Cut Copy Release In Ghost Colours, Tour Dates

Cut Copy
Official Site

With Michael moved to Dubai and Madonna married to Guy Ritchie the 80’s needed a hero. Not since Mad Max crawled out of the outback spoiling for a fight has the great down under supplied us with a more suitable contender.

As surely as Adam begat Cain and Able so too does Cut Copy arrive seething with Mel Gibson’s dystopic fury, their Bret Easton Ellis electro the perfect synth antiodote to too worthy aspirants to their rightful throne.

DFA’s Tim Goldsworthy is a welcome scribe, taking notations from the altar of history as the Australians distort the space time continuum to suit their own ends. What glory to be so invited, what pleasure lie at the end of such a journey?

Well friends our scribe has returned, his suffering is our pleasure, his virtue our decadence and his Mount Sinai is crumbling under the weight of its own expectations. Behold the future past in all its timeline bending, bass bind shuddering splendor: In Ghost Colors.

Montreal will have their chance to repent on May 10 at Cabaret Music Hall w/ Black Kids – Buy Cut Copy Tickets Montreal or in Toronto 9 May 2008 at Lee’s Place also with Black kids.

But why wait? Below is a full tracklisting for In Ghost Colors and a few mp3’s from the Melbourne marvels.

In Ghost Colors Tracklisting
1. Feel The Love
2. Out There On The Ice mp3
3. Lights And Music mp3
4. We Fight For Diamonds
5. Unforgettable Season
6. Midnight Runner
7. So Haunted mp3
8. Voices In Quartz
9. Hearts On Fire mp3
10. Far Away
11. Silver Thoughts
12. Strangers In The Wind
13. Visions
14. Nobody Lost, Nobody Found
15. Eternity One Night Only

Don’t forget their earlier classics:Future mp3 and B.A.B.Y mp3

Or why not peruse the whole of the new album via Cut Copy Myspace or buy In Ghost Colors?

If you are new to the band why not at least check out their Hearts on Fire video below?

Aretha Franklin Leads Montreal Jazz Festival Lineup

You could be forgiven for forgetting that in 1980 12,000 people taking in jazz in Montreal, was if not novel, at least somewhat unexpected. Come 2008, the 29th Montreal International Jazz Festival is expected to attract over 2 million visitors, 500 performers, 100 venues and 12 days, and somewhere amongst this orgy of toe-tapping, finger-snapping jazz mavericks will be none other than the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin.

From the 26th of June to July 6, beatniks, rastas, yippies and nu-ravers alike will descend on Montreal taking in what is widely regarding as the Jazz Festival to end all Jazz Festivals.

The Monkey knows not all our Quebec bound guests are familiar with where to get tickets, which artist are playing, which songs they’re famous for or even what they look like. But hey that’s what we’re here for.

Enjoy the Monkey’s guide to the festivities.

Montreal International Jazz Festival 2008 Lineup:

Aretha Franklin

Buy Aretha Franklin Tickets Montreal

Performing at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier July 3 and July 4

The second most honored Female singer in Grammy history, Aretha has not only won twenty Grammy Awards including the Living Legend and Lifetime Achievement awards, but is now, as she will always be, renowned as the Queen of Soul.

If by some fluke of nature you are not aware of sheer unadaulturated genius of Ms Franklin, you could do worse that starting right here.

National Woman mp3

Chain of Fools mp3

Don’t Cry Baby mp3

Leonard Cohen

Buy Leonard Cohen Tickets Montreal

For an indepth story on Leonard Cohen see our earlier article

Steely Dan

Buy Steely Dan Tickets Montreal

Performing at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier July 1 and July 2

Walter Becker and Donald Fagen finally bring their Grammy-Award winning jazz-fusion to Montreal bound to have the older generations minds clicking back to a carefree 70’s that was captured in Steely Dan’s complex harmonies.

For the younger amongst you the name may be a mystery but I’ll bet dollars to Donuts you’ll remember these am radio staples.

Rikki Don’t lose that number video

Reelin in the years video

Do it again video

Ladytron

Buy Ladytron Tickets Montreal

Playing the Metropolis July 2nd

One of the few bands to escape the early noughties Electroclash backlash (Fisherspooner anyone?) Ladytron is an electronic pop band originally from Liverpool, England, that have taken robotic, detached vocals and 80’s synth further than the Pet Shop Boys could ever have imagined.

If somehow you missed the ubiquitous club anthem ‘Seventeen‘ and return to form ‘Destroy Everything You Touch‘ cower not my unfashionable friend, you can blag it here care of the Monkey.

Destroy Everything You Touch mp3

Seventeen (Soulwax Remix) mp3

Sugar mp3

The Glenn Miller Orchestra v the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra

Buy Battle of the Bands Tickets Montreal

Playing two shows at
Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier July 6th

The Jazz Fests’ first ever battle of the bands between swingtime jazzcats The Glenn Miller Orchestra and The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, promises to be a barn burner.

While I’m partial to the Glenn Miller troupe one imagines Jazz will be the winner on the night, so go along or check out what all the fuss is about, and choose your gladiator.

The Glenn Miller Orchestra

In the mood video

Moonlight Serenade video

The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra

Marie Video

Opus One video

Other acts announced so far include:

James Taylor

Katie Melua

Dee Dee Bridgewater

Return to Forever with Chick Corea

Stanley Clarke

Al Di Meola

Lenny White

the Saxophone Summit featuring:
Joe Lovano,
Dave Liebman and
Ravi Coltrane.

Charlie Haden

Coral Egan

Omara Portuondo

Hallelujah, Leonard Cohen in Hall of Fame

It’s been a long time coming but Leonard Cohen, one of Canada’s most celebrated poets, has finally been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008.

The legend behind such writerly odes as First We Take Manhattan and Hey That’s No Way to Say Goodbye was celebrated by such noted luminaries as Lou Reed and Damien Rice.

Lou Reed, of Velvet Underground fame, said of Cohen “You wrote a song called I’ll Be Your Mirror and it made me want to keep writing songs,” high praise indeed from the man that brought “head” into common parlance. Damien Rice followed with a much coveted, but thankless task, of covering Hallelujah – a fitting tribute to a man beloved by so many.

Jon Landau’s often quoted quip “I have seen the future of rock ‘n’ roll, and he is not Leonard Cohen,” may finally have had its comuppance but those longing for a walk down history lane can catch Leonard Cohen at his first Montreal shows in 15 years at the Montreal International Jazz Festival at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier June 23, 24, 25.

Buy Tickets for Leonard Cohen – on sale Thursday March 13th.

If you can’t make the show why not enjoy a video of Leonard circa 1976…