Thank You!

Soundscapes will be closing permanently on September 30th, 2021.

Open every day between Spetember 22nd-30th

We'd like to thank all of our loyal customers over the years, you have made it all worthwhile! The last 20 years have seen a golden age in access to the world's recorded music history both in physical media and online. We were happy to be a part of sharing our knowledge of some of that great music with you. We hope you enjoyed most of what we sold & recommended to you over the years and hope you will continue to seek out the music that matters.

In the meantime we'll be selling our remaining inventory, including thousands of play copies, many of which are rare and/or out-of-print, never to be seen again. Over the next few weeks the discounts will increase and the price of play copies will decrease. Here are the details:

New CDs, LPs, DVDs, Blu-ray, Books 60% off 15% off

Rare & out-of-print new CDs 60% off 50% off

Rare/Premium/Out-of-print play copies $4.99 $14.99

Other play copies $2.99 $8.99

Magazine back issues $1 $2/each or 10 for $5 $15

Adjusted Hours & Ticket Refunds

We will be resuming our closing sale beginning Friday, June 11. Our hours will be as follows:

Wednesday-Saturday 12pm-7pm
Sunday 11am-6pm

Open every day between September 22nd-30th

We will no longer be providing ticket refunds for tickets purchased from the shop, however, you will be able to obtain refunds directly from the promoters of the shows. Please refer to the top of your ticket to determine the promoter. Here is the contact info for the promoters:

Collective Concerts/Horseshoe Tavern Presents/Lee's Palace Presents: shows@collectiveconcerts.com
Embrace Presents: info@embracepresents.com
MRG Concerts: ticketing@themrggroup.com
Live Nation: infotoronto@livenation.com
Venus Fest: venusfesttoronto@gmail.com

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Thank you for your understanding.

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Other Music
Last Month's Top Sellers

1. TAME IMPALA - The Slow Rush
2. SARAH HARMER - Are We Gone
3. YOLA - Walk Through Fire
4. DESTROYER - Have We Met
5. DRIVE BY TRUCKERS - Unravelling

Click here for full list.

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FEATURED RELEASES

Tuesday
Apr222008

BILLY BRAGG - Mr. Love & Justice

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In the six years since Billy Bragg's last album of new material, fans have been tided over with retrospective repackagings including a greatest hits/B-side set, two boxed volumes, and remasters-plus-bonus tracks of his discography. With the Blokes back in tow (and another titular nod to Colin MacInnes), Bragg's politics are mostly personal here; many songs address problems of love and faith that could be just as easily directed at one's country or culture as to one's partner. However polite the production might get, there's an honesty that's always plainly sung, outward-looking and rarely overreaching.
Tuesday
Apr222008

TOKYO POLICE CLUB - Elephant Shell

tokyo%20police%20club-elephant.jpgAlthough Rolling Stone wishes that "all guitar bands were smart enough to rock out this fast", to these ears the Newmarket foursome's first full-length foray best tackles its slower material, tracks like "The Harrowing Adventures Of..." and "Listen To The Math". The former spaciously stretches out in range as well as tempo with glockenspiel, acoustic guitar, stomps and claps set against cello and low baritone backups, while the latter puts mellotron washes over cymbal splashes and snare snaps before the requisite rock-out.

Tuesday
Apr152008

CONSTANTINES - Kensington Heights

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Gracefully grizzled, these Nassau St. knights return, touring with Castlemusic, whose backup cameo streak continues on "New King". Doug MacGregor's soul snare's still there on leadoff single "Hard Feelings", as on the 7/8 but elegantly three-chord "Brother Run Them Down." Will Kidman's keys give levity in the fluctuations of "Trans Canada" and "Credit River"'s phased swoops, the latter one of Bry Webb's most parable-like lyrics yet, while Steve Lambke sings lead once here, the Leslie-filtered "Shower Of Stones". Dallas Wehrle's ever-eagle-eyed art is strengthened by their A&C alliance, as the fold-out flyer attests.   
Tuesday
Apr152008

M83 - Saturdays=Youth

m83-saturdaysyouth.jpgAs two of the 'teenaged' subjects of Saturdays=Youth's booklet photo shoot get introduced in "Kim & Jessie", M83 remodel John Hughes anthem mainstays like Simple Minds and The Psychedelic Furs in sleekly sincere, high-end fashion, while Morgan Kibby's vocals on "Skin Of The Night" and "Up!" stay '80s for full-blown respective Cocteau Twins and Kate Bush nods. Few Loveless-loving groups give those cooing keyboards a try, so it's notable that Anthony Gonzalez puts them in his palette, popping them up in JAMC-simple I-IV form on "Graveyard Girl", and the floor-tom pound of "Highway Of Endless Dreams". 

Tuesday
Apr152008

BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE - My Bloody Underground

brian%20jonestown-my%20bloody.jpgIt's easy to only ogle A. Newcombe's uglified track titles without paying much more mind ("Who F*cking Pissed In My Well?"), but the songs speak for themselves, often in contradictory tongues (ie. the artiste-ic austerity of solo piano piece "We Are The N*ggers Of The World", [apocryphally?] written at 9 years old). The ostrich guitar pecks on "Infinite Wisdom Teeth" and jawharp 'n' Marrakesh drums in, uh, the one about the well are swell, but the BJM's best served dipped into their baked bread and butter with some downer breakbeats and gauzy swirl, as on amorphous heaver "Who Cares Why?".

Sunday
Apr132008

HERCULES AND LOVE AFFAIR - S/T

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"Free Will"'s languor settles you in softly, its slow pulse, sizzling cymbal pads and massed Antonys letting you off easy before the clavinet, horns and disco-string strut of "Hercules Theme" throw you to the dancefloor, that drum kit and bass style giving away the DFA's participation in this project, however gladly subjugated they may be to head Herc Andy Butler. "You Belong" bounds with sounds uncannily jacked from Kevin Saunderson's early-'90s crossover playbook, and the inversions of "True False/Fake Real" couldn't be more apposite--they know you know they know it's both, bashfully full-bore. 
Tuesday
Apr082008

NICK CAVE AND THE BAD SEEDS - Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!

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The success of last year's amusingly self-aware Grinderman project seems to have caused Cave and his Bad Seeds to leave their collars loose and sleeves unbuttoned, as most of Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! hams it up and lets its hair down (or at least keeps it product- [and piano-] free). Dirty Three multi-instrumentalist Warren Ellis sets his violin aside for most of these songs, often offering up loop textures two layers back, providing some satisfyingly clanging underpinnings bubbling under beneath the brimstone jokes and cabaret rock.
Tuesday
Apr082008

THE BLACK KEYS - Attack & Release

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Full disclosure: it was only after being floored by what a college radio host announced after airing it as their last record's first number, Magic Potion's "Just Got To Be", that this writer paid this pair any mind. No such immediate attention-grabbers here, but the more diffuse feel focuses attention on the details Danger Mouse adds. Things first get overtly hip-hoppy on "Psychotic Girl" and, like "Strange Times" before it and the following "Lies", it's that spooky-ooky digi-dust at the changes that lets you know who's at the console.
Tuesday
Apr082008

PETER MOREN - The Last Tycoon

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The first ingredient in PB&J is also the first to go it alone, bearing more heart-on-sleeve foibles much like fellow broken-English charmers Jens Lekman and Herman Dune. A dirty volume knob makes the casio crackle at the end of "Reel Too Real", fittingly about finding one's footing, and "Le Petit Coeur" suitably swells with sweeping strings, but it's mainly later on The Last Tycoon when Moren hits his solo stride, in such details as the slide guitar that meets up with his voice for the main melody of "My Match", or the rudimentary fingerpicking, one-note piano and kneeslaps on "This Is What I Came For".
Tuesday
Apr082008

WYE OAK - If Children

wye%20oak-if%20children.jpgThe way in which singers Jenn Wasner (guitar) and Andy Stack (drums and keyboards) constantly switch lead and harmony roles, as well as how their vocals blend, make it pretty much impossible not to be reminded of such still-active melancholic mainstays as Ida and Low. Like both of these well-loved groups, Wye Oak equally impress with downcast brooders as feedback-flecked rockouts, although the latter style finds them at their most infectious, especially on "Warning" and album highlight "Orchard Fair", sure to make many playlists.
Tuesday
Apr082008

VA - New Orleans Funk: The Original Sound Of Funk, Vol. 2

va-new%20orleans%20funk%20vol.%202.jpgWhat better way to welcome warmer weather than with more Crescent City soul? Another top-notch overview from Soul Jazz as per usual, and as was the case with Vol. 1, this edition of New Orleans Funk features a smattering of familiar tracks and artists (Cyril and Art Neville, The Meters, Allan Toussaint, Lee Dorsey) along with enough lesser-knowns to keep aficionados content. In particular, Eddie Bo's given lots of room to shine, with three tracks here (on top of those just made available on Vampisoul's new In The Pocket With... overview). The perfect mix to heat up any patio parties you may be planning!

Tuesday
Apr012008

SUN KIL MOON - April

sun%20kil%20moon-april.jpgAs a 74-minute album proper appended with an additional near-half-hour of alternate takes, Mark Kozelek's giving his many admirers more than enough to sink their teeth into five years after his last album of originals. No big surprises here, although certain details do stick out among the expected strong-sadsack stories, such as the oldtimey British folk sound of banjo ballad "Heron Blue", the single-note buzzsaw solo that takes up nearly sixty seconds of the peak of electric stomper "Tonight The Sky", Will Oldham's sympathetic backup singing throughout, and the Spanish guitar runs that end it all on "Blue Orchid".

Tuesday
Apr012008

GNARLS BARKLEY - The Odd Couple

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Something about the more-modern-than-mod organ and a-go-go loops on leadoff cut "Charity Case" may smack more of Smashmouth than DM & Cee-Lo intended, but Green's given room to redeem them on the following "Who's Gonna Save My Soul". Once they drop the beach-blanket feel for a spell, though, the pair get their hooks in with the synth-string stabs and spazzy drum-machine cycles of "Open Book", a high only equalled by the 13 beats straightening into 12 and back again on lush, flute-sampling "She Knows", as well as the dampened bass runs of The Old Couple's closer, "A Little Better".
Tuesday
Apr012008

LOS CAMPESINOS! - Hold On Now, Youngster...

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By now well familiar to our readers, those kids from Cardiff team up with Dave Newfeld once again to re-record a handful of tracks from both their introductory Arts & Crafts EP and their self-released 2006 demo debut (confusingly also entitled Hold On Now, Youngster) along with new material, this time on Newf's home turf with sessions at Stars and Suns. The group's gawky bravado and journal-entry candour do their best to embarrass the old, making the moments that bear the hallmarks of their broken A&C elders all the odder, taking form in their lead-guitar figures, bouncy tempos, and co-ed vocal tradeoffs.
Tuesday
Apr012008

SLIM TWIG - Derelict Dialect

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Although we've had Slim's 2007 EPs Whiite Fantaseee and Dissonant Folk here in the shop since December, this earlier one, recorded with Dale Morningstar in '06, is news to us, so we're not quite sure if this was ever self-released in limited number, or just a matter of waiting for the right time (and label). With more and more local showgoers catching word of and getting wooed by the man live in both solo band and duo form as Tropics (even doing double-duty with both projects recently at CMW), Paper Bag were wise to sign Twig and his personal, wordplay-wise, goofy/aloof brand of dark dandy mantras.
Tuesday
Mar252008

THEE SILVER MT. ZION MEMORIAL ORCHESTRA & TRA-LA-LA BAND - 13 Blues For Thirteen Moons

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As soon as the first twelve tracks of untitled feedback zip past, putting the band's evasive and mutinous side on literal display while the numbers jump ship every few seconds, Mt. Zion lay into the listener with zeal, the battle lines drawn between them and all "ye twits across thy internet" (hey, that smarts!). Granted, at one LP side per 10-minute-plus tune, these dirgy screeds demand pre-mp3-era commitment, culminating halfway with the second section of the title track, a 9/8 vamp that gathers momentum in a most righteous Ex-like manner. Comes with a "hymn book" so fans can join Efrim & co. in the gospel.
Tuesday
Mar182008

DESTROYER - Trouble In Dreams

destroyer-trouble%20in%20dreams.jpgIt's not hard to imagine Dan Bejar all dolled up (and powdered down) as the Goblin King of the Labyrinth himself on many of these numbers, as goofy, accessible in a knowingly '80s way and, well, dreamy as they mostly are, all the better to lull you into the shot before snapping you out of it with one of any number of snarky, silly mouthfuls, the weight of which is appropriately dependent on how much you buy into the myth of it all (my favourite scene's "My Favourite Year", with phased drums and synth strings framing things fine). Bejar really wants us to believe--oh, please do believe

Tuesday
Mar182008

SHE & HIM - Volume One

she%20%20him-volume%20one.jpgComparisons are bound to be made between these two and other girl-guy pairings of the past while, especially Dean & Britta and Isobel Campbell with Mark Lanegan. She & Him, though, is more of a lead-and-accompaniment deal, with Zooey Deschanel writing the tunes and singing upfront (mostly backing herself on vocals) with a sad simplicity evoking a twangier El Perro Del Mar, while M. Ward has a hand in the arrangements but doesn't actually sing all that often (which makes his occasional croon even more striking, as on the first of three well-placed covers, "You've Really Got A Hold On Me").

Tuesday
Mar182008

THE DODOS - Visiter

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This SF duo's impressively full sound fills out the spectrum handily with a fiercesome drum style that cracks through the highs yet thuds in the room-mic'ed distance, and double-tracked, casually catchy vocals that are quick to make your acquaintance, blending with bluesy acoustic playing that drills its way in uninvited, making The Dodos a raised-profile 'newcomer' (they've been at it under this name since '06) ranking up there with fellow pell-mell melodic popsters The Ruby Suns. Visiter's purportedly an attempt to better reconcile recordings with their live show; find out at the El Mo on April 9th.
Tuesday
Mar182008

RETRIBUTION GOSPEL CHOIR - S/T

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With even more belting and bashing here than hinted at on Low's last two records for Sub Pop, Mark Kozelek is a perfect choice for producing this Alan Sparhawk-led project, dialing in similar tones to those put to use in the harder moments of Red House Painters and Sun Kil Moon. The scattershot snares in 9/8 waltz "Take Your Time" provide some mild math, while the Crazy Horse sneer of "Destroyer" is slow and soulful. After the studio play of Drums And Guns, and as vital as Low remain, here Sparhawk stays raw and off the floor.