Hello everyone,

I sit here and write this on 4.20, but there's a good chance this may not make it to your inbox until 4.21. When I say good chance, I mean, uh, hang on a second... I'll be right back.

Okay. We're good. I can do this.

In the interest of time working against me and my ability to cohesively write a sentence just check out these two awesome records that came out today. If you haven't brought them in yet, grab your promo and pop it in right now because both records are proof that Canada can bring us something almost as awesome as universal healthcare and maple syrup... or mounties... Ryan Reynolds?

Check it

PLANTS & ANIMALS "La La Land" [OUT NOW!]

Montreal's Plants and Animals offer us their second full-length, "La La Land", out on April 20th (Secret City Records / Caroline).  Perhaps you caught Plants and Animals last release, Parc Avenue, which landed itself on Pitchfork's list of Overlooked Albums of 2008.

"Plants and Animals latest offering, La La Land, is louder, and tougher, but also showcases them at their smoothest and most cohesive to-date. Inspired by a rediscovery of electric guitars, amplification and fuzz pedals, it takes us up and away from Parc Avenue’s Montreal-in-the-summer vibe, and out into the rock n’ roll ether" (secretcityrecords.com). 

If you weren't fortunate enough to catch one of Plants and Animals SXSW shows, don't fret, they'll be on tour to support La La Land's release. Check out dates below. If anything, some of these shows are a good reason to visit your neighbors to the north.

Apr 21 Quebec, QC @ Theatre Petit Champlain w/ The Barr Brothers
Apr 22 Montreal, QC @ La Tulipe w/ The Barr Brothers Apr 23 Ottawa, ON @ Babylon
Apr 24 Peterborough, ON @ The Red Dog
Apr 26 Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater
Apr 28 Winnipeg, MB @ West End Cultural Centre
Apr 29 Saskatoon, SK @ Amigo's
Apr 30 Edmonton, AB @ Starlite Room
May 1 Calgary, AB @ #1 Royal Canadian Legion
May 2 Kelowna, BC @ Habitat
May 4 Victoria, BC @ Sugar Nightclub
May 5 Vancouver, BC @ The Commodore Ballroom
May 13 Cleveland Heights, OH @ Grog Shop
May 14 Columbus, OH @ The Basement
May 15 Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
May 16 Omaha, NE @ The Waiting Room
May 18 Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge
May 19 Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
May 20 Boise, ID @ Neurolux
May 21 Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios
May 22 Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile w/ Frog Eyes
May 25 San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
May 26 Visalia, CA @ The Cellar Door
May 27 Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour
May 29 Tucson, AZ @ Plush
May 31 Denton, TX @ Hailey's
June 1 Austin, TX @ Emo's
June 4 Orlando, FL @ Back Booth
June 5 Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
June 6 Asheville, NC @ Grey Eagle
June 9 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom

CUFF THE DUKE "Way Down Here" [OUT NOW!]

So, while we fill our faces with delicious junk food we invite you to fill your ears with the Canadian stylings of Cuff The Duke. If you’re Canadian you know who they are. If you are not, then the wait is over. Way Down Here is the band’s newest album, and the first to hit US soil, on April 20, courtesy of our good friends at Ernest Jenning (The Orchard). For those of you who are familiar with the band, you may know them from one of their many tours with the likes of Feist, The Sadies, Sloan, The Weakerthans, Calexico and Nick Cave, or from one of their tours as Hayden’s backing band. Way Down Here was even nominated for a Juno: the most prestigious of music awards in Canada! Kinda like their EGOT.
Please pop it in and let us know what you think. And you really need to go see them play. This is a band that knows their way around a stage and a handful of instruments. You will not be let down.

Cuff the Duke Tour

Apr 22 Dallas, TX House of Blues *
Apr 23 Houston, TX House of Blues *
Apr 26 Nashville, TN The Basement *
Apr 27 Atlanta, GA Smith’s Olde Bar *
Apr 30 Brooklyn, NY The Knitting Factory U.S. CD Release w/ LA STRADA
May 1 Easton, MD NightCat *
May 2 Arlington, VA IOTA Club & Cafe *
May 5 South Burlington, VT Higher Ground *
May 7 Toledo, OH Frankie’s *
May 8 Cleveland, OH Grog Shop (late show) *
May 9 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall *
May 10 Milwaukee, WI Shank Hall *

* w/ Serena Ryder

And that's it. Got an email blast or blog or generally just wanna shoot it? let us know or add us to your list: fleas@flea-marketing.com or individually jo@flea-marketing.com, aj@flea-marketing.com, chris@flea-marketing.com, or katherine@flea-marketing.com

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