True North Shows Its Pride In Carole Pope's Latest Disc

Infamous Rough Trade vocalist Carole Pope is finding a new musical life on True North Records. After having that band's 1983 album, Weapons, reissued on CD for the first time earlier this year by their longtime label, Pope's new Transcend solo effort will come out the same way on Tuesday.

The nine-song Transcend includes "Johnny Marr," which isn't on the U.S. release of the album, and a version of Rough Trade's "All Touch No Contact." Three songs from Pope's third solo album can be heard on her MySpace page.

Pope, whom along with the rest of Rough Trade was inducted into the Indies Hall Of Fame during Canadian Music Week, will make a few appearances in support of Transcend this summer. Among them is a gig that's part of Toronto's Pride Festival on Sunday.

Pope, one of the world's first openly gay pop stars, now lives in Los Angeles and has been writing music for films and television shows, including The Trailer Park Boys Movie, Queer As Folk and The L Word. Her Anti Diva autobiography was published by Random House in 2001 and its film rights were recently optioned.

Here are Pope's Canadian dates:
June 24 Toronto, ON @ Toronto Pride South Stage
July 7 Vancouver, BC @ VECC
Sept. 1 Cornwall, ON @ Pride
Sept. 14 Edmonton, AB @ Festival Place

Here are the songs on Transcend:
"Transcend"
"Love Strikes Hard"
"World Of One"
"Dream6"
"Seduction"
"Edible Flower"
"All Touch No Contact"
"Shadows"
"Americana"
"Johnny Marr"