THE WEBER BROTHERS

For a long time now, the Weber Brothers have been gaining attention as members of Ronnie Hawkins’s band, the Hawks. But Sam and Ryan Weber, joined these days by Shai Peer and Emmet VanEtten, are a hell of a live act on their own.

Not quite a throwback, but definitely a love letter to ‘50s country rock and everything since, the band’s last record, the two-disc Left Right Left Right was an incredibly ambitious and diverse offering.

From the beautiful splendour of I Remember Everything and I Don’t Belong to Anyone, to the redneck rabble of What’s the Matter with You, the Webers had almost re-invented themselves.

Now, the seventh release in a decade from these traveling salesmen of rock (they criss-cross Canada, the States and Europe more than most people change their underpants) is chock-full of 13 tunes to satisfy, and takes its name from the group’s slogan Baddest Band in the Land.

Check out the Winnipeg release show at the Park Theatre on Friday, Nov. 11. Tickets are $15 in advance and $19 at the door and available at the Park Theatre, Into the Music and Music Trader.

Not enough for you? Check out the Weber Brothers with another set of brothers, the Ericksons, as Attica Riots opens the night.

Visit www.weberbrothers.com.

- Nicholas Friesen

TUNE-YARDS

Just like Daniel Johnston did in the ‘80s, New England-born Merrill Garbus recorded an album on a handheld tape recorder and released it herself in 2009 on recycled cassettes.

That record, Bird-Brains, was re-released later that summer on 4AD records and went on to help introduce a mass audience to the sounds of tune-yards.

This project is anything but mainstream, as this year’s w h o k i l l is a lo-fi masterpiece, with horns, ukulele and more unsettling sounds that somehow work here.

In a live setting, Garbus loops vocals and other parts to create all sorts of strange sound collages, all while playing various instruments, though she is backed by a competent team of musicians, including a horn section, that help make up tune-yards live.

To get that truly hands-on experience, you’ll want to follow Garbus on Twitter - @tuneyards - as she spouts out bits of wisdom from this insane tour.

Or, check out the video she just directed for the newest single Gangsta - it makes you feel like you’re watching bonus features from Sonic Youth’s Corporate Ghost video collection (in a good way).

If you’re a fan of Deerhoof, Beirut or anyone else new, exciting and boundary-pushing, then you likely already have tickets to tune-yards, who play the West End Cultural Centre Monday, Nov 14 at 8 p.m. with Montreal band Pat Jordache.

If you don’t have tickets yet, they’re a steal at $12 and are available at the WECC or Ticketmaster.

Visit www.tune-yards.com.

- Nicholas Friesen

The Jezabels

“Going to Canada for the first time, we did notice some similarities to Australia,” Jezebels pianist Heather Shannon says. “The people are a little bit similar and we got a really amazing response to our music. It’s very exciting.”

Formed as an open mic duo in 2006, Shannon and vocalist Hayley Mary expanded to an acoustic three-piece with guitarist Samuel Lockwood and eventually landed on the slightly louder, significantly more rock ‘n’ roll foursome they make today with drummer Nik Kaloper.

As the band established its sound and melded its skills, an instant full-length album release could have been a given, but the band chose to go the EP route - times three.

“After the first EP, we thought it would be an interesting idea to do three and group them together as sort of works in progress,” Shannon explains.

“It was good for our songwriting, so when the full-length came around, we felt more confident in what we were doing. Looking back, I am really glad we decided to do it. There is no rush, as everyone seems to think.”

Despite the fact that most bands might burn out after three EPs, the Jezebels did ultimately release an LP entitled Prisoner this past September.

The band makes its return to Winnipeg and plays the Garrick Centre on Thursday, Nov. 17 with Canadian indie rockers Hey Rosetta! starting things off at 8 p.m. Grab your tickets for $28.75 a piece through Ticketmaster while you still can.

Visit www.thejezabels.com.

- Pamela Roz

Published in Volume 66, Number 11 of The Uniter (November 9, 2011)