News:: The Coast Crowns '09 Halifax's Best

There's a number of things we hang Ack's fancy hat on here at the hill, but none are taken more seriously than our ongoing attempt to shine whatever little bit of cyber-light we have on the fertile music scene here in Halifax. There's a couple reasons for this: 1) We were both born & raised here, and it just so happens that we both live here once again, and so it's only natural to talk about what's happening in your city. 2) There happens to be a lot of great music coming out of this city right now. We've been saying this for a few years, but I think a lot of folks around the country have really taken notice in the last year or so. But it's not only folks outside the city that have noticed, as Halifax's local weekly paper The Coast has proclaimed 2009 as the best ever in local music.

I thought it would be fun to go through their list and see how many of their selections have been covered here on the hill. Sound like fun? Well let's get to it:

A History Of - Action in the North Atlantic (Noyes) Reviewed in November

Classified - Self-Explanatory (Half-Life Records) Got the infamous talking points treatment in April

Construction and Destruction - Video et Taceo (independent) Reviewed in September

Erin Costelo - Fire & Fuss (independent) Subject of a Quick Hit post in June

Cousins - Out on Town (Youth Club) Reviewed in August

Amelia Curran - Hunter, Hunter (Six Shooter) Reviewed in September

Dog Day - Concentration (Outside) The subject of a contest and a guest post from herohill associate MRC in April
Dog Day - Elder Schoolhouse (Divorce) Mentioned in a pre-HPX Five Funky Stories post from October

Ghettosocks - Treat of the Day (independent) Reviewed in November

Jenn Grant - Echoes (Six Shooter) Review & Interview in January

Gypsophilia - Sa-ba-da-OW! (independent) Album & release show previewed in June

Hermitofthewoods - Love's Dark Season (independent) Got quick hitter coverage in June

In-Flight Safety - we are an empire, my dear (Night Danger) Reviewed and ranted about in February

Jenocide - Machines to Make Us Wet (independent) Subject of a pre-HPX Five Funky Stories post in October

Kestrels - Primary Colours (Noyes) They were MNS/Herohill artist of the month in June

Ruth Minnikin and her bandwagon - Depend on This (Songmill) Although not out yet, the impending excellence of this album made Ruth MNS/Hill Artist of the month in September

Joel Plaskett - Three (New Scotland) We three-parted this bad boy, here, here, and here

The Prospectors' Union - Old Wonders (Just Friends) Matt & Co were MNS/hill Artist of the month for July

River Water - Long Lake (independent) Got some quick hitter coverage in March

Meaghan Smith - The Cricket's Orchestra (Sire) Reviewed in October

The Got to Get Got - Sahalee (Noyes) Reviewed in June, and they played at the herohill showcase at HPX!

York Redoubt - York Redoubt (Noyes/Hot Money) Reviewed in August

Looks like we've covered 22 of the 31 records (and a few of those not covered have been on the hill before, but for a previous record) they've listed, not too shabby.

Here's to a 2010 that's just as good.

MP3:: Classified - One Track Mind f. Joel Plaskett

MP3:: Jenn Grant - Heartbreaker

MP3:: Cousins - Jon Schehr 32

MP3:: Dog Day - Synastry

MP3:: York Redoubt - I Said Slightly

Labels: Best Ever, Best-of '09, Halifax, News, The Coast