Tag Archives: Land of Talk

by | November 10, 2010 · 10:01 am

TUiW Radio 11.10.2010 Playlist

Thanks to all that listened today! If you missed it, be sure to tune in next week from 8-10am EST at SCADRadio.org! Here’s the playlist:

TUiW Radio 11.10.10 Playlist:

1. John Legend & The Roots – “Wake Up”
2. The Walkmen – “Angela Surf City”
3. Deerhunter – “Don’t Cry”
4. Best Coast – “Goodbye”
5. No Age – “Skinned”
6. Superchunk – “Crossed Wires”
7. Elvis Costello – “Jimmie Standing in the Rain”
8. Tim Kasher – “A Grown Man”
9. Murdocks – “OMG”
10. Comic Wow – “Chimp on a Pew”
11. Robyn – “Criminal Intent”
12. Lyrics Born – “Lies x 3”
13. Swedish House Mafia – “Your Name (Feat. Pharrell)”
14. LCD Soundsystem – “All My Friends (London Session)”
15. Glasser – “Glad”
16. Panda Bear – “Comfy in Nautica”
17. Wolf Parade – “I’ll Believe in Anything”
18. The Thermals – “How We Fade”
19. Land of Talk – “Blangee Blee”
20. Elf Power – “Spidereggs”
21. My Morning Jacket – “Gideon”
22. Grizzly Bear – “Little Brother (Electric Version)”
23. The National – “About Today”

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by | July 22, 2010 · 11:28 am

Track Review: Land of Talk – “Swift Coin”

In advance of next month’s Cloak and Cipher, Land of Talk’s first new single, “Swift Coin,” serves a perfect introduction for a band that’s been on the verge of breaking for a couple of years. Elizabeth Powell’s multitracked voice swoons over the warbling guitar that is the band’s trademark, before the song breaks down into a jam worthy of LoT’s former tourmates, Broken Social Scene (Powell contributed vocals for the band during their tour together). “Swift Coin” is a song that’s simply too catchy to be overlooked.

Land of Talk – “Swift Coin” [Link]

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by | May 26, 2010 · 3:53 pm

Land of Talk Announce New Record

While not the most heralded of Canadian indie rock groups, Land of Talk is probably my favorite, and come August 24, Elizabeth Powell and co. will return with their sophomore LP, Cloak and Cipher. Hot on the heels of their Fun and Laughter EP, the record was recorded in late 2009 and features guest appearances by members of Stars, Silver Mount Zion Band, Wintersleep, Besnard Lakes, Arcade Fire and Esmerine. The band will hit the road here soon with the Besnard Lakes. A tracklist and tourdates below:

Cloak and Cipher Tracklist:

1. Cloak and Cipher
2. Goaltime Exposure
3. Quarry Hymns
4. Swift Coin
5. Color Me Badd
6. The Hate I Won’t Commit
7. Hamburg, Noon
8. Blangee Blee
9. Playita
10. Better and Closer

Tour

5/26/10 Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom*
5/27/10 Washington, DC @ Black Cat*
5/28/10 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom*
5/29/10 Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s*
5/30/10 Cambridge, MA @ TT the Bears*
5/31/10 Portland, ME @ Space Gallery

*w/ Besnard Lakes

Land of Talk – “Some Are Lakes” [MP3]

Land of Talk – “Corner Phone” [MP3]

Land of Talk – “May You Never” [MP3]

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by | December 14, 2009 · 10:21 am

Live Review: Land of Talk – Radio Radio 12.11.2009

Elizabeth Powell and Land of Talk are a kind of indie rock conundrum. They had a great debut with Applause, Cheer, Boo, Hiss, followed that with the terrific Justin Vernon-produced Some Are Lakes, and just recently released the TUIW approved Fun and Laughter EP. On top of three great releases, they had a stint opening for indie superstars Broken Social Scene, which saw Powell stepping in for the female vocal parts originally recorded by the likes of Feist, Emily Haines, and Amy Milan. Despite an absence from performing, due to Powell losing her voice, Land of Talk should be hailed as one of the best up and coming bands out there. Yet somehow, they remain a hidden gem. As one guy at their show at Radio Radio in Indianapolis commented to me, “Why aren’t there more people here? These guys are huge on satellite radio!”

Smallish crowd size aside, Land of Talk rocked the doors off of Radio Radio Friday night. From the raucous opener, “Corner Phone,” through docile closer “Troubled,” the band played through a pleasing set list that showed off all of the band’s strong points and made a great case for them as a band that is one great album away from making the big time. Land of Talk doesn’t really have a polish on any of their studio releases, and live, they bring the same raw sound while being able to up the intensity and urgency of every song. Among the highlights of the set were rips through “All My Friends,” and “Some Are Lakes,” a more restrained take on “Young Bridge,” and a really fantastic performance of “It’s Okay.” On the latter, the band took the slow song and ratcheted it up at the end, taking it from a slow burn to a full out fireball. Noticeably missing from the set were only a few songs, Applause opener “Speak to Me Bones,” and the terrific “Death By Fire” from Some Are Lakes.

But the absence of those songs didn’t hurt the show in the least bit. Land of Talk are a superb live act that is perfectly in sync on stage. Powell manages to switch her voice back and forth between a punk aggressiveness and a devastating sweetness with unbelievable ease, as the band switches between the two throughout their set. The indie rock world is littered with bands that make a good record in their living room, but can’t back it up on stage. Land of Talk is not one of them. Every amount of energy heard on their record is amplified in the live show, and music that I thought I couldn’t like more was somehow even better live. Like I said, Land of Talk is really an album away from really getting big. How they haven’t yet is still a mystery to me, but soon enough, this great band is going to get their due.

Michael’s Score: 92

Tangled Up In Wires Grade: A

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by | November 2, 2009 · 4:09 pm

Review: Land of Talk – Fun and Laughter

When I was working as Assitant Music Director for WDUB, my college radio station, a copy of Land of Talk’s debut, Applause Cheer Boo Hiss was in my review pile. The promoter of the album boasted it was for fans of Metric, so I put it in and immediately got pulled in. Lead singer and songwriter Elizabeth Powell has the ability to convey both power and a fragility to her voice that, when combined with jangly guitars and thunderous drumming, is an irresistable combination. Their first full length, Some Are Lakes, was one of my favorite albums of last year. A combination of irresitable pop tunes, vulnerable slow songs, and head bobbing rock, they seemed destined to be the next big indie band to make it big. But even with the production of Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon and a tour with Broken Social Scene, the band didn’t quite break the mainstream bubble.

They’re back now with a new EP, Fun and Laughter, another small sample of irresitable tunes to tide fans over with until the next full length. At first listen, some might be reminded of early, Something About Airplanes, Death Cab for Cutie, just by the way the record sounds, but it’s  not a far cry from Some Are Lakes‘ catchiness. The opener, “Sixteen Asterik” begins with a syncopated rhythm which tightens up as the band bounces through it. It’s followed by “May You Never,” the defacto single, which does a good job of showcasing the strengths of the band. After a very catchy piano opening, the song breaks wide open. Powell double tracks her voice to harmonize with herself as she hammers away at her guitar, hoping the rest of the band will catch up. If there were one song on the EP to play for someone who’s never heard of Land of Talk before, this one is it.

It’s followed by “As Me,” a brooding song punctuated by clacking drums and guitar lines that weave around each other. Again, Powell is double tracked and harmonizing with herself before ripping into a howling guitar solo. The closer, “A Series of Small Flames” is a soft song played on electric guitar with light tom-toms backing it up. Powell continues to mine the emotional depth she plays with on the rest of the EP, which redeems the otherwise monotonous track.  The EP also comes with videos for songs from Some Are Lakes. The songs are fantastic, but the videos are not great. That isn’t to say they aren’t worth watching, especially if you don’t know the songs, but their quality doesn’t match that of the songs themselves.

Overall, Fun and Laughter is probably too short to get a grasp as to who Land of Talk are, but it’s as good a place to start with a very talented band. Good things are on the way for Elizabeth Powell and company, and Fun and Laughter is a nice preview of what’s to come.

Land of Talk – “May You Never” [mp3]

Mike’s Grade: 84

Grade: A-

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