Halifax, Nova Scotia | THE COAST: Music

Jill Hennessy

editor@thecoast.ca (Trevor Savory) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 04:00:00 -0300

Ghost in my Head (Master Rock) by Trevor Savory Jill Hennessy has declared her true passion is music and not acting. While Hennessy is best known for her work on Law & Order and Crossing Jordan, Ghost in my Head is a surprising effort, as actors-turned-musicians don�t have the best track record (David Hasselhoff, Steven Seagal).…

Granelli lets go

editor@thecoast.ca (Sean Flinn) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 04:00:00 -0300

Percussionist Jerry Granelli isn't always on the move�he releases his first solo drum album 1313 this Saturday. by Sean Flinn JJerry Granelli is a man in motion. During conversation, he moves constantly, pushing hands, lifting arms, craning neck, bending and straightening core behind his desk.…

Friendly Rich and the Lollipop People

editor@thecoast.ca (Sean Flinn) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 04:00:00 -0300

The Sacred Prune of Remembrance (The Pumpkin Pie Corporation) by Sean Flinn On the whole, this sound---the central practice of collaging cabaret, ballroom, folk (from early 20th century North American to gypsy and klezmer), jazz, electronic effects and heavy-riffed rock and noise---has been done. Because this music is about big and bizarre gestures there�s little wiggle room.…

The Acorn w/Gianna Lauren

editor@thecoast.ca (Tara Thorne) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 04:00:00 -0300

by Tara Thorne "This time we know what to expect," says Acorn leader Rolf Klausener of the band's show at St. Matt's, where the band played last HPX. "We had fun playing dodgeball in the gym downstairs with Ohbijou."…

Bloodhouse

editor@thecoast.ca (Laura Kenins) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 04:00:00 -0300

Bloodhouse (independent) by Laura Kenins Six sharp tracks from local favourites Bloodhouse, this self-released tape does justice to the band�s scuzzy garage rock. Sounding (and looking) a bit like something from another era scooped up off an old car floor, the fuzzy guitars and bass lines deliver with tracks like �Digital Village� and �Eerie Power.� The distortion and reverb are turned way up, clouding over vocals and battered by percussion, lingering and giving the recording the full effect of seeing Bloodhouse playing in a decaying basement.…

The Jon Cohen Experimental

editor@thecoast.ca (Tara Thorne) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 04:00:00 -0300

w/Action Adventure and The Lucy Grays by Tara Thorne "Anything anybody needed I would provide," says Jon Cohen of his decade on the Montreal music scene. "You know, 'There's 100 guitarists on every street corner, but we need a harp.…

Gentleman Deluxe

editor@thecoast.ca (Carsten Knox) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 04:00:00 -0300

Deluxe Anthems (independent) by Carsten Knox Dammien Alexander of Philadelphia, adopting Halifax as home, is a man of many names. He goes by Dame Alexander and his current project/alias Gentleman Deluxe, his third release following Beautiful and We Are Who We�ve Been Waiting For.…

John Mellencamp

editor@thecoast.ca (Doug Taylor) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 04:00:00 -0300

No Better Than This (Rounder) by Doug Taylor The yelps of Johnny Cougar have never felt so distant. Mellencamp joins producer T-Bone Burnett in the Southern rooms where Robert Johnson and Elvis Presley made their mark, as if to join spirits.…

Christina Martin's happiness

editor@thecoast.ca (Holly Gordon) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 04:00:00 -0300

Newly engaged, the singer-songwriter releases her third album, the very personal I Can Too. by Holly Gordon "I just have to find a spot," Christina Martin says while walking onto a beach in Pugwash, NS, before lunch on a Sunday morning. The singer-songwriter just arrived home from a whirlwind, week-long trip to Montreal and wanted to do this phone interview via her cell on the beach.…

Music Nova Scotia Music and Industry Nominations Announced

editor@thecoast.ca (Alison Lang) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 08:56:30 -0300

Congrats to all. Not to brag but we'd like to point out that the Coast's Sue Carter Flinn has been nominated for Media Professional of the World.…

MNS Next Big Thing

editor@thecoast.ca (Alison Lang) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 15:12:21 -0300

Tonight marks the first preliminary round of Battle of the Bands: HMV Next Big Thing. Tonight No Flyers Please, Three Sheet, Glory Glory Man United, Kristina Trites and Keith Mullins will punch each other with chords and dancing and raps and beatboxing.…

Mesrine Wants Your Metalface

editor@thecoast.ca (Alison Lang) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 12:28:26 -0300

Oh metal folks, I feel you: With Hatebreed, GWAR and the Children of Bodom/Clutch/Black Label Society shows looming ever closer, I imagine your black, charred hearts are getting a little antsy. This weekend has offerings that may briefly sate you—-Montreal grind godfathers Mesrine play two shows this Saturday to support their new album Obsessive Compulsive with an all-ages gig at CD Heaven in the afternoon with Thy Flesh Consumed, Burnt Church and Panic and War.…

5 Questions With Ann Denny

editor@thecoast.ca (Alison Lang) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 09:05:49 -0300

Delightful local musician/comedienne Ann Denny/Anna Danova makes the leap to the Plutonium Playhouse starting tomorrow with her band, the Rescuers, in the Fringe show Emotional Condom. The show features Danova's original music (including the title song.)…

Public Publication EP

editor@thecoast.ca (Ryan McNutt) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 04:00:00 -0300

Rich Aucoin (Sonic) by Ryan McNutt Rich Aucoin aims to destroy dance music�s greatest irony: that its communal audience experience is built on songs often recorded in isolation by studio auteurs. In contrast, over 500 musicians from across Canada contributed to this EP�a companion piece to his forthcoming full-length�and you can hear their weight behind every electro beat and singalong.…

Year of the Carnivore

editor@thecoast.ca (Dave Hayden) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 04:00:00 -0300

Various artists (Last Gang) by Dave Hayden Forget that this record is a soundtrack because it isn�t�at least not in the traditional sense (ie glorified mixes of classic rock or otherwise well-trodden material). The lone pre-released track is Buck 65�s �Girls with Boyfriends,� which can only be found on an obscure tour compilation that sold out a few years ago.…

Meat Curtains/Pompoir

editor@thecoast.ca (Laura Kenins) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 04:00:00 -0300

Meat Curtains/Pompoir (Isolated Now Waves) by Laura Kenins A split between two bands taking their names from semi-gross sexual references, Halifax�s Meat Curtains and Vancouver�s Pompoir, this tape keeps the lyrics and sound dirty with sludgy punk rock. The Meat Curtains side features grungy guitars with a post-punk ethos.…

Aucoin�s thrill ride

editor@thecoast.ca (Ryan McNutt) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 04:00:00 -0300

Rich Aucoin�s musical rollercoaster gathers speed this weekend with the release of his *Public Publication* EP. by Ryan McNutt "Oh man, can you hear them screaming in the background?" It seems fitting that when I reach Rich Aucoin by phone, the day before a show in Toronto, he's waiting in line for the Behemoth rollercoaster at Canada's Wonderland.…

Watching You Think

editor@thecoast.ca (Doug Taylor) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 04:00:00 -0300

Neema (Sony) by Doug Taylor The Mideastern beauty who is Leonard Cohen�s companion steps forward. Cohen helps out with production and illustration.…

Hip-hop games

editor@thecoast.ca (Michael Kimber) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 04:00:00 -0300

The city-sponsored Hopscotch Festival promotes �hip-hop in its truest form,� starting with the resurrection of the DJ Olympics. by Michael Kimber This year has featured the slow revival of Halifax's historic hip-hop tradition, in a city that has known the likes of Skratch Bastid, Classified, Ghettosocks, Josh Martinez, Sixtoo and Buck 65. The problem is getting big often means leaving, leaving the scene to pick up the pieces.…

Blood Like Lemonade

editor@thecoast.ca (Sean Flinn) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 04:00:00 -0300

Morcheeba (PIAS) by Sean Flinn Original vocalist Skye Edwards rejoins the Godfrey brothers (Paul providing beats and turntablism, Ross playing trippy, soulful riffs) for Morcheeba�s seventh proper studio album. Edwards is still a sleepyheaded singer and the Godfreys don�t want to disturb her.…

The Modern Men keep it real

editor@thecoast.ca (Holly Gordon) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 04:00:00 -0300

While ironing their own clothes and birthing babies, this synth-pop group pops out a danceable CD. by Holly Gordon "It's been a time of birthing, so we've been birthing CDs and we've been birthing babies," says Seth Bernstein, one of the three men that make up synth-pop group The Modern Men, when asked what he and his bandmates have been focusing on the past few years. Fionn Chin-Yee and Seth's brother, Jonah, make up the rest of the partnership, spanning Halifax and Toronto.…

Harder, better, faster, stronger

editor@thecoast.ca (Holly Gordon) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 04:00:00 -0300

Toronto's Daft Punk Tribute shakes the forum with its dance moves, and laser noises. by Holly Gordon It's time to face it: We're never going to see the day when French DJ duo Daft Punk flies around the world to land in Halifax. Luckily, Humber musicians Michael Carrillo (drums), Liam Morin (bass), Michael Eckert (guitar/funktronics), Matthew Giffin (keyboards), Nevin Dunn (tenor sax/EWI), La-Nai Gabriel (alto sax/vocals), James Ervin (robot/trumpet/tambourine/EWI), Joanna Mohammed (vocals) and Ryan Spratt (vocoder, laser noises) make up the nine-member Daft Punk Tribute band from Toronto, bringing their always sold-out show to the Forum this Friday.…

Finally, A Joan Jett Tribute Night

editor@thecoast.ca (Alison Lang) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 10:22:05 -0300

The Coast's favorite rock heroine with a bad reputation will get her due at Reflections this Saturday. Craig Hamlin, Matt Grace, Ben Manuel and Myles Deck form The Blackhearts while the sultry-voiced Chantal Caissie (of Audrey and the Agents) will don Joan's leather pants.…

Part of the Weekend Never Dies

editor@thecoast.ca (Alison Lang) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 12:02:21 -0300

How great was this past weekend? You probably still have salt in your skin from the beach, or maybe your shirt still stinks like coal and hot dogs from camping, or maybe you're still cross-eyed and sloshy in the guts from all the beer you drank.…

Mary Stewart's Daily Song

editor@thecoast.ca (Alison Lang) — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 12:50:45 -0300

For Mary Stewart, blogging was the ideal way to call her own bluff. The Halifax singer-songwriter was wrapped up in interviews for her self-titled EP last year when she found herself telling people she practiced up to five hours a day.…