A few things: The Sadies, The Darcys, Caribou, Young Doctors in Love.

Monday night I had the privilege of going to see the Sadies perform a short but blistering set at the intimate Rivoli for an invite-only audience. The Sadies are, I think it's fair to say, Toronto music legends. Their new album, Darker Circles, is out on 18 May. You can listen to it over at Outside Music. The band---headed by brothers Dallas and Travis Good, with bassist Sean Dean and drummer Mike Belistky---knows how to provide a stand-out live performance complete with impressive musical tricks. Catch them at Lee's Palace on 22 May.

The Darcys are giving away the digital version of their new 7", The House Built Around Your Voice. Trade your email address for the songs. They've got a release show at the Horseshoe Tavern on 3 June, after they come back from a month-long tour. The band is featured on a great new Toronto music website I recently discovered, The Take.

Polaris winner Dan Snaith, AKA Caribou, is back with a new album, Swim. The album is currently streaming in full. Go listen, it's really fun, lots of great beats. The band is currently touring in Germany, and will headline a sold-out all ages show at the Phoenix on 3 May to kick-off the North American part of its tour.

Some of you might be interested, too, in a remix project that's now underway. Go download the parts, and then upload your contribution. The competition ends May 7.

Last Thursday, I went to see a newer Toronto band called Young Doctors in Love. They've been playing around town a bit to build an audience, after having celebrated the release of their first EP, 5 Golden Greats. That EP's been garnering some really positive reviews, and I agree: it's a stellar beginning. Last week's show an Earth Day celebration, and so the band went for a minimalist configuration, and unplugged entirely for a couple tunes. Given the chatty-chatty audience at Sneaky Dee's that night, it's didn't really work as well as it might have (like, say, at Tranzac's front room), but it was a valiant effort that certainly made more than a few people shut-up and pay attention.

As for me, I'm keen to see the band perform with a little more oomph; they show great promise. Solid, catchy pop songs, lovely vocals, great bass lines . . . now just add some more energy to the live performance, and it'll be great. Highlights included "Eloise And Her Sister Marta," "Oh Caroline," and "(And If You Really Want To) Say That Again," all off the EP.

Download: Young Doctors in Love, "Eloise and Her Sister Marta" (5 Golden Greats EP, 2010).