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 DAVID BYRNE & FATBOY SLIM
Here Lies Love
www.davidbyrne.com
Dist: Warner Music Canada
Here Lies Love is a double-disc song cycle - improbably poignant, decidedly surreal, surprisingly thought provoking -- about the rise and fall of the Philippines' notorious Imelda Marcos. It was conceived by David Byrne; composed by Byrne and British deejay/recording artist Fatboy Slim, a/k/a Norman Cook; and performed by a dream cast drawn from the worlds of indie rock, alt country, R&B and pop.
Byrne originally envisioned this as a musical theatre piece, to be mounted in disco and nightclub settings, reflecting the globetrotting Marcos' taste for such velvet-roped spots as Studio 54 and Regine's. Here Lies Love has an effervescent disco feel, redolent of Fatboy Slim's own dance-floor anthems, with warm undercurrents of the Latin rhythms that have percolated through Byrne's recent solo work. Byrne's taste in collaborators is as imaginative as it is impeccable, including Cyndi Lauper, Steve Earle, Dap-Kings vocalist Sharon Jones and Natalie Merchant. Along with vocals turns from such stars as Tori Amos and the B-52's Kate Pierson, Byrne works with rising indie rockers St. Vincent and My Brightest Diamond.TRACKLISTING:
 NATALIE MERCHANT
Leave Your Sleep
www.nataliemerchant.com
Dist: Warner Music Canada
"This album captures so many magical moments, the best times I've ever had as a musician," declares singer-songwriter Natalie Merchant of Leave Your Sleep, her ambitious, two-disc Nonesuch debut. Merchant, celebrated solo artist and the one-time voice of 10,000 Maniacs, took on what could have been a daunting task: she's adapted 19th and 20th century British and American poetry -- well-known and obscure work, anonymous rhymes, children's lullabies, all of it timeless material full of direct emotion -- and fashioned new songs from these words. Among the poets she chose were Robert Graves, Charles Manley Hopkins, Edward Lear, Ogden Nash, and Robert Louis Stevenson.
The project, five years in the making, has clearly had a liberating effect on Merchant. Never has she sounded so free-spirited, so full of musical adventure, whether backed by small jazzy combos or elegant chamber ensembles. The tracks she's created range from exotic ("The King of China's Daughter") to earthy ("Peppery Man"), soothing ("I Saw A Ship A-Sailing") to swinging ("The Janitor's Boy"), mischievous ("It Makes A Change") to moving ("Spring and Fall"). The string arrangements are particularly stirring, recalling Joshua Rifkin's now-classic work on Judy Collins' Wildflowers.TRACKLISTING:
 JASON CASTRO
Jason Castro
www.jasoncastromusic.com
Dist: Warner Music Canada
With his rich tenor voice, distinctive looks, and endearingly innocent charm, Jason Castro won over millions of viewers as a contestant on the seventh season of American Idol, parlaying his substantial singer-songwriter appeal into a third-place runner-up finish. He may not have won the competition, but the 22-year-old Texan earned himself a devoted fan base eager to hear what he would do once freed to perform his own songs. Those folks will get their chance with the release of Castro's self-titled debut album on Atlantic Records.
Though rooted in the classic, melody-minded singer-songwriter tradition, with heart-on-sleeve lyrics and acoustic guitar-driven arrangements, the album brims with toe-tapping pop (first single "Let's Just Fall In Love Again," "This Heart Of Mine"), strummy folk ("That's What I'm Here For," the lilting "If I Were You"), and electrifying rock ("Closer," "Heart of Stone") - all cleverly balanced with unabashedly emotional tunes like "Love Uncompromised," "It Matters To Me," "You Can Always Come Home," and a stunning version of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" (which Castro performed on Idol, citing Jeff Buckley's version as a huge inspiration to him as an artist). TRACKLISTING:
 JEFF BECK
Emotion & Commotion
www.jeffbeck.com
Dist: Warner Music Canada
Jeff Beck is a true rock legend, described as “the first of the great guitar showmen.” From his time with the Yardbirds in the sixties, through the Jeff Beck Group and throughout his solo career, his unique guitar style and constant desire to explore new musical areas and sounds has won him the admiration of his peers and the adoration of legions of fans.
Now Jeff Beck returns with his first studio album in 7 years titled, Emotion & Commotion. The album delivers a signature mix of tracks that find the guitar virtuoso accompanied by a handpicked cast of talented musicians, as well as several songs accompanied by a 64-piece orchestra. The album includes a collaborative track with multiplatinum and Grammy award-winning artist, Joss Stone on the track “I Put A Spell On You”. Additional guest vocalists include: Imelda May, on “Lilac Wine”, and Olivia Faith “Elegy For Dunkirk.”TRACKLISTING:
 BIRDS OF WALES
Belgravia Hotel
www.birdsofwales.com
Dist: EMI Music Canada
 The Toronto based act BIRDS OF WALES releases their debut album entitled Belgravia Hotel (a hotel in London where Morgan penned some of the songs). The project was produced by Jeff Dawson (Daniel Powter) at Mushroom Studios in Vancouver and mixed by Jeff Dawson, Mike Fraser (Aerosmith, Franz Ferdinand) and Mike Gilles (Bryan Adams, Metallica). Over the last five years the band have made inroads in Canada, Europe and the U.K. They have toured with Marianas Trench,The Sadies, Lights, Xavier Rudd, The Beautiful South and Mishka.
 COHEED AND CAMBRIA
Year Of The Black Rainbow
www.coheedandcambria.com
Dist: Sony Music Canada
Year of the Black Rainbow, is the heavily anticipated fifth studio album from Coheed and Cambria and the eagerly awaited prequel to The Amory Wars tetra logy. Year of the Black Rainbow was produced by Atticus Ross (Nine Inch Nails, Jane’s Addiction) and Joe Barresi (Queens of the Stone Age, Tool). According to the Sanchez, “They have helped us evolve our sound to be more powerful and dynamic than ever and we think it’s definitely our best work to date.” The new record also features the studio debut of Coheed and Cambria drummer Chris Pennie, who has been playing alongside Sanchez, guitarist Travis Stever and bassist Michael Robert Todd since 2007. TRACKLISTING:
.jpg) THE FLATLINERS
Cavalcade
theflatliners.com
Dist: Fontana North
Over the last four years, the Flatliners have spent almost thirty months in vans, dive bars, and concert halls across North America, Europe, and Japan, building up a dedicated following with a sound that mixes the endless fury of ‘90s skate punk with the nuanced, intelligent songwriting of classic post-punks like the Replacements and Hot Water Music. After releasing the ska-punk tinged Destroy to Create (Union Label Group) in 2005, the band evolved into a harsh melodic machine with 2007’s The Great Awake (Fat Wreck Chords), completing their transition into a vital modern punk unit with the Cynics 7” (Fat Wreck Chords) in late 2009. For Cavalcade, The Flatliners once again teamed up with long-time producer and friend Steve Rizun, recording sporadically between tours in their hometown of Toronto over the course of 2009. TRACKLISTING:
LISTEN NOW!
Artist: The Flatliners
Track: Carry The Bann
 KAKI KING
Junior
www.kakiking.com
Dist: Universal Music Canada
Singer & guitarist extraordinaire, Kaki King, has spent the past decade gathering critical acclaim and fan admiration for her unparalleled guitar skills. Not only is she the first ever female named a “Guitar God” by Rolling Stone, but she also received a Golden Globe nomination for her contribution to the musical score of Sean Penn's 2007 film, Into the Wild. That same year, King appeared in the film August Rush as the protagonists guitar double, performed on the Foo Fighters’ Grammy® winning album, Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace, as well as opened for them during their Australia tour. Now at the start of the decade, Kaki reaches new heights with her Rounder Records debut album, Junior. This collection of songs delivers twists-and turns: lyrically from exuberance and anger to heartbreaking melancholy; and sonically from experimental pieces to accessible pop.TRACKLISTING:
 CRAIG DAVID
Signed Sealed Delivered
www.craigdavid.com
Dist: Universal Music Canada
One of the UK’s most successful R&B artists of all time is back with a new album that will mark a career spanning more than a decade in the music industry. Craig has sold over 13 million albums, enjoying 13 Top Ten hits and achieving multi-platinum status in more than 20 countries. Now Craig David releases his fifth studio album, a Motown inspired record entitled Signed Sealed Delivered.
Craig wanted to record an album covering artists and songs that inspired him to sing and make music in the first place, like: Marvin Gaye’s "Heard It On The Grapevine", Otis Redding’s "Dock Of The Bay", Stevie Wonder’s "Signed Sealed Delivered" and Curtis Stigers’ "I Wonder Why" to name but a few of the classics covered on this album. Most of the songs are straight covers, recorded with more up-to-date production, but there are also a few songs like the massively addictive first single "One More Lie (Standing In The Shadows)"– and "All Alone Tonight (Stop, Look, Listen)" that Craig has totally reworked with original vocal parts in his own imitable style.TRACKLISTING:
 CANCER BATS
Bears, Mayors, Scraps & Bones
www.cancerbats.com
Dist: Universal Music Canada
Cancer Bats are dropping their heaviest, deadliest, and most brutal offering to date with Bears, Mayors, Scraps & Bones. Its title derived from the nicknames of each of the four Bats this record represents the full emergence of the band’s purest and truest sound. With 2006’s Birthing The Giant and 2008’s Hail Destroyer, the Bats were writing as a trio and enlisting the help of a touring bassist for live dates, whereas here and now, the Cancer Bats machine is a strong, stable unit comprised of four steady pieces. This is more than evident on tracks like the single “Dead Wrong,” a blistering taste of brutality with a vocal performance capable of commanding anyone within earshot. Similarly, the road-tested “Scared To Death,” with a dirty, driving drum beat and drastic dynamics practically reaches out of the stereo and forces heads to bang. What’s more, Bats haven’t lost their ability to empower and encourage listeners through their lyrical content. Indeed, this is the Bats at their best, with plenty of ferocity and fire. TRACKLISTING:
 BLEEDING THROUGH
Bleeding Through
http://www.bleedingthrough.com/
Dist: Universal Music Canada
Bleeding Through is one of the most important bands to take the mixture of metal and hardcore to international prominence in the last decade, touring with Slayer, Bullet For My Valentine, Machine Head, Marilyn Manson, AFI, HIM, Cradle Of Filth, Ozzfest, Vans Warped Tour and MTV2’s Headbanger’s Ball: The Tour. They have been featured on the cover of Revolver (twice), Metal Edge, Outburn, Under The Volcano, and Chord. The group emerged from the underground to sell a combined 300,000 albums. Their ominously self-titled new album, their first for Distort, is the perfect distillation of their past with a solid look forward to the future: dark, aggressive, full of rage and sorrow. This is an album of anthems for the mistreated, the broken-hearted, those who summonstrength from betrayal.TRACKLISTING:
 SARAH BLACKWOOD
Wasting Time
www.myspace.com/sarahblackwood
Dist: Warner Music Canada
Picking up where Way Back Home left off, Sarah Blackwood’s sophomore solo album Wasting Time is an intensely personal collection of beautifully-crafted, roots country songs that also touches on elements of gospel, pop and soul. Where her debut was a stripped down, raw acoustic album, Wasting Time raises the bar by adding an incredibly talented roster of players, friends and family. Sarah’s one-man band Daniel Flamm (Heartbreak Engines, Sewer Rats) came in from Germany to add vocals, lead guitar, banjo and piano. Producer Gianni Luminati lends a hand with percussion, ukulele, mandolin and bass. Other guest musicians include brother Ian Blackwood, father Mike Blackwood, bandmate Sean “Sickboy” McNab and Lee Williamson on lapsteel.
Wasting Time showcases Sarah Blackwood’s undeniably passionate and sincerely honest songwriting style that is as touching as it is inspiring. TRACKLISTING:
 JUSTIN NOZUKA
You I Wind Land And Sea
www.justinnozuka.com
Dist: Warner Music Canada
You I Wind Land And Sea encompasses a dozen deep, liberating tracks that expand on the acoustic folk-soul foundation base Nozuka laid with Holly and introduces key influences that Nozuka couldn’t convey without his band. The moody, tribal “Gray” checks Jeff Buckley as much as Ray LaMontagne; “Carried You” nods to Philly soul and disco, first single “My Heart Is Yours” applies gospel devotion to romantic soul, and “Unwoken Dream (King With Everything)” mines the psych-folk genre—an ostensible left turn for Nozuka, yet perfectly executed. And throughout the album, the production nods subtly to Radiohead, adding a third dimension to Nozuka’s sound which (fans of Holly will be happy to hear) finds his powerful soul pipes running as smoothly as ever. TRACKLISTING:
*IN-STORE MONDAY APRIL 19, 2010
 AC/DC
Iron Man 2
www.acdc.com/ironman2
Dist Sony Music Canada
Through a unique collaboration between Marvel Studios and Columbia Records, AC/DC’s music will be featured in Marvel Studios’ IRON MAN 2, the sequel to the 2008 blockbuster film. In addition, Columbia Records will release the album AC/DC: IRON MAN 2 on Monday, April 19, 2010.
AC/DC: IRON MAN 2 features 15 classic AC/DC songs selected from ten of the band’s studio albums, ranging from 1976 to 2008. CD & VINYL TRACKLISTING:
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