Local Natives visit The Current studio for an interview and live performance.

PopMatters has music writers offer advice to those starting out in the field.

The Colorado Springs Independent profiles singer-songwriter Laura Marling.

The Quietus interviews Casey Dienel of White Hinterland.

We were just talking about changes in direction. Why did you decide to stop releasing music under your own name in favour of the White Hinterland moniker?

CD: I think there was a pre-emptive necessity for it. I could see in the future where I was headed, even if wasn't apparent to the people I was working with, and I knew I had to put the structure down early on because I see myself as a long-term musician. I don't think I was one of those people that was hyped really early on in the infancy of their music career. I mean, I didn't even to make my first record. It was something I was doing in the off hours from school. So when I decided to be a musician full time, I made sure to do it the way I wanted to.

The Georgia Straight profiles Broken Bells, the musical collaboration between DJ Danger Mouse and James Mercer The Shins.

The Jewish Daily Forward profiles The Shondes.

In fact, despite their name (the Yiddish word for “shame”) and their genre, the Shondes are suspiciously low-key. Their album art looks more Dashiell Hammett than garage band. Their songs have names like “Get Out” and “Fire Again” — names that channel angst, anger and embittered love, but in a way that’s dark and brooding, not kitschy and flamboyant. If anything, in the two years since their first album the Shondes’ music has grown less like straight-ahead punk and — the biggest shonde of all — more like pop.

The KEXP Blog interviews Joey Ramone.

MySpaceIt’s bad form, but I’m generally too lazy to type out the HTML special characters that properly render things like accents or other non-English written language goodies, but in the case of The Dø, I’ll make an exception – one usually only reserved for the mighty umlaut.

It’s hard to describe what The Dø do – their debut album A Mouthful encompasses a wide range of styles, dwelling where folk, jazz and hip-hop intersect at pop. The ensuing melange is catchy yet discomfiting, with Olivia Merilahti’s plaintive vocals – capable of coo or caterwaul – providing an uneasy anchor and with multi-instrumentalist Dan Levy’s cinematic background making for a widescreen yet intimate effect that can be just as unsettling. A Mouthful is a accessible in that it lets you in easily, but once inside you may not ever be able to figure out exactly where you are.

A Mouthful was released in Europe in 2008 and became the first English-language album to top the French charts. It only received a North American release last month, though bolstered with a handful of bonus tracks by way of apology, and come this Fall they’ll follow it up with a North American tour.

MP3: The Dø – “At Last”
MP3: The Dø – “Tammie”
Video: The Dø – “At Last”

Phoenix frontman Thomas Mars tells Spinner they have no time for side projects – they’re too busy playing Tiny Desk Concerts for NPR.

And moving from the French portion of the post – yes it was brief – to the “just announced”: LEAF – which stands for “Local Enhancement & Appreciation of Forests” – will hold their fourth annual celebration of preserving the urban forest with a show at the Wychwood Barns featuring two Toronto acts who, at least by their names, share the same appreciation of flora and possibly fauna. That’d be Forest City Lovers and The Wilderness Of Manitoba, both of whom have new records out soon – Carriage on June 29 and When You Left The Fire on June 22, respectively.

MP3: Forest City Lovers – “Light You Up”
MP3: The Wilderness Of Manitoba – “Hermit”

One of the acts I kept hearing people talk about at SxSW this year was Los Angeles’ Pepper Rabbit (though I never managed to see them play).

MP3: Pepper Rabbit – “Red Wine”

I don’t think they’ve been through Toronto any time in recent memory – certainly not since I acquired one of their band wristbands for admission to SxSW 2006 (it’s okay, they got paid) – but Phosphorescent will finally be here on July 10. Their new record is Here’s To Taking It Easy and pretty well captures the spirit of Matthew Houck’s laid-back, feel-good country-rock.

MP3: Phosphorescent – “It’s Hard To Be Humble (When You’re From Alabama)”
MP3: Phosphorescent – “The Mermaid Parade”
MP3: Phosphorescent – “A Picture Of Our Torn-Up Praise”

Calexico will soon be touring. They haven’t put out an album since 2008’s Carried To Dust; it’s not unreasonable to assume that touring implies a new record is on its way. Or it’s just folk festival season.

MP3: Calexico – “Two Silver Trees”

Justin Vernon will be hitting the road this Fall but not as Bon Iver – that’s still on the shelf – but as part of Gayngs, a supergroup of sorts featuring members of Bon Iver, Megafaun and The Rosebuds, amongst others. Their mandate is funky, sexy slow jams and if that sounds completely at odds with what you’d expect from those involved… well it is. The album is called Relayted.

MP3: Gayngs – “The Gaudy Side Of Town”
MP3: Gayngs – “Faded High”
Video: Gayngs – “Cry”

Download a free MP3 of Superwolf (Matt Sweeney & Bonnie Prince Billy) covering Gene Watson’s “Love In The Hot Afternoon”

(h/t Andrew)

Unknown Mortal Orchestra “Ffunny Ffrends” “Ffunny Ffrends” is hypnotic and woozy, shuffling about as the vocal and guitar parts double a melodic part that is essentially loose and easy-going, but becomes insistent with repetition. There’s a nice, hazy quality to this song, and it’s not necessarily to do with the lo-fi recording of the track. The space would feel open either way, though I do like the way the mix has a “soft focus” effect on the composition. It sounds a bit old and weathered, particularly when the piece shifts into an inspired, seemingly off-the-cuff guitar solo.

Buy it from BandCamp.

Woven Bones – “Your Way With My Life”