Smallman Records Email Update October 21, 2008 October 22nd, 2008
Our semi-annual email update.
Smallman Records Update October 21, 2008
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TODAY IS THE DAY.
News flash. New Sylvie album is out today. Trees and Shade are Our Only Fences hits Canadian streets (you know, the ones that are lined with Tim Horton’s alongside crying amateur stock brokers who thought that they were so smart when they invested in the inflated IPO of, well, Tim Horton’s) with a fury today. Hmm, bad choice of words. Perhaps not furious. More like a soothing velvety (not velveeta) embrace. Yes, that’s it. How better to describe 11 songs wrapped in dark undertones, intricate yet challenging musical imagery and wonderful vocal harmonies. Everytime I listen to this I discover new things. Personal fave: Dark Ages.
Myspace Canada was gracious enough to do a full album stream feature for the past four days. Thankfully, Warner Music Group (USA) was rapacious enough to shut it down because they thought that they had some claim to copyright that, surprisingly, was not theirs. Lovely. How will we solve this? We’re putting the full album up for stream again today at http://www.smallmanrecords.com/releases/trees-and-shade-are-our-only-fences/ . So get there before the Bronfman’s do.
Sylvie is on tour right now in the USA with Minus The Bear. This includes a show at CMJ in NY. So there. They return to Canada in November for shows in the Maritimes and across western Canada.
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COMEBACK KID ARE A BUNCH OF SELLOUTS.
If by “Sell Outs” you mean that almost every show on the present Through The Noise Tour has been one, then yes, they are. Not what you were thinking? Well, how about the fact that the brand new through The Noise DVD PLUS Bonus CD (wha…?) was number 18 on the HMV sales charts this past week? No? Well, that’s all I have. My only suggestion is that you head out to the last few shows
on this tour. With a line up that includes Misery Signals, Bane, Shai Hulud, Outbreak and Grave Maker, this is a great tour that is not to be missed. Plus, the next time that CBK play live in North America could by light years away. They are however scheduled for South America and Australia in the upcoming months. Viva Comachos and Kangaroos!
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ISN’T IT IRONIC? ACTUALLY ALANIS, IT ISN’T BUT I COULDN’T COME UP WITH A BETTER DESCRIPTOR.
In a case of “Holy shit, I thought that we had a great hardcore name until we almost fucking died”, Grave Maker was involved in a horrible accident outside of Revelstoke, BC. The van rolled four (yes, that’s 1+1+1+1) times before sliding down a ditch. Though there were some serious injuries, amazingly all members plus Andrew from Comeback Kid and Matt from Sights & Sounds were ok. Through all of this, we have to award them the Employee of the Month or some other such accolade. Why? Well, even though - a) the van is crushed and un-driveable, b) the singer had to stay behind in BC for a few days to recuperate and then flew to Ottawa to rejoin the tour, and c) The trailer with all of their instruments and gear is mashed like butternut squash at thanksgiving - they stayed on the tour and continued to play shows with members from other bands filling in at vocals until they were rejoined by their singer. Take that.
This all happened four days before the release of their debut album in Canada - Bury Me At Sea. Which is now available in all of your favourite locations, including your best friend’s computer where it was dumped via some fly by night Indonesian download site.
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WHAT ELSE, WHAT ELSE… RECORDING RECORDING RECORDING - THAT’S WHAT ELSE.
Oh yes, of course. Sights & Sounds just finished the first stage of recording with Devon Townsend. We are waiting with sweaty hands to give that little nugget a listen. Watch for a late March/early April release.
The Reason play a few southern Ontario “Hometown” shows before driving down to one of the Carolina’s (north, south, east or west… so many options) to begin recording the follow up to their 2007 release.That one will be out in early 2009. As well, watch for a digital only release coming from them in December. More info on that shortly.
Passenger Action have just finished recording with Greg Dawson in Brampton, ON, and are putting the finishing touches on that full length. Looking at a February release on that one.
Fellow Prairie-ites, Ghosts of Modern Man are going into the studio in November with Monsieur Dawson as well. They’ll be doing a few shows on the way to Ontario. Watch for that release in February/March as well.
Category: General
