Five Star Songs: Frightened Rabbit- Swim Until You Can't See Land

Finally caught Scottish indie pop band Frightened Rabbit in concert the other night even though this is the third time the group has played Toronto in the last couple of years. Both of their earlier shows at The Mod Club and The Phoenix sold out quite quickly and it was tough to get tickets. This time the show did not sell out and the vacuous venue The Kool Haus looked only half full. The band played a lengthy 1 hour 45 minute set made up of songs form all of their albums and EPs, not just songs from their recent LP Pedestrian Verse.  They even reluctantly played their biggest hit, the celibacy celebrating song "Keep Yourself Warm" even though singer Scott Hutchinson stated that at the beginning of the tour that they were not going to play it.

One song I was disappointed they didn't sing was "Swim Until You Can't See Land", my favourite track off of The Winter Of Mixed Drinks LP. The track can be interpreted as a redemption song for someone who is trying to forget the past. It's a song that anyone who has ever ended a relationship or hit hard times can appreciate, especially if they are trying to overcome that adversity. Listen to the track below:

New Music: Frightened Rabbit- Radio Silence

I am looking forward to seeing Scottish indie pop group Frightened Rabbit in concert when they return to Toronto in October. Their ever increasing popularity requires them to play bigger venues every time they come here, and I think this might be their third concert in Toronto in the past year.

The band recently announced that they are following up the wonderful Pedestrian Verse with a new 5 song EP titled The Late Night, Death March (already released in Britain). “Radio Silence” is a great new song from that release. The mini album will be out September 10th in North America.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Gives Away Free EP + Other Music News

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club will be releasing their sixth studio album, Specter At The Feast, on March 19th and to celebrate the band are giving away a free EP. The EP, which is available now at the band's website, contains two songs and a live track.

"Let The Day Begin" was originally recorded by The Call, whose frontman, Michael Been, is the dad of BRMC lead singer of Robert Levon Been. The other songs on the EP are "Returning" and a live version of the latter track.

Download for the price of giving up your E-mail address over at blackrebelmotorcycleclub.com.



This post was originally written on Friday but through a technical difficulty with Blogger all the the information was erased before I got  a chance to publish. 

Frightened Rabbit debuted a new video last week for their track "Backyard Skulls" from Pedestrian Verse. Watch as the band play to an almost empty school auditorium.

Frightened Rabbit- Backyard Skulls

Not really a big fan of the noise punk band The Men, but this track is pretty good. It rocks like Neil Young and Crazy Horse. "I Saw Her Face" is from the forthcoming new album, New Moon, out March 5th via Sacred Bones.

The Men- I Saw Her Face

Ex-Das Racist rapper Heems has put out a video for his shoegaze inspired track "Desi Shoegaze Taiko". The clip is not very original as it just shows the opening scene from the movie Blade, but the song is pretty cool.

Heems- Desi Shoegaze Taiko

Entertainment Weekly reported last week that Martin Gore of Depeche Mode is working on a song with R&B songsmith Frank Ocean for his next album. Apparently Ocean is a big fan of DM. Read more on EW"s website which also includes an extensive interview with Gore.

Depeche Mode- Master & Servant
Frank Ocean- Pyramids

Sad to hear that one time Cold Cave musician Justin Benoit passed away last week. The announcement was made on the band's Facebook page which you can read here. No cause of death was given.

Cold Cave- Love Comes Close

NME featured another episode of one it's excellent Song Stories segments. Watch as Brett Anderson and Matt Osman of Suede discuss the writing and recording of their classic song "Animal Nitrate".

Jack White Collaborates With A Butthole Surfer + Other Great New Music From This Past Week

The busiest man in rock & roll, Jack White, continues to find interesting recording partners for his Third Man Blue Series singles. This time he has recorded with former 90's psychedelic rock singer Gibby Haynes of Butthole Surfers fame. The pair have teamed up to record two original songs, "You Don't Have to Be Smart and "Horse Named George", plus a cover of the hardcore punk band Adrenalin O.D.'s "Paul's Not Home". Listen to fun track below:

The single will be released on Valentine's Day, February 14th, via Third Man Records.

A lot of other great music releases from the week including three great Swedish synth pop tracks and a couple of good shoegazing tunes:

Frightened Rabbit released a music video starring a Jesus look-alike dude for a new track titled "Today's Cross". The song is a B Side to the single "The Woodpile".

Frightened Rabbit- Today's Cross

San Francisco dream pop/shoegaze band Young Prisms debuted a music video for their song "Runner". The song is from their excellent  2012 album, In Between.

Young Prisms- Runner

Toronto shoegaze collective Beliefs have also released a music video for their new song "Violets". The track is taken from the band's upcoming eponymous debut LP.

Beliefs- Violets

Another great song from shoegazing singer/songwriter Rachel Zeffira. Stream her newest "The Deserters" below and watch out for her new album, also titled The Deserters, out March 12th.




Young Dreams have shared a track off of their new LP, Between Places, which is out March 5th. Listen to "First Days of Something":




Swedish producer Lust For Youth has shared a magical new synth pop single titled "Chasing The Light".




The Swedish band Shout Out Louds have shared another new track from their new LP, Optica, which will be out on February 27th. Listen to "Illusions"




Mike Diaz, aka MillionYoung, has shared the title track off of his upcoming new LP, which is out February 12th. Download "Variable" below:




Finally, disheartening news today about School of Seven Bells' Benjamin Curtis. He has been diagnosed with T-cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma cancer. The news was posted by SVIIB's Alejandra Deheza on the band's Facebook page earlier today. You can read it here. Get well soon Benjamin!!!

School of Seven Bells- Put Your Sad Down

New Music: Frightened Rabbit- Boxing Night

There is only two weeks left in summer, and as Frightened Rabbit has reminded us with the release of their latest single Boxing Night, we are quickly heading toward the Christmas season. For those who do not know what Boxing Day is (Americans), it is a holiday that falls the day after Christmas and is observed in England, Canada, Australia and most other Commonwealth countries. The holiday originated as a day for superiors to give presents to their servants, but nowadays is just a day to rest from Christmas hangovers or take advantage of after Christmas shopping sales.

We've already heard the morose title track from Frightened Rabbit's forthcoming EP State Hospital and now the band have released a more quirky but poignant tune called Boxing Night. One thing Frightened Rabbit are really good at is writing dark lyrics. At first listen, the song seems kind of funny with lyrics about a man sitting around in his underwear drinking himself to death but than you realize the song is probably about a very lonely and depressed person.

Frightened Rabbit are currently touring the U.K and Europe. They will head to North America in early October and play a show at The Mod Club in Toronto on October 10th (SOLD OUT). Check the rest of the tour dates here.

 State Hospital will be released on September 25th in North America via Canvasback.

New Music: Frightened Rabbit- State Hospital + music video

Scottish bands like to make big melancholic emotional music and Frightened Rabbit are one of the best at capturing that sound. The band return with a new single called State Hospital which will be featured on a new EP with the same name.

The single is a somber, gloomy track and the accompanying music video exemplifies the song's dreariness with a young girl in a hospital gown walking around a cloudy cityscape while reliving painful memories and contemplating suicide. All is not lost though, as at the very end of the video the girl decides against jumping. Watch the video below:

Frightened Rabbit are on tour in the U.K. and will return to North America in the fall, including a stop at The Mod Club Theater in Toronto on October 10th. Check your local listings.

Frightened Rabbit release the EP State Hospital on September 25th in North America via Canvasback.