Return To The Sea Returns To #1

The members of the crack ChartAttack team have weathered the storm called Hurricane NXNE and, over the past few days, we've been diligently completing a near record number of North By Northeast Report Cards. The ChartAttack staff got out of the office to catch some musical fun during the three-night sonic extravaganza. This reporter caught up with some old friends on Thursday evening.

First up was Mitch Willer's subdued and charming solo set at the Fox & Fiddle (a venue more conducive to the frat boy crowd lingering near the bar and on the outdoor patio than the introspective song-styling of the former Young Ideas' leader). Next up was a rousing, rockin' set by Vaughn Passmore at The Black Bull featuring Rough Trade bassist Terry Wilkins and former Blue Rodeo keyboardist, James Gray. Passmore's straight-ahead rock and country rock ditties fit perfectly into the atmosphere (or lack thereof) at The Bull. His not-so-well-known anthem, "Hurray For Beer," went over well with those paying attention, while the rest of the bar already seemed to be drowning in it.

After a quiet Friday, Saturday night featured some fun stops, including Sylvie at the Horseshoe. They're a band with a split personality. When the lead singer wasn't trying to do his best imitation of El Screamo, the quartet's songs jumped off the stage. John Kastner's solo performance at the El Mocambo showed that, after 20 years of performing, he can still wow a crowd. He looked and sounded as if he had just stepped on to a stage in 1989 with the Doughboys or in 1999 for an All Systems Go gig. Stepping around the corner from the El Mo, it became apparent that Oasis Lounge had changed its name to The Savannah, where Beekeepers Society put on a show highlighted by some great guitar and bass work and some annoying drum machine patterns and unfocused and amateurish lead vocals.

Jason Bajada's set at The Cameron House was lively, as Bajada even got the partisan crowd to accompany him on some harmonies and background vocals. Things ended with a bit of a blur at the Horseshoe with sets by The Golden Dogs and Raising The Fawn. The Dogs' renditions of material from their debut and their cover of Wings' "1985" still linger in my mind. With all that said, let's take peek at the top 50 chart for the week ending June 9.

Returning to its place at #1 after a week's absence is Islands' Return To The Sea, which pushes last week's chart-topper, Tokyo Police Club's A Lesson In Crime, to #2 and runner-up Feist's Open Season: Remixes & Collabs to #3. Amy Millan's Honey From The Tombs jumps four spots to #4, while The Flaming Lips' At War With The Mystics moves up two places to #5. Falling down two spots from last week are Sunset Rubdown's Shut Up I Am Dreaming at #6 and The Lovely Feathers' Hind Hind Legs at #7. Think About Life's self-titled album moves up three spots to #8, while Pony Up's Make Love To The Judges With Your Eyes jumps 14 positions to #9. Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Show Your Bones slips four places to #10.

The Chart Sizzler Award goes to a recent Electronic chart performer, Vitaminsforyou. Their new album has already spent four weeks on that specialty chart and is currently sitting at #8. The Legend Of Bird's Hill enters the Top 50 chart at #18 to make it the highest debut of the week. The runner-up was Camera Obscura's Let's Get Out Of This Country, which entered the chart at #21. Also in contention for the Chart Sizzler honour was The Matadors' Horrorbilly 9000 at #25. There's quite a lot of stability on this week's chart, which features just three other new entries: Hot Chip's The Warning at #32, Land Of Talk's Applause Cheer Boo Hiss at #45 and Building Castles Out Of Matchsticks' The Secret Doctrine at #47.

The specialty charts have really settled down over the past couple of weeks, as four out of the five have returning #1s from last week and there's little change below the top either. Cannibal Corpse's Kill continues to dominate the Metal/Punk chart for a seventh consecutive week. Extra Golden's OK-Oyot System returns to #1 on the World/Folk chart, as does Coldcut's Sound Mirrors on the Electronic top 10. The Coup's Pick A Bigger Weapon remains on top of the Hip-Hop chart. Only Jeff Healey & The Jazz Wizards' It's Tight Like That upsets the apple cart by jumping four positions to grab #1 on the Jazz/Blues chart.