To reiterate a common cliché; the fear with a sophomore release is always the expectations listeners have built-up from the first album. This is especially problematic for the instantly-adored indie sensations, the Bloc Partys and the MSTRKRFTs of the world. For these bands future releases often fall flat just by virtue of the success of the debut. This however is not the case with the second full-length from Toronto-based, dance-rockers Woodhands. The duo's debut Heart Attack was not an album that garnered much immediate attention from myself or that internet echo-chamber of the blogosphere. It was [...]
2007's Welcome to the Night Sky was a breakthrough for Wintersleep, a band near and dear to my heart. I never would have imagined that 'Weighty Ghost' would be the song to bring them widespread recognition, but it couldn't have happened to a more deserving group. Members of the band have taken part in numerous side projects, including Holy Fuck and Contrived, but lead singer Paul Murphy has largely remained quiet. With its roots in a gift for his mother and helped along with a bottle of scotch, Postdata is performed and written by Paul, while mixed and [...]
2007's Welcome to the Night Sky was a breakthrough for Wintersleep, a band near and dear to my heart. I never would have imagined that 'Weighty Ghost' would be the song to bring them widespread recognition, but it couldn't have happened to a more deserving group. Members of the band have taken part in numerous side projects, including Holy Fuck and Contrived, but lead singer Paul Murphy has largely remained quiet. With its roots in a gift for his mother and helped along with a bottle of scotch, Postdata is performed and written by Paul, while mixed and [...]
Indie folk darling Basia Bulat's second album Heart of My Own is out January 26, and it's every bit as enjoyable as her 2008 Polaris Prize shortlisted debut. Heart of My Own was largely written on the road, taking inspiration from the sights and sounds experienced on tour. The Yukon had a great effect on her, as can be heard on lead single 'Gold Rush'. The singer took some time to chat with Ca Va Cool before her tour kicked into high gear. Basia Bulat - Gold Rush [...]
Photograph by Autumn De Wilde In the pirate blogosphere culture of our recently ushered in decade, it can be hard to keep an album under wraps. Just ask Spoon. With whispers of leaks plaguing the unveiling of Transference , they moved up the North American release date of their seventh album to January 19, seven days ahead of schedule, even featuring a stream on NPR's First Listen to satiate the clamouring internet crowds. The hype is not surprising, given the wait between their latest LP and 2007's critically acclaimed Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga [...]
Continuing their relatively quick pace of making albums, Los Campesinos! have released their third album, Romance Is Boring , marking a shift from the teenage exuberance of their earlier albums to early twenties bitterness. Though Aleks Campesinos! left the group late last year to focus on her schooling, her vocals remain on the album. Unlike the newly added brass section, lead singer Gareth's sister Kim will have to wait until the band begins their European tour next month for her debut as Aleks' replacement. I'm worried that the band's prolificacy may be watering down the final product. [...]
Photograph by Bill Zelman Midlake is a band lost in time. Eschewing the modern age and technology, the band seems more comfortable in a time when frontiers were still new, trees were plentiful and men were men. 2006's The Trials of Van Occupanther was filled with images of nature and tales of pioneers. The Courage of Others continues with this setting. If Van Occupanther was Midlake's fall album, The Courage of Others is their winter. During 'Small Mountain' ,Tim Smith sings of "a way of life that will [...]
Photograph by Bill Zelman Midlake is a band lost in time. Eschewing the modern age and technology, the band seems more comfortable in a time when frontiers were still new, trees were plentiful and men were men. 2006's The Trials of Van Occupanther was filled with images of nature and tales of pioneers. The Courage of Others continues with this setting. If Van Occupanther was Midlake's fall album, The Courage of Others is their winter. During 'Small Mountain' ,Tim Smith sings of "a way of life that will [...]
The Most Serene Republic serve as a reminder to embrace eccentricity wherever you may find it. The Milton, Ontario septet wash out jubilant layers of symphonic pop to capture the delicate grief in growing up. With their third full length release ...And the Ever Expanding Universe, released on Arts&Crafts early last year, the band reveals the strange serenity of an archaic soundscape. Their visit to the Canadian East Coast late last year started with a sound check occasionally punctuated by the communal donair passed around onstage and the inspired vocal ballads chanted while warping levels. In a starlit [...]
Photograph by Ryan Pfluger Owen Pallett, the former Final Fantasy, previously relied on just a violin and loop pedal. His third LP, Heartland , has the distinction of being his first fully orchestral album. Does the music's newfound complexity retain the charm of his previous releases? For the most part, yes. On record, Final Fantasy has always been very layered; so the expanded instrumentation feels organic and serves as a natural extension to his previous work. I miss the simple setup of yesteryear, but I imagine that the live show will go on as it [...]
A mere six months after their last record, Eels release 'End Times', a document of the fallout from Mark Oliver Everett's divorce.
Just in time for the close of the year, we present the Ca Va Cool Mixtape 2009, covering tracks from albums not included in our best albums of the year countdown. A list of twenty albums can only cover so much of what was released in 2009, so we present the Ca Va Cool Mixtape for 2009, just in time to close off the year. As always, we thank you for reading and hope you stick with us for the new frontier that is 2010 and the '10s.
The conclusion of Ca Va Cool's countdown of the 20 Best Albums of 2009 featuring Grizzly Bear, Dirty Projectors, Japandroids, and more.
Part one of Ca Va Cool's two-part series counting down the 20 Best Albums of 2009 featuring Camera Obscura, Handsome Furs, The Antlers, and more.
Handsome Furs close off their 2009 touring schedule with an incredible night at Lee's Palace in Toronto.
Part one of Ca Va Cool's two-part series counting down the 20 Best Canadian Albums of the Decade features classics from Metric, Final Fantasy, and more.
A spotlight on up and coming Toronto band Make Your Exit as they release their new EP 'Remind Me the Reason I Came'.
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah frontman Alec Ounsworth releases two albums in 2009, his solo debut 'Mo Beauty' and 'Skin and Bones' under the moniker Flashy Python.
An interview with Peter Silberman of The Antlers discussing his latest album 'Hospice', his views on forgiveness and religion, and the future of the band.
Ca Va Cool
Avicii – Two Million
Beck – I Just Started Hating Some People Today
Pitchfork Festival Paris unveils initial line-up
Princesse - Tell Me | MP3
