Saturday, March 13, 2010
Contest:: Win 2tix to see The Warped 45s @ The Seahorse
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
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Contest:: Win tix to see Jon McKiel @ The Seahorse
Jon's last record was a solid collection of indie rock anthems, but any of his new material that's leaked out shows he's really found his stride. Jon's experimenting with heavier, sludge filled riffs but hasn't lost his love of hooks and harmonies.
So, why not take advantage of seeing him unleash some of his new songs when he plays The Seahorse on Friday March 12th with Babette Hayward and herohill favs Cousins. All you have to do is send us an email (herohill AT gmail DOT COM) or drop your pertinents in the comment section. Thursday afternoon we will make like Biz Markie, go up our nose and pick a winner.
We also want to take the time to give you all a super sneak preview of Jon's new work. Here's the demo version of Iceman, a track from his upcoming album. It's got a tight bass line, lots of nice feedback and some subtle, but spot on female backing harmonies. It's noisy and catchy, so basically I challenge you to listen to this 4-minutes of music and not want to see him live. Your move loyal blog reader... your move.
MP3:: Jon McKiel - Iceman
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/jonmckiel
Labels: contests, Cousins, Halifax, Jon Mckiel
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Ben Caplan & The Casual Smokers
The thing is, Waits trademark voice is only part of the equation. The music that accompanies his gruff delivery is of equal importance. That's why when you find an artist talented enough to deserve the comparison - like Halifax resident Ben Caplan - you start to look past the powerful voice and fixate on the notes that accompany it.
Caplan and his talented band - The Casual Smokers - will undoubtedly garner review after review build around on his voice, but even when they deliver the roughest of bar room stomps, there is a surprising depth and musicianship to the songs. Stand up bass, classical trained strings (violin and cello), flute, sax and terrific use of call and response sing-along choruses all help Caplan and the Casual Smokers stand out from the masses influenced by the same sounds.
They recorded a few songs in The Chapel at the University of King's College in Halifax and mixed them the next day. Considering the tight time lines, the result - three songs: Conduit, Beautiful and Stranger - capture the energy of the band and show the potential of the upcoming full length they have slated for later in the year. The five minute Stranger finds the band moving at a restrained pace, heightening the tension before Caplan's voice explodes and dares the strings and flute to balance the effort. Beautiful shows what happens when Caplan opts for a smoother, more melodic delivery and shows the band is more than a one trick pony.
I know it's hard to judge a band on a recording session that was turned out for grants in less than 48 hours, but the interesting dichotomy works and this new band is the type of discovery that keeps us blogging. For those lucky readers here in Halifax, Ben and his band of noise makers are ready to tear up the tiny Company House stage on Friday night. I'd highly recommend showing up.
MP3:: Ben Caplan & The Casual Smokers - Stranger
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/bencaplanmusic
Labels: Ben Caplan, Halifax, Music
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Reviews:: Moonshine Ramblers
"It was love, man. From the band. From the fans. From everyone."
While Haligonian bluegrassers, Moonshine Ramblers can't match The Avetts emotional narratives and heartbreaking balladry (although they try on Darkness and Stars), the love they show for the music they play is certainly on par. Their debut record - recorded live off the floor with some nicely executed vocal overdubs - finds the band paying homage to the past (Lonesome Road could easily be mistaken for a traditional number) in a modern, unique way.
Banjo picks dance around guitar licks, 60's era harmonies and a solid rhythm section, but the boys make sure that their appreciation of the greats doesn't result in a simple exercise of name the influence. Chicken Skull shows the musicianship is top shelf, as the harmonies are spot on, but it's the way The Ramblers slow things down with an almost sludge-y, guitar and stand up bass breakdown, before spiking the tempo back with a riff that would make the Duke boys proud. It might seem like a minor detail, but it helps the quintet from dating their efforts. The heavier tone they take on the United Steelworkers of Montreal inspired St. Stephen's Fire and the surge they deliver on Heavy Drinkin' Woman do the same.
But at the end of the day, this band is a bluegrass, banjo driven band and a talented one at that. With Old Man Luedecke getting ready to win the province (and the country over) with his claw-hammering, it might pave the way for this hardworking bunch of musicians to get back some of the love they give out.
MP3:: Moonshine Ramblers - Chicken Skull
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/themoonshineramblers
Labels: Canada, Halifax, Moonshine Ramblers, Music, Reviews
Friday, February 26, 2010
Mike Bochoff - Horror Culture
The sheer volume of horrible acoustic songs dying to get put on display at open mic nights and house parties is overwhelming. Bottom line, buying an acoustic guitar is kind of like being able to vote; just because you have the power to exercise your voice, doesn't mean you should.
The nice thing is, for artists writing quality tracks, that volume of blah is exactly what helps them stand out. On the surface, Mike Bochoff might be using the same chords and is influenced by the same people as tons of other singers, but his new record - Horror Culture - just sticks. You start to hum the melodies and sing along on the choruses. You start letting the record repeat. Like any young song writer, the record is a bit top heavy and a bit too long but Bochoff certainly pens some songs that creep into your brain with little to no effort.
More importantly, instead of the same strums and power chords, Bochoff's experiments with sounds, instruments and textures (the Volcanoless in Canada-ish rocker The Dropout, like the more worldly sound on and the subtle female harmonies on the celtic folkish Broken Heart of Gold) helping cement that his potential is probably the most exciting aspect of this record. He's still trying to find his preferred voice; is he a working class, Irish hero, a fractured uptempo punker, a more fleshed out mature story teller? Only time will tell, but already Bochoff is a story teller above using default cliches to describe the everyday and one that keeps you listening. When its comes to a dude on an acoustic, that's the most important thing.
Plus, the video for Everything Burns is delightful. Playful marionettes and models completely contrast the song about an abusing husband and a woman fighting back and like many of Mike's songs, you find yourself just listening/watching intently.
MP3:: Mike Bochoff - Everything Burns
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/mikebochoffmusic
Labels: Canada, Halifax, mike bochoff, Music, Reviews
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Contest:: Win 2 tix to Rich Aucoin @ The Seahorse
The title kind of says it all folks. Rich Aucoin is setting to turn The Seahorse into a dance heavy, cinematic, synth factory on Friday night and we have a guest list spot (+1) to help you and your tightest of tight slacks wearing compadre get down.
In all honesty, Rich is a super performer and an even better guy, so I'd wager he has something up his sleeve to make sure you all have a great time... like a brand new Daft Punk cover he and Gordon Huntley have been working on. The shimmering, human feel he gives the classic track is quite nice, and he has enough confidence to rework the track into something almost unrecognizable to the casual fan.
He's sharing the stage with the Naedoo-approved rockers The Stance and hometown favs, In-Flight Safety (that should been just about finished polishing up that Hall and Oates cover we asked for a while back). To enter, all you have to do is send us an email (herohill AT gmail DOT COM) or drop us the info in the comments section below. We'll pick a winner tomorrow night so you have enough time to plan your night accordingly.
While you wait on baited breath for us to announce the winner, check out Rich's video for the track:
MP3:: Rich Aucoin - Human After All (Daft Punk Cover)
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/richaucoin
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/snowpicnic
Labels: contests, Halifax, Rich Aucoin, The Seahorse
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
The Stance - I Left Love Behind a Long Time Ago
Man, I don't want to alarm you, but there is a lot of music available on the Internet right now. Now I don't want to be one of those crotchety dudes that harps on about things being better back in the day (well, I actually am one of those dudes, I just don't want to make it obvious), but with how relatively easy its become to make and distribute music in this day and age, one has to wonder if some of the emphasis on the actual playing of that music has been lost. I mean at one point, the only way perhaps 90% of the bands in the world could get heard was to pile into a tiny club, crank their fuzz-filled amps past the giga-watts let it fly. These days you can cut a 3 song demo in your bedroom and get heard halfway across the world in the same evening.
Luckily there are still plenty of bands like The Stance, who are still putting out albums like their new full-length effort I Left Love Behind A Long Time Ago which is a bit of a gem in my humble. It's eleven, riff-laden, sing-along-inducing rock & roll songs that hearken back to a time when rock & roll was still, you know, rock & roll. The Halifax quartet strut & holler their way through most of the songs - the band joins Mark MacAulay on the hooks with such gusto that it's no wonder that the band's live show is so highly regarded.
But it's pretty clear that the band went to some length to capture the feel of their live sound with this record, as it feels pretty loose and energetic throughout, but without sacrificing quality or little subtleties that help make an album great (are those bongos I hear kicking in halfway through Sweet Tooth? Man, I hope those are bongos). This is the kind of album that grabs you by the scruff of the neck right from the get go, with the stomp of songs like Strung Up, keeps your ADD in check with revival rockers like Grow Up On Drugs, and keeps you warm at night with the piano-led bounce of Young Love.
The February doldrums are still in effect, but I Left Love Behind A Long Time Ago is as sure a cure as I can recommend right now. Go ahead and get your fix from The Stance and the fine folks at Just Friends records.
MP3:: The Stance - Jenny Jitters
MYSPACE::www.myspace.com/stance
GET IT::www.thestance.ca
Labels: Halifax, Just Friends, Review, The Stance
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Contest:: Postdata, Brian Borcherdt & Julie Fader @ Sonic Temple
The three acts are going to spend an intimate evening playing for 60 - that's right, only 60 - people at The Sonic Temple. In such a small space, with a respectful crow you will get to hear the songs as they were intended; emotional, heartfelt and pure.
So, how can you get in? Well, we have two tickets - guest list + 1 - for the Match 7th show and all we ask in return is you to email us your contact info or leave it in the comments below. If you wanted to buy a herohill t-shirt, we can't say that would improve your chances, but it couldn't hurt!
MP3:: Postdata - Tobias Grey
WEB:: http://www.postdatamusic.com/
Labels: Brian Borcherdt, contests, Halifax, Julie Fader, Postdata
Friday, February 19, 2010
Countdown:: Thrush Hermit Reunion
So then, with the first of these shows set for roughly a month from today, some Thrush Hermit content here at the hill seems only appropriate. Because, as you know (or should know, with the amount of times we've mentioned it, we're shameless!), the Ack and I went to High School with Ian, Joel & Rob here in Halifax. How about some Herohill & The Hermit Fun Facts!
1. We know John Boomer. Yes, the John Boomer, inspiration for the band's 1993 self-released cassette EP. In fact the worst Super Bowl watching experience of my life occured at John Boomer's house, when his Mother threw a dish towel at his step-father in jest, and it landed on the face of said step-fathers' friend with a thwacking sound. Awkward times ensued after that incident. Boomer, as he was not-quite-affectionately known, has also been referenced on the hill before in relation to the "Boomer Two-Flow". And now you know.
2. Let's get even more obscure. We also went to High School with Tim Robbins, the namesake of occasional TH pseudonym, The Tim Robbins Experience. My Junior High basketball team once played against Tim's - the score at half was 31-1 in favour of my squad. This is no real reflection of what Tim Robbins is like as a person really, he and his friends just sucked at basketball.
Wasn't that fun? I thought so. If you live in any of the following four cities, I think it's time to start getting excited:
March 18, Moncton, NB @ The Manhattan
March 19, Halifax, NS @ Paragon Theatre
March 20, Halifax, NS @ Paragon Theatre
March 23, Waterloo, ON @ Starlight Social Club
March 24, Peterborough, ON @ Historic Red Dog
March 25, Ottawa, ON @ New Capital Music Hall
March 26, Toronto, ON @ Lee's Palace
March 27, Toronto, ON @ Lee's Palace
March 28, Toronto, ON @ Lee's Palace (all ages)
And even if you can't make it to any of those shows, Joel's New Scotland Records is putting out an epic 7(!) disc box set of Thrush Hermit's complete recordings. That sounds pretty amazing, so keep your eyes peeled to New Scotland to find out how to get your hands on one. Now, for some songs. Quartermark, from the afore-mentioned John Boomer, and, because it's fantastic and I listened to this album a couple times this AM, From the Back of The Film, from Clayton Park. Enjoy.
MP3:: Thrush Hermit - Quartermark
MP3:: Thrush Hermit - From the Back of the Film
VIDEO:: Thrush Hermit- From the Back of the Film
Labels: Halifax, Joel Plaskett, Sleeping in a bush, Thrush Hermit, Thrush Hermit Reunion, Toronto
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Quick Hitters:: Ambition and Uncle Fester
Skip the 300 features, don't worry about using beats that are currently peppering the top 40, and don't have your DJ or "host" scream random shiz in the middle of the songs. More precisely, you can do exactly what Backburner affiliates Ambition and Uncle Fester have done on their new mixtape K.R.E.A.M. (Kicks Rule Everything Around Me). In fact, the description on their Bandcamp site says it better than I can:
This is a Hip-Hop Mixtape. 1 MC and 1 DJ, live mixing, blending, scratching and rapping. All original lyrics, cuts and concepts.
Hey now, authentic hip hop! What a novel concept! Although it's likely thought of as quaint or old-fashioned in today's hip hop climate, but the notion of an MC spitting some rugged rhymes backed by a skilled DJ cutting up classic records warms my curmudgeonly heart, so I love this mixtape. Ambition has the kind of pleasing baritone flow that makes songs about sneakers, girls & rap more enjoyable than similar songs by other MC's would be. Add Uncle Fester to the mix, one of Halifax's best & busiest DJ's, and you've got yourself a potent duo.
Speaking of potent duos, we've got a solid, back-to-back pair of songs to give you a sample of what Ambition and Fes are working with on this mixtape. Not sure why exactly, but after hearing Just For Kicks I had the intro lines repeating in my head: "The last kid that said he wanted to battle me, was at a houseparty til I threw him off the balcony. They said you can't throw kids off decks, Police showed up, Ambition lefffft". That's good times right there.
MP3:: Ambition and Uncle Fester - Just For Kicks (JFK)
MP3:: Ambition and Uncle Fester - Lord Willin
MYSPACE:: www.myspace.com/ambitionmc
MYSPACE:: www.myspace.com/unclefester902
Labels: Ambition, Backburner, Canadian Hip Hop, Halifax, Uncle Fester
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
IDOW 2010:: Bahamas & John K. Samson
I wish I had more songs, or rather, more songs in better quality, but hey, for free.99, it's not a bad deal. I actually wish I had some video of yer man Afie "Bahamas" Jurvanen doing a few songs, because he's quite a character. At first I thought he was un-impressed with the whole "playing solo in a church" setup, but I realized after a few songs that he's just a bit out there, and also quite funny. His set was a big hit though, and it made me go back to his album afterwards for some repeated listens.
John K. Samson on the other hand, is also pretty funny, but what he is mainly is an accomplished musician, with a literary style that few can match. Samson went so far as to re-write lyrics to a famous hymnal, and place them in a number of the hymnbooks in the pews. He also mounted the impressive St. Pat's pulpit to give an appropriate version of Elegy For Gump Worsley.
It was a great evening, well worth braving the snowy evening that made the festival's name ring very true, so enjoy the songs.
MP3:: Bahamas - Southern Drawl
MP3:: Bahamas - What's Worse
MP3:: John K. Samson - Cruise Night
MP3:: John K. Samson - Utilities
MP3:: John K. Samson - One Great City
Labels: Bahamas, Halifax, IDOW, In the Dead of Winter, John K Samson, Live
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Sunday Morning Coffee:: Scott Withers & The Whisper Banshees
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
Labels: Halifax, Scott Withers and the Whispering Banshees, Sunday Morning
Friday, February 5, 2010
Quick Hitters:: By Divine Right
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
Labels: By Divine Right, Halifax, Hand Drawn Dracula, Live, Quick Hitters, Shitballs, Toronto
Best local releases:: Bad Vibrations Bad Vibrations EP
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
Labels: Bad Vibrations, Halifax, Music, Reviews
Friday, January 29, 2010
IDOW 2010:: Saturday Preview
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)
Labels: Halifax, IDOW, In the Dead of Winter, Jim Bryson, Jon Mckiel, Justin Rutledge, Live
Thursday, January 28, 2010
IDOW 2010:: Friday Preview
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
Labels: Bahamas, Halifax, IDOW, In the Dead of Winter, John K Samson, Live, Paper Beat Scissors, The Wooden Sky
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Exclusive:: Paper Beat Scissors ft. Dreamsploitation
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:
So basically, you'd be foolish to miss this one folks.
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
Labels: Dreamsploitation, Halifax, IDOW, Paper Beat Scissors
IDOW 2010:: Thursday Preview
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)
Labels: Halifax, IDOW, In the Dead of Winter, Live
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
IDOW 2010:: Wednesday Preview
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
Labels: Halifax, IDOW, In the Dead of Winter, Paper Beat Scissors, Ruth Minnikin, The Wooden Sky
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Quick Hitters:: More Sleepless Nights!
I know what you're thinking now though, the contrary little dickens that you are, you're wondering why you should bother checking out the Sleepless Nights, despite their free EP-age. Well, band has gone through it's fair share of members in the past, but it's now solidified into a lineup of A.A. Wallace, Jeff Pineau, Trevor Murphy, and Josh Pothier, and they're playing as catchy a brand of the indie rock & roll as you'll find anywhere. Don't just take my word for it though, my 3 year old son and I were rocking out to the guitar & synth-propelled Everybody's Dancing in the car this morning, and when I asked him if he liked the song he gave me an enthusiastic "Yes!".
As catchy as the Sleepless Nights can be, I like the fact that they're showing a bit of a different side on this EP, as the middle two songs are a definite change of pace with the instrumental Politic Part II and the contemplative You Don't Anymore show the still-heavy, yet more reserved side of the fun-loving foursome. But never fear, the synths and the scenester-slaying sarcasm get turned back up to 10 for the enjoyable closer Politic Part I. Might the Sleepless Nights be the current holders of my much-coveted "Favourite Halifax band of the Moment" title? I think they may.
Good news, if you live in the eastern portion of Canada (and not just Upper Canadian Eastern!), you will be able to find out in short order if the Sleepless Nights are also your favourite Halifax band of the moment. Behold:
HALIFAX, NS: Gus' Pub w/ Hamilton Trading Co. & Doug Mason, Jan. 28
FREDERICTON, NB: Capital w/ Wooden Sky & Hamilton Trading Co., Jan. 29
SACKVILLE, NB: George's Roadhouse w/ Wooden Sky, Jan. 30
ST. JOHN, NB: Blue Olive w/ Hamilton Trading Co., Jan. 31
OTTAWA, ON: Zaphod's w/ Hamilton Trading Co., Feb. 1
KINGSTON, ON: The Mansion w/ Hamilton Trading Co., Feb. 2
WATERLOO, ON: Maxwell's House w/ Diableros, Feb. 3
GUELPH, ON: Jimmy Jazz w/ Diableros, Feb. 4
BAYFIELD, ON: Black Dog w/ Diableros, Feb. 5
HAMILTON, ON: The Absinthe w/ The Hamilton Trading Company and Pneumatic Transit, Feb. 6
TORONTO, ON: The Boat w/ Hamilton Trading Co., Feb. 7
MONTREAL, QC: Green Room w/ Hamilton Trading Co., Feb. 9
MP3:: Sleepless Nights - Everybody's Dancing
MYSPACE:: www.myspace.com/thesleeplessnights
Labels: Halifax, Quick Hitters, Sleepless Nights, Tour Dates
Friday, January 15, 2010
Friday Showstravaganza:: Afrika Bambaataa!
That said, let's not sell this weekend short, for one main reason: Afrika Bambaataa! Yes, THAT Afrika Bambaataa, the founder of the Universal Zulu Nation and one of the most beloved hip hop pioneers you could hope to find (Bambaataa's background is an awesome read, if you don't know it already, check it out). Honestly, you could play me Planet Rock an infinite amount of times and I would never get tire of it. I wonder if all the kids who love the "electro rap" jams that have become popular in the last couple years really know who originally thought to mesh hip hop with the electronic nuttiness of someone like Kraftwork. Well, you, and they, can see who it was tonight at the Paragon as Bambaataa returns to Halifax. Honestly, if I wasn't so old and crotchety, I'd be at this for sure.
That's not all this weekend has to offer though, as Monotonix also returns to Halifax to play the Paragon with Black Moor and A History Of tomorrow night. Monotonix' HPX show from a couple years ago still talked about due to the both the intense rocking and zany antics this Tel Aviv trio brought to Gus' that night. Will this show be the same? Only one way to find out...
MP3:: Afrika Bambaataa - Planet Rock
MP3:: Monotonix - Set Me Free
Labels: Afrika Bambaataa, Friday Showstravaganza, Halifax, Live, Monotonix
Thursday, January 14, 2010
IDOW:: The Abramson Singers
One of those acts is The Abramson Singers. When I was in Vancouver, Leah Abramson played in some great bands (Dyad was always a treat to see) and was kind of the West Coast Julie Fader when it came to being recruited to guest on tracks. Her voice is so pure that she is able to create layer after layer of harmonies and meld them into a beautiful (and equally dense) musical experience.
She's getting ready to release her record on White Whale, and thirty minutes of music she offers up on the self-titled release are pretty amazing. She can deliver amazing vocal dynamics (like the opening number, Take a Camera, Trucker's Prayer and Old Maids) but is just as comfortable fronting a more traditional folk offering (By the River) or dark swirling numbers like Fool's Gold, but for me the album stand-out is her stellar take on the Wiseman number, You Don't Love Me. Leah stands front and center, but when the harmonies kick in it sounds like she is fronting the Deep Dark Woods. The whole album is enjoyable, but when this song comes on I can't focus on anything else. It's probably my favorite song of the new year.
She and David Sikula will be playing Jan 29th @ The Company House with Klarka Weinwurm, the always amazing Melissa McLelland, and Del Barber. Seeing how she transforms the meticulously recorded layers of harmonies should be a real treat.
Click here for the entire IDOW schedule.
MP3:: The Abramson Singers - You Don't Love Me (Bob Wiseman cover)
MYSPACE:: http://myspace.com/leahabramson
BUY:: BUY from White Whale
Labels: Canada, Halifax, IDOW, Music, The Abramson Singers, Vancouver
Friday, January 8, 2010
Quick Hitters:: Jenocide - Machines to Make Us Wet
In reality though, my enjoyment of Machines is purely innocent and not surprising really, as the electrofied jams found on the album are just damn catchy. Some of the credit for that goes to beatmaster Ed Renzi, who meshes his drum-dense production with Jen's confident, 80's-inspired vocals and synth playing to excellent effect. And really, although the female empowerment quotient is at a high level on the album, as she says in this Coast feature, Jenocide isn't trying to exclude anyone:
"People get scared off by the word feminist," she says. "But I just wanted to create a character that is strong, and not completely alienating. I have a message for those who identify with it, and if you're about it, that's awesome."
Well we're about it, 'bout it here at the hill. I'm partial to the more uptempo songs on the album, as I could listen to the 1-2 opening punch of Coming For You and Fashion Icon (and it's Push It-esque synth line) on repeat with little to no problem. But there are plenty of other jams to get your one-person party started, like the dense groove of On/Off, the almost spoken-word house of Junglefk (I Want It) and the hypnotic 28 Mansions. It's the kind of clever album I'd want my daughters dancing to in their room, if I had daughters, and not sons. Oh, but I might erase the tags on the mp3's unless my daughters were old enough to not come to me with awkward-times inducing questions about song titles like Boa Constrict Her and Junglefk.
So, if you're in need of getting some indie kids on the dancefloor, I think you'd be wise to get Jenocide on your side.
MP3:: Jenocide - Junglefk (I want it)
MP3:: Jenocide - 28 Mansions
MYSPACE:: www.myspace.com/jenocidemusic
Labels: Dance, Electronic, Halifax, Jenocide, Quick Hitters
Monday, January 4, 2010
herohill / music nova scotia artist of the month:: postdata
Another act that would be on that list is Wintersleep. The band has grinded out a successful career and realized their talent with the release of the stellar (Juno award winning) LP, Welcome to the Night Sky. While most of Canada (and the UK) waits for their follow up record, guitarist Paul Murphy and his brother Michael set to work on recording an emotional collection of songs for their mom.
The songs - recorded under the moniker Postdata - were not written as work. No, the nine songs are an expression of love; an expression of reality. I hesitate to put too much of my own words into such a personal record - the family dynamics revealed on these heartfelt, honest compositions will probably be misinterpreted by everyone as we try to relate to the Murphy's story - but that desire to relate to his words is why the stripped down songs work so well. Like good music should, each of these songs forces a connection on the listener, causing you to scramble through your own memories of awkward love, family bonds, and pain as you try to answer questions that have no real answers. The words send chills down your spine, but are delivered in such a beautiful melody, you want to let the record play over and over again. Postdata documents the past in an effort to look forward... pretty fitting as we all try to start fresh in 2010.
MP3:: Postdata - Tobias Grey
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/postdiddy
BUY:: http://postdatamusic.com/site/
Labels: Halifax, MNS artist of the month, Music, Postdata, Reviews
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Saturday Fun:: Rich Aucoin remixed
So naturally, we want to keep the ball rolling. Local musician Ryan Hemsworth took the time to remix one of the tracks, Push. It's a quick hitter, clocking in under two-minutes, but what it lacks in length, it more than makes up for in 80's movie references. Any time you can throw in a Goonies scratch/sample, you can bet I'm on board.
So truffle shuffle your way to the download link below, and get excited.
MP3:: Push - Rich Aucoin (Ryan Hemsworth remix)
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/ryanhemsworth
Labels: Halifax, Music, Nova Scotia, Rich Aucoin, Ryan Hemsworth
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Records We Missed '09:: Brian Borcherdt Torches
It's not that I disagreed with the assessment - obviously, as Coyotes demonstrated (review), he's a talented song writer - it's just that with any of Brian's solo work, I don't find the rewards as immediate. His intimate, stripped down songs are hushed, emotional and personal and like a nice bottle of wine, they need time to breath to reach their peak. These songs are his lifeline back to shore from the stormy seas that are Holy Fuck and quite honestly I prefer to travel in the calmer waters he offers up when he takes that step back. Instead of the thrills of huge crashing waves and blustering winds, Brian sits alone in his boat, accompanied by only his thoughts and fears without the crutch of energy and adrenaline to help him make it home.
More importantly, with Torches, you are left with snippets of thoughts that date back as far as 5 years. While Coyotes was a cohesive, slow burner that presented ideas clearly and concisely, Torches is almost like diary entries Brian jotted down when Holy Fuck was running on all cylinders. It's more of an adventure to listen to the complete collection - a rewarding one, make no mistake - but not something that can be processed in a few listens.
Swells of sounds and emotions stand along side hushed confessionals and beautiful moments (like Oh Oh Oh and Steady Hands) and surprising melodies (the title track for example) battle the darkness and loneliness (Vanishing Act), all leaving you with an stark and very intimate window in to Brian's heart during those years. From a musical perspective, the songs show Borcherdt trying countless styles as he battled through any uncertainty or insecurity he might have had as a song writer, and for him to finally release the tracks and admit they had evolved to a point where a perfectionist could release them is a big step, but for him to jump from this mixed bag to the focused output of Coyotes is even more impressive.
For the denizens of Halifax, Brian is playing a show tonight at The Company House with some support from The Prospector's Union and Dance Movie. I'd highly suggest heading down, as the warm confines of the small bar are a perfect setting for his stories. As a fitting treat, I thought I'd link the very timely Furnaces for you to enjoy, but suggest you head over to the label and grab the whole collection.
MP3:: Brian Borcherdt - Furnaces
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/brianborcherdt
D/L Torches:: http://www.handdrawndracula.com/store.html#torches
Labels: Brian Borcherdt, Halifax, Hand Drawn Dracula, Music
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Records We Missed '09:: Cold Warps
The touch points are obvious - the band is heavily indebted to poppy punkers like The Ramones or any number of the Lookout bands that dominated my 90's musical selections (Screeching Weasel) - but that could be said about countless shitty bands we've all had to suffer through at open mics and punk shows.
What sets Cold Warps apart is how quickly they bubble up and grab your ear. It's not like the chords are different or Paul is spewing lyrics that transform your train of thought or world perspective (songs about love, sci-fi flicks and bad tattoos aren't exactly new subject matter); no, it's just something intangible that make these songs stick in your brain and how the simple songs about teenage love, a shitty job or science fiction movies are destined to become a part of our musical DNA.
If you were like us and missed out on the original run of tapes (you can still download it thank to hotmoney records), fear not. Another batch in in the works right now, and at 5 bucks it's perfect in case you ever get stuck driving your mom's old whip while they are out of town.
In keeping with our NYE themed posts, Cold Warps is playing Gus' with The Gideons and The Grass. It's $5 bucks, so if you are interested in rocking out, drinking cheap draft and not blowing your paycheck on one evening, this is probably the best bang for your buck. Check out the scorcher, Hole in My Head and enjoy.
MP3:: Cold Warps - Hole in My Head
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/coldwarps
MPFree:: http://www.hotmoneyrecords.com/songs/coldwarps.zip
Labels: Cold Warps, Halifax, Music
Contest:: Holy Fuck, it's New Year's Eve
Dec 31st @ 10PM. Holy Fuck, Rich Aucoin and DJ Loukas Stilldrunk. Open till 3:30AM. $40adv, $50 door.
In case 50 duckets is too much for you, your pals at herohill are here to help. We have two tickets to the show and all you have to do is send us an email with the subject - "Holy Fuck, It's New Year's Eve" - or leave your details in the comments section below. We will pick a winner late tomorrow night.
Good luck.
Oh, and just because it's awesome, I'm also sharing the remix of the Said the Whale track, Gentleman. The remix uses some of Lovely Allen, some classic Who and Shad raps on it and drops New Edition, Ralph Tresvant, BBD and bumpin' Poison (which I'm sure both members of herohill did the electric slide or running man to, and I also did for a lip sync in Grade 10 - wait, did I share too much?).
MP3:: Holy Fuck - Lovely Allen
MP3:: Gentleman - Said the Whale & Shad (Remix ft. Holy Fuck, MGMT, The Who)
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/holyfuck
Labels: Contest, Halifax, Holy Fuck, Said the Whale, Shad
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Saturday Morning Fun:: Empire State of It
Rich Aucoin is one of the most creative folks we've come across since moving back to Halifax, so we're always keeping tabs on what he's up to next, and as such, we were very interested when he posted the video below on Facebook. In his own words: "Hey, so I noticed my song IT is the same chord progression as EMPIRE STATE OF MIND so I, naturally, made a mash-up". And what a mash-up it is, check the youtube description for the genesis of the song, but it's pretty great stuff in my humble. If you like that, keep it locked on the hill for coverage of Rich's new album, the concisely named We're All Dying To Live : Public Publication EP/Over The Top! LP, which will come out next year and features some 500 Canadian musicians.
VIDEO:: Empire State Of Mind - Jay-Z feat. Alicia Keys mash up w. Michael Jackson Dan Deacon Rich Aucoin
MP3:: Rich Aucoin - Empire State of It
MYSPACE:: www.myspace.com/richaucoin
Labels: Halifax, Jay-Z, Mash-Up, Rich Aucoin, Saturday AM Fun
