The Hundreds and Thousands
The Hundreds and Thousands
By Chris Whibbs

Arising from the ashes of Starling, this new Ian LeFeuvre project similarly mines the melodic Brit-rock veins but somehow comes out smelling fresher. As much as everyone can identify the chords and tropes of mainstream pop rock, the truly enjoyable stand out due to their abandon and, as always, luck with writing a solid hook. Well, there's a big ol' Vaudevillian hook in "Parade," with its stuttering hi-hat, LeFeuvre's soaring vocals, frantic pace and oh-so grungy guitar. It's a song that would fit in perfectly soundtracking a playful car chase due to its charming propulsion. Other songs like "Don't Talk to Me" and "Nothing to Say" are radio-friendly tracks that should actually be played on the radio. Just like last year's Expatriate, by the Coast, this is one solid rock record from start to finish that deserves to float above the surface of the usual Can-rock dreck. Let's hope the last part of their name end up listening instead of the former. (Nettwerk)
Future of the Left - Travels With Myself and Another
Mclusky is dead. It happened four years ago, get over it. Future of the Left, however, are alive and well. And to prove it, the Welsh trio have the album that should finally free them of their albatross. With their ace debut, 2007's Curses, FOTL may not have shook off all of the Mclusky-isms ...Read More
Sonic Youth - The Eternal
Undergoing a significant renewal, Sonic Youth return with The Eternal, a relatively concise encapsulation of their bold, culture-altering aesthetic. It's no surprise that leaving Geffen for Matador to release their pop records has done little to alter the band's sound; like few other artists, ...Read More
Tiny Vipers - Life On Earth
Aching, haunting, and ethereal, the music of Seattle songstress Jesy Fortino is surprisingly accomplished considering her relative newness. Performing as Tiny Vipers, she has now released her second proper album, Life On Earth, following 2007's fantastic Hands Across The Void. And whil ...Read More
We Were Promised Jetpacks - These Four Walls
There's something in the loch water of Scotland, and no, I don't mean any monsters. Over the last couple years, bands like the Twilight Sad and Frightened Rabbit have confirmed that the region of Glasgow has found its own sound built on driving rhythms, shimmering guitar textures and uplifting anthe ...Read More
Arietta - Migration
Au Revoir Simone - Still Night, Still Light
Bachelorette - My Electric Family
Bachelorette - My Electric Family
Ben Lee - The Rebirth of Venus
Bill Callahan - Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle
Black Moth Super Rainbow - Eating Us
Bricolage - Bricolage
Chester French - Love The Future
The Church - Untitled #23
City Center - City Center
Clues - Clues
Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band - Outer South
The Curious Mystery - Rotting Slowly
Deerhunter - Rainwater Cassette Exchange
Doll - Inside the Dollhouse
Eels - Hombre Lobo: 12 Songs of Desire
Ex Norwegian - Standby
Great Bloomers - Speak of Trouble
Great Northern - Remind Me Where The Light Is
Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
Hanne Hukkelberg - Blood From a Stone
Heat From A DeadStar - Seven Rays Of The Sun
The High Strung - Ode to the Inverse of the Dude
Hopewell - Good Good Desperation
HotKid - Someday Somehow
Ida Maria - Fortress ’Round My Heart
The Intelligence - Fake Surfers
Jack-O & the Tennessee Tearjerkers - The Disco Outlaw
Jarvis Cocker - Further Complications
Jason Lytle - Yours Truly, The Commuter
Jeffrey Novak - After The Ball
Jets Overhead - No Nations
Kid Congo and the Pink Monkey Birds - Dracula Boots
Lee Harvey Osmond - A Quiet Evil
The Lovely Feathers - Fantasy of the Lot
The Lovely Feathers - Fantasy of the Lot
The Lovely Sparrows - Bury the Cynics
Magik Markers - Balf Quarry
Marilyn Manson - The High End of Low
Matt Krefting - I Couldn’t Love You More
Maximo Park - Quicken the Heart
Most Serene Republic - …And the Ever Expanding Universe
The Novaks - Things Fall Apart
The Paint Movement - Our Eurythmy
Papa Roach - Metamorphosis
Paul “Snoflake” Taylor - Share It!
Pick a Piper - Pick a Piper
Pilot Speed - Wooden Bones
Polly Scattergood - Polly Scattergood
Pony Up! - Stay Gold
Rubies - Explode From the Center
Screen Vinyl Image - Interceptors
The Skeletones Four - Aaaaahhh!!!
The Soundcarriers - Harmonium
Sports - The Band
Still Life Still - Pastel
Still Life Still - Pastel
Thee Oh Sees - Help
Think About Life - Family
Tragically Hip - We Are the Same
Various Artists - Songs for Eric
Various Artists - Not Given Lightly: A Tribute to the Giant Golden Book of New Zealand’s Alternative Music Scene
Walk Off The Earth - My Rock
Wand - Hard Knox
The Warlocks - The Mirror Explodes
White Rabbits - It’s Frightening
The Wooden Birds - Magnolia
Wooden Shjips - Dos
Years - Years
Grizzly Bear - Vogue Theatre, Vancouver, BC October 14
Before the release of 2009's Veckatimest, Grizzly Bear stood at a career watershed of sorts. Critical darlings without much mainstream success, they could very well have continued in the direction set with 2007's Friend EP and become perennial indie overachievers, in the vein of the Li... Full Review
Hostage Life - Centre Of The Universe
It's unfortunate the words "maturity" and "growth" are stigmas in the world of punk rock. They would be the perfect descriptors for Toronto, ON-based Hostage Life's tertiary release. Maintaining the adage that a band never realize their true potential until their third album, the quintet prove thems... Full Review
Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant Dir. by Paul Weitz
In an interesting twist of Hollywood fate, Chris and Paul Weitz have entered the final stretch of 2009 each in control of a major vampire franchise built from the pages of popular young adult fiction.

From one half of the brotherly team who brought us American Pie and About ... Full Review
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