AC Newman: Guilty as charged (photo: Myspace)

With A.C. Newman, you know what you’re going to get.  That’s not a bad thing or a criticism; it’s just a matter of fact that anything he puts his name to is going to be smart pop that’s not afraid to rock out, or overstay it’s welcome.  Whether writing as head New Pornographer, or working on his solo material, Newman is the consummate musical economist, making the most out of simple hooks and melodies.

He’ll be at it again soon, with the January 20th release of his latest solo LP, Get Guilty.  Nicole Atkins and Jon Wurster (Superchunk/Mountain Goats) are just a couple of the musical guests already revealed, and we’re sure they won’t be the last.  Along with the Inauguration Day release of Get Guilty, Newman will take on a-Ha’s “Take On Me” for a Starbucks Valentine’s Day compilation CD.  That would definitely be a guilty pleasure.

MP3: A.C. Newman “There Are Maybe Ten or Twelve” (Get Guilty, 2009)
Myspace: A.C. Newman
Facebook: A.C. Newman

Harmonies that heal all wounds: First Aid Kit (photo: Josefin Klåvus)

I guess now that American Thanksgiving over, it’s time to start the holiday season off with a vengeance.  Is there a better way then to ring it in with a Swedish duo covering “Blue Christmas”?  I didn’t think so.  QBiM, meet First Aid Kit.  They’re getting ready to release an EP entitled Drunken Trees sometime early next year, and by the sounds of things, it’s going to be pretty girl-on-girl harmonizing cool.  They’re label mates with one of my other favourite Swedish duos, The Knife, who should be up to some new musical tricks in 2009, too.  If they seem young, that’s because they are:  Klara is 15, and Johanna is 17, and they’ve already made a name for themselves with their cover of Fleet Foxes’ “Tiger Mountain Peasant Song”.

Video: First Aid Kit “Blue Christmas”
MP3: First Aid Kit “Tiger Mountain Peasant Song” (Fleet Foxes cover)
Video: First Aid Kit “Tiger Mountain Peasant Song”
Myspace: First Aid Kit

Thanks to all the QBiM readers who made this week’s (weewerk) records contest the best attended in our history.  We had more entries for this particular contest than any we’ve held, so in our eyes that a huge success.  As you can recall there were three prize packs of CDs to give away, so congratulations go to Zach D. from Wichita, Kansas, Phillip G. from Charlottesville, Virginia, and Dallas W. from Hamilton, Ontario.  Your prize packs are in the mail, boys.

No fret if you didn’t win this time out, because you still have an opportunity to pick up Chad VanGaalen’s latest CD, Soft Airplane by entering our VanGaalen contest now (it closes November 29th at 11:59 P.m.).

M38: You, appearing with The Killers. (photo: Myspace)

M83 have just announced that the band is going to be opening for The Killers across North American arenas in January and February.  M83 have been on the road for the better part of this year supporting the album Saturdays=Youth.  In the studio, Anthony Gonzalez makes all the noise on M83 records, but on the road he’s joined by Loic Maurin on drums, Pierre-Marie Maulini on bass and guitar and Morgan Kibby on vocals and keyboards.

The Killers arena tour kicks off on January 17th in Denver, and sees the bandwagon pass through Toronto on the 23rd.  They’ll hit most major U.S. cities along the way, but Toronto is going to be the only Canadian stop.

MP3: M83 “We Own The Sky (Maps Mix)” (original from Saturdays=Youth, 2008)
MP3: M83 “Kim and Jessie” (Saturdays=Youth, 2009)
Video: M83 “Kim and Jessie”
Video: M83 “Graveyard Girl”
Myspace: M83
Buy: M83 Saturdays=Youth on Amazon | Insound | iTunes

While we’re on the subject of interesting opening acts for big name arena concerts, Mr. James “You’re Beautiful” Blunt is at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre tonight, with opening act Luke Doucet and his backing band, The White Falcon.  His album Blood’s Too Rich, much like Saturdays=Youth, is sure to get some QBiM love come the end of this year.

Stream: Luke Doucet “Blood’s Too Rich” (Blood’s Too Rich, 2008)

Andrew Bird playing live, somewhere. (Photo: rockfoto.nu)

It was turning out to be a bit of a slow week ’round these parts, but then thanks to our good friend Matt at You Ain’t No Picasso I got word that Loney Dear and QBiM favourite son Andrew Bird are planning on heading out on tour together in the new year, as both are preparing to release new material in 09.  Tour dates are all over both artists’ Myspace pages (see links below).

Matt also provided a link a reader in German sent him to a live performance of a new Andrew Bird track, and a trip over to his official site reveals that there’s a sample from the album (titled Noble Beast) called “Oh No”.  So now things are getting interesting, and January is shaping up to be an interesting release month.  I’ll definitely be waiting this album, as Bird’s last one, Armchair Apocrypha, was high on my 07 year-end list.

Stream: Andrew Bird “Oh No” (Noble Beast, 2009)
MP3: Andrew Bird “Heretics” (Armchair Apocrypha, 2007)
MP3: Andrew Bird “Why? (live)” (Live In Montreal, 2008)
Video: Andrew Bird “Natural Disaster (live)”
Myspace: Andrew Bird
Myspace: Loney Dear

All hailing frequencies open: Chad VanGaalen (photo: Marc Rimmer)

It’s just dawned on me that, a few days ago, when I posted on Chad VanGaalen, I might have mentioned something in the post title about a CD giveaway, and then never really brought it up in the actual post.

Oops.  Let me make things better.

Thanks to my good friend Jesse at Killbeat Music, I do have a copy of Soft Airplane that’s yours for the having.  Hopefully you know the drill by now:  email me at CONTESTS [at] QUICKBEFOREITMELTS [dot] COM with your mailing address and info in the body, and “Soft Airplane” as the subject line.  This contest closes Saturday, November 29th at 11:59 pm.

MP3: Chad VanGaalen “City of Electric Light”
MP3: Chad VanGaalen “Willow Tree”
Video: Chad VanGaalen “Molten Light”
Myspace: Chad VanGaalen
Buy: Chad VanGaalen Soft Airplane at Amazon | Insound | iTunes

Caleb from MP3 BLOG It’s Hard To Find A Friend has put together a fine compilation album for the upcoming holiday season, featuring the like of Jason Collett, American Analog Set, and Oxford Collapse.  All the proceeds from Peace On Earth Vol. II will benefit the Children of Uganda Fund this holiday season, and it’s predecessor, Peace On Earth Vol. I is still available, too.  You could have a matching set, and a warm glow in your soul.

Buy: Various Artists Peace On Earth Vol. I & II

It’s starting to look a lot like the end of the year.  Roough Trade Shops has already gone ahead and compiled their list of the year’s top albums.  We’re happy to The Acorn made the cut, but you’ll have to scan the list to find out where it placed in the top 40.  Keep your eyes peeled on these here pages for the QBiM 2008 round-up, which is shaping up quite nicely.  Okay, that’s a lie; it’s actually going to be one of the hardest lists I’ve had to make.  Seriously.

I’m sorry to report that Kenny MacLean, bassist with the 80s new-wave band Platinum Blonde, was found dead Monday in his Toronto apartment.  An auntopsy is scheduled for some time today.  It was reported  that he was last seen performing at a club in Toronto this weekend, and had been working on new solo material.