Jason Mraz
"I'm Yours" Video
Thu, March 27, 2008
by:
Sara Kuz
As Curt previously mentioned, the single "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz has been available for just over a month, but now the official video has been released! Ok, so maybe it's been out for a week or two, but I've been too busy watching it to do anything else! Enjoy this carefree, catchy tune while awaiting the release of his new album We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things., due out in May!
- SK
Sing It Loud
Signs to Epitaph
Wed, March 5, 2008 by: Curt Baker
After months of rumors, Minneapolis buzz band Sing It Loud has finally signed to Epitaph Records. Josh Cain, of labelmates Motion City Soundtrack, was in the studio early this year producing the band's full-length debut album. Check out our conversation with the pop-rockers here.
- CB
The Secret Theatre
Pre-Order EP
Wed, February 27, 2008 by: Tim Jones
Our friends The Secret Theatre have recently made their upcoming EP, Follow Me, available for pre-order. I can personally say that it is a fantastic collection (is four songs a collection?) of tunes. Get more info at myspace.com/thesecrettheatre or just trust what Tim tells you and pre-order it from Coercion Records.
- TJ
IMPORTANT PLEASE READ!
Matt Costa and band's gear stolen in Winnipeg
Sun, February 17, 2008 by: Tim Jones
I hate to report that the Matt Costa crew's equipment was stolen after their Winnipeg show. Below is a list of all the stolen equipment. If you see or hear anything, please contact Chris Fenn (contact info at the bottom) or e-mail me (tim@pop-zap.com) and I'll pass the information along.
Dear Friends,
We need your help. At some point between 11:30PM on Saturday, February 16th and 12Noon on Sunday, February 17th the following pieces of musical gear and equipment were stolen from the inside of The Garrick Centre in Winnipeg, MB. All of the items listed below belong to Matt Costa and/or members of his band, the items had been locked inside The Garrick Centre for overnight storage as this was reportedly safer than leaving them in our trailer on the streets of Winnipeg.MATT COSTA – STOLEN GEAR LIST (Winnipeg's Garrick Centre on 2/17/08)
1 each – Gibson J-45 Acoustic Guitar, Natural
1 each – Gibson ES335 Electric Guitar, Seafoam Blue
1 each – Epiphone EL-OO Acoustic Guitar, Sunburst, w/ Seymour Duncan Mag Mic Pickup
1 each – Fender Custom Shop Nocaster Relic Electric Guitar, Blonde
1 each – Fender Custom Shop 1963 Telecaster Relic Electric Guitar, Lake Placid Blue
1 each – 1953 Supro Lap Steel Guitar, Salmon Mother Of Pearl
1 each – Kentucky Mandolin, Sunburst
1 each – Fender Custom Shop 59' Relic Precision Bass Blonde
1 each – Ashdown EVOII500 Bass Head w/ Road Case
1 each - 1973 Marshall Lead Bass 20 Guitar Head w/ Orange Anvil Case
1 each - Fulltone Tube Tape Echo, Black, w/ Road Case
1 each - Calzone Briefcase w/ Boss Tuner, Sans Amp & Three Monster Cables
1 each – Anvil Briefcase
1 each – Countryman D.I.There will be a reward for anyone that provides information leading to the recovery of any of these items and that person's identity will of course remain confidential.
Please contact Chris Fenn w/ any information, chris@mattcosta.com
Thanks in advance for your help.
Chris Fenn -
- TJ
Death Cab For Cutie
Album Release Date!
Thurs, February 14, 2008 by: Curt Baker
Death Cab for Cutie's upcoming full-length Narrow Stairs finally has a release date, May 13th via Atlantic. The album is said to be a departure from 2005's polished and pristine sounding Plans, as Narrow Stairs was recorded live to tape and is "bloody and loose" according to producer and guitarist Chris Walla. Color me excited. The full track listing is below:
"Bixby Canyon Bridge"
"I Will Possess Your Heart"
"No Sunlight"
"Cath"
"Talking Bird"
"You Can Do Better Than Me (But I Can't Do Better Than You)"
"Grapevine Fires"
"Your New Twin Size Bed"
"The Remainder"
"Pity and Fear"
"The Ice Is Getting Thinner"- CB
"I'm Yours"
Wed, February 13, 2008 by: Curt Baker
"I'm Yours," the first single off of Jason Mraz' new album We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. is now available on iTunes and I must say it is super delicious even though live recordings of it have been floating around for years. The album is due out on May 20th via Atlantic Records
- CB
Dipdive.com
Fri, February 8, 2008 by: Curt Baker
While this video may outline my political bias, whether you are an Obama supporter or not, I'm sure you will appreciate the beauty in the song and the power in his words. Enjoy.
- CB
Damn You Webhost!!!
Thu, February 7, 2008 by: Tim Jones
Thanks to some issues with our webhost, we were not able to update the site yesterday. Everything's been taken care of and hopefully won't happen again.
- TJ
The Format on Indefinite "Hiatus"
Wed, February 6, 2008 by: Tim Jones
As some of you have probably already heard, as of Monday, The Format is on hiatus. We all know that "hiatus" is generally used as a prettier way of saying "broken up", but after discussing breakups and reuniting last week, I can't help but hope that this is the kind of hiatus that Weezer tends to go on.
"We have just put out word that we will not be making a new Format album. Please understand this was a tough decision and we're both upset about it. While we accept there will be false speculation as to why, understand that Sam and I remain extremely close..."
This is very, very sad news.
Read the rest here, under the topic labeled "Important."
- TJ
Steve Aoki and Matt Costa kick out their latest
Wed, January 23, 2008 by: Tim Jones
If someone were to ask you what you picture when you think of "Californian" music, you'd probably imagine lush sunsets running along the ocean, with the happy harmonies of the Beach Boys zipping by in the background. Well Steve Aoki and Matt Costa are out to prove you wrong.
Killing his competition in the club scene, Aoki has at once become a competitor and a mentor to any respectable DJ. His first full length, Pillowface and his Airplane Chronicles is out now and ready for your dancing pleasure courtesy of Thrive Records.
While Costa is about as far removed from the LA nightlife as a dog from a bathtub, his folk-influenced, often witty tunes shine a light on a softer side of the normally fast-paced lifesytle of the state of California. Unfamiliar Faces, Costa's sophomore effort, is out now on Brushfire Records.
Be on the lookout for thoughts on both albums in an upcoming issue of Brand Spankin'.
myspace.com/steveaoki
myspace.com/mattcostamusic- TJ
PopZap!Music Acquires The It Sound
Wed, January 16, 2008 by: Tim Jones
Holy craperjacks, we're growing! Like some type of living, breathing monstrosity, PopZap! just keeps getting bigger and bigger, and we don't plan on stopping anytime soon! The It Sound is to PopZap! what red pellets are to Pacman: an entity that strengthens us in every way. The only difference is that this power up isn't temporary (and contrary to popular belief, we are not ghost hunters). Instead of rambling on about the details, I will just point you to this issue's Letter From the Editor, which is actually a press release! Hooray for innacurate naming!
- TJ
New Album Rumors
Wolf Parade, Coldplay
Wed, January 16, 2008 by: Nicholas FriesenMany have been awaiting a date and title for the (mythical) new Wolf Parade album, the follow up to 2005’s Apologies to the Queen Mary. In a recent Billboard interview, Sub Pop co-founder Jonathan Poneman stated that the new Wolf Parade was to be their Wincing the Night Away of 2008 (referring to the third Shins record, the label’s most successful release of last year). Also, WP co-frontman Dan Boeckner has stated that they are finished tracking and overdubbing. The record is to be mixed this month and will be out as soon as April. The tentative/rumoured title is Pardon My Blues. The band has been constantly touring the past few years, and with numerous side projects (Handsome Furs, Sunset Rubdown, Johnny & The Moon) no one knew if the band would ever release a follow up …
In other new release news, Ian McCulloch disciples Coldplay have apparently set a date for their fourth album. The follow up to X&Y is set for a May 19th release on Parlaphone and will be called Prospekt. Though Timbaland hinted in GQ magazine that he would be working on the new record in some capacity, the production work was in fact handled by the legendary Brian Eno. Here is a tentative track listing for the record:
‘Famous Old Painters’
‘Glass of Water’
‘Lost!’
‘Cemeteries of London’
‘Violet Hill’
‘Poppy Fields’
‘42’
‘Yes!’
‘Leftrightleftright’
‘Rainy Day’
‘Prospekt's March'- NF
New Album
Thu, January 10, 2008 by: Tim Jones
Quick news blurb from our pals at Hollywood Lies:
Boston, MA Hollywood Lies (http://www.myspace.com/hollywoodlies) has just finished recording their first album with producer/engineer Casey Crescenzo (of The Dear Hunter), and has posted a new song called "This Must Be Love" on PureVolume from their forthcoming album, "Building An Empire". They will be a featured band on PureVolume January 14th-18th, where they will be streaming more new tracks off the album.
- TJ
The Going-Ons of the Past Week
Wed, January 9, 2008 by: Nicholas FriesenIt’s been a while since I’ve had the chance to sit down and review some records, think about what is coming up and tell you what is worth a damn in the world of music.
But first, some sadder news. Juno winning rocker and actress Bif Naked has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Discovering it two weeks ago, she announced Sunday night on The Strombo Show with George Strombolopoulos that she is undergoing treatments.
Bif said on the program, “I plan on taking it one day at a time and to tackle this with a positive attitude. I have never been one to give up when an obstacle is placed in front of me. I am in the fight of my life and I’m lucky to have the support of my husband Ian and many friends and family members.”
The one-time Winnipeger (current Vancouverite) is also working on two new records, following up her Superbeatifulmonster CD from 2005. One will be more pop/rock oriented, the other will be gritty and heavier. Both will come out via BodogMusic.
We here at PopZap send our love and support to her and her family. If you would like to do the same, hear over to her MySpace page and leave her your well-wishes.
New music wise, there are a few big announcements that have come about recently. It seems that REM is set to release their fourteenth studio album, Accelerate on April 1st. The Jacknife Lee (Editors, Snow Patrol) produced record was recorded in just nine weeks and will see life through Warner Bros.
Also announced this week was a rough date and a few hints about the newest Death Cab for Cutie record. Though no title is available yet, the band did leak that they have abandoned the glossy production of their previous record (2005’s Plans) and have recorded live to analog tape with as few overdubs as possible. The record is set for a late May release through Atlantic, while guitarist Chris Walla’s debut solo record Field Manual will be out on January 29 via Barsuk. Check out the third track “Sing Again” on www.barsuk.com.
While chatting with our friends in The Consumer Goods this holiday season, I got the lowdown on recording of the band’s as-yet untitled third record. After recording the previous two discs rather quickly (a day a piece) the band has decided to take a less hurried approach and have numerous recording sessions over the next two months. The disc will most likely be out this summer on Grumpy Cloud Records.
Also, Winnipeg indie darlings Tigerrr Beat have finished up writing sessions for their upcoming full length Yeah! Magical! Yeah!, the follow up to their KILL! EP. Certain songs from that EP will be getting the re-recording treatment while new ones like “Cloud Car” will round out the thirteen recordings. The recent “Hold My Hand” remix by German DJ Corwood Manual will not be appearing on the record, but is available for download on the band’s MySpace page. Watch for the full length this spring, and if you’re in Winnipeg check them out opening for We Are Wolves, January 24th at the Royal Albert Arms.
- NF
We're Back on the Air and Ain't Going Nowhere
Wed, January 9, 2008 by: Tim Jones
Thanks for tuning in to Zap!FM for the 2008 edition of People Talking to Other People About Things and Stuff! Today on PTTOPATAS we try to really emphasize both the "defi" and the "nition" in "webzine" by creating an all new, sort-tastic, volume/issue archiving scheme (just like a real *cough*paper*cough* magazine!), and delivering our content via the wonders of the interweb (that's the "web" part). Ok, so maybe we've already been doing half of the equation, but the other half is definitely new and
exciting!Today, being the first issue of the new year, will be labeled accordingly as Volume 1, Issue 1. What of all of last years content you ask? Don't fret dear Zaplings! They will still be kicking around, referred to lovingly as Volume 0. What, you didn't expect me to go back and rename each issue did you? Move forward, I say!
I will demonstrate forward motion by finishing my rant here and now, and allowing our good Sir Nicholas to inform us all about the past week in the biz which we so warmly refer to as music.
Welcome to 2008 my friends, also known as the Year of the Zap!
- TJ