Sunday, November 02, 2025
see-through box, i gotta let it go/“you can’t hurry love” plays on the stereo
Album of the week
Snocaps - Cherry Hard Candy
Maybe it wasn't a total surprise--Katie and Allison had both been teasing something on Instagram for the last week or so. But pretty much out of nowhere, and for the first time since 2011 we've got a full album collaboration from the Crutchfield sisters. This time around they're backed up by MJ Lenderman and (Saint Cloud and Tiger's Blood producer) Brad Cook.
They're splitting the difference between Bad Banana and PS Eliot and sharing vocal duties on this thing, so I guess it's fitting that the band's operating under the brand new moniker, Snocaps.
Sonically, it's back in similar territory to what those bands shared. And hey, I love the last two Waxahatchee records--they're Katie's best under that project--but hearing her in scrappy indie rock mode is an even bigger treat, because it felt like something that wasn't going to happen again.
It's not just a retread of the music they were making a decade and a half ago though and you can hear that Tiger's Blood twang on songs like "Cherry Hard Candy." Elsewhere, "Brand New City" sounds like if Lenderman dropped in to lay down some riffs on a Swearin' song.
Swearin' might be my favourite band of the 2010s and Waxhatachee's not far behind, so it's going to take me awhile to digest this one properly, but I already love it after the first handful of listens.
Apparently, they have a few shows planned before the end of the year, so maybe I have one more trip to take in 2025.
Song of the week
Ratboys - Anywhere
"I'm going anywhere that you're going" kinda sounds like it might have a romantic lean to it, but the longer the lyrics go, the more there's kind of a creepy "Every Breath You Take" or "Standing Here" vibe to it... until you find out that's actually not a love song and it's inspired by Ratboys' guitarist, Dave Sagan's anxious pup.
Easily the best song of all time about a velcro dog.
"Anywhere" is the second single off of Singin' To An Empthy Chair, Ratboys first record since one of my favourite's of 2023, The Window. It's out on February 6th.
More heat
ROSALÍA with Björk and Yves Tumor - Berghain
A very cool song that somehow has an even cooler video.
upcoming shows
2/8 Twin Sister, Eleanor Friedberger, and Ava Luna @ the Media Club
2/9 David Choi @ the Rio
2/10 Secret Chiefs 3 and Dengue Fever @ the Rickshaw
2/13 White Buffalo @ the Media Club
2/14 The Ballyntines and Pleasure Cruise (TT) @ the Biltmore
2/18 Grimes w/Born Gold @ Fortune (early)
2/18 Cruel Young Heart, Young Liars, the Oh Wells, and Matiation @ the Dodson Rooms (AA)
2/18 Cursive w/UME @the Media Club
2/19 The Asteroids Galaxy Tour w/Vacationer @ Venue
2/20 Veronica Falls w/Bleached @ the Media Club
2/26 DJ Krush @ Fortune
2/29 Trevor Hall @ the Media Club
3/6 Slow Club w/Signals @ the Media Club
3/7 Cloud Nothings w/Mr. Dream @ the Media Clubr
3/8 Islands @ the Rio
3/10 Memoryhouse @ the Waldorf
3/17 William Fitzsimmons @ the Biltmore (early)
3/18 Magnetic Fields @ the Vogue (AA)
3/21 Plants & Animals>/b> @ the Rickshaw
3/22 Drive-by Truckers @ the Commodore
3/23 White Rabbits @ the Biltmore
3/23 Loney Dear @ the Media Club
3/24 Sharon Van Etten and the War on Drugs @ the Biltmore (early)
3/25 Nada Surf and An Horse @ the Rickshaw
3/27 The Ting Tings @ the Commodore
4/5 House de Racket @ the Electric Owl
4/6 Chairlift w/Nite Jewel @ the Electric Owl
4/7 Heartless Bastards @ the Media Club
4/8 Metronomy @ Venue
4/8 Gotye @ the Vogue (AA)
4/9 Cults @ Venue
4/10 First Aid Kit @ Venue
4/10 Andrew Bird w/Laura Marling @ the Vogue (AA)
4/13 The Odds and the Grapes of Wrath @ the Rickshaw
4/14 The Joel Plaskett Emergency @ the Vogue (AA)
4/24 School of Seven Bells w/Exitmusic @ the Electric Owl
4/26 Justice @ the PNE Forum (AA)
4/27 M83 @ the Vogue (AA)
4/27 Yukon Blonde @ the Commodore
4/28 Neon Indian @ Venue (early)
5/6 Delta Spirit w/Waters @ the Electric Owl
5/9 Yann Tiersen @ the Rickshaw
5/11 Great Lake Swimmers w/Cold Specks @ the Commodore
5/12 The Boxer Rebellion> @ the Biltmore
5/27 Coeur de Pirate @ Venue
legend:
AA = all ages
DG = @damaged goods
DFTK = @dirty for the kids
FJW = @fake jazz wed
EN = @easy now
GD = @glory days
HL = @higher learning
JH = @junior high
JY= @junkyard
RRPP = @rocknroll pizza party
SD = @shindig
TT = @toonie tuesday
NW = @no worries