February 2004

SICK FREAKS JUMP SHIP
Toronto’s favourite über-spazzy freaky-good foursome The Sick Lipstick are leaving us, temporarily, for “greener” pastures. They’ll be touring the US of A from March 13th-April 17th. This is TSL's second month-long tour of the States in support of their newest record, Sting Sting Sting. While they’re gone, Toronto citizens are expected to attempt a little DIY weirdo-satiation with other stuff. Namely, watching Freddy Got Fingered on repeat with the few of us who’ve already realized it’s the most masterful filmic achievement in decades. Nice. — SDT

I'M COMPOSING AND CONTROLLING
controller.controller have been showered with the golden treatment (Yes! I've been saving that shit for days!) from label wunderkinds Paper Bag Records. The lunch sacks have signed controller.controller to their can't-miss roster, which to date was somewhat lacking in the ass-moving department. Expect to see something near the end of February. In the words of label head Trevor "Rock" Larocque, "Seriously dude, stop putting 'Rock' in quotes when you're writing out my name — it's infuriating." Strong words from an interesting man who I happen to have naked pictures of. Email me, Toronto. (History is out Feb. 24.) — BB

WEEWERKING HARD
Local rootsy superstar Elliott Brood has signed to Weewerk Records (The Bar Mitzvah Brothers, Great Lake Swimmers). His EP has fantastic packaging and is worth checking out — it can be found at Rotate This and Soundscapes. The CD release was at Graffiti’s on January 23. The weather/alcohol/sheer laziness prevented me from going, but I was kicking myself about it all weekend. www.elliottbrood.com — SH

I CAN COUG MY MOUCHES AT CINECYCLE
Shows at Cinecycle have become one of the most exciting new developments in the T.O. scene in the last year, and the I Can Put My Arm Back On You Can't CD release was no exception. There is something about the dank brick walls, crazy anarcho-art, cheap cans of beer and lack of a stage that just energizes a crowd. This slack-ass reporter arrived too late to catch new all-female rockers Cougar Party (lack of feathered peroxide aside, is this the band name of year or what?), who feature people from Mach Tiver and The Plath. Les Mouches put on their most "aggro" set yet, and terrified their fans by breaking into three-part screaming. Oh, the emotions! Arm Back On rocked hard as ever, though the Cinecycle acoustics weren't on their side. The self-released CD is a must-buy for the innovative packaging alone — as for the music, see our review page 25. — JD

ARCADE FIRE HAZARD
The Arcade Fire and their entourage came to Sneaky Dee's on Jan 9th (with Spitfires & Mayflowers and The Bar Mitzvah Brothers). It was a highly anticipated show and Dee's was at capacity all night. Being the hardcore Arcade Fire fan I am, I dashed right to the front. Two songs in, you could feel the floor trampoline-ing and actually giving a few inches. A paranoid friend was concerned, so we moved back a little and it was still bouncing. The consensus was that the majority had briefly plotted out their escape route. My plan was to jump on stage and hold onto the tall redheaded percussionist. He's cool, and so are The Arcade Fire. In fact, all the bands were amazing and even though it's only January that may have been one of the best shows of the year. www.arcadefire.com, www.spitfiresmayflowers.com, www.barmitzvahbrothers.cjb.net. — SH

ESCAPE-D GOAT COMES HOME
After unveiling the In The Film They Made Us A Little More Articulate compilation over a weekend of shows last July, hopes were high for the future of Escape Goat Records. But, when the label's head honchos decided to concentrate on other activities like travelling and school work instead of the label, the momentum stopped dead in its tracks. Some five months later, the label hopes to pick up where they left off, starting with the release of a new EP from Stratford's Sing That Yell That Spell. The band will perform with guests on Feb 27th at the Oasis as a teaser for the official Toronto release party, which takes place March 11th at Sneaky Dee's. The label has much planned for the coming months, including the swansong EP of Weights & Measures and a split seven-inch between Snailhouse and, well, me. Check in with www.escapegoatrecords.com for details. — NH

SILVER METTLE
Toronto's Constellation Records devotees were treated to the first-ever live performances by Montreal's A Silver Mt. Zion at their sold-out two-night stand at tiny Clinton's Jan. 22-23. The first night was opened by Sandro Perri's fab new Polmo Polpo band, featuring drummers Mike Gennaro and Shayne Cox, bassist Craig Fraid, keyboardist Andy Swan and guitarist Nick Zubek. It was astonishing to see PP's ambient pieces turned into full-on indie rock songs, including harmonized singing of the lapsteel parts! Fronted by godspeed's Efrim Menuck and including a full string section plus Constellation co-founder Ian Ilovsky on guitar, ASMZ definitely gave it their all, though it seemed the Clinton's sound system couldn't quite handle the enormity of the minor-key epics. The crowd, however, remained enraptured. The second night's opening set by Michelle McAdorey and Eric Chenaux saw McAdorey stay home due to illness, so gadabout composer Martin Arnold was on hand to fill in for her. Michelle’s long-awaited follow-up to her post-Crash Vegas debut, 2000's Whirl, will be out this spring. — JD

ANOTHER BLUE STINK
Ex-Suck My Disc band Another Blue Door (whom most of you probably don’t know yet) have signed to Stinky Records from NYC (Singapore Sling, etc.). Another Blue Door is the brainchild of singer/songwriter and guitarist Dave Schoonderbeek. The album, entitled Haulers, will be released in March 2004. Look out for Another Blue Door playing a couple of Tuesdays at the Silver Dollar and an upcoming Umbrella Music Showcase. www.stinkyrecords.com. — SH

ATTENTION FOOT FETISHISTS
A miniature but built-to-scale Shoegaze Festival will be moping through Sneaky Dee's on March 19th. Acts will include Sianspheric's Paul Sinclair, Mean Red Spiders, Mnemosyne and Wintary. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll avert your eyes. At press time, the whereabouts of my Ride Nowhere T-shirt are currently unknown. — BB

SOLO SNAKE
Andre Ethier, lead singer for The Deadly Snakes, has put together a solo record in his spare time with keyboardist Christopher Sands. The album is appropriately called Andre Ethier with Christopher Sands Featuring Pickles And Price and will be out on Sonic Unyon in March 2004. I’ve heard it briefly and it sounds great, different from the Snakes but you should still be excited. If you’ve ignored The Deadly Snakes this long, do yourself a favour and pick up Ode To Joy. www.intheredrecords.com — SH

1994: A 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY RETROSPECTIVE
It's an oft-overlooked fact that Sir Isaac Newton spent the latter portions of his esteemed career poring over biblical texts and doing weird shit with mercury. In one of his studies of the prophet Daniel, he believed he had uncovered the fact that 1996 or 1997 would be the year of the return of Jesus Christ! We will soon know whether this is indeed factual. Don't believe me? Isaac Newton was born on Christmas, genius. The guy is clearly more qualified in Jesus-talk than you. — BB

NO MORT EARS
Triple-pun points for the title — but negative three points for mentioning that Theory Of A Dead Man hit up Los Angeles (cue montage shot of beers being shot-gunned, limo sunroofs, homoerotic hotel room towel-snapping and slapstick comedy involving someone playing a guitar with their face) and recorded a song with Zakk Wylde. Buh? Zakk, if you were a cheerleader, this would be the equivalent of letting the entire football team plough you on videotape and then throw a banana cream pie in your face and toss you out of a moving car. What gives, man? You've got two K's in your name for Christ’s sake! You're better than this. — BB

CURRY FRIES DRUNKENLY ORDERED, DEVOURED
Our crack team of curry-fry panelists report that The Cloak And Dagger (on College) has curry fries. Just so you know. — BB

BB = BUNK BEDOUIN, JD = JONNY DOVERCOURT, SDT = STAR DT, NH = NEIL HAVERTY, SH = STEVEN HIMMELFARB
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