Pitchfork

They're a Canadian band (Montreal!) of a certain size (six!), which makes Bell Orchestre a prime candidate for inclusion into the fold at Arts & Crafts, home to such large Canadian troupes as Broken Social Scene, the Hidden Cameras, and, er, honorary Canadians Los Campesinos!

As you might recall, Belle Orchestre is comprised of the Arcade Fire's Richard Reed Parry and Sarah Neufeld, plus Stefan Schenider and Pietro Amato of Jorane, Mike Feuerstack of snailhouse, and Kaveh Nabatian. The group will issue their as-yet-untitled follow-up to 2005's Recording a Tape the Colour of the Light early next year. They crafted the album with Tortoise's John McEntire at Chicago's Soma Electronic Music Studios.

Once their Arts & Crafts debut is out, the band will hit the road, hard. A few dates have emerged thus far, if that's the sort of thing that rings your proverbial bell.

Bell Orchestre:

02-07 Guelph, Ontario - Sleeman Centre (Hillside Festival)
02-19 Vancouver, British Columbia - Commodore Ballroom *
02-26 Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Academy of Music

* with the Besnard Lakes, Beast