Toronto - Attic Lights are a Scottish band that formed a few years ago. They have a single out now called ‘Wendy’ that I am totally addicted to. The single also contains a remix done by Camera Obscura, if that gives you an indication of what their music sounds like. I wished this was released in the summer, because the song would probably make my summer compilation, its got that laid back summery vibe to it I think.

This has become one of my favorite things associated with the word “Wendy” along side the junior bacon cheeseburger and the rest of the 1.79 menu.

 

 Attic Lights - Wendy: Play Now

A couple of weeks ago I put the question out there to see if anybody had an update on a the Panic Manual approved band, Sprites. Well, we got an answer from Sprites front man himself, Jason Korzen:

We played a show in DC back in June (2008) with Tullycraft and From Bubblegum To Sky. Musically I’ve mostly been working on some remix stuff for people. There is some new Sprites material but we probably won’t do any recording though until the winter.

Jason also mentioned that he has some new family commitments that have resulted in their non- touring schedulce as of late. I also asked Jason about how he measured success of his last two bands, Barcelona and Sprites.

Having bands cover one of my songs seemed kind of like success to me. Going somewhere like Jacksonville or Boulder, CO and being surprised that these kids were really, really excited you were there. That seemed like success. I always felt like we were close with Barcelona to doing something bigger. The timing was just a little off.

There you have it. Keep us posted Jason. Looking forward to the new material, whenever we see it. Until then, enjoy some Bionic Hands. Yeah.

*I added the extra “c’s” because rock and roll is all about dragging out the lyrics whilst reciting them in your friends face.

It seems that for the past 8 years AC/DC have been locked up in the studio somewhere in the deep south order to get inspired and perfect their sound on their upcoming release ‘Black Ice’ as they were really hoping to mix things up in order to attract a new, hip audience. But after a few years of fending off girls in confederate bikini’s, jugs of moonshine and mudbog parties, Brian Johnson and Co. decided to throw their intentions out the window and produce another kick ass LP that is sure to keep Jim Bob and Nikki Jo dancing in the back of their F-150.

4 SOOOOOEY’S! out of 5

Thanks for keeping Rock alive boys.

Toronto - Everyone once in awhile, you get something in your hands that just blows your mind. Enter The Twelves. The Twelves are remixers from Rio De Janeiro. They have remixed a lot of artists, including Black Kids, Kylie Minogue and Radiohead among others. In August, they released a mixtape called Episode II - here is the track listing:

01. zeigeist - humanitarianism (the twelves replay)
02. radiohead - reckoner (the twelves replay)
03. mirwais - naive song
04. of montreal - gronlandic edit
05. david e. sugar - to yourself
06. the virgins - rich girls (the twelves replay)
07. daft punk - voyager
08. jupiter - chip
09. fleet foxes - white winter hymnal (the twelves replay)
10. metronomy - heartbreaker
11. the twelves - works for me (the twelves replay)
12. lykke li - dance dance dance (the twelves replay)

This mixtape just frickin rocks.

Here is a zshare link to it: zshare

Here is another link to the mixtape

Here is a link to another compilation from the Twelves, courtesy of BIGSTEREO

 

 Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal (The Twelves Remix): Play Now

Mmmmm…The Sprites. A brief history:

-Formed in 2002 by Jason Korzen after Barcelona broke up
-From Maryland, USA
-Released Starling, Spiders and Sprites in 2003 on March Records
-Played the San Francisco Pop Festival in 2003
-Released their Bionic Hands EP in 2004 on Lejos Discos
-Modern Gameplay was released in 2006 on Darla Records
-The song George Romero is a tribute to the movie Dawn of the Dead

So far, this is all I know. Their website and MySpace page hasn’t been updated since 2006. It’s almost 2009. Does anybody know anything about these guys?

Here is my favourite Sprites song, Following Her Around. It is a song about a stalker who is planning on kidnapping his pretend girlfriend. However, if you imagine the stalker as Michael Cera, then it becomes a song about the innocence of being young and the growing pains we all go through trying to find true love.

Following Her Around
On the streets of the springs
with short hair and torn jeans
I saw her walking into the video store
I held myself an aisle away
and peered over her shoulder while she browsed through the videotapes
my heart lept when she chose Angus, The Genius, and The Sure Thing
forgot to check my own tapes out first
the alarm went off as I followed her through the door

outside next to a parking meter
with a carmengia with no top and stickers that read
“meat is murder” “The Connels” “The Smiths” and “Ministery forever”
before I could fail to say hello
or she could even drive off my heart missed a beat
she met some guy from The Ropers
and kissed him
as I looked away

 

 Sprites - Following Her Around (2003, Starling, Spiders, Tiger and Sprites): Play Now

Toronto - Our monthly podcast continues. This issue’s topics range from the Canadian/American elections, Pop Montreal, the rash of concerts that have been in Toronto lately and the Polaris prize. Also features a special guest.

Songs Played:

• Julie Doiron - I Woke Myself Up
• Puressence - I Suppose
• Montag - No One Else
• Hefner - Good Fruit
• Hot Lava - Apple Option Fire
• Kaiser Chiefs - I Predict a Riot
• Flight of the Conchords - Foux Du Fafa
• Final Fantasy - The Butcher
• Metronomy - Heartbreaker

* Midnight - Darren Hayman (Hefner) [Gymnase] - Saturday
** As Dan Church pointed out - Girl singing in Hefner song is Amelia Fletcher
*** Hot Springs broke up apparantly - click here for details

 

 The Panic Manual - Season 3 Episode 6: Play Now