While the line up for Edgefest 2009 would be a good day out at any time, the June 20 date at Downsview Park will be perfect timing to hear brand new music from most of the headliners. Hosts Billy Talent are finishing up work on their Brendan O’Brien-produced record, which is slated for an early June release, while AFI and Alexisonfire will have their latest efforts in the can. Two more mainstagers, Metric and k-os, will already have new records on the shelves: Metric’s long-awaited Fantasies lands April 14 and look for k-os to say Yes at the end of March. The Stills and Hamilton’s Arkells round out the big top while a rejuvenated Moneen will anchor the jam-packed, 10-band second stage. With Early Bird tix flying at $39.50 go to www.edge.ca for all the info.



COHEN OF SILENCE?
Despite four sold-out nights last June at The Sony Centre, many local Leonard Cohen fans were wondering where the Toronto show was on the itinerary of this year’s North American tour, which kicks off April 2 in Austin, Texas and includes a day in the sun at Coachella April 17. Though there is no GTA show per say, Cohen completists do have a few options for taking in a spring show. For convenience, the best bet is May 19 at Copps Colisium while a more interesting route to go would be a trip to the nation’s capital, where the country’s foremost poet will perform at Ottawa’s National Arts Center May 25-26. For those who’d rather monitor the proceedings from home, the CD/DVD-set Live In London — recorded last July at London’s 02 Arena — hits stores March 31.



THE SWEDE SIDE OF WILCO
Since joining Wilco during sessions for 2004’s A Ghost Is Born, keyboardist Mikael Jorgenson has watched his fellow bandmates fit in their own projects in the brief breaks between Tweedy time. After squeezing in sessions here and there, Jorgenson — a long-time engineer and studio student — assembled his team at Chicago’s SOMA studios last year and finished the recording. The result is Pronto. The four-piece band — which releases its debut album, All Is Golden on March 10 — features the pianist’s vast skills at songwriting and arranging and is easily the most melodic and interesting pop record of the Wilco side projects to date. With a ‘70s feel that moves from emotional Randy Newman-esque confessionals to mid-tempo exercises that harken back to vintage rock-country sounds of Poco and America, All Is Golden is a great listen. The band will do a short east coast tour in March that finds them opening for Tweedy at the Higher Ground in Burlington, Vermont March 26.



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