Touring Schedule Saturdays

(Group/Artist Name / date reviewed / upcoming shows & locations / website / twitter)

R.E.M.
3/22/11
http://remhq.com/index.php
remhq

DeVotchKa
3/7/11
Boston, Mass. (3/26); Burlington, Vt. (3/28); Montreal, Quebec (3/29); Toronto, Ont. (3/30); Chicago, Ill. (3/31); Minneapolis, Minn. (4/1)
http://devotchka.com/
devotchkamusic

Hey Rosetta!
3/1/11
Asbury Park, NJ. (3/26); Brooklyn, N.Y. (3/28); New York, N.Y. (3/29); Sydney, Austrialia (4/5-6);
http://www.heyrosetta.com/
heyrosetta

The Low Anthem
2/22/11
Vienna, Austria (3/27); Milan, Italy (3/28); Munich, Germany (3/30); Zurich, Switzerland (3/31); Nijmegan, Netherlands (4/1)
http://www.lowanthem.com/site/
thelowanthem

Telekinesis
2/15/11
Seattle, Wash. (3/26); Vancouver, B.C. (3/27)
http://www.telekinesismusic.com/
_TELEKINESIS

The Civil Wars
2/8/11
Louisville, Ky. (3/30); Cincinnati, Ohio (3/31); Akron, Ohio (4/1)
http://www.myspace.com/thecivilwars
thecivilwars

Oh No! Oh My!
1/31/11
Houston, Tex. (4/13); New Orleans, La. (4/14); Jackson, Miss. (4/15); Birmingham, Ala. (4/16); Memphis, Tenn. (4/17)
http://www.ohnoohmy.com/
ohnoohmy

Dolorean
1/25/11
Portland, Ore. (3/26)
http://www.doloreanmusic.com/
doloreanmusic

Tennis
1/18/11
Las Vegas, Nev. (3/30-4/2); Colorado Springs, Colo. (5/14); Barcelona, Spain (5/27)
http://www.fatpossum.com/artists/tennis

The Decemberists
1/10/11
Colorado Springs, Colo. (4/16); Omaha, Neb. (4/17); Iowa City, Iowa (4/18); Madison, Wisc. (4/19); Pittsburgh, Pa. (4/21)
http://decemberists.com/
TheDecemberists

April Smith & the Great Picture Show
1/4/11
Cincinnati, Ohio (4/10); Asheville, N.C. (4/11); Charleston, S.C. (4/12); Atlanta, Ga. (4/14); Hoover, Ala. (4/15)
http://www.aprilsmithmusic.com/
aprilsmithmusic

Rural Alberta Advantage
12/21/10
Chicago, Ill. (3/26); Windsor, Ont. (3/27); Winnipeg, Manitoba (3/31); Saskatoon, Sk. (4/1); Edmonton, Alb. (4/2);
http://www.theraa.com/

Lost in the Trees
12/14/10
New York, N.Y. (3/26); Washington, D.C. (3/28); Lynchburg, Va. (4/2); Los Angeles, Calif. (4/19); La Jolla, Calif. (4/20)
http://www.lostinthetrees.com/
littband

Johnny Poe & the Salvation Circus
12/7/10
http://www.myspace.com/johnnypoeband

Gold Motel
11/30/10
St. Lois, Mo. (4/7); Hopewell, Mich. (4/29); Seattle, Wash. (6/7); Portland, Ore. (6/8); San Francisco, Calif. (6/10)
http://www.goldmotel.com/
gretamorgan

Alphabet Backwards
11/23/10
London, UK (4/21)
http://www.myspace.com/alphabetbackwards

Hollerado
11/8/10
Kingston, Ont. (3/30); Guelph, Ont. (4/1); London, Ont. (4/2); Barrie, Ont. (4/3); Albany, N.Y. (4/5)
http://www.hollerado.com/
hollerado

Quiet Company
11/1/10
Austin, Tex. (3/27); San Marcos, Tex. (4/30); San Antonio, Tex. (5/6); New Braunfels, Tex. (8/27);
http://quietcompanymusic.com/
quietcompanytx

Outbox
10/26/10
http://www.myspace.com/outbox

Steven Page
1/18/10
http://www.stevenpage.com/
stevenpage

Tired Pony
10/5/10
http://www.tiredpony.com/
TiredPony

Ben Folds
9/26/10
Boone, N.C. (4/10); Blacksburg, Va (4/12); Norfolk, Va. (4/13); Richmond, Va. (4/14); Canberra, Australia (5/11)
http://benfolds.com/
benfolds

Wavves
9/20/10
Danbury, Ct. (5/28); Quincy, Wash. (5/30)
http://wavves.net/
wavveswavves

Weezer
9/7/10
Birmingham, Ala. (4/29); Dallas, Tex. (4/30); Boston, Mass. (5/19); Philadelphia, Pa. (5/20); Atlantic City, NJ (5/27);
http://weezer.com/
Weezer

Ra Ra Riot
8/31/10
Syracuse, N.Y. (4/7); Cleveland, Ohio (4/8); Columbus, Ohio (4/9); Detroit, Mich. (4/10); Holland, Mich. (4/11)
http://www.rarariot.com/
rarariot

Sufjan Stevens
8/24/10
Bergen, Norway (4/29); Oslo, Norway (4/30); Copenhagen, Denmark (5/1); Stockholm, Sweden (5/3); Warsaw, Poland (5/5)
http://asthmatickitty.com/sufjan-stevens
sufjanstevens

Farewell Drifters
8/17/10
Pittsburgh, Pa. (3/26); Roanoke, Va. (3/27); Bowling Green, Ky. (4/15); Thomas, W.V. (4/16); St. Augustine, Fla. (4/30)
http://thefarewelldrifters.com/
farewelldrifter

The Arcade Fire
8/3/10
Broomfield, Colo. (4/9); Orem, Utah (4/11); Phoenix, Ariz. (4/13); Las Vegas, Nev. (4/14); Indio, Calif. (4/16)
http://www.arcadefire.com/
arcadefire

Tokyo Police Club
7/26/10
Kingston, Ont. (3/30); Hamilton, Ont. (3/31); Guelph, Ont. (4/1); London, Ont. (4/2); Barrie, Ont. (4/3)
http://tokyopoliceclub.com/
tokyopoliceclub

Kathryn Calder
7/20/10
http://kathryncalder.ca/
kathryncalder

Great Big Sea
7/13/10
St. John's, Newfoundland (7/28); Lowell, Mass (8/28)
http://www.greatbigsea.com/
alanthomasdoyle

Telegraph Canyon
7/6/10
Fort Worth, Tex. (4/1); Dallas, Tex. (4/4)
http://www.telegraphcanyon.net/
telegraphcanyon

Stars
6/29/10
Ottawa, Ont. (5/4); Toronto, Ont. (5/5); Waterloo, Ont. (5/6); Hamilton, Ont. (5/7); London, Ont. (5/8)
http://www.youarestars.com/home/
montrealstars

Sambassadeur
6/7/10
http://www.sambassadeur.com/

Regina Spektor
6/1/10
http://www.reginaspektor.com/
respektor

The Hold Steady
5/17/10
Houston, Tex. (4/1); Cleveland, Ohio (4/2); New York, N.Y. (4/8)
http://theholdsteady.net/
theholdsteady

The New Pornographers
5/3/10
Boulder, Colo. (4/13); Albuquerque, NM (4/14); Tempe, Ariz (4/15); Indio, Calif. (4/16); Santa Cruz, Calif. (4/17)
http://www.thenewpornographers.com/
thenewpornos

The 1900s
4/26/10
http://www.myspace.com/1900s
1900s

Titus Andronicus
4/20/10
Worcester, Mass. (3/27); Portland, Maine (3/29); Burlington, Vt. (3/30); Montreal, Quebec (3/31); Toronto, Ont. (4/1)
http://www.titusandronicus.net/

Butch Walker
3/30/10
http://butchwalker.com/
butchwalker

Valery Gore
3/9/10
http://www.valerygore.com/

fun.
3/1/10
Indio, Calif. (4/17); Pomona, Calif. (4/21); San Francisco, Calif. (4/22); Philadelphia, Pa. (5/20); Boston, Mass. (5/22)
http://www.ournameisfun.com/
ournameisfun

Southeast Engine
2/23/10
Minneapolis, Minn. (3/26); Seattle, Wash. (3/29); Portland, Ore. (3/30); San Francisco, Calif. (3/31); Los Angeles, Calif. (4/1)
http://www.southeastengine.com/
southeastengine

We Were Promised Jetpacks
2/16/10
http://www.myspace.com/wewerepromisedjetpacks

The Overmountain Men
2/9/10
Pomeroy, Ohio (5/7); Saluda, NC (6/4); Cleveland, Ohio (10/14), Streetsboro, Ohio (3/15)
http://www.overmountainmen.com/Main.html

Dear Leader
2/1/10

http://dear-leader.com/
dearleader

Jukebox Serenade
1/26/10
http://www.jukeboxserenade.com/main.html
JukeboxSerenade

Van Ghost
1/19/10
Brooklyn, N.Y. (4/2); Chicago, Ill. (4/9); Chillicothe, Ill. (5/26-28); Geneva, Minn. (5/29)
http://vanghost.com/
iamvanghost

Gaslight Anthem
1/12/10
East Rutherford, N.J. (4/30); Nurburging, Germany (6/3); Nurnberg, Germany (6/5); Dresden, Germany (6/6); Hamburg, Germany (6/7)
http://gaslightanthem.com/
gaslight_anthem

R.E.M.

So, the recent flurry of activity of reviews and touring schedule updates came to a grinding halt last week, largely due to a string of celebratory events tied to the 30th anniversary your blogger's birth. But, what do we do when knocked off our bead of momentum? Pick yourself up and climb back on the horse, which is what we'll do here by assessing the most recent release from the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers, R.E.M.

Some music commentators seem to take special delight in bashing new work from established groups. And those reactions tend to fall into two directions: either the material hews too closely to the core of the group's sound and does not stake out enough new ground to demonstrate growth and maturity; or, conversely, new recordings are flogged for wandering too far afield of a successful and enjoyable palate that defines the catalog of an artist or band. Occasionally, a review will include both types of criticism.

And, to be fair, the R.E.M.'s mid-March release of Collapse Into Now veers more strongly to the former label than the latter. It's filled with the trademark jangly, Byrds-style riffs and progressions from guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills' high harmonies and piano tracks, and frontman Michael Stipe's ubiquitous lyricism, leaving no room to mistake the effort for anything but an R.E.M. album. And while some might argue that suggests a group who has run out of ideas, there is also inherent value in a cohort of individuals collaborating together over a number of years (and decades, in this case) to create and replicate an approach to music that becomes their own. Only the most cynical among us cannot appreciate the difficulty of coordinating the artistic vision, conflicting personalities and stamina necessary to sustain such a project over a significant period of time. To their credit, R.E.M. has largely accomplished that over a career now extending into its fourth decade. Declaring an individual track as an "R.E.M. song" bears with it true definition – as in only one group is capable of producing that sound in the same manner – much in the the same way U2 has done over essentially the same period.

Positioned somewhere in the group's sonic spectrum between 1991's Out of Time, 1996's New Adventures in Hi-Fi and the more recent Accelerate of 2008, Collapse Into Now compiles varying pages from the R.E.M. playbook into a cohesive compendium. Opener "Discoverer" is punchy and tangy, a functional bridge between the group's most raw and rocking product – 1994's Monster – and the late-career Accelerate. Hauling out the familiar delay and reverb pedals, Peter Buck again defines the number with his grainy figures aerating the track's 3:31 minutes. With all proper credit and respect due to the influence of Stipe and Mills, R.E.M. produces its best material when it is shaped by the distinctiveness of its guitarist. Few non-vocalist guitar players have the sort of impact on their bands as Buck imposes upon his, aside from his Irish counterpart in U2, The Edge. It's also one that has percolated up through the sounds of American bands for the past two decades, ranging from The Decemberists' The King Is Dead (which featured Buck himself) through the Americana of Wilco and Buck's own Tired Pony side project to the more poppy constructions of groups like Oh No! Oh My! and The Broken West (now Apex Manor).

Even more brash is the follow-up, "All The Best." Channeling Monster's "I Took Your Name," it's grainy delivery is punctuated by Stipe's staccato phrasing and is appropriately shorter at 2:45, reflecting a heightened sense of urgency. The same gnarly spirit reappears later in the collection on the suggestive "Mine Smell Like Honey" – which features fantastic backing vocals on the chorus from Mike Mills – the alliterative "Alligator_Aviator_Autopilot_Antimatter," accentuated by guest vocals from longtime compatriot Patty Smith, and "That Someone Is You." It is this quintet of rockers that point most clearly to the group's preceding Accelerate, and signals the arch of their gradual return to the heart of their milieu.

In contrast to the above electric guitar-driven set is the album's third offering, the acoustic "Überlin" – an ode to the rapid transit network of the German capital (which also features a corresponding subway map-inspired video). It's a fitting counterpart to previous R.E.M. acoustic-focused singles like "Ebow the Letter" off New Adventures in Hi-Fi and "Daysleeper" from the 1998 album, Up (which also was the first release following the departure of original drummer Bill Berry in 1997). Along those lines, the Buck-Mills-Stipe trio finally appears comfortable with its percussion situation after experimenting with a decade's worth of options behind the drumkit. Although the group has never – and likely will never – name a permanent replacement for the charter member Berry, former Ministry timekeeper Bill Rieflin manned the sticks on tour starting in 2004, following the uneven Around the Sun, which was released earlier that year. Rieflin has since recorded the drum parts for both Accelerate and Collapse Into Now. The relative stability provided by Rieflin has yielded a songwriting and recording process that appears to be more comfortable and accordingly more productive, as evidenced in the solid output in the most recent two records.

A couple of the more interesting ideas on the dozen-track album are the pairing of "Oh My Heart" and "It Happened Today" in the number four and five slots. The former struggles with Hurricane Katrina's destruction of New Orleans – although hardly a unique subject for songwriters and performers in recent years – as Stipe notes a "city half erased" and "storm didn't kill me / the government changed / hear the answer call, hear the song rearranged / hear the tress, the ghosts and the buildings sing / with the wisdom to reconcile this thing." Curiously, it's set to the musical backdrop of the soundtrack to a spaghetti western, with mandolins and accordions cresting atop the undulating melody. Meanwhile, the latter recalls the band's I.R.S. Records era – with nods to early classics like "Cuyahoga" and "Harborcoat" – with a touch more indie-pop flavor and Eddie Vedder blending with Mills on backing vocals.

At the same time, the late-appearing "Me, Marlon Brando, Marlon Brando and I" recalls the band's most popular hit, the iconic "Losing My Religion," with Buck replicating his signature mandolin and acoustic guitar chords from their standout Out of Time cut. The Out of Time nostalgia tour continues on "Blue," which is a chord-for-chord recasting of "County Feedback," albeit with Stipe penning new spoken word lyrics which rest atop the familiar instrumental cadence.

Come for: "Überlin"
Stay for: "All The Best"
You'll be surprised by: "Oh My Heart"

Touring Schedule Saturdays

Most weeks of Touring Schedule Saturdays won't feature any commentary; just the touring listing for the next week or 5 shows (whichever is more timely). But others – like this one – warrant some additional analysis.

You'll notice a distinctive trend among this week's schedules. Like the swallows returning to Capistrano, the early days of spring lure indie bands to their ancestral home: Austin, Tex. for the annual South-by-Southwest conference. A dozen of our past reviewees head there this week, often for a string of performances around the so-called Live Music Capital of the World. As part of the trek, many groups navigate through Southern California, the Southwest and/or Texas en route. For those fortunate enough to attend SxSW, enjoy some outstanding talent.

(Group/Artist Name / date reviewed / upcoming shows & locations / website / twitter)

DeVotchKa
3/7/11
Hollywood, Calif. (3/12); Tempe, Ariz. (3/13); Dallas, Tex. (3/15); Austin, Tex. (3/16-18)
http://devotchka.com/
devotchkamusic

Hey Rosetta!
3/1/11
Los Angeles, Calif. (3/12); Austin, Tex. (3/17-18)
http://www.heyrosetta.com/
heyrosetta

The Low Anthem
2/22/11
Central Falls, R.I. (3/12); Paris, France (3/18); Cologne, Germany (3/20); Berlin, Germany (3/21); Copenhagen, Denmark (3/22)
http://www.lowanthem.com/site/
thelowanthem

Telekinesis
2/15/11
Washington, D.C. (3/12); Chapel Hill, N.C. (3/13); Atlanta, Ga. (3/14); Baton Rouge, La. (3/15); Santa Fe, N.M. (3/21)
http://www.telekinesismusic.com/
_TELEKINESIS

The Civil Wars
2/8/11
Dallas, Tex. (3/12); Denton, Tex. (3/13); Waco, Tex. (3/14); Austin, Tex. (3/16, 18); Houston, Tex. (3/20)
http://www.myspace.com/thecivilwars
thecivilwars

Oh No! Oh My!
1/31/11
Belfast, U.K. (3/12); Austin, Tex. (3/15-19)
http://www.ohnoohmy.com/
ohnoohmy

Dolorean
1/25/11
Santa Barbara, Calif. (3/12); San Diego, Calif. (3/13); Phoenix, Ariz. (3/14); Santa Fe, N.M. (3/15); Austin, Tex. (3/17-19)
http://www.doloreanmusic.com/
doloreanmusic

Tennis
1/18/11
Orlando, Fla. (3/12); Tampa, Fla. (3/13); New Orleans, La. (3/15)
http://www.fatpossum.com/artists/tennis

The Decemberists
1/10/11
Bexhill, U.K. (3/12); Antwerp, Belgium (3/13); Amsterdam, Netherlands (3/14); London, U.K. (3/16); Colorado Springs, Colo. (4/16)
http://decemberists.com/
TheDecemberists

April Smith & the Great Picture Show
1/4/11
Brooklyn, N.Y. (3/20); New York, N.Y. (3/25); Cincinnati, Ohio (4/10); Asheville, N.C. (4/11); Charleston, S.C. (4/12)
http://www.aprilsmithmusic.com/
aprilsmithmusic

Rural Alberta Advantage
12/21/10
Brooklyn, N.Y. (3/12); Washington, D.C. (3/13); Chapel Hill, N.C. (3/14); Atlanta, Ga. (3/15); Austin, Tex. (3/17-18)
http://www.theraa.com/

Lost in the Trees
12/14/10
Dallas, Tex. (3/12-13); Austin, Tex. (3/15-18)
http://www.lostinthetrees.com/
littband

Johnny Poe & the Salvation Circus
12/7/10
http://www.myspace.com/johnnypoeband

Gold Motel
11/30/10
Tempe, Ariz. (3/14); Austin, Tex. (3/16-18); St. Lois, Mo. (4/7); Hopewell, Mich. (4/29)
http://www.goldmotel.com/
gretamorgan

Alphabet Backwards
11/23/10
London, UK (4/21)
http://www.myspace.com/alphabetbackwards
alphabetbackwards

Hollerado
11/8/10
Toronto, Ont. (3/12); Austin, Tex. (3/16-19); Oshawa, Ont (3/25)
http://www.hollerado.com/
hollerado

Quiet Company
11/1/10
Dallas, Tex. (3/12); Austin, Tex. (3/13,15,17,19)
http://quietcompanymusic.com/
quietcompanytx

Outbox
10/26/10
http://www.myspace.com/outbox

Steven Page
1/18/10
http://www.stevenpage.com/
stevenpage

Tired Pony
10/5/10
http://www.tiredpony.com/
TiredPony

Ben Folds
9/26/10
Boone, N.C. (4/10); Blacksburg, Va (4/12); Norfolk, Va. (4/13); Richmond, Va. (4/14); Canberra, Australia (5/11)
http://benfolds.com/
benfolds

Wavves
9/20/10
Victoria, Australia (3/12); Melbourne, Australia (3/14); Danbury, Ct. (5/28); Quincy, Wash. (5/30)
http://wavves.net/
wavveswavves

Weezer
9/7/10
Dallas, Tex. (4/30); Atlantic City, NJ (5/27); Knebworth Park, UK (7/9); Balado, UK (7/10)
http://weezer.com/
Weezer

Ra Ra Riot
8/31/10
Baton Rouge, La. (3/12); Columbia, Mo. (3/14); St. Louis, Mo. (3/15); Indianapolis, Ind. (3/16); Louisville, Ky (3/18)
http://www.rarariot.com/
rarariot

Sufjan Stevens
8/24/10
Bergen, Norway (4/29); Oslo, Norway (4/30); Copenhagen, Denmark (5/1); Stockholm, Sweden (5/3); Warsaw, Poland (5/5)
http://asthmatickitty.com/sufjan-stevens
sufjanstevens

Farewell Drifters
8/17/10
Philadelphia, Penn. (3/16); New York, NY (3/17); Earlville, NY (3/18); Rosendale, NY (19); Erie, Pa. (3/20)
http://thefarewelldrifters.com/
farewelldrifter

The Arcade Fire
8/3/10
Broomfield, Colo. (4/9); Orem, Utah (4/11); Phoenix, Ariz. (4/13); Las Vegas, Nev. (4/14); Indio, Calif. (4/16)
http://www.arcadefire.com/
arcadefire

Tokyo Police Club
7/26/10
Los Angeles, Calif. (3/25); Kingston, Ont. (3/30); Hamilton, Ont. (3/31); Guelph, Ont. (4/1); London, Ont. (4/2)
http://tokyopoliceclub.com/
tokyopoliceclub

Kathryn Calder
7/20/10
http://kathryncalder.ca/
kathryncalder

Great Big Sea
7/13/10
Seattle, Wash. (3/12); Bend, Ore. (3/13); Petaluma, Calif. (3/15); Redding, Calif. (3/16); Carmel, Calif. (3/17); Arroyo Grande, Calif. (3/18)
http://www.greatbigsea.com/
alanthomasdoyle

Telegraph Canyon
7/6/10
New Orleans, La. (3/12); Dallas, Tex. (3/15); Austin, Tex. (3/16, 18); Fort Worth, Tex. (3/20)
http://www.telegraphcanyon.net/
telegraphcanyon

Stars
6/29/10
Ottawa, Ont. (5/4); Toronto, Ont. (5/5); Waterloo, Ont. (5/6); Hamilton, Ont. (5/7); London, Ont. (5/8)
http://www.youarestars.com/home/
montrealstars

Sambassadeur
6/7/10
http://www.sambassadeur.com/

Regina Spektor
6/1/10
http://www.reginaspektor.com/
respektor

The Hold Steady
5/17/10
Merideth, Australia (3/12); Cleveland, Ohio (4/2); New York, N.Y. (4/8)
http://theholdsteady.net/
theholdsteady

The New Pornographers
5/3/10
Boulder, Colo. (4/13); Albuquerque, NM (4/14); Tempe, Ariz (4/15); Indio, Calif. (4/16); Santa Cruz, Calif. (4/17)
http://www.thenewpornographers.com/
thenewpornos

The 1900s
4/26/10
http://www.myspace.com/1900s
1900s

Titus Andronicus
4/20/10
Boston, Mass. (3/12); New York, N.Y. (3/15, 17); Waltham, Mass. (3/18); Portland, Maine (3/29)
http://www.titusandronicus.net/

Butch Walker
3/30/10
http://butchwalker.com/
butchwalker

Valery Gore
3/9/10
http://www.valerygore.com/

fun.
3/1/10
Indio, Calif. (4/17); Pomona, Calif. (4/21); San Francisco, Calif. (4/22)
http://www.ournameisfun.com/
ournameisfun

Southeast Engine
2/23/10
Lexington, Ky. (3/23); Cincinnati, Ohio (3/24); DeKalb, Ill. (3/25); Minneapolis, Minn (3/26), Seattle, Wash. (3/29)
http://www.southeastengine.com/
southeastengine

We Were Promised Jetpacks
2/16/10
http://www.myspace.com/wewerepromisedjetpacks

The Overmountain Men
2/9/10
Charlotte, NC (3/19); Pomeroy, Ohio (5/7); Saluda, NC (6/4); Cleveland, Ohio (10/14), Streetsboro, Ohio (3/15)
http://www.overmountainmen.com/Main.html

Dear Leader
2/1/10
Allston, Mass. (3/5-6)
http://dear-leader.com/
dearleader

Jukebox Serenade
1/26/10
http://www.jukeboxserenade.com/main.html
JukeboxSerenade

Van Ghost
1/19/10
Austin, Tex. (3/19); Chicago, Ill. (4/9); Chillicothe, Ill. (5/26-28); Geneva, Minn. (5/29)
http://vanghost.com/
iamvanghost

Gaslight Anthem
1/12/10
Tokyo, Japan (3/12); East Rutherford, N.J. (4/30); Nurburging, Germany (6/3); Nurnberg, Germany (6/5)
http://gaslightanthem.com/
gaslight_anthem

DeVotchKa

(This week's post marks our first contribution by an outside writer, Eileen Can. You can follow her on Twitter.)

If 100 Lovers makes you feel like you're barreling down the highway on some urgent and sentimental errand, that's because it was deftly constructed by the fine folks who gave us the soundtrack to the 2006 Indie classic Little Miss Sunshine. DeVotchKa's latest work is equal parts precision and grace, blending Nick Urata's haunting lead voice with a bold collection of instruments in a balanced and beautiful patchwork that will leave you scratching your head in search of an adjective. You'll settle on "genre-defying."

If you want Latin, you've got it in "Contrabanda.” (Just TRY listening to this one sitting down.) If you want Celtic uprising, hang in there until “Sunshine” rolls around and unfurls a rousing instrumental that showcases this band’s strength in scoring films – while aptly weaving in a didgeridoo at just the right moment. If you want the DeVotchKa we know and love, listen for “100 Other Lovers” or “Bad Luck Heels,” whose layered horns evoke Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass on overdrive.

The percussive overture “The Alley” sets the stage for what you think might be a dark fairy tale or twisted lullaby, leading the way to “All the Sand in All the Sea.” This is the focal point of the record, and its titillating countdown of ghostly strains compels you to keep listening.

Though recorded in the Arizona desert, the album's 15 tracks call to mind diverse landscapes on multiple continents, to the point that the uninitiated would be hard-pressed to identify the origin of this talented group of performers. Their 2004 album How it Ends (whose bereft title track will stay with you) proved that the Denver-based ensemble could plumb the depths of themes like grief and longing and deliver them in bite-sized lyrics with an enviable specificity.

“Ruthless” is perhaps the most lyrical number, and the one whose signature "I'm not here for repentance; I have come for what's mine," you’ll be tapping your foot to. The dire message of the bridge, “You say I'm just being careless/It's a heightened state of awareness/I know that you couldn't care less/But I think this is quite serious,” is punctuated by a bongos backing reminiscent of The Gipsy Kings. This song is a prototype of DeVotchKa’s jangling and fluid assortment of sounds.

It's not all urgency, but it is all beautiful and handled with care. “Exhaustible” (you’ve gotta love a whistling tune) is as easy to listen to as a detergent jingle, but Urata's insistence that, “There is no one loves you better than me, my dear,” is not coy in the least. His unequivocation is smartly backed by a children's choir – a nice touch making this surprise hit good to the last giggly note.

The momentum never relents. The strings on “The Common Good” will have you dancing and keep you guessing, and “The Man from San Sebastian” blends staccato accordion with a Johnny Marr-inspired bass line that makes this track "smooth and worth your while."

100 Lovers handily combines the natural talents of DeVotchKa’s multi-faceted personnel and their ever-expanding musical toolbox. Grounded by Urata's vocals, the album resolves an avalanche of movement into a peaceful plateau, leaving listeners with a new vantage point from which to ponder the repeated inquiry, "Am I the only one?"

Come for: “All the Sand in All the Sea”
Stay for: “Ruthless”
You'll Be Surprised by: “Exhaustible”

P.S.: DeVotchKa will appear on March 22nd at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C.

Touring Schedule Saturdays

(Group/Artist Name / date reviewed / upcoming shows & locations / website / twitter)

Hey Rosetta!
3/1/11
Vancouver, B.C. (3/5); Victoria, B.C. (3/7); Portland, Ore. (3/8); Seattle, Wash. (3/9); San Francisco, Calif. (3/11)
http://www.heyrosetta.com/
heyrosetta


The Low Anthem
2/22/11
North Adams, Mass. (3/5); Portland, Maine (3/7); New York, N.Y. (3/8); Central Falls, N.Y. (3/12); Paris, France (3/18)
http://www.lowanthem.com/site/
thelowanthem

Telekinesis
2/15/11
Detroit, Mich. (3/5); Toronto, Ont. (3/6); Montreal, Que. (3/7); Cambridge, Mass. (3/8); New York, N.Y. (3/9); Brooklyn, N.Y. (3/10); Philadelphia, Pa. (3/11)
http://www.telekinesismusic.com/
_TELEKINESIS

The Civil Wars
2/8/11
Oklahoma City, Okla (3/9); Abilene, Tex. (3/10); Dallas, Tex. (3/11-12); Denton, Tex. (3/13)
http://www.myspace.com/thecivilwars
thecivilwars

Oh No! Oh My!
1/31/11
Namur, Belgium (3/5); Ghent, Belgium (3/6); London, UK (3/7); Leeds, UK (3/8); Glasgow, UK (3/9); Galway, Ireland (3/10);
http://www.ohnoohmy.com/
ohnoohmy

Dolorean
1/25/11
San Francisco, Calif. (3/9); Santa Cruz, Calif. (3/10); Los Angeles, Calif (3/11); Santa Barbara, Calif. (3/12); San Diego, Calif. (3/13)
http://www.doloreanmusic.com/
doloreanmusic

Tennis
1/18/11
Washington, DC (3/5); Chapel Hill, N.C. (3/7); Asheville, N.C. (3/8); Nashville, Tenn. (3/10); Atlanta, Ga. (3/11)
http://www.fatpossum.com/artists/tennis

The Decemberists
1/10/11
Glasgow, UK (3/5); Birmingham, UK (3/7); Bristol, UK (3/8); Manchester, UK (3/10), Leeds, UK (3/11)
http://decemberists.com/
TheDecemberists

April Smith & the Great Picture Show
1/4/11
Brooklyn, N.Y. (3/20); New York, N.Y. (3/25); Cincinnati, Ohio (4/10); Asheville, N.C. (4/11); Charleston, S.C. (4/12)
http://www.aprilsmithmusic.com/
aprilsmithmusic

Rural Alberta Advantage
12/21/10
Cambridge, Mass. (3/9); New York, NY ( 3/10); Philadelphia, Pa. (3/11); Brooklyn, NY (3/12)
http://www.theraa.com/

Lost in the Trees
12/14/10
Denton, Tex. (3/11); Hot Springs, Ark. (3/21)
http://www.lostinthetrees.com/
littband

Johnny Poe & the Salvation Circus
12/7/10
http://www.myspace.com/johnnypoeband

Gold Motel
11/30/10
Tempe, Ariz. (3/14); St. Lois, Mo. (4/7); Hopewell, Mich. (4/29)
http://www.goldmotel.com/
gretamorgan

Alphabet Backwards
11/23/10
London, UK (4/21)
http://www.myspace.com/alphabetbackwards
alphabetbackwards

Hollerado
11/8/10
Hamilton, Ont. (3/9); Toronto, Ont. (3/10); New York, MY (3/11); Toronto, Ont. (3/12); Oshawa, Ont (3/25)
http://www.hollerado.com/
hollerado

Quiet Company
11/1/10
Houston, Tex. (3/11); Dallas, Tex. (3/12); Austin, Tex. (3/13,15,17)
http://quietcompanymusic.com/
quietcompanytx

Outbox
10/26/10
http://www.myspace.com/outbox

Steven Page
1/18/10
http://www.stevenpage.com/
stevenpage

Tired Pony
10/5/10
http://www.tiredpony.com/
TiredPony

Ben Folds
9/26/10
Vienna, Austria (3/5); Amsterdam, Holland (3/7); Cologne, Germany (3/8); Boone, N.C. (3/10); Blacksburg, Va (3/12)
http://benfolds.com/
benfolds

Wavves
9/20/10
Adelaide, Austrialia (3/6); Brisbane, Australia (3/8); Sidney, Australia (3/9), Perth, Australia (3/11); Victoria, Australia (3/12)
http://wavves.net/
wavveswavves

Weezer
9/7/10
Dallas, Tex. (4/30); Atlantic City, NJ (5/27); Knebworth Park, UK (7/9); Balado, UK (7/10)
http://weezer.com/
Weezer

Ra Ra Riot
8/31/10
Jacksonville, Fla. (3/6); Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. (3/7); Orlando, Fla. (3/8), Tampa, Fla. (3/9); New Orleans, La. (3/11)
http://www.rarariot.com/
rarariot

Sufjan Stevens
8/24/10
Bergen, Norway (4/29); Oslo, Norway (4/30); Copenhagen, Denmark (5/1); Stockholm, Sweden (5/3); Warsaw, Poland (5/5)
http://asthmatickitty.com/sufjan-stevens
sufjanstevens

Farewell Drifters
8/17/10
Philadelphia, Penn. (3/16); New York, NY (3/17); Earlville, NY (3/18); Rosendale, NY (19); Erie, Pa. (3/20)
http://thefarewelldrifters.com/
farewelldrifter

The Arcade Fire
8/3/10
Broomfield, Colo. (4/9); Orem, Utah (4/11); Phoenix, Ariz. (4/13); Las Vegas, Nev. (4/14); Indio, Calif. (4/16)
http://www.arcadefire.com/
arcadefire

Tokyo Police Club
7/26/10
Los Angeles, Calif. (3/25); Kingston, Ont. (3/30); Hamilton, Ont. (3/31); London, Ont. (4/2)
http://tokyopoliceclub.com/
tokyopoliceclub

Kathryn Calder
7/20/10
http://kathryncalder.ca/
kathryncalder

Great Big Sea
7/13/10
Kelowna, BC (3/11); Seattle, Wash. (3/12); Bend, Ore. (3/13); Petaluma, Calif. (3/15); Redding, Calif. (3/16)
http://www.greatbigsea.com/
alanthomasdoyle

Telegraph Canyon
7/6/10
Fort Worth, Tex. (3/9); Denton, Tex. (3/11); New Orleans, La. (3/12); Dallas, Tex. (3/15); Austin, Tex. (3/16)
http://www.telegraphcanyon.net/
telegraphcanyon

Stars
6/29/10
Ottawa, Ont. (5/4); Toronto, Ont. (5/5); Waterloo, Ont. (5/6); Hamilton, Ont. (5/7); London, Ont. (5/8)
http://www.youarestars.com/home/
montrealstars

Sambassadeur
6/7/10
http://www.sambassadeur.com/

Regina Spektor
6/1/10
http://www.reginaspektor.com/
respektor

The Hold Steady
5/17/10
Sydney, Australia (3/8); Brisbane, Australia (3/9); Melbourne, Australia (3/11); Merideth, Australia (3/12); Cleveland, Ohio (4/2)
http://theholdsteady.net/
theholdsteady

The New Pornographers
5/3/10
Boulder, Colo. (4/13); Albuquerque, NM (4/14); Tempe, Ariz (4/15); Indio, Calif. (4/16); Santa Cruz, Calif. (4/17)
http://www.thenewpornographers.com/
thenewpornos

The 1900s
4/26/10
http://www.myspace.com/1900s
1900s

Titus Andronicus
4/20/10
Baltimore, Md. (3/7); Washington, DC (3/8); Boston, Mass. (3/11-12); New York, N.Y. (3/15)
http://www.titusandronicus.net/

Butch Walker
3/30/10
http://butchwalker.com/
butchwalker

Valery Gore
3/9/10
http://www.valerygore.com/

fun.
3/1/10
Indio, Calif. (4/17); Pomona, Calif. (4/21); San Francisco, Calif. (4/22)
http://www.ournameisfun.com/
ournameisfun

Southeast Engine
2/23/10
Lexington, Ky. (3/23); Cincinnati, Ohio (3/24); DeKalb, Ill. (3/25); Minneapolis, Minn (3/26), Seattle, Wash. (3/29)
http://www.southeastengine.com/
southeastengine

We Were Promised Jetpacks
2/16/10
http://www.myspace.com/wewerepromisedjetpacks

The Overmountain Men
2/9/10
Dallas, NC (3/11); Charlotte, NC (3/19); Pomeroy, Ohio (5/7); Saluda, NC (6/4); Cleveland, Ohio (10/14)
http://www.overmountainmen.com/Main.html

Dear Leader
2/1/10
Allston, Mass. (3/5-6)
http://dear-leader.com/
dearleader

Jukebox Serenade
1/26/10
http://www.jukeboxserenade.com/main.html
JukeboxSerenade

Van Ghost
1/19/10
Chillicothe, Ill. (5/26-28); Geneva, Minn. (5/29)
http://vanghost.com/
iamvanghost

Gaslight Anthem
1/12/10
Melbourne, Australia (3/5); Perth, Australia (3/7); Osaka, japan (3/10); Tokyo, Japan (3/11); East Rutherford, N.J. (4/29)
http://gaslightanthem.com/
gaslight_anthem

Rural Alberta Advantage – Departing

The second post of this week is also the second time a group has been reviewed a second time. Coincidence? Entirely. (The Gaslight Anthem was the first band to receive dual reviews, here and here).

In December, you heard about the Alberta folk-rock trio, The Rural Alberta Advantage, and their debut release, Hometowns. That review promised an analysis of their March 1 follow-up, Departing, released in the U.S. on Saddle Creek Records and in the True North on Paper Bag Records. Today, that promise is fulfilled and all family business is settled. On their rookie-level effort, the three-piece stuck to a relatively simple approach, spinning earnest snapshots of of their provincial home (although these days the band operates out of Tronna). Largely driven by frontman Nils Edenloff's vinegary wail and acoustic guitar and supported by heartening vocals from multi-instrumentalist Amy Cole and solid timekeeping by drummer Paul Banwatt. That record's baker's dozen tracks point to specific Albertan markers in titles such as "The Dethbridge in Lethbridge," "Frank, AB" and their ode to the province's City of Champions, "Edmonton."

This time around, however, the outfit has evolved into a warmer and certainly more musical direction on Departing. While its predecessor only delivered scant instrumentation beyond the aformentioned structure, the 10-track album is coloured by a robust selection of piano and keyboards, chimes, and even some faint strings. The group has taken advantage of its added experience and the recording resources provided their twin backing labels to construct a fuller sound, one that begins with the opening "Two Lovers." Do not take the easy pace and relative gentility (at least for the R.A.A.) as some odious torch song. A simple glance at the lyric sheet reveals Edenloff's true intent here:

You're face, it haunts me more them most
And If I ever hold you again
I will hold you tight enough to crush your veins
And you will die and become a ghost
Haunt me till my pulse felt so slow

Returning to more familiar territory is 'The Breakup," where the end of winter is paired with the culmination of a relationship that's set among a string of Alberta references including the Asaband, Coker and Fort McMurray. And although "Under the Knife" doesn't advance the cause of unique elements much further, the following "Muscle Relaxants" is more attractive. Benefiting of a brisk backbeat and out-of-character electric guitar, its the sort of material the R.A.A. would do well to replicate in the future. In a live set, it would serve as a prelude for their former record's prime cut, "The Dethbridge in Lethbridge."

"North Star" contains perhaps the most relaxed vibe here, with Edenloff's piano functioning as a solid underpinning for the mid-tempo affair. Meanwhile, the successive trio of "Stamp," Tornado 87" and "Barnes' Yard" hark back to the debut of Hometowns, with the unsettled and rusty tone that defined their initial work. Closer to the end, "Coldest Days" is a serviceable ballad, relating the trio's most countrified sound, but the closer "Good Night" is too stark and sparse considering Edenloff's dominating whine, despite Cole's best efforts at mirroring vocals.

Come for: "Two Lovers"
Stay for: "North Star"
You'll be surprised by: "Muscle Relaxanats"

P.S. The R.A.A. will appear at the Rock & Roll Hotel in Washington, D.C. on March 13. Again, full touring details for all NMTs reviewees will appear every Saturday here as part of Touring Schedule Saturdays.

Hey Rosetta!

(As a perambulatory note, March features the release of several new records this blogger is eagerly anticipating. In recognition of this reality – as well as other artists who released albums prior to March that have yet to receive treatment – this week and next will include multiple reviews, on the customary Tuesday as well as the following Thursday to make our way through the entire compliment. At least one review will be filed by our first guest reviewer.)

Properly situating the context of a new group or artist can be a muddy affair. On some occasions, a hint of a classic influence sneaks through some lyrical similarity or the nuance of a finely-rendered arpeggio. In others, sounds emerge which nod to a more contemporary peer. And frequently, some hybrid of past and present shape the new work of a well-versed group of songwriters and performers. Such is the case with the St. John's, Newfoundland-based six-piece, Hey Rosetta! On their third full-length release, Seeds – out today on Sonic Records – some unlikely union emerges comprised of Frightened Rabbit, Paul Simon, The Arcade Fire and, ominously, the Dave Matthews Band.

The bright mandolin which welcomes the opener, "Seeds," is an expeditionary call to the road, like those so many great odes to the highway – such as The Arcade Fire's "Keep the Car Running" or "Across the Bridge" from the Great Lakes Myth Society. The opening lyrics are equally summoning, as frontman Tim Baker launches the journey as "the road bends long, like mother's arms; reaching for these four black tires..." When the full six-piece outfit launches into the number's driving chorus, the trip is fully underway. Less appealing, however, is the rhythmic breakdown following the bridge, as if it was pulled from one of Mr. Matthews' attempts to prove his group's new world music bona fides, with its yips and hollers. Fortunately, the tune returns to course not long after.

Once again, the second track emerges as the collection's most promising. "Yer Spring" eases in like a gentler Frightened Rabbit selection, with Baker approximating the cadence of his Scottish counterpart, Scott Hutchinson, but without the brogue. The track's growing intensity likewise matches the Scots' overall tone – see offering such as "Fast Blood" or "Nothing Like You" for a comparative taste – and what emerges is a well-rounded, but committed performance that demonstrates the group's versatility as the string section of Kinley Dowling (violin), and Romesh Thavanathan (cello) proves its mettle against the growing anthemetic.

The trailing "Young Glass" maintains the same voice and conviction, with a bit more early movement and Simonian lyricism. References to Central Park and ivory halls, when paired with lines like "sleepwalk through the rooms where you grew up," and "keeping out the killers and keeping out the creeps" suggest a mid-career Paul Simon narrative, perhaps blended with the trendy sound of his most devoted contemporary disciples. Again, the Dowling and Thavanathan announce their nimble presence at the number builds to its orchestrated crescendo.

And although the succeeding "Bricks" is a bit too jam-band-y – once more pointing to the DMB influence, although perhaps not intentionally – the continually-evolving "New Sum (Nous Sommes)" evokes the catalog of their fellow Canadians in The Arcade Fire, especially considering the French subtitle. While the initial muted reggae riff is a tad confusing before it morphs into a more punchy Clash-via-Talking Heads pattern, the fully-formulated rocker it becomes at its zenith is much more compelling.

After the largely unfocused "Downstairs," potential live set opener "Welcome" is, by contrast, thundering and features the only full-fledged guitar solo among the album's 11 tracks. Meanwhile, at 3:53, "Seventeen" is the collection's most pop-oriented offering while "Yer Fall," although starting slow, really rounds-out into an aggressive stomper by its closing. The closest the record comes to a ballad, "Parson Brown," reinterprets the imagery of the holiday classic involving the title character with substantially less wintry optimism.

Come for: "Yer Spring"
Stay for: "Young Glass"
You'll be surprised by: "New Sum (Nous Sommes)"

P.S. Hey Rosetta! will be appearing at DC9 in Washington, DC on March 24. See this weekend's Touring Schedule Saturdays for details on their, and other tour itineraries.