coming from My Morning Jacket, the band have created something with the occasional familiar scent of their previous albums with later tracks such as Two Halves and Look at You, and yet almost entirely different - Highly Suspicious perhaps better suited to an Electric Six album with its cheesy synth lines and what sounds like guest vocals from Steve Carrell.

My Morning Jacket - Highly Suspicious

My Morning Jacket - I’m Amazed

It’ll certainly be interesting to see how this experimentation - at time into the realms of ridiculous - goes down with fans. Personally, I love it - it’s a solid My Morning Jacket record without depending on previous stylistic comforts - but in case you disagree, here’s one of my all-time favorite tracks from At Dawn - dripping with the familiarity of previous efforts.

My Morning Jacket - Honest Man

If music was judged on the facial expressions in the posters plastered around Shaftsbury Square then we’re in for a treat on friday night …

… but it isn’t and nor should it be. Quite rightly, in my opinion.

DJ Mehdi and Busy P - Pump Up the Bass Remix

DJ Mehdi - Pocket Piano

Ghostface Killah - Charlie Brown (DJ Mehdi Remix feat. Mapei)