UPDATE: You Say Party! We Say Die!’s album XXXX dropped this week, available from iTunes or Amazon, so we’re re-posting their To Whom  It May Concern Q&A. There’s also a video for “Dark Days” and a new remix for “Laura Palmer’s Prom” below, as well as expanded tour dates coming up in March, so why not share it with you all…

Expanded tour dates, more songs and full Q&A after the Jump…

Remix of “Laura Palmer’s Prom” by Los Campesinos

Video for “Dark Days”

We caught You Say Party! We Say Die! in Montreal last year at the Montreal POP festival and they ended up being the best damn thing of the whole festival, hands down. It’s always weird when you end up stumbling across the best surprise on the first night, and the rest of the bands seem to be playing catch-up the rest of the week (and we saw some great acts in the City of Poutine too, including Sebastien Grainger, Silver Apples, Novillero and Boats to name a few).

Now they’ve just released their first US album, XXXX, and will tour all of March. Live the band blow most of their dance punk brethren out of the water, anchored by the taught interplay of drummer Devon Clifford and bassist Stephen O’Shea. But their substantial charm comes courtesy of singer Becky Ninkovic, who has the uncanny ability of making an entire theater feel like they’re kicking back in her living room. She has all the charm of your favorite little sister.

YSP! WSD! have already released two full lengths since 2005, with numerous tours and magazine covers to their credit, however American success has eluded them. Part of this is due to the fact that they were banned from American soil for years…why, exactly? Did they get caught building some sort of doomsday device, or donating to their favorite Al Queda-sponsored charity? Nope — nothing that exciting. Apparently all it takes nowadays is to mess up a VISA application and you could get screwed (just ask MIA). As Becky explains: “We attempted to cross at the border without the proper work permits and things got a little messy — we were very tired and between us and our team, some important steps were missed. We all grew up right on the border and are all very used to crossing without problems; after 9/11 security has really gone extreme. One little slip of the tongue and you can get banned for life…or 5 years!”

Free Download of “Dark Days” HERE

Allow me to introduce myself, I’m…
Becky Ninkovic. My real name is Rebecca but most people call me Becky, or Nink or sometimes The Mink.

You can find me…
In Abbotsford, British Columbia.

I’m usually posted up at…
The White Lodge. An old punk house where shows used to be held. Currently it is being fixed up and some of my dearest friends live there at the moment.

I pay my bills by…
Being a supportive care worker. I work at a home where six ladies live together. They are very awesome and I have a lot of fun with them. It can be the most challenging at times, but it is worth it.

You might’ve heard of me because…
I sing in this band called YOU SAY PARTY! WE SAY DIE!

But why you really should know me is…
We have a new album out called XXXX it is our third full-length album. It is full of the power of LOVE. LOVE is XXXX. I sing my heart out in XXXX more than I ever have before.

My next order of business is…
Planning and preparing for future tours. Trying to find some time to rest and recover from the cross-Canada tour we just finished. Mostly, working at the group home and trying to catch up with life, family and loved ones. There is so much happening right now, it feels chaotic and crazy but also positive and exciting. We have a short tour happening in January, playing British Columbia’s mountain resorts. Then we open for Phoenix at the Orpheum in Vancouver! In the spring, we are touring the States for the first time in years; we were banned from the States and have been working really hard to get back in. Finally, it is going to happen. After that we are going to Europe and the UK and then Asia. It is going to be a busy and fruitful 2010.

If it wasn’t for ________ I wouldn’t be where I am today.
Stephen is the bass player in our band and he pulled us all together to form YSP!WSD! Without him, we would not be a band. I xxxx Stephen.

The best part about my job is…
I get to live out what I wanted to do when I was a little girl. I get to sing, dance, make art and travel the world. I get to share in this with my loved ones. My other work supporting individuals with special needs is also so amazing. I always desired to care for others and make a real difference in their lives by supporting and loving them. Through this I feel a deep contentment inside. I am continually learning from all these experiences. I am surrounded by diamonds.

The worst part about my job is…
It can be very stressful. There is only so much you can do. Sometimes you find yourself so exhausted that your best effort still feels short of what you know you are capable of. That can be hard to overcome. I don’t believe this life is meant to be easy and all about finding happiness or being perfect. A lot of this life is about surrendering; letting go. Trusting in love and truth and the powers that be.

If you want to put a smile on my face, you probably want to…
Compliment me. After all, I am a Leo.

If you want to wipe that smile away, then you should…
Compliment me in an inappropriate way.

The last time I saw the sun come up I was…
Driving from Montréal to Toronto. We had to play a festival called m for Montréal at midnight and then drive to Toronto to be on CBC’s Q first thing in the morning. The earliest I have ever had to sing at. I was drinking tea and humming to myself while watching the sun rise.

The last time I lied was because…
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz?

If you hit shuffle on my iPod I’d be embarrassed if it landed on…
I don’t actually own an iPod.

When I get my next (first?) really big check, I’m gonna go score a…
A new wardrobe!

But it’ll never replace…
My ceramic owl collection.

Really? Ceramic owls? Why?
I visited a sanctuary for endangered owls when I was in elementary school, and in art class I made my first owl. I always loved how they looked, with their beautiful wise eyes and gorgeous feathers. Later on, I began to shop in thrift stores and began to find many ceramic owls there. Then, I got into Twin Peaks and it just furthered my love of owls. They hold a sentimental place in my heart — when I was healing from being sick, many messages of god’s love and wisdom came to me in the image of an owl. When you listen to certain songs on XXXX you will hear this. I also make stuffed animal owls; I used to sell mini ones on the merch table. I would sew them on the long drives. Now, I make bigger ones for my little nieces and nephews as well as my friends and their children.

I’d like to give a quick shout-out to…
My close friend Vanessa from Toronto band LIONESS

And lastly, If I was Lost In a Supermarket, you’d find me in the…
The health food aisle, all the supplements and herbs I could possibly need to stay health on tour.

YOU SAY PARTY! WE SAY DIE! TOUR DATES

15-Jan – Nelson, BC – Spirit Bar
21-Jan – Kamloops, BC – The Plaza
22-Jan – Vancouver, BC – The Orpheum w/ Phoenix
27-Jan   Surrey, BC – Olympic show w/ Tokyo Police Club, Wintersleep
09-Mar – Seattle, WA – Chop Suey
10-Mar – Portland, OR – Doug Fir
12-Mar – San Fran, CA – Bottom Of the Hill
13-Mar – Los Angeles, CA – Echoplex
15-Mar – Phoenix, AZ – Rhythm Room
17-Mar – Austin, TX – Canadian Blast Party @ SXSW
18-Mar – Austin, TX – Casablanca Publishing @ SXSW
18-Mar – Austin, TX – Paper Bag Records Party / Speakeasy @ SXSW
19-Mar – Austin, TX – Hype Machine Showcase @ SXSW
19-Mar – Austin, TX – Pure Volume Showcase @ SXSW
21-Mar – Memphis, TN – Hi Tone
22-Mar – Atlanta, GA – The Earl
23-Mar – Charlotte, NC – Snug Harbor
24-Mar – Baltimore, MD – Ottobar
26-Mar – New York, NY – Knitting Factory
27-Mar – Boston, MA – TT The Bears
29-Mar – New York, NY – Piano’s
30-Mar – Detroit, MI – Pike Room
31-Mar – Chicago, IL – Empty Bottle