Herohill

Reviews:: Matthew Barber True Believer

2010-02-09T07:19:00.002-05:00

It's not surprising that Matthew Barber's upcoming release - True Believer - is flying under the radar of most of the sites I read and most of the music loving public in general. Barber is easy to classify - essentially he's a rock solid song writer that could charm you with just an acoustic or a piano - but the surprising range he presents when he writes songs makes it almost to lock into a sound or style. His understated arrangements consistently display his talent, but really don't translate into press quotes and hyperbole. He can't be put in a box with a generic, "he sounds like X + Y and a little Z" and sadly, that leaves this incredibly talented musician in a bit of a critical purgatory.

Descriptors like effortless, timeless, and classic are easy to throw around but really don't equate to anything you can hold onto. At the end of the day - to bastardize a Miles Davis quote - music either makes you smile and tap your foot or it doesn't. It would be easy if saying that Barber's songs make you move was enough, but the undeniable shift in how we gauge song writers makes that almost impossible. Barber's influences are people that wrote songs for the masses, unashamed that their strums made people happy, dominated the radio and could be enjoyed by anyone that listened, so why should we not extend the same courtesy to song writers in the current age?

I guess in an ironic twist, Barber puts out record after record of songs that fit all of those qualifiers but you rarely hear his name mentioned among our nation's best. To be honest though, I think Barber is ok with that and if pushed, he might say that he'd rather his songs be compared to his predecessors instead of his peers. So when he and producer Howie Beck sat down to record True Believer and Barber says that he was influenced by Neil Young, Tom Petty, Al Green, The Boss and The Band, I think those names are listed as a sign of respect and a potential measuring stick but not a blueprint for his sound. Barber doesn't want to sound like them, he simply wants his catalog to stand alongside theirs. Even when he adds some summery Paul Simon-esque guitar and percussion, the song is still built on Barber's musical foundation.

That small but significant difference is why the stripped down melodies he offers on True Believer are so infectious. Instead of forcing comparisons, you simply settle into the record knowing Barber's sound is his own. With only some perfect harmonies and a picked guitar line, Barber captivates the listener on The Little Things. Even when he beefs up the sound, layers are added for impact, not novelty. The booming horns and strings that get you nodding on the title track or the banjo and finger snaps that catch your ear on Comeback Baby never detract from the guitar and vocals, they just complete the sound. The gentle swell of horns on Revolution of the Sun don't overwhelm you, they force you to focus on his words and feel his emotion.

The ten songs on True Believer show the trademark flexibility of his voice - it's hard to imagine another contemporary artist that can deliver a perfect road trip anthem (Hawks on the Highway) and still sound completely comfortable on the most spare arrangements (Suddenly) or sharing the vocals with his talented sister (@JillBarber) - and should help cement his status as one of Canada's greats. I guess it all depends if people are ready to say sounding like Matt Barber instead of the slew of artists on which we gauge every song writer is finally good enough or not. Hopefully it is for you, because it is for me.

MP3:: Matthew Barber - Revolution of the Sun
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/mbarber
BUY:: outside-music.com

Reviews:: Aidan Knight Versicolour

2010-02-08T07:14:00.003-05:00

It's very fitting that BC's Aidan Knight is traveling the West Coast in the luxurious comfort of Dan Mangan's van. That comparison isn't based on a similarity of sound, more that both BC boys have that something... whether it's the ability to turn the simplest of chords into something meaningful, the subtle turn of phrase that puts you along side them as the story is told or how they can cram layer after layer into a beautiful composition and never get lost in the mix. Whatever "it" is, both young song writers possess that talent in spades.

The thing is while Dan is a bar room prophet, a man observing the human condition from the stool in the bar or restaurant, Aidan Knight comes across as more of an innocent, wide eyed poet. By no means is that a slight, as Versicolour effortlessly strips away the stress of life with each picked riff, vocal harmony (courtesy of the lovely girls in O'Darling) and subtle nuance that catches your ear as you listen to Knight's 8-song debut.

If I had to pick a single moment of Versicolour, it would be the gentle collage of banjo and steel that run alongside the summery guitar of Jasper, and the immediate release you feel. Be it the baggage of stress or heartache, it's hard to focus on Aidan's lyrics because the three and a half minutes transports you to a better time. It's impossible to see this song through Knight's eyes, as he paints a scene we all hold close. I'd say it's that freedom of youth, but that would trivialize the emotion he delivers. Some people find salvation singing in church, letting the sway of the congregation cleanse their soul. Aidan lets us feel that same relief just by triggering memories when life just made sense.

That's not to say this record lacks depth or maturity. Knight moves from sun to shade nicely throughout this quick hitting LP; the beautiful Altar Boys is heavy in melancholy, Knitting Something Nice For You makes a song about knitting like a metaphor for a heroine user and even the opening number, The Sun uses atmosphere and piano to set a darker tone before horns and harmonies brighten the affair) - it's just when his melodies float along Fighting Against Your Lungs, the songs tend to soar.

Regardless, whether he tends to look for the sun or relish the shadows, it's pretty obvious Aidan will be successful. I wouldn't bank on the astronomical leap his current tour mate has seen, but I'm pretty sure once people get their hands on Vescicolour and give the record a few plays, he's no longer going to be an unknown solo artist playing in support for other bands.

MP3:: Aidan Knight - Jasper
MYSPACE:: whttp://www.myspace.com/aidanknightmusic

Sunday Morning Coffee:: Scott Withers & The Whisper Banshees

2010-02-07T08:32:00.004-05:00

As a blogger that receives hundreds of promo emails, when you hear a band describe as "Jonathan Richman meets Neutral Milk Hotel" you can't help but give a half hearted "meh" and start to dismiss the statement... unless the description comes from a band like The Sorrys, a local act long past the point of caring about being cool or impressing you (or me).

That quote was how I was introduced to Scott Withers and The Whisper Banshees, and while intriguing it's not how I will remember them. Instead of quirky melodies and whimsical lyrics, Scott and his band present a more honest, straight forward East Coast folk sound, unashamed by their roots and happy to proudly display their influences to the world.

Guitar, mandolin, strings and hand percussion all set the tempo for pub style stompers and drunken dances. The sextet sounds more finely tuned on these early demos them most folk acts sound after all the mastering and computer magic. A quick listen to the harmonies on riffraff or the way the melodies surges forward and retracts on Ne're-do-well shows the band's talent. Folk has evolved in the last few years, and in a lot of situations the song writers forget that folk music was written by the people, for the people. Scott Withers & The Whisper Banshees defy the current trends. They don't want to sing at you, they want to sing with you.

Chances are if you show up to see them play some songs March 2nd @ The Seahorse you will share some smiles and some drinks with a band that reminds us all that music doesn't have to be morose tales of broken hearts, murder ballads or snippets of a diary no one wants to read. Not a bad deal if you ask me.

MP3:: Scott Withers & The Whisper Banshees - Ne'redowells
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/whisperbanshees

Contests:: Win 2tix to Basia Bulat and Owen Pallett

2010-02-06T13:55:00.000-05:00

So, you felt bad about missing Wednesday's show at St. Matthew's Church with Owen Pallett and chanteuse Basia Bulat? Well, how's your Thursday looking. The duo added a second show thanks to huge demand, and our friends at Secret City record are giving away two tickets to see the festivities.

All you have to do is send us an email with your contact info or leave the info in the comments below. Winner will be picked Tuesday night.

Good luck!

MP3:: Owen Pallett - Lewis Take Action
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/ffinalffantasy
WEB:: http://www.finalfantasyeternal.com/

MP3:: Basia Bulat - Gold Rush
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/basiabulat
WEB:: http://www.basiabulat.com

What's This, A Party?:: Classified, Iyaz & Skratch Bastid

2010-02-06T10:30:00.000-05:00

Not sure if you've heard, but the Winter Olympics are starting next week, and they are in Canada! Vancouver to be precise. I don't know about you, but I'm starting to get that Winter Olympics fever pretty bad - there's nothing that heats up my February like some hot Biathlon action.

So then, how about something a little patriotic to get us all fired up to dominate all those Estonians and Slovaks who are heading to Vancouver next week to try and deprive us of our destiny of winning the overall medal competition. Well I can't think of anything more suitable for such a purpose than Classified's Oh Canada. Last month, Class put the call out for folks to come out and help him film the video for this very pro-Canada song from his last album, Self-Explanatory, and the results are pretty fun.

However, the point of this series is to post some of the remixes we're sent, and it just so happens we have one that's Classified-related. Halifax native, and DJ extraordinaire Skratch Bastid has flipped a rather ubiquitous radio favorite from Iyaz with Classified's The Maritimes - not a likely combo by any means, but the results are rather enjoyable. So, enjoy.

VIDEO:: Classified - Oh... Canada

MP3:: Iyaz - Replay (Skratch Bastid Classified Maritimes Remix)
MYSPACE:: www.myspace.com/hiphopclassified
MYSPACE:: www.myspace.com/skratchbastid

Quick Hitters:: By Divine Right

2010-02-05T13:48:00.002-05:00

This is going to be a super quick hitter as my time is being occupied by many non-hill activities this week, and my mind is having trouble thinking about anything other than my beloved Saints and their impending Super Bowl debut this Sunday night in Miami. So here is the crux of this post:

If you're in Halifax, go see By Divine Right at The Seahorse tonight. If you aren't in Halifax, go buy yourself a copy of Mutant Message right now.

Because I've already said it like 5 times in the last 2 or 3 weeks, I'm not going to say "I've been meaning to write about By Divine Right since last year", but I have. I stumbled into their last set at The Seahorse during HPX when I wandered into the Hand Drawn Dracula showcase in hopes of catching the end of Julie "Shitballs" Fader's set, but although I had missed hers entirely, Jose Contreras & Co. were getting setup for theirs. I'd heard the name By Divine Right often, but knew nothing about them, so I thought I'd check them out. Contreras ended up breaking a string on the first song, so he asked Brian Borcherdt if he could "borrow his nastiness" while BB replaced the string, which I enjoyed for some reason. I also enjoyed their set a great deal, and was humming "Que Paso, Que Paso" to myself for the next couple days.

So when we were sent Mutant Message, I eagerly loaded it up on the ole iFizzle, and I've been enjoying it ever since. I kept trying to carve out some time for a proper review of it, but that time escaped me as it so often does. But let me just say that on MM I think Contreras chops as both a musician and a producer shine through, as it sounds effortless, catchy & fun, but it also feels rather painstakingly crafted in many spots. It's a great record in my humble, with songs like I Love A Girl, Que Paso, Wings Too Big, Kiss My Chakras, and I Will Hook You Up all surely to inspire a lot of smile & singing along tonight at The Seahorse.

MP3:: By Divine Right - I Love A Girl
MYSPACE:: www.myspace.com/bydivineright

VIDEO:: By Divine RIght - I Love A Girl

Best local releases:: Bad Vibrations Bad Vibrations EP

2010-02-05T08:40:00.003-05:00

We've already beat you into submission when it comes to Saturday's scorching Seahorse sets (alliteration, you know you love it). Toronto's The Balconies are blogging their way across the Maritimes and partnering with some stellar local talent to make sure you get rocked. Cold Warps and Soaking Up Jagged are two acts familiar to many local music lovers, but the diamond in the rough for this show is Bad Vibrations.

Led by front man KC Spidle (The Hold, Husband & Knife, Dog Day), for the most part this three-piece is a wall of guitars, bass and drums; nothing more and nothing less. Topping out at 20 minutes, pounding chords and keep time drums (apparently, Meg had never played drums before the band started) are the backbone of most tracks (Got to Run, We're Dead and Care About Yourself), but when you really get into the 9 songs (well 8 really, as one is just an odd answering machine message) you realize there is something more to Bad Vibrations.

Harmonies and surprising melody creep into the chaos, and the band shows nice depth considering how new they are. Nowhere is this more clear than the harmonic, atmospheric opener Think About Life. The strums of the acoustic and echoing vocals that hover in the distance show that Bad Vibrations isn't just here to reproduce sounds that have been around for decades. No, Bad Vibrations want to form their own sound in a genre that makes it incredibly tough to do so. More importantly, this EP lets anyone born after 1980 that punk ain't quite dead yet, it's just grown up and left the mall behind.

MP3:: Bad Vibrations - Care About Yourself
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/bdvbes
BUY:: Buy from Zunior

Video Hits:: Pick A Piper, YSPWSD, Hollerado, Rock Plaza Central

2010-02-04T13:43:00.003-05:00

Today is Thursday, and that means one thing here at the hill: we tip our cap to the late great Dan Gallagher and then we fire up the ole video-hit-o-matic machine. After all, people are still making videos, and if moderately successful outfits like ours don't show them, how will they get seen? Exactly, so let's get to the business at hand.

Pick A Piper leads off, mainly because it's kind of a cool song from a group of folks who have, of course, also played in various other bands, like Caribou for one, but also because when I first listened to it on my headphones, my wife asked me if I was listening to Christmas music. I thought that was funny for some reason. Vancouver's You Say Party! We Say Die! are up next with Dark Days, a stylized performance vid that was, I believe, shot in their rehearsal space. I thought XXXX was some of the catchiest stuff I heard last year, and now that they are allowed back in the US, our American friends can hear them live. I'd heard of Hollerado, but heard nothing from these enthusiastic gents until being sent this clip for Juliette - which features Lois Lane, for what that's worth. It's catchy stuff, something the kids would likely go bon-kares for on MuchMusic, if, you know, MuchMusic was still a thing. Rock Plaza Central is up next with a clever video for (Don't You Believe The Words Of) Handsome Men, which lampoons a bunch of dudes that certainly need a lampooning.

As a special treat I'm adding a live vid of Matt Barber doing something from his upcoming album True Believer. It's really rather good.

Pick A Piper - Rooms

MP3:: Pick A Piper - Rooms
MYSPACE:: www.myspace.com/pickapiper

You Say Party! We Say Die! - Dark Days

MP3:: You Say Party! We Say Die! - Laura Palmer's Prom
MYSPACE:: www.myspace.com/yousaypartywesaydie

Hollerado - Juliette

MP3:: Hollerado - Juliette
MYSPACE:: www.myspace.com/hollerado

Rock Plaza Central - (Don't You Believe The Words Of) Handsome Men

MP3:: Rock Plaza Central - (Don't You Believe The Words Of) Handsome Men (via Daytrotter)
MYSPACE:: www.myspace.com/rockplazacentral

Matthew Barber - Revolution Of The Sun

Matt Dillon's Soul Patch:: Old Man Luedecke Rear Guard

2010-02-04T08:45:00.002-05:00

Honestly, I'm not sure if too many people equate Chris "Old Man" Luedecke and the idea of a traditional "single", but around these parts the Old Man is as much a Nova Scotian treasure as Schooner Beer and Peggy's Cove, so any new song gets us excited. He's a unique combination of story teller, melody, and wit that makes him an absolute delight to see live but a strong enough story writer to make a banjo record one you play until the grooves wear thin. He's also one of the only artists that get a thumbs up from both herohill writers AND our wives (Dan Mangan is one of the only others I can think of right now).

So yesterday, Chris released the first song (Rear Guard) from his new album, My Hands Are On Fire and Other Love Songs and naturally, it's amazing. Claw hammered banjo notes make a path for Chris' tales and within seconds you are hooked. The record - which is due out March 30th and will certainly be featured here closer to that time - is dyn-o-mite, with Chris fingers picking fierce melodies, but Vancouver's Steve Dawson's fingers doing some heavy production work. The duo has worked together in the past, but I really feel like Dawson pushed the sound and the banjo shares the spotlight with blazing fiddle, guitar, and drums and really makes an already great artist even better.

MP3:: Old Man Luedecke - Rear Guard
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/oldmanluedecke
BUY:: http://www.oldmanluedecke.ca/

Matt Dillon's Soul Patch:: Kae Sun - Natural Mystic (Bob Marley Cover)

2010-02-03T13:42:00.001-05:00

Kae Sun can count himself amongst the larger-than-I-would-like collective of folks that I meant to cover late last year but didn't get to for one reason or another. I've said that most of the records in that stack were Canadian hip hop, but although Kae Sun's earlier material might've been more hip hop-orientated (and featured him rapping much more), his recently released full-length debut, Lion On A Leash, finds him favouring a more traditional singing style.

A number of those songs have a real reggae feel, and so it's no surprise that Kae would try his hand at a Bob Marley cover. It might, however, be a surprise to learn that Kae (aka Kwaku Darko-Mensah Jr.) doesn't hail from the Caribbean at all, but rather Accra, Ghana, where he was born and raised until relocating to the Hammer with his family. That said, no Caribbean heritage is no matter for Kae Sun, whose album contains some of the most emotive & heartfelt vocals I've heard in a while, and his songs often deal with being strong in the face of struggle - which Marley himself was certainly familiar with.

Anyhoo, I've heard that folks enjoy the Bob Marley, and so, in loo of a review post of Lion On A Leash from yours truly, I thought this cover would be the perfect way to introduce folks to Kae Sun and entice you to check out his album. Well that and the fact that it's pretty damn good. Either way, enjoy.

MP3:: Kae Sun - Natural Mystic (Bob Marley Cover)
MYSPACE:: www.myspace.com/kaesun

VIDEO:: Kae Sun - Lion On A Leash

Reviews:: Ian La Rue & the Condor A History of Layers

2010-02-03T07:18:00.003-05:00

When people think of Winnipeg, thoughts undoubtedly drift to the Golden Boy, Louis Riel's home and frigid winters. Thanks to talented song writers like John K. Samson, we all have vivid mental images of a city most have never even stopped in; the music we love has made their stories our stories. We've all been on that bus or alone in that shitty apartment. We've all spent cold nights with broken hearts and broken dreams, trapped in The Gateway to the West. Undoubtedly, we've all hated or loved the Winnipeg Jets and muttered, "I Hate Winnipeg" with more conviction than we have about any other city.

Without typecasting the sound - especially after we found out just how diverse the sound was on our Manitoba mixtape - I've found a surprisingly high number of acts that effortless blend emotion, energy, characters and heart into surging anthems that make you move, even when you focus in on what's being said. Whether it's The Weakerthans, The Paperbacks (a band Ian shares a sound and member with) or new to me, but seasoned vet of several releases, Ian La Rue & The Condor, Winnipeg seems to be full of artists that pen songs tug on your heart strings, but sound better the louder you crank them up.

A History of Layers is heavy on sing-alongs and fist pumpers (Sanguine Cursive, Cadence) and slow burning ballads (A Crow's Flight, Altruist's Anthem), but La Rue never hides his narratives behind the music. On every song, you get the impression the words La Rue sings mean something to him, and as a result, they mean something to us. More importantly, no matter how much emotion the Winterpegger adds to his songs, he never drifts into the emo-esque emotional realm that caters to angst ridden mall teens and no one else. The record is accessible and easy, but has a depth you don't get from people that haven't experienced life.

La Rue's songs move with a sense of purpose. The undercurrents that run through the record's narratives (fear is the one that you get hit with most often) are matched with atmospheric undercurrents that add drama and electricity to even the most restrained of songs. The B-side of the record is slowed in pace, but the Condor (his band) really thickens up the mix and keep things interesting. The nicely executed slow build of the penultimate track - And It All Comes Down To This - is heavily influenced by Death Cab for Cutie, a band La Rue sites as a potential jump off point for new fans. A History of Layers may never reach the heights of Gibbard's best work, but it certainly fares well enough to warrant the comparison.

MP3:: Ian La Rue & the Condor - Sanguine Cursive

MP3:: Ian La Rue & the Condor - A Crow's Flight
MYSPACE:: www.myspace.com/ianlaruemusic
BUY:: http://www.ianlarue.ca

Quick Hitters:: Kwiz Massturrz

2010-02-02T14:21:00.001-05:00

I like Kwiz Massturrz. I do not like their name. I have already mis-spelled it in an impressive number of incorrect variations considering the few times I've actually written it. So I guess it's not their name I dislike as much as the spelling. However, we aren't here to discuss my spelling frailties, we're here to discuss this Ottawa/Montreal/T.O. based trio and their last album, Talkies Ruined My Life In The Pictures, that I've been meaning to shine some of that hill cyber-light on since last fall.

Since I came right out the chute telling you what it is I don't like about the Kwiz Massturrz, I'll dive right into what it is that I like about them. For starters, the production values on the album feel incredibly high hip hop for an indie hip hop release. Brothers Kwes and Owel Five handle the lyrical duties, but the production from James Hancock lured me in right away. It's lush, layered with what sounds like plenty of live guitar and other instruments, but easily maintaining a hip hop feel. As for Owel & Kwes, the thing that caught my ear was their brand of lyricism - their actual lyrics, concept and delivery - brings late 90's/early 00's underground hip hop to mind (catching a line like "I've been blazed High & Mighty for eons, you peons" certainly re-inforces that), and with everyone and their mom putting on some tight jeans & big tongued nikes to try and get their indie crossover-electro rap on, I have to respect anyone who makes the kind of hip hop they are passionate about.

And really, if you can make a conceptual hip hop song about Canadian silent-film star Mary Pickford as interesting and memorable as the Kwiz-krewe has, then you deserve some propers. But I don't mean to give you the impression that Talkies is all rap-nerd concepts, as there's plenty of good, old-fashioned backpacker hip hop, as the opening 1-2 punch of Avant Garde Rails and Baggage Claim, or the dual-flow goodness of Nintendo can attest. The speed-stutter of Dwarf Planet Rock is a perfect example of an electro-influenced beat that works perfectly, as it seems to suit the MC's to a T. The group is equally adept at more melancholy fare too, as songs like Knots Landing are also pretty engaging.

Listening to this album again reinforces my initial enjoyment, and makes me think I should have got to it sooner. But no matter, I'm telling you about it now aren't I? Hopefully the Massturrz of Kwiz are hard at work on new material, but if you're in the market for some quality hip hop that hearkens back to a time when Anticon or Def Jux were likely the most relevant labels for hip hop fans who weren't up in the club, I'd give these fellas a go.

MP3:: Kwiz Massturrz - Mary Picford
MYSPACE:: www.myspace.com/kwizmassturrz

The Great Canadian Mixtape:: NL Preview - The Once

2010-02-02T07:47:00.004-05:00

photo by Adam Penney

I know it has been forever - the Canadian Mixtape project has been on the shelf longer than Gran's favorite preserves - but we getting the band(s) back together and compiling the Newfoundland edish of the Great Canadian Mixtape project. Obviously, if any fans of rock from the rock have any suggestions, feel free to send them our way, but without question, one band that will make the final cut is The Once.

The trio may only have one record under their belts, but the way the polish and tradition of their folk arrangements instantly surround you is pretty astounding. Elegant melodies built on picked banjos, guitars, mandolins all float along and allow the purity of Geraldine's voice to set the tone of your listen. Each word she delivers shines and thanks to the understated, but perfectly placed support Andrew and Phil offer, you feel like you've unearthed some old collection of folk gems from decades ago - the one giveaway is a Tom Waits cover - not just a year ago.

So to get you excited about The Once and this upcoming mixtape, here's a nice little medley that shows the talent this folk troop has to offer.

MP3:: The Once - Is The Big Man Within/Hound's/Gerald Thomas' Burnt Potato
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/nowtheonce
BUY:: http://www.theonce.ca/

Old School Mondays:: George Clinton Is Very Much Alive Edition

2010-02-01T13:14:00.003-05:00

I have to say, after back-to-back R.I.P. style OSM's, my main aim this week was simply to post songs by folks that were still alive. So while I was thinking about what to post, I saw George Clinton rocking out in the crowd during the Grammy Awards (you know, because my wife was watching it, not because I wanted to see teen-country-pop sensation Taylor Swift *swoon*), and since there likely isn't anyone still living that's been sampled more than George, it seemed like a perfect fit.

Seriously, ole Uncle George is an un-questioned legend (can you think of anyone else who could excite both L.A. OG's and patchouli-powered hippies with the mere mention of their name?) and he's long been revered by hip hop's beatmakers & MC's alike. I could have easily done this post using nothing but songs the sample Atomic Dog (I could actually do like 5 OSM's on it), but I decided to spread it around a bit. That said, any herohill/George Clinton post has to have some Rodney O Joe Cooley in the mix, and so we've got two Atomic Dog-sampling jams, This Is For The Homies from their debut album Me and Joe, and Why Must I Be Like That (sing it hoes!) from the awesomely bitter F___ New York.

So while that sample-usage might be on the obvious side, there's also plenty instances where most would have no idea the source, like Erick Sermon's Hittin' Switches, which samples a song from You Shouldn't-Nuf Bit Fish, which I'd never heard of before. It's also awesome that a perfect slab of old school NY hardcore hip hop like Eric B. & Rakim's Lyrics of Fury samples a song like No Head, No Backstage Pass.

There's also the near-endless output from the bands/collectives that George has been involved in too, any of which could spawn their own army of posts - like Nothing Can Stop Us from Serious Lee Fine not only satisfies the George Clinton requirement due to it's sampling of Funkadelic's One Nation Under a Groove, but it should also please hill alumnus Mr. E as he put in a request for it a while ago. And since I brought up One Nation Under a Groove, we might as well post one of the more quintessential Clinton-inspired (and featuring!) tracks, Cube's Bop Gun. Enjoy.

MP3:: Rodney O Joe Cooley - This Is For The Homies

MP3:: Rodney O Joe Cooley - Why Must I Be Like That

MP3:: Erick Sermon - Hittin' Switches

MP3:: Eric B. & Rakim - Lyrics Of Fury

MP3:: Serious Lee Fine - Nothing Can Stop Us

MP3:: Ice Cube - Bop Gun (One Nation) f. George Clinton

VIDEO:: Erick Sermon- Hittin' Switches

VIDEO:: Serious Lee Fine - Nothing Can Stop Us

Reviews:: Woodhands Remorsecapade

2010-02-01T07:21:00.004-05:00

When it comes to electronic beats, keytar licks and spasmatic drumming I'm kind of like the Philadelphia Eagles of blogging; even in when the situation deems otherwise, I tend to pass. I'm not really trying to get amped up for the clubs and freaking the funk to the early light these days, so it's no surprise that pedal steel, acoustic and the banjo tend to dominate my listening patterns more than beats.

But when it comes to Toronto's Woodhands, they might just be the proselytizers that open up my ears (and my closed mind) to different sounds. Dan Werb and Paul Banwatt have the unique ability to write a love song, one that runs you over with sadness and could uncovered on a dive bar jukebox, but hide the message in frantic shout/screamed vocals, an almost punk rock like anger and drums that never give up.

You could dance all night to the Cansecos-inspired hook and vocals of Talk, the Maylee Todd/Dan Werb duet Dissembler or Sluts (especially when the breakdown gives the track a spacey like vibe), but you can also listen to the record in almost any situation. When the duo is operating at top speed, Werb delivers his message with the energy of one of the crazy Kensington Market preachers or a hardcore front man (just listen to I should have gone with my friends) and Banwatt's intricate drums dance around your headphones nicely. It's almost impossible to disregard the bank of synths that fill up the stage when they play, but I've always felt Woodhands was a band that played electro jams, not just another electro act rehashing the overused sounds and repetitive beats. If Remorsecapade can change my mind, I'm sure it can change yours too.

Update - how about a Woodhands vs Pitchfork unreleased track? Ok! Download P'iss right here, right now.

MP3:: Woodhands - Pockets

MP3:: Woodhands - Dancer ft. Maylee Todd
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/woodhands
BUY:: http://www.paperbagrecords.com

Sunday Morning Coffee:: Michael Tarbox

2010-01-31T11:19:00.005-05:00

Normally, I use this Sunday morning post for a local artist, but I've been enjoying a record sent my way by Chris from The Deep Blues Festival, and although he's not Canadian, his killer festival brings down some of our best swampy blues acts (and according the guys from The Schomberg Fair, he's a host with a generous spirit beyond compare) and any support we can give the artist his loves or the festival itself is well deserved.

The record he sent over was the solo effort from Michael Tarbox of The Tarbox Ramblers. My Primitive Joy is a nice slice of singer / songwriter Americana, but the title track has resonated loudly this week. I wanted to write something about the passing of my favorite author - J.D. Salinger - but everything seemed as hollow and unfitting as the casual mention in the status bar of a facebook profile or limited emotion allotted by the 140 characters twitter allows. Instead I found the simple message of this song, dressed to go out with long bended pedal steel and deeply plucked stand up bass, saying everything I need to get off my chest.

Salinger wasn't the best writer, but the best songs usually aren't crafted by the best musicians, and his ability to write a story that summed up the alienation we all feel shouldn't be diluted by the cliche of those clinging to his greatest novel like a badge of honour. When Tarbox paints a picture of rural beauty for the first minute of this song, void of frills and superfluous descriptors or turned phrases, I can't help but smile (knowing that the reclusive author is probably happy to unsaddle the baggage his fame brought with it and escape deeper from the public eye and finally feel at peace), thinking about how much joy each one of Salinger's books brought me and how, if only for a moment, this song does the same.

MP3:: Michael Tarbox - My Primitive Joy
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/michaeltarbox

Concerts:: City & Colour @ The Rebecca Cohn

2010-01-29T16:17:00.000-05:00

With all the great shows that have happened in Halifax over the last few days (Plants & Animals, Tegan & Sara, The Wooden Sky, Blue Rodeo, and Luke Doucet to name a few) and the ones still on tap (Bahamas, John K. Samson, Jim Bryson) it's easy to forget about the fact City & Colour are playing a two-night stint here next week = one with Island poppers, Two Hours Traffic and one with NB folkers Olympic Symphonium.

The shows are sold-out, so unless you are scalp-happy you probably will not get a chance to see the band, but that doesn't prevent me from posting the boys sharing the stage with the one and only, William Elliott Whitmore. This live footage of One Man's Shame is classic, and makes me wish for a return tour by the band with William in tow.

William Elliott Whitmore ft. City & Colour - One Man's Shame

MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/dallasgreen
BUY:: http://dinealonerecords.com/

IDOW 2010:: Saturday Preview

2010-01-29T13:50:00.002-05:00

Unfortunately we didn't make it out to any In The Dead of Winter festivities last night, but hopefully you did. Tonight is chock-a-block full of options again, as you likely remember from our Friday Preview - again, that Bahamas/John K. Samson bill at St. Pat's will be hard to pass up. But today, we're going to have a look at what's on tap for Saturday night:

St. Patrick’s Church, $25:
8:00 - Catherine MacLellan
9:00 - Justin Rutledge
10:00 - Jim Bryson

The Company House, $20:
7:30 - Babette Hayward
8:00 - Jon McKiel
9:00 - Jon Brooks

The Bus Stop Theatre, $15:
8:00 - Gabrielle Papillon
9:00 - Jenny Omnichord
10:00 - Dreamsploitation
11:00 - Dinah Thorpe

FRED, $10:
8:00 - Gianna Lauren
9:00 - David Celia
10:00 - Brooke Miller

Those in the market for something a little different would likely enjoy that Bus Stop Theatre show with Jenny Omnichord and Dreamsploitation, but St. Pat's has another pretty amazing show on offer as well. Get out and see something on the festival's last night.

MP3:: Jim Bryson - Fallen Leaves (Live)

Exclusive:: Little Girls covers Beach House

2010-01-29T07:25:00.005-05:00

photo by Nicola Acker

It's no surprise that the latest LP from Sub Poppers, Beach House has been hoisted on a pedestal by the online music community. Teen Dream is a record with almost no flaws; from feel to sequencing to the strides the band made without losing the soul of what made the project great to begin with, the Baltimore outfit delivered when the critical eye was locked in and poised to critique.

Every time I listen, I become fixated with 10 Mile Stereo, a track that starts with the potential of the open road, but one that slowly builds momentum with each slow turn of the engine. The energy of the track keeps building until you want to surge forward without fear or repercussion. The band plays to that unbridled emotion perfectly, letting you run wild until they ease off the gas and let the song, and the listener song coast to the finish.

Hearing that Josh from Little Girls wanted to put his spin on the track was obviously exciting. The cover fits perfectly into his trademark dark, muddy sounds that took a bedroom project from obscurity to Pitchfork (and our Best-of list), but still holds the core of the original close, with affection and respect. It's not as optimistic or invigorating - Josh's distorted vocals give the song a different feel than the purity and power of Victoria's voice - but the haunted, almost tormented feel makes it just as enjoyable.

MP3:: Little Girls - 10 Mile Stereo

MP3:: Beach House - 10 Mile Stereo
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/littlelittlegirls
LABEL:: http://paperbagrecords.com/

IDOW 2010:: Friday Preview

2010-01-28T13:32:00.002-05:00

I don't know about you, but last night's IDOW opener didn't disappoint your friends here at the hill. We tucked into a table at the back of the intimate Bus Stop Theatre, and even though the weather outside wasn't overly wintry, based on the packed room, we weren't the only ones interested in some musical mid-winter therapy.

And that therapy was bountiful, as Toronto's The Wooden Sky backed up their selection to our year-end best of list with a "quiet" but very enthusiastic set of gems from their last album and even a rendition of the Royal City cover they were kind enough to give us for the year-end post. As you might've read yesterday, we were pretty interested in finding out what the Paper Beat Scissors' set was going to sound like with the addition of Chuck Blazevic and Dreamsploitation atmospherics added to the mix. Well our high hopes were met, as the PBS set (which also included Jess Tesolin on cello Ryan Veltmeyer on junkstruments, and Kyle Cunjak (Olympic Symphonium) on the double bass) was pretty awesome. Adding all those elements gave the songs a more expansive feel, but at the same time Tim's vocals seemed even more stark and plaintive than usual. Unfortunately we had to head out only after a couple of CR Avery songs, but if the awed silence during his ode to Pierre Elliot Trudeau was any indication, his set was likely really well received.

I know you checked out yesterday's Thursday night preview, so what's on tap for tomorrow you ask? Well let's have a look, and be sure to scroll down for some treats from last night.

St. Patrick’s Church, $25:
8:00 - Carmen Townsend
9:00 - Bahamas
10:00 - John K Sampson

The Company House, $20:
7:30 - Klarka Weinwurm
8:00 - Del Barber
9:00 - The Abramson Singers
10:00 - Melissa McClelland

The Bus Stop Theatre, $15:
8:00 - Cahalen David Morrison
9:00 - Racoon Bandit
10:00 - Erin Costelo
11:00 - Zumbini

FRED, $10:
8:00 - Kim Dunn
9:00 - Shaun Cromwell
10:00 - The Hupman Brothers

MP3:: John K. Samson - Cruise Night

MP3:: The Abramson Singers - You Don't Love Me (Bob Wiseman cover)

MP3:: Erin Costelo - Weak Like Us

As I think we've already mentioned, you'll find us tomorrow night at St. Pat's church worshiping at the alter of Bahamas and John K. Samson. And now, treats:

MP3:: Paper Beat Scissors - Bad Days (Live @ IDOW)

MP3:: The Wooden Sky - An Evening Hymn (Live @ IDOW)

MP3:: The Wooden Sky - My Old Ghosts (Live @ IDOW)

VIDEO:: The Wooden Sky - Raw Youth (Royal City cover)

VIDEO:: Paper Beat Scissors - Flicker

Quick Hitters:: Archie Cooper If I Had Train Fare

2010-01-28T07:54:00.004-05:00

I'll be honest. Today's post is a little half assed; not on the part of the artist; this effort was meticulously constructed, but the writer. Last night we both were out watching The Wooden Sky and Paper Beat Scissors set the bar extremely high for the rest of the acts at IDOW, and my brain is moving slower than I'd like. Thankfully, I have the ear pleasing sounds of Archie Cooper to distract me as they loop over and over to shake the morning cobwebs.

The young Canadian DJ took the familiar vocals and trademark grit of John Lee Hooker as a starting point for a remix record entitled, If I Had Train Fare. Before you give a huge disappointed face and cry outrage that a young DJ would tamper with the greatness of JLH - like I almost did - it should be noted immediately that Cooper treats the compositions with respect, letting the timeless music drive the project instead of relying on the egotistical premise that he can rework the tracks into something great, in turn making them unpalatable for any fan of the original.

Blues guitar, horns and vocal snippets are fused seamlessly with samples, cuts, and beats into a remarkably understated, but highly enjoyable listen. The instantly recognizable "I'm bad, like Jesse James" is looped and scratched on Drifter Session 8, but for hip hoppers, that classic line is no more familiar than hearing Busta Rhymes drop "as I come back" when Cooper slides it into Everything Burns.

This record is obviously indebted to the past, but certainly not stuck in it. Cooper pays tribute to a great artist, and treads lightly (but confidently) around the songs in an effort to expose a new crowd of music lovers to a legend. Best part, well, you can download it all for free. I highly recommend you do.

MP3:: Archie Cooper - Drifter Session 8

MP3:: Archie Cooper - Everything Burns (Holistic Mix)
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/archiecooper
D/L:: http://archiecooper.com/album/if-i-had-train-fare

Exclusive:: Paper Beat Scissors ft. Dreamsploitation

2010-01-27T14:08:00.002-05:00

Yip... you read that right. Halifax resident Tim Crabtree and his band, Paper Beat Scissors have welcomed a new member into the fold. Hoping to add some electronics/programming to the mix, Tim has been collaborating with Chuck Blazevic - you know, the guy that transformed the second half of Ruth Minnikin's stellar release and plays in a band you might have heard of.

Anyway, PBS is following up The Wooden Sky tonight @ The Bus Stop Theatre, which should be an amazing show. How amazing you ask? Well, why hear it from me when you can get the details straight from the horse's mouth:

I'm really pumped about it - it's going to be the first time that Chuck Blazevic (Dreamsploitation) will be playing with us. He's going to be backing up on guitar, as well as doing some electronic signal processing, beat programming and playing-with-his-flashy-light-box stuff.

Including this live higher-end electronic element has been a goal of the project from the start - this will be the first time we've managed to combine it with the orchestral instruments (this time double bass - Kyle Cunjak - Share/Olympic Symphonium/Snailhouse and so on, and cello - Jess Tesolin), found instruments/non-instruments-turned-into-instruments (Ryan Veltmeyer) over the guitar and harmonized vocals backbone...

So basically, you'd be foolish to miss this one folks.

MP3:: Paper Beat Scissors ft. Chuck Blazevic - Once You Didn't Know
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/paperbeatscissors

IDOW 2010:: Thursday Preview

2010-01-27T12:59:00.006-05:00

Well now, it's Wednesday, and thanks to yesterday's IDOW preview you have your plan for tonight figured out, but what to check out tomorrow night? As per usual, there are plenty of options, so Let us assist you:

St. Patrick’s Church, $25:
8:00 - The Good Lovelies
9:00 - Rose Cousins

The Company House, $20:
7:30 - Natasha Peach
8:00 - Charlotte Cornfield
9:00 - Thom Swift
10:00 - Ken Whiteley

The Bus Stop Theatre, $15:
8:00 - Leif Vollebekk
9:00 - Acres and Acres
10:00 - The Undesirables
11:00 - Steve Gates

FRED, $10:
8:00 - Jon Bryant
9:00 - Kim Wempe
10:00 - Ria Mae

If you've never seen Rose Cousins live, seeing Rose & The Good Lovelies at St. Pat's church would be, well, lovely. Rose is, of course, the possessor of a clear & striking voice, and she's also a very thoughtful, gifted songwriter. On top of those valuable qualities though, she's also very funny, and she will most certainly keep you entertained. If you're looking for something a bit more rough-hewn, you can check out the alt.country-esque lineup and the Bus Stop Theatre, featuring Halifax's awesome Acres and Acres sandwiched by Montreal's Leif Vollebekk and Toronto's The Undesirables. Failing that, you can catch some local sing-songwriters in the intimate surroundings at FRED, featuring Kim Wempe, who might be a little distracted as her song Oh Heart will be featured on Showcase's Crash & Burn that same evening.

MP3:: Rose Cousins - Maybe I Knew (Live In Wolfville)

MP3:: Leif Vollebekk - Don't Go to Klaksvik

MP3:: Kim Wempe - Oh Heart (Radio Mix)

Matt Dillon's Soul Patch:: Caribou Odessa

2010-01-27T08:19:00.005-05:00

photo courtesy of Michael Forester

Without a doubt, the one show Shane and I will joke about from now until we are moments away from being buried in the dirt is the night we saw Caribou - at the time, Dan was still operating under the name Manitoba - play at the Horseshoe.

Not only did the band come out and obliterate everyone's ear drums with a feverish attack on any and all substances that could be used to create a percussive sound, but the opening band was four dudes playing singing saws behind a sheet filled with projected images. Of course, they were called "The Saws" and seeing hipsters kick it to a gaggle of saws was pretty well amazing in an "are people actually enjoying this?" type of way. But obviously, Dan Snaith and his band was why we were there, and why we are posting today. After a name change, and a surprising Polaris Prize win thanks to the fractured sounds of Andorra, he's back and naturally, he seems to have reinvented the Caribou sound one more time.

The single from the new record - Swim - is called Odessa and it's as infectious a song as I've heard from the man. Melodic, enjoyable, danceable... these are not the common reactions to Dan's innovative, cacophonous compositions, but if Odessa is the template for the record, Swim might become a DJ favorite. You can't help start tossing out names (Junior Boys was the one that lodged into my brain along with Whitest Boy Alive/Erlend Oye vox that blow your mind) when the bass line and electro tones start dominating your headphones, but make no mistake, the tribal, visceral feel of the song is pure Snaith. I'll warn you now, if you listen to this song once, prepare to have it loops over and over for about a half hour.

MP3:: Caribou - Odessa
WEB:: http://www.caribou.fm/

IDOW 2010:: Wednesday Preview

2010-01-26T13:43:00.002-05:00

Tonight sees the kick-off of the 2010 edition of the In The Dead of Winter Festival here in Halifax with a sold out Ani DiFranco show at the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium. IDOW has been warming the cockles of musical hearts here for the last five winters, giving fans and performers alike a reason to look forward to the slushy dead zone that is normally Halifax at the end of January/start of February.

Since the Ani show is sold out, I figured we'd start our preview with a look at the festivities on Wednesday night, which is the first full night of the festival:

St. Patrick’s Church, $25:
8:00 - Ruth Minnikin
9:00 - Ron Hynes

The Company House, $20:
7:30 - Dance Movie
8:00 - Field Assembly
9:00 - Ryan MacGrath
10:00 - Luke Doucet

The Bus Stop Theatre, $15:
8:00 - The Wooden Sky
9:00 - Paper Beat Scissors
10:00 - CR Avery

FRED, $10:
8:00 - Che Aimee
9:00 - Pamela Underwater
10:00 - Coco Love Alcorn

Sounds like a pretty solid evening all around doesn't it? And that's only day one. If you're looking for us, The Bus Stop Theatre is a pretty safe bet I think. Get out and see something.

MP3:: Ruth Minnikin - Four Churches II

MP3:: Luke Doucet - FIrst Day (In The New Home Town)

MP3:: The Wooden Sky - Something Hiding For Us In The Night