kMNR... January 20th, 2005

In This Issue:

New SOAD Song Leaked To The Internet

Once again, System of a Down are faced with new material leaking to the masses on the internet before the next album is due out.  A post on a fan message board late last week pointed users to an obscure web site which had an mp3 of a song titled "Cigaro".  With one listen, it's obvious that it is SOAD (with a little surprise in the vocals at the beginning of the song).  Whether or not the song will appear on the planned duo of albums due out this year is unknown.  In fact, there has yet to be any acknowledgement of the leaked song.

The band's web site is still in it's transition mode.  However, they have announced a number of tour dates starting tomorrow (January 21st) with a string of shows, part of Australia's Big Day Out series of festivals.  They also have dates listed in the late spring/early summer for a number of different festivals in Europe.

No new information is available on the new albums, previously announced as "Hypnotize" and "Mesmerize", nor is there any indication as to exactly when the albums will arrive in stores.

www.systemofadown.com

Impressive Nominee's in This Year's Canadian Independent Music Awards

Canadian Music Week (CMW) hits Toronto this March for three nights, kicking off with the fifth annual Canadian Independent Music Awards, a.k.a. The Indies.

The ceremony will be held on March 2nd and is open to the public, for it's the public who decides on the winners.  The same public who supports indie artists through album sales and concert attendance.  If you'd like to throw in your own opinion in this year's Awards, head on over to the CMW web site and you'll be able to vote in the near future.

Here are this some of this year's Nominee Lists (the rest can be viewed here):

Favourite Solo Artist Favourite Group Favourite Album
Tal Bachman Alexisonfire Controller.Controller "History"
Jorane The Arcade Fire Feist "Let It Die"
Andy Kim C'mon The Sadies "Favourite Colours"
Joel Kroeker Illuminati Sum 41 "Chuck"
Jimmy Rankin The Waking Eyes The Trews "House Of Ill Fame"
     
Favourite Electronica Artist/Group Favourite Urban Artist/Group Favourite Rock Artist/Group
Chromeo Gary Beals Death From Above 1979
Interstellar Dead Celebrity Status Doctor
Kid Koala Ray Robinson The Golden Dogs
Sixtoo Sweatshop Union State of Shock
Sekoya Universal Soul Tin Foil Phoenix
     
Favourite Single Favourite International Indie Favourite Pop Artist/Group
Boy "Same Old Song" Death Cab For Cutie Metric
Jakalope "Pretty Life" Interpol MIR
The Stills "Still In Love Song" The Postal Service Maren Ord
Thornley "So Far So Good" Sugarcult Gordie Sampson
The Trews "Tired Of Waiting" Taking Back Sunday Stars

http://www.chartattack.com/damn/2005/01/2009.cfm

"Being As Lost As Can Be"

You know you are in good hands when Kyuss is playing in the tattoo parlour.

http://www.eternalimage.ca/

The Return Of Coldplay Is Imminent

We don't have an album title or an exact release date, but various news sources are reporting that we should see the third Coldplay album drop in March.

Although it's been reported that the band used the same producer (Ken Nelson) as their first two albums ("Parachutes" and "A Rush Of Blood To The Head"), that apparently was only for early sessions which the band scrapped.  With the popularity of their last album, they stated that the pressure to out-do it had crippled their creative process at times.  With that, they abandoned the sessions and went back into rehearsal.

"Writing is what we’ve been doing all day, every day. It’s been quite turbulent. We’ve been through a lot of songs and a lot of sounds, a lot of studios." said front-man Chris Martin.  "It took us a long time to realise the four of us should go into a rehearsal room again and play together rather than rely on technological assistance."

Once they sorted that out, they returned to the studio, this time with producer Danton Supple.  The band invited British magazine NME for the second time now to hear material in the studio long before anyone else, playing for them six of the new songs.  The band has apparently moved away from their now-familiar sound, adding a '70s electronica sound which will be extremely evident in the song "Talk" which contains a sample from Kraftwerk's "Computer Love".  David Bowie, Bob Dylan and Brian Eno are all listed as influences on "The Hardest Part", "Square One", "Till Kingdom Come", "What If" and "X&Y".

Although there's no solid release date, the band do have one live show confirmed for March 12th.  The show, in Los Angeles, is part of a benefit concert for radio station KCRW and it's suspected that some of the new material will be played at the show.

http://www.nme.com/news/111038.htm

Glastonbury Will Rest In 2006

Just for the year though.  Michael Eavis founded the hugely successful UK festival and has pointed out that every five years, he takes a break from the festival, not only for himself, but for the farm workers and livestock, the villagers and the land itself to recover.

He'll still be busy building a reservoir and thinking of new ideas for the 2007 event.

http://www.chartattack.com/damn/2005/01/1804.cfm

Portishead To Break 8-Year Hiatus

The last time Portishead indulged the masses with their unique flavor of music was back in 1997 with their self titled release.  There was some speculation that the band broke up after only two critically acclaimed albums, but it turns out that wasn't the case at all.  In fact, they've spent the last eight years writing together and that will culminate into a new release expected soon.

No time-frame was indicated, but the band will be playing next month as part of a tsunami relief concert with Robert Plant, The Coral and Massive Attack.  They won't be playing any new material, and the set will actually be an acoustic one fronted by Beth Gibbons.  Each band's set will be short and you can catch the live web-cast on the concert web-site.

http://www.chartattack.com/damn/2005/01/1912.cfm

Sign #305 That The Apocalypse Is Upon Us

Isn't the fact that Michael Jackson is on trial for child molestations charges disturbing enough?  Apparently not.  Since there's a media ban on the trail, some 'creative' (and I use that term lightly) media outlet has decided to re-enact the proceedings.  Wonderfull.

http://www.cnn.com//2005/LAW/01/12/jackson.tv.ap/index.html

Who's The Good Mommy?

Despite all the whacky happenings in Courtney Love's life in 2004, the L.A. juvenile court has ordered that she and her daughter, Frances Bean, be reunited.

The judge was satisfied with the turn-around that Love has engaged in her life, and found it in both their best interest to get them back together again.

Maybe I'll no longer need to avoid covering the train-wreck of her life, since it looks like she's now avoiding that herself.

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1495857/20050113/love_courtney.jhtml

Truth Hits Motion City Soundtrack

If you go over to the purevolume web site, you'll find the full version of Epitaph Records' Motion City Soundtrack covering "Truth Hits Everybody" from The Police.  This is part of an upcoming release titled "ˇPOLICIA! A Tribute To The Police".

Also on the album (which arrives in stored on February 8th) are Fall Out Boy, Copeland and Underoath.  Copeland should sound familiar since it belongs to Police drummer Stewart Copeland.  However, the band have no connection to the drummer except for the obvious influence he had on them.

The album is being released by The Militia Group record label, who also houses Copeland (the band).  The intro to their site provides you with samples of a number of songs that sound fairly decent, and true to the originals.  Motion City Sountrack's version of "Truth Hits Everybody" is also fairly true to it's predecessor, although it does have MCS' familiar sound.

http://www.themilitiagroup.com/

Simon Cowell Is A Fucking Twit

First, let's consider that Simon Cowell is a so-called star of the mind-numbingly popular American Idol.  He's popular because he's a dick to people and makes fun of those who are no-talent hacks looking for an easy break to success.  A part of the wonderful, conservative, family-geared programming that FOX wants John Q Public to see.

Now, Cowell has publicly stated that Beyonce is "not sexy", doesn't have "a great body" and that "she's not a great singer."  Fine.  I suppose everyone is entitled to their opinion.

Oh!  Wait!  Guess what else he had to say?  He doesn't really think the whole Ashlee Simpson SNL debacle was that big a deal.

"Why should you have to do something substandard just for the sake of being real? If it sounds better with the vocal you recorded, why shouldn't people listen to that? There's almost a witch-hunt mentality about people miming."

I say we declare war on Mr. Cowell for the simple fact that he's a ninny.

http://launch.yahoo.com/read/news/14295873

This Week's Albums Reviewed

Just like every other week, Chart Magazine brings us some of this weeks release, as reviewed by their staff.  Check out what they have to say about new material from The Game, Early Day Miners, The First Time, Michael Johnston and more:

http://www.chartattack.com/DAMN/2005/01/1801.cfm

Upcoming Shows

Calgary

NOTICE!  The January 22nd Sum 41 show has been moved up one day to January 23rd.  Tickets are still available.

January 20, 2005 Reid Robinson hosts Open Jam King Henry VIII
January 21, 2005 Calgary Resource Releif Tsunami Benefit with Wil, Smalltown DJs, Agriculture Club, The Ruben Kincaids Sun Centre
January 21, 2005 The Faculty, Taut Awning, The Travezty The Gateway
January 21-22, 2005 Curious George Rusty Cage
January 22, 2005 Hot Little Rocket, Warning By Sea, The Riot Nrrdsd Broken City
January 23, 2005 Sum 41 Sun Centre
January 26, 2005 The Headpins featuring Darby Mills, The Rod Medwid Band The Shamrock Hotel
January 26, 2005 The James Murdoch Band, The Maykings, Jason Plumb Liberty Lounge
January 27, 2005 Reid Robinson hosts Open Jam King Henry VIII
January 27, 2005 Bluebird North featuring Andy Stochansky, Emm Gryner, Billy Klippert, Andy Kim Ironwood Stage and Grill
January 28, 2005 Crowned King, Drive By Punch, KIROS Black Swan
January 29, 2005 The Bills Margaret Greenham Theatre (Banff, AB)
January 30, 2005 Divya Unni - Red Cross Tsunami Relief Fund Jack Singer Concert Hall
January 31, 2005 Concert for Tsunami Relief with Sarah McLachlan, Barenaked Ladies, Chantal Kreviazuk, Raine Maida, Bruce Cockburn Pengrowth Saddledome

Toronto

January 20, 2005 A Love Supreme Part 1 for Tsunami Victim Relief The Opera House
January 21, 2005 A Love Supreme Part 2 for Tsunami Victim Relief Roxy Blu
January 21, 2005 Bright Eyes Phoenix Concert Theatre
January 21-24, 2005 Metric Mod Club Theatre
January 22, 2005 Joel Plaskett Emergency Lee's Palace
January 25, 2005 Broken Social Scene Lee's Palace
January 28, 2005 Last Man Standing The Opera House
January 29, 2005 Dallas Green Lee's Palace
January 29, 2005 Joel Plaskett Emergency The Horseshoe Tavern
February 02, 2005 Dillinger Escape Plan Lee's Palace
February 02, 2005 Sum 41 Barrie Molson Centre (Barrie, ON)
February 02, 2005 M.I.A. The Drake Hotel
February 02, 2005 Yanni Air Canada Centre
February 03, 2005 Sum 41 Docks
February 03, 2005 Serena Ryder Rivival

~~ kMNR v2005.050 ~~

If you would like to hear about or if you have any information on a particular band or artist, please email and I will do my best to cover them.