Caribou

Caribou (formerly known as Manitoba) is releasing The Milk of Human Kindness on Domino Records in mid-April. The album is great (I'm in the process of writing a review of it), and I cannot wait to get my hands on the real thing. It has a more mature and organic sound than Up In Flames. The music is also more structured, I think, and really smooth ... soothing. It all flows into one fantastic piece, and I am so happy to see that a musician with an incredible debut album is not going to be so easily forgotten!
Listen to Barnowl

Yes ... everyone's heard it. But I'll mention it anyway! Dan Snaith, AKA "the aritst formerly known as Manitoba" had to change his name due to legal action taken by Dick Manitoba of the Dictators. I think it is crazy how the second-rate punk musician filed such an absurb lawsuit to begin with, but that's the legal system for you ...
On the lighter side of things, though, I think that it may have been a good idea to change names! Think about it ... how many bands have a Canadian province in their name? Of Montreal, Manitoba, and, um ... well, I think there are more ...
new name, new sound, good thing.