New York by way of Australia genre benders Young Magic unleash their debut LP, Melt, on February 14th via Carpark Records. You can stream all 11 of the album’s tracks below (via The Hype Machine).

Other albums available for an early spin:

– Bahamas‘ new self-titled LP is out tomorrow (Feb. 7th) via Brushfire Records. Stream it now at Totally Fuzzy Blog.

– Shearwater returns with its 7th LP, Animal Joy, on February 14th via Sub Pop. Stream it now at NPR.org.

An astute student of the male crooner canon, Bahamas whips soul-infused vocals, bittersweet lyrics, and uplifting melodies into an airy, acoustic dream. Opener “Lost in the Light” requires no further convincing that a cool, easy-going acoustic folk record lies beneath. Its emotive prologue of chords gathers sweet backing harmonies, bolstered by stripped-down rhythm to build toward a gospel-like peak. This mellow reflection on a relationship’s ebb and flow fades into “Caught Me Thinking”, a flowing surf tune that’s a welcome distraction from late winter.

A former touring member of Feist’s band, Jurvanen’s guitar chops don’t escape the spotlight. Whether it’s his lackadaisical acoustic plucking (“Time and Time Again”, “Overjoyed”) or cascading electric wa-wa (“Never Again”, “Your Sweet Touch”), the strings anchor the lovelorn lyrics in a retro, tropical premise. Standout “I Got You Babe” is not a re-imagined cover of the Sonny & Cher radio kitsch, but is instead a traipsing look into love lost, the guitar driving a churning poppy groove.

The album’s minor flaw is that it tends to sound like M.Ward 2.0, especially on short ditties like “Any Other Way” and “Snowplow”. The structure, approach, and endearing qualities have been heard before, especially the croaking, twangy male vocals. Still, there could be worse styles to be sampling. What makes Bahamas worth a listen is the soulful pairing of glowing, slow-building melodies and sun-kissed songs. It’ll definitely help with the late winter thaw, but Barchords should also linger past the spring solstice, occupying summer beach-bound ears.

Essential Tracks: “Lost in the Light”, “Your Sweet Touch”, and “I Got You Babe”

Bahamas, the soul-folk recording project of Canadian musician Afie Jurvanen, returns with its sophomore LP, Barchords, on February 7th via Brushfire Records. We’ve already heard—and watched—lead single “Caught Me Thinkin’”, and now Jurvanen has unveiled another album cut in “I Got You Babe”. According to Jurvanen, the track “is not that song by Sonny and Cher. It’s a song about a guy who’s losing someone. About a guy who would do things differently, if given the chance.” Matching the regret-heavy theme, Jurvanen howls in pain, while the guitar part aches with the sting of disappointment. Check out “I Got You Babe” below, along with Barchords‘ tracklist and Bahamas’ handful of upcoming tour dates.

Bahamas – “I Got You Babe”

Barchords Tracklist:
01. Lost in the Light
02. Caught Me Thinkin
03. Montreal
04. OK Alright I’m Alive
05. Never Again
06. Overjoyed
07. I Got You Babe
08. Any Other Way
09. Snow Plow
10. Your Sweet Touch
11. Time and Time Again
12. Be My Witness

Bahamas 2012 Tour Dates:
03/07 – New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge
04/16 – London, UK @ Royal Albert Hall
04/17 – London, UK @ Shepherds Bush Empire
03/13-03/18 – Austin, TX @ South by Southwest

For Bahamas, it’s all in a name. The solo recording and performing project of Afie Jurvanen specializes in breezy trop-rock, and new song “Caught Me Thinkin’” is no different. Composed while Jurvanen played piano and guitar for Feist on tour, the track’s gently plucked chords and wa-wa pedals live up to the ”retro dance vibe” description of his forthcoming sophomore LP, Barchord. Stream “Caught Me Thinkin’” at MTV Hive, and check out the video of Bahamas covering Wreckless Eric’s “Whole Wide World” below.

Barchords is out February 7 on Brushfire Records.

Bahamas is the brainchild of Afie Jurvanen, a Toronto native whose earnest folkie croon might remind some of Jack Johnson with a mild country twist. His debut LP, Pink Strat, was released this past May and leans heavy on Being There/Summerteeth-era Wilco. The album contains some of the most enjoyable indie folk that you probably missed this year and has helped land supporting slots for the likes of Noah and the Whale and Bonnie “Prince” Billy. In June, Jurvanen was also featured on our video channel, Cluster 1.

For Bahamas’ sophomore effort, a 12-track collection entitled Barchords, Jurvanen will carry over the same sparse, mostly acoustic arrangements that made him such a pleasure on the first go around. A few of the songs off the LP have been making rounds during Bahamas live shows for some time now, including the delightfully poppy “Caught Me Thinkin”, which he played on MTV Live way back in 2009. Below you can check out a video of that performance as well as the album’s tracklist.

Barchords is set to be released February 7th on Universal/Republic in Canada and on Brushfire Records in the U.S. the same day.

“Caught Me Thinkin”:

Barchords Tracklist:
01. Lost in the Light
02. Caught Me Thinkin
03. Montreal
04. OK Alright I’m Alive
05. Never Again
06. Overjoyed
07. I Got You Babe
08. Any Other Way
09. Snow Plow
10. Your Sweet Touch
11. Time and Time Again
12. Be My Witness

Armed with a guitar, a few simple chords, and a pair of synchronously-attired ladies backing him up, Afie Jurvanen cooly sings on a Long Beach, CA pier. Around them, a father plays with his daughter, a couple read while nestled together, and a charming lighthouse, um, lights things. It’s a pleasantly intimate clip, mellow as a lazy summer afternoon shot through a glary yellow filter.

Check it out over at Cluster 1, and see Bahamas out at the following dates and locations:

Bahamas 2011 Tour Dates:
06/08 – Austin, TX @ The Parish *
06/09 – Austin, TX @ The Parish *
06/10 – Dallas, TX @ Club Dada *
06/11 – Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald’s: Upstairs *
06/13 – New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jacks *
06/15 – Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse *
06/16 – Raleigh, NC @ Lincoln Theatre *
06/17 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club *
06/18 – New York, NY @ Irving Plaza *
06/23 – Ottawa, ON @ Ottawa Jazz Festival ^
06/24 – Montreal, QC @ Montreal Jazz Festival ^
07/02 – Wellington, ON @ Chadsey Cairns Winery #
07/15 – St. John’s, NL @ Cochrane Street United Church &

* = w/ Noah and the Whale
^ = w/ Robert Plant and the Band of Joy
# = w/ Sarah Harmer
& = w/ Bonnie “Prince” Billy

Series:

No Cover Episode 3: Name of the Game – This week, Randy constantly bugs Marshall about what they should name the band…no easy task when one member has already settled on Sexplosion.

Premieres:

Bahamas – “Whole Wide World” – The band covers the song for In the Open…on a dock.

Blaq Poet – “Mortuary Music” – In his debut single, Blaq Poet keeps up the idea that rap and grind-house go together like peanut butter and fluff. They compliment each other in the strangest of fashions.

Woodkid – “Iron” – Slow jam, slow motion, black and white, horses, tattoos, and more….this video is definitely one that boggles the mind.

Music Videos:

The Hundred Days – “Sex U” – With every drink, women slowly turn into mannequins. One might argue this is how real life works in the nightclub world.

Oryx and Crake – “Unbound” – Directed by our own Max Blau, the video involves close-up shots of today’s most interesting art form: graffiti.

Shorts:

Sumo Lake – Sumo wrestlers dancing to Swan Lake….the world is always changing.

Tea Leaf Green: Behind the Radio Tragedy! – A short documentary about the band’s 7^th LP and all the adventures they have gone on to get their music out there.

Don’t Forget…

– Want a constant stream of musical goodness? Check out our Channel, featuring over 30 music videos, several short films, and other nifty clips, all crammed together in one non-stop barrage of visual and aural stimulation.

- Social networking is a way of life, so follow us at @cluster1tv and on Facebook

A Cluster 1 Premiere!

According to the Montreal Gazette, the 2010 award honors albums released from June 1st, 2009 to May 31st, 2010. The prize, whose potential winners are chosen by 200 Canadian music critics, went to Fucked Up last year. But it’s not just a fancy, schmancy award. Along with bragging rights, the winners receive a big fat check for $20,000. (Probably more money they’d make otherwise on the actual album.) Pretty sweet deal, all in all.

You can take a peek at the 40 nominees below. Just from a quick glance, stand outs include: The Besnard Lakes, Broken Social Scene, Caribou (who won in 2008), Frog Eyes, Owen Pallet (who won in 2006), The New Pornographers, Tegan & Sara, You Say Party! We Say Die!, and Zeus.

As always, stay tuned to for the shortlist and the eventual winner.

2010 Polaris Prize Nominees:
01. Apollo Ghosts – Mount Benson
02. Bahamas – Pink Strat
03. The Besnard Lakes – The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night
04. Blue Rodeo – The Things We Left Behind
05. Brasstronaut – Mt. Chimaera
06. Broken Social Scene - Forgiveness Rock Record
07. Basia Bulat – Heart Of My Own
08. By Divine Right – Mutant Message
09. Caribou – Swim
10. Jason Collett – Rat A Tat Tat
11. Crystal Castles – Crystal Castles (II)
12. Amelia Curran – Hunter, Hunter
13. Fred Fortin – Plastrer La Lune
14. Frog Eyes – Paul’s Tomb: A Triumph
15. Hannah Georgas – This Is Good
16. Ghostkeeper - Ghostkeeper
17. Holy Fuck – Latin
18. Karkwa – Les Chemins De Verre
19. LeE HARVeY OsMOND – A Quiet Evil
20. Greg MacPherson – Mr. Invitation
21. Dan Mangan – Nice, Nice, Very Nice
22. Misteur Valaire – Golden Bombay
23. The New Pornographers – Together
24. Owen Pallett – Heartland
25. Plants And Animals – La La Land
26. Radio Radio - Belmundo Regal
27. Justin Rutledge – The Early Widows
28. The Sadies – Darker Circles
29. Shad – TSOL
30. Elizabeth Shepherd – Heavy Falls The Night
31. The Slew – 100%
32. Meaghan Smith – The Cricket’s Orchestra
33. South Rakkas Crew – The Stimulus Package
34. Tegan And Sara - Sainthood
35. The Wooden Sky – If I Don’t Come Home You’ll Know I’m Gone
36. Hawksley Workman – Meat
37. You Say Party! We Say Die! – XXXX
38. Young Galaxy- Invisible Republic
39.Yukon Blonde – Yukon Blonde
40. Zeus – Say Us

What’s more, in the days proceeding the festival, Osheaga will bring a series of acts to various venues across the city. So far, Chromeo is confirmed in Osheaga In The City. Additional acts will be announced in the weeks to come.

Tickets for both Osheaga In The Park and Osheaga In The City will go on sale starting Tuesday, March 23rd at noon via the festival’s website.

More than just sharing a common stage, they’ll be sharing songs as well. So, while you can see each act alone on the stage doing their own thing, expect covers, cameos, and other musical combinations on stage. The tour kicks off March 10th in their shared hometown and winds its way throughout Canada. Sorry, U.S. fans, there’s only one stop south of the border for a series of SXSW shows from March 17th to March 20th. The tour wraps up on April 17th in Kingston, ON.

The day before the tour kicks off, Jason Collette will release his fourth studio album, Rat A Tat Tat. In a warm-up to the tour, the album was produced by Mike O’Brien and Carlin Nicholson of Zeus and was co-written by Afie Jurvanen, aka Bahamas. Jurvanen, under the Bahamas moniker, is formerly of Paso Mino and released his Bahamas debut back in July 2009. Paso Mino bandmate O’Brien, plus Nicholson and Neil Quin, will release their first full-length, Say Us, on February 23rd. The band previously served as Collett’s backing band and then support band.

Tickets are on sale at Ticketmaster.com.

Bonfire Ball 2010 Tour Dates:
03/10 – Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace (CMW)
03/11 – Guelph, ON @ E-Bar
03/12 – London, ON @ Call The Office
03/13 – Hamilton, ON @ Casbah
03/17 – Austin, TX @ SXSW
03/18 – Austin, TX @ SXSW
03/19 – Austin, TX @ SXSW
03/20 – Austin, TX @ SXSW
03/26 – Vancouver, BC @ The Biltmore
03/27 – Victoria, BC @ Sugar
03/29 – Canmore, BC @ Communitea
03/31 – Edmonton, AB @ The Pawn Shop
04/01 – Calgary, AB @ The Legion
04/02 – Regina, AB @ The Exchange
04/03 – Winnipeg, MB @ West End Cultural Ccentre
04/13 – Waterloo, ON @ Starlite
04/14 – Ottawa, ON @ Zaphod’s
04/15 – Montreal, QC @ Petit Campus
04/16 – Peterborough, ON @ Red Dog Tavern
04/17 – Kingston, ON @ Grad Club

While it might not be on the level of Weezer’s Snuggie, Millan has announced plans for a five-week fall tour because, as the completely objective press announcement declares, “the songs from Masters Of The Burial… are certain to warm the room and have the audience swooning.” So, turn off your heaters and pick up tickets for any one of her upcoming engagements. The fun kicks off on October 1st Peterborough, Ontario and will run all the way until November 8th in Washington, D.C.

Masters of the Burial hits record stores everywhere on September 8th via Arts & Crafts Records.

Amy Millan 2009 Tour Dates:
07/25 – Toronto, ON @ Harbourfront Centre ^
08/21 – Ottawa, ON @ Ottawa Folk Festival
09/30 – Montreal, PQ @ Pop Montreal *
10/01 – Peterborough, ON @ Montreal House *
10/03 – Kingston, ON @ Grad Club *
10/14 – Toronto, ON @ Mod Club *
10/15 – Detroit, MI @ Pike Room *
10/16 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle *
10/17 – Minneapolis, MN @ Turf Club *
10/18 – Winnipeg, MB @ West End Cultural Center *
10/19 – Saskatoon, SK @ Amigo’s *
10/20 – Calgary, AB @ The Marquee *
10/21 – Edmonton, AB @ Myer Horowitz Theatre *
10/24 – Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore Cabaret *
10/25 – Seattle, WA @ Triple Door *
10/26 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge *
10/28 – San Francisco, CA @ Café Du Nord *
10/30 – Los Angeles, CA @ Spaceland *
11/04 – Boston, MA @ Middle East Upstairs
11/05 – New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge
11/06 – Brooklyn, NY @ Bell House
11/07 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
11/08 – Washington, DC @ DC9

^ = w/ Gentleman Reg
* = w/ Bahamas