Idle Tigers
The Spirit Salon
By Eric Hill

Ross Hawkins, aside from being Idle Tigers, is a British dandy of the first order. On the 16 brief songs/stories that comprise Spirit Salon, he flits with such fey and literary airiness as to make Colin Meloy sound like Norman Mailer. But all this is, in fact, a good thing. Having relocated from England to Toronto, his luggage seems to have been packed with analogue synths, wiggly Casio keyboards and golden memories of the pre-WWI Albion. The combination of these elements, along with Hawkins’ très clever lyrics and half-spoken approach to vocals, brings to mind Momus (who unremarkably has been a keen supporter) channelling Eric Idle. You could drop a few verses from “I Like Chinese” or “The Penis Song” into Hawkins’ ode to the pants-less elderly, “Put Your Trousers On,” without spoiling the flow. The use of electronics facilitates Idle Tigers’ (mostly) one-man-band status and seldom undercuts the anachronistic lyricism. Even the most space aged of tracks, like “The Small Electrical Lieutenant,” still sound like they could be paraphrasing Wilfred Owen. You won’t find a better album to bring alive your indie salon evenings this summer. Very witty, Wilde. (Le Grand Magistery)
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Pop Levi - Never Never Love
Ninja Tune undoubtedly has high expectations for Liverpool-born, L.A.-based Pop Levi on his sophomore album. After all, they were so impressed by him that they opened up a new label, Counter Records, solely to release his debut, Return to Form Black Magick Party. In just a year since that rel ...Read More
Zach Hill - Astrological Straits
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Abe Vigoda - Skeleton
Adam & the Amethysts - Amethyst Amulet
Adem - Takes
Albert Hammond Jr. - ¿Cómo Te Llama?
Alejandro Escovedo - Real Animal
The Anniversary - Devil on Our Side: B-Sides & Rarities
Apse - Spirit
The Baseball Project - Volume 1: Frozen Ropes and Dying Quails
Beck - Modern Guilt
Black Francis - Svn Fngers
The Chap - Mega Breakfast
Children of the Sixth Root Race - Songs from the Source
Coldplay - Viva La Vida Or Death and All His Friends
Dennis Wilson - Pacific Ocean Blue: Legacy Edition
Dirty Pretty Things - Romance at Short Notice
E.S.L. - Eye Contact
Electric President - Sleep Well
Facts About Funerals - Love Songs & Funeral Homes
Friendly Rich and the Lollipop People - Dinosaur Power
Heloise & The Savoir Faire - Trash, Rats & Microphones
Hey Rosetta! - Into Your Lungs (And Around To Your Heart And On Through Your Blood)
Icy Demons - Miami Ice
Jay Reatard - Singles 06-07
John Matthias - Stories from the Watercooler
Jon Sonnenberg - Acoustic Selections
King Khan & The Shrines - The Supreme Genius of King Khan & The Shrines
Koenjihyakkei - Hundred Lights of Koeji
Lackthereof - Your Anchor
Matt Mays & El Torpedo - Terminal Romance
Mogwai - Young Team - Deluxe Edition
Mötley Crüe - Saints Of Los Angeles
The M's - Real Close Ones
Music Tapes - Music Tapes for Clouds and Tornadoes
Muskox - Gallantries
My Brightest Diamond - A Thousand Shark's Teeth
Nisennenmondai - Neji/Tori
The Notwist - The Devil, You + Me
Patti Smith and Kevin Sheilds - The Coral Sea
Ponies in the Surf - See You Happy
Ponytail - Ice Cream Spiritual
Pumice - Quo
Rodriguez - Cold Fact
Ron Sexsmith - Exit Strategy of the Soul
Santogold - Santogold
Sebadoh - Bubble & Scrape
Sennen - Where The Light Gets In
Sian Alice Group - The Dusk Line
Sigur Rós - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
Son, Ambulance - Someone Else’s Déjà vu
Subways - All or Nothing
Various - Life Beyond Mars — Bowie Covered
War on Drugs - Wagonwheel Blues
We Versus the Shark - Dirty Versions
Windmill - Puddle City Racing Lights
King Khan
Montreal ex-pat King Khan has led a classically "rock'n'roll" lifestyle since leaving his home at 17, legally changing his name from Erich Khan to Blacksnake, and eventually relocating to Berlin. Since then, he's become renowned worldwide for his various garage, punk and soul projects, including the big-band soul project King Khan and the Shrines and his collaborative duo with Mark Sultan, the King Khan and BBQ Show.... Read More
Ian McCulloch of Echo & the Bunnymen
They don't call him Mac the Mouth for nothing. What was planned as an in-depth conversation about Echo & the Bunnymen with front-man Ian McCulloch, turned into mostly listening to the Mouth go to work in a brief 20-minute phone conversation.... Read More
Little Feat - Skin It Back
So, picture this: the thinking person's Southern rock band that combine the funk of New Orleans, the musical skills of jazz fusion pioneers Weather Report and the sweetest singing and songwriting this side of Lucinda Williams. Well, that about sums up Little Feat, circa 1977, when this concert was f... Full Review
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