by JAY WATTS III

Inching away from the Ghostface numbers and Desi drop bangers that have been the meat and potatoes of the column recently, there’s something new from Swan Lake, a veritable supergroup of West Coast-bred abstract lyricists. Discriminating indie-heads and their blogger brethren everywhere are virtually salivating for the debut album, set to be released on November 21 by Jagjaguwar, which has become the de facto go-to label for Canadian bands (Black Mountain, Ladyhawk, Pink

Mountaintops) that in years past might have suffered from poor American distribution and a lack of touring opportunities. The trio is Frog Eyes frontman Cary Mercer, Wolf Parade/Sunset Rubdown diva Spencer Krug and—judging by the hair, definitely the Jeff Lynne of the group—Destroyer’s Dan Bejar, who had previously enlisted Frog Eyes as a backing band for his Yer Blues tour, and recorded an EP with them.

The first song by the sweater-clad band of brothers to be leaked is the ethereal “All Fires,” downloadable at www.scjag.com/

mp3/jag/allfires.mp3, which avoids any of the overbearing theatrics that might have been one of the downsides of this collaboration—or most eagerly anticipated aspects, depending on one’s view of things. Subdued, albeit awash in overdubs and Mercer’s unique guitar playing, it’s not the radio-ready single but it bodes well for the rest of the album.

In the should-have-been-covered a long time ago corner: Mathieu Malouf and Jordan Robson-Cramer (also of Sunset Rubdown) deserve a little of your love and a whole lot more encouragement. Spending excess time Photoshopping trippy profile pictures and touring with buzz-band side projects, the duo seem to have forgotten the project, which started out with such promise. Digitized krautrock-space-pop smothered in that shoegazing aesthetic, the relics of previous efforts (er, that would be songs) can be found at www.myspace.com/magicweapon.

THE RIGHT PROFILE… goldkicks@gmail.com

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