After winning the hearts of fans and critics with the release of the Polaris shortlisted Fantasies, Metric hasn't exactly slowed down. They are touring the shit out of the record, about to drop a collection of B-sides and pulling down awards like Moses Malone pulled down rebounds. I know the band is divisive. Ican't think of another indie rock band (that is still indie) that causes more debate among music lovers; "they are too popular", "they are overrated", "they are my favorite band". Nothing you hear about the quartet seems shocking, but I'll be honest, Fantasies is as solid a collection of singles as I've heard in a long time, and the band dares to be great and is willing to accept the backlash that comes with trying to be more than just another band.

Anyway, they are bringing their dynamic show to Halifax with the The Arkells, the scruffy, Hamilton outfit that has been known to burn stage after stage to the ground. The show is April 14th @ The Cunard Centre and even though you can still get tickets here, at $39.50 a pop, taking advantage of the chance to get two tix and a copy of Fantasies just makes sense.

We will draw the (3) - that's right, three - winners on March 26, so enter now by sending us an email (HEROHILL AT GMAIL DOT COM) or leaving the details in the comments section down below. Good luck, and here's Metric busting through a cover of The Strokes track, The End Has No End, just to get you excited.

MP3:: Metric - The End Has No End
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/metric
WEB:: http://www.ilovemetric.com

Labels: Contest, Halifax, Metric, Music

It's kind of fun when the artist says this kind of thing about one of their own projects:

The Slate Pacific Remix EP is an absurd idea that somehow works.

It's even funner when they're right. I reviewed this Fredericton outfit's last EP, Safe Passage, almost a year ago, and if you were to ask me which EP's I've heard in the last year are a perfect candidate for a remixed version of themselves, I have to confess that this one likely wouldn't come to mind. And that's not any comment on the EP's quality, I liked it quite a bit, but the heavy, emotional feel found on most of Logan Hawkes' songs doesn't seem to to make them a good companion for the uptempo electronic treatment. But that's why this remix EP proves two things: 1) I often don't know much 2) When music is concerned, it always pays to experiment.

Or rather, have some friend to experiment with you, and The SP enlisted friends like Paranerd, Professor Undressor, Senor Citizen, and Sean One to transform their songs - to a rather pleasing effect. Senior Citizen opens the EP with a fairly faithful take on Thirteen Kinds of Chemicals, adding some big drums and fizzy modulation to the moody track. The subdued drums & re-worked guitars used by First Words MC/producer Sean One on his remix for Jenn's Not Going To Make It might make it my favorite track on this EP. It certainly has some competition though, as the sunny, Professor Undressor remix of OEC is very catchy, and renders the original almost un-recognizable.

So kudos to the folks from Slate Pacific for being able to have some fun with their music, and trusting their songs in the hands of their friends. Now they want these songs to be in your hands, as they're giving the EP away for free, so go ahead and have a listen. I myself will be listening for new Slate Pacific music, in whatever form it comes.

MP3:: The Slate Pacific - Jenn's Not Going To Make It (Sean One Mix)
MYSPACE:: www.myspace.com/theslatepacific

Labels: Fredericton, New Brunswick, Quick Hitters, Remix, The Slate Pacific

It's not surprising that Fred Squire just released his latest record to little or no fanfare; that's kind of been the way the talented Sackville resident has approached his entire career. His purist vision (bordering on insane in today's "me first" market) that good music will eventually get heard is becoming less and less of a reality. Demos are sent to blogs within minutes of being recorded. Albums are traded freely months before release, but almost defiantly, Squire actually removes himself farther from the machine as the only "releases" this 7-song record gets is on cd-rs cased in a manila envelope, destined for only the most devout fans lucky to either know Fred or catch a show.

And that borders on a musical tragedy.

Squire's voice and subtle, distorted guitar should have pushed him to the top of the Can-Indie rock list by now - and underneath the barely audible vocals of the opening track What's That Over There, a Dead Rainbow? is the ever present chugging electric engine that has driven most of his previous work (and the bluesy stomp of We Are All The Middle Child I guess) - but it's the remaining songs that make this record so important in terms of how his music is judged.

The record plays like a moment of clarity; Squire is as honest and exposed as I've heard him. Piano ballads strips out most of the distorted safety net his Crazy Horse guitar style provides, and reveals subject matter is incredibly powerful and heart felt. The accordion, string laced instrumental End of Previous Song unsettles the listener and unshackles the chains that expectations have put on Squire's catalog. The droning melody reveals seconds of beauty, before Squire hits us with beautiful harmonies on the spiritual, acoustic/piano ballad You Sing High, We Will Sing Low.

It's so easy to forget that Fred's voice can pierce through the clunkiest of riffs and distorted energy, but on the stripped down tracks he provides here, it's almost hypnotic. The simple piano chord progression that starts Old Times Past Times is the perfect stage for Squire to grab the listeners before infusing the track with drums and tasteful electric. Fred walks us down moments of his life, never letting the pace or volume distract us from his words, and as he repeats, "the decisions that I made" you never get the sense he's heavy with regret, he's just finally willing to talk about some of the events that have stuck with him.

The truly amazing thing about this record is that even though the first few songs rank high among my favorite pieces he's ever written, Frankie & Albert might become the song that shows Squire reaching the summit of his potential. The effortless combination of piano and guitar are as honest a melody as I can remember and fit perfectly with the 5-minutes of heartbreak Fred sings about. Love, loss, pain, death and fear; these themes are ever present in music, but when they are delivered as perfectly as they are on Frankie & Albert, the results are enough to make you cry.

So is the fact that almost nobody will get to hear the song and share the experience.

MP3:: Fred Squire - Frankie & Albert

MP3:: Fred Squire - Old Times, Past Times
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/calmdownitsmonday
BUY:: Good luck

Labels: Best-of '10, EP, Fred Squire, Reviews, Sackville

If you are, like myself, a fan of both Buck 65 and D-Sisive, the news of their forthcoming partnership, The Ricardo Christoff Apparatus was likely met by much rejoicing. In my case, these two likely occupy spots 1 & 2 on the "Canadian hip hop dudes Shane has blogged about most" (go ahead, enter either in the search box over there, and you'll get plenty results), and I have no doubt there are tons of other folks across the country who are just as excited. Sure, we had a taste of what could be accomplished by this duo on The Superbowl Is Over from D's Let The Children Die, or even on Classified's Loonie, but now these Can-rap powerhouses are teaming up for a project called 100 Story Building.

We re looking for stories. Tell us a story about a person you know - a friend, a relative, a love interest, a co-worker, a roommate The story should be funny, strange, tragic, inspiring, epic or all of the above. We ll pick a bunch of the best stories and turn them into songs. That s it! Be sure to tell us the name of the person the story is about, because that will be the title of the song. Instant immortalization!

Now if you consider the lyrical and storytelling skill of these two fine gentlemen, then one would think your stories are going to be in safe hands. So what are you waiting for, send your story to 100storybuilding@gmail.com on the double.

And now, to celebrate this historic partnership, the two most awkwardly-related songs I could think of to accompany this post: D-Sisive doing a Poison cover, and a Stinkin' Rich song. Enjoy!

MP3:: Stinkin' Rich - Three Up, Three Down
MYSPACE::www.myspace.com/buck65

MP3:: D-Sisive - Every Rose Has Its Thorn
MYSPACE::www.myspace.com/dsisive

Labels: Buck 65, D-Sisive, Tag-Team, The Art of Storytelling

I'm not sure there is much more I can say about the lovely record Daniel, Fred & Julie created last summer in Sackville. Their stripped down take on folk classics has dominated my listening patterns for the last 6 months, and in that time I've given you a review, a track by track breakdown from Daniel Romano (Attack in Black), dubbed the LP as the #2 in Canada last year and earmarked it for my Polaris ballot. And truthfully... part of me still feels like I haven't given the record enough praise and face time here on herohill.

Thankfully they are playing a show in Halifax at The North Street Church on April 9th (the day after one blogger's birthday) with some opening support from Laura Peek and Baby Eagle.

To get everyone excited we are giving one lucky winner two tickets to the show and one of the limited edition posters (100 printed) that Daniel designed for the tour. It's rare in today's music that music is made strictly for the love of the songs, and this project was born out of that love and sends it to anyone that listens. This show is one you shouldn't miss. All you have to do is send an email to HEROHILL AT GMAIL DOT COM or leave your details in the comments section. Good luck!

For those that are afraid of missing out if they don't win, tickets are on sale now @ Heartwood, Lost & Found and Taz Records for $10.

MP3:: Daniel, Fred & Julie - The Gambler and His Bride
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/danielfredandjulie
FACEBOOK EVENT:: Daniel, Fred & Julie

Labels: Contest, Daniel Fred and Julie, Halifax

A few years ago, Nebraskan song writer Josh Rouse picked up and moved to Spain and his song writing was impacted immensely by the journey. The country western spin he put on his acoustic driven melodies gave way to a more breezy European pop and Rouse's style was reborn. For Andrew Sisk - a.k.a. Share - the move may have only been one province to the left instead of across the Atlantic, but the rewards were just as fruitful.

As Sisk finds a new life in Montreal, it's quite obvious the language, architecture and lifestyle of the city have already changed his point-of-view. Instead of the lush, full band tracks he penned with help from the Forward Family for Slumping in your Murals, Sisk strips everything back to nylon stringed guitars, simple programming and the support of a few new friends. Sisk handles the dramatic shift nicely on this three-song EP. Opening with a more standard, country-indie rock effort - A Pause - the fantastic steel work Mike Feuerstack (Snailhouse) delivers is as comforting as an old sweater for fans of Sisk's previous releases, but without question it's the last two tracks that really showcase the new sound.

Brisé is an almost weightless melody that floats over top of some simple programming, but really lets Sisk and Miranda Durka's traded vocals steal the spotlight. You might be tempted to think that Andrew moved to Montreal and stumbled on someone's collection of French pop, but to me it feels more like he's finding his stride in a new city, without forgetting his roots. The bossa nova influence and bi-lingual vocals feel natural, not forced and everything comes together on the shaker heavy closing number, Et Cetera. Vibraphone dances behind the vocals, simple picked and strummed notes keep you moving forward but it's how well Durka and Sisk work together that makes the song something more than the sum of it's minimal parts.

Coco et Co.; it's only 3-songs and doesn't even reach 9-minutes, but Sisk has sent notice that he is sampling from a new inspirational reservoir and I for one can't wait to see where his journey takes him. Even better? Forward Music is giving you this snappy EP for the low, low cost of free. So head over and hear for yourself.

MP3:: Share - Et Cetera

MP3:: Share - A Pause

MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/andrewsisk
D/L:: http://www.forwardmusicgroup.com/albums/cocoetco.zip

Labels: Andrew Sisk, EP, Forward Music, Montreal, Reviews, Share

Who is Tom "T-Bone" Wolk, you ask? Well he was mostly widely known as being a longtime member of Hall & Oates' backing band, but he was a busy musician who worked with a number of other artists, both in-studio, and in live settings. Unfortunately, T-Bone passed away a few weeks ago due to a heart attack, which was crushing news for both Hall and Oates, and really anyone who, like myself, had come to know T-Bone by watching Live From Darryl's House.

Our love for the H&O here at the hill has been well-documented (by us), but how can even we tie in the passing of their bass player to old school hip hop? Well, it's rather simple, as the link is right in T-Bone's own bio:

"For those of you don't know, T-Bone Wolk is that guy with "the hat" who, among other activities, has been playing bass guitar with Daryl Hall and John Oates since 1981. He originally got the gig after playing bass on the first gold rap record, "These Are The Breaks", by Kurtis Blow in early 1981."

There you have it, a sad bit of awesomeness, but awesomeness all the same. I don't think we've ever posted The Breaks before, and so even though it is a somber occasion, it still seems like a perfect time to put it up. So here it is, along with a couple other jams from Kurtis' first album: Rappin' Blow (Part 2) which is essentially The Breaks part 2, which I don't think I've ever heard before, and Blow's Message-esque Hard Times. Enjoy, and R.I.P. T-Bone.

MP3:: Kurtis Blow - The Breaks

MP3:: Kurtis Blow - Rappin' Blow (Part 2)

MP3:: Kurtis Blow - Hard Times

Labels: Hall and Oates, Hip Hop, Kurtis Blow, Old School Mondays

Alex Chen is a man that sees beauty in what most of us take for granted or chose to avoid. Whether it's his visual art or his music, he searches for inspiration in areas most people walk past with our heads down and consumed by our complaints and complacency.

That's why when Alex sent over his solo work - under the moniker The Consulate General - it wasn't surprising to hear that he took another step back from the minimal electro-pop his creates as a member of Boy in Static. Gone are the stabbing strings and uptempo, intricate programmed beats that grabbed your ear and without question, the journey he makes as The Consulate General, albeit just as meticulously arranged, seems more personal and introverted.

The record moves at a reserved pace, almost as if Chen is afraid to speed his gate and miss something. From the opening moments of What Time is it Now - the terrific duet with Antoine Bedard (Montag) - until the closing note, Chen uses playful instruments like the triangle, toy pianos, and chimes to support his vocals, strings and programming, but never gives in the temptation to crank up the BPM and rely on energy to win over the listener. The result is you have a chance to focus on the incredibly personal admissions he offers up (Have You Seen My Girl would get lost without the melancholic composition he attaches to it).

That's not to say he doesn't fuse tracks with enjoyable juxtapositions that will charm his audience, he just approaches the conquest in a more one-on-one way. The strings he throws into the IDM heavy 65 or Older gives the track a symphony feel that carries over nicely to picked strings that balance out the heavier bass he experiments with on Half-Day Honeymoon and the delightful Sweet Solano, but the songs won't transfer to party atmospheres or even sunshine filled day. No, Person Number is created for headphones and uses (and almost requires) all 13 songs to let Chen express himself and draw you in, and while understated the results are interesting, accessible and surprisingly engaging.

MP3:: The Consulate General ft. Montag - What Time is it Now
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/theconsulategeneral
WEB:: http://www.theconsulategeneral.com/

Labels: Montag, Music, Reviews, The Consulate General

It's hard not to get nostalgic as Thrush Hermit preps to descend on Halifax in a mere six days. Not just for the band, but for the time and most importantly, the feelings we all took from those angular guitar anthems that seemed so plentiful only 5 years ago. Thankfully, as more and more acts hold onto the "quiet is the new loud", there are still a few acts like Toronto's Soft Copy that plug in and give fans heavy tracks with a sweet, pop center.

This three piece eschews superfluous layers for straight forward bass, drums and guitar anthems. They crunch, chug and shimmer, but the powerful trio writes hooks and choruses that keep you singing along. Vicious Modernism is the type of record that could have shaped your musical personality back when people bought records hoping to find something to hold onto, not just download and discard with little thought.

Even outside of the record, which is worth grabbing as soon as you can find a copy, First Date is one of the catchiest songs I've heard all year. Starting with soft drums, the shimmering guitar notes dance nicely before the band explodes into a driving hook. Timing out after an all too brief 2:26, this songs shows that Soft Copy isn't going to let guitar rock die... and for that we should all be thankful.

MP3:: Soft Copy - First Date

MP3:: Soft Copy - Extracurricular
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/softcopy

Labels: Best-of '10, Music, Soft Copy, Sunday Morning, Toronto

So, we have a few big shows coming up here in Halifax. Obviously, next weekend is going to be insane with the Thrush Hermit reunion shows, but for those unfortunate cats that didn't get tickets, I will humbly suggest people venture to The Seahorse to check out Toronto's The Warped 45s.

When I reviewed their debut LP - 10 Day Poem For Saskatchewan (review) - I was pretty impressed with their gritty roots sound. Since that time, The Warped 45s have won some prizes and got some high praise. Needless to say, I highly suggest you check this one out. They are playing with Andrew Hunter and the Gatherers and Carleton Stone.

All you need to do is send us an email with your contact info (herohill AT gmail DOT COM) or just leave the details in the comments section below. In the mean time, check out the terrific video for Radio Sky to get an idea about what these young TO-ers are all about.

MP3:: The Warped 45s - Don't Blame the City (live off the floor demo)
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/thewarped45s
WEB:: http://thewarped45s.com/wordpress/

Labels: contests, Halifax, The Seahorse, The Warped 45's