Melanie
A very good and stylish friend of mine, Melanie, is Canada Post’s most fashionable employee and I was lucky enough to bump into her on my way to work! How do I know her style is so good? Just look at those pics. Those tights, that head band, her NEW COUGAR boots and sweet socks…
Mike
Mr. Lancaster is—without a doubt—one of the absolute most consistently best dressed men to grace our HRM streets. Amazing shoes, vests, trousers, ties and sweaters all work together to create Mike’s truly original and old-timey style. Most of his style is from Value Village. I know what you’re thinking—who’s isn’t? Everything Mike is wearing he’s…
Courtney
Man oh MAN was I happy to bump into Courtney. As I approached her smiling face and introduced myself, she exclaimed “I know who you are!” and I DIED. Yes! It’s always been my dream to stop a random and true youlookfiiine reader and it was every bit as great as I’d imagined. Anyway, enough…
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close sincere but contrived
Thomas Horn is compelling as the precocious Oskar Shell, the nine-year-old hero of Jonathan Safran Foer’s story of a boy trying to make sense of his father’s death by trying to find the lock to fit a key his father left behind. As a portrait of post-September 11 New York, this is a sincere effort,…
The Artist: silence is golden in black and white
As we make the transition from film to digital, The Artist —a black and white silent film—takes us back to 1927 as movies were transitioning to the “talkies”. George Valentin (Jean Dujardin), a gesticulating star of the silent era, scoffs at the addition of sound, just as he gives Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo) her big…
Terrific Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
A new adaptation of the John le Carré novel, previously made into a BBC TV series starring Alec Guinness in the 1970s. Here the George Smiley character is played by Gary Oldman, a veteran spy recruited to root out a possible double-agent in the highest echelons of British Intelligence. These are the original grey men,…
Free music: Part XCVIII
Like everyone else in the world, you are probably feeling the sting of January right now. The cold, frosty air. The light, moth-filled wallet. No need to add crushing silence to that list. Warm up your clicking finger and get an earful of these free local jams. Old Man Luedecke and Lake of Stew (pay…
Easy come, easy go…
To my former poker partner, you are the most fascinating person who has ever breezed through my life. Although the wind swept you in another direction, I will cherish all the random memories we made on our adventures. Our timing was far from ideal, my fear held me back for being myself, but I will…
Use your signal lights
I went to live in a city in Upper Canada for a year, and noticed that there was a terrible plague of drivers never using their indicators. I get back to Halifax, and it’s the same damned thing! What happened? Please, people, use your signal lights. You may just be turning onto your street, but…
Orange girl
Thanks for sitting with me on the bus and for all the laughs we shared together. Wherever you go and whatever you do I wish you well. —C
At some “crummy hotel”
To all the people I met during my two week stay at “some crummy hotel”, the one where you don’t expect much good service. You raised my expectations. Infinitely. Each and every one of you, as you cared for me and shared pieces of yourself. I will never forget your warmth. That furtive embrace, the…
Invisible old me
What do I have to do to get you to notice me? Do I have to stand in front of you and take all my clothes off or set myself on fire? I’ve written a love to you. Maybe you have no idea it’s me, but my goodness you have to know by now. Not…
Art & The Brain proves there’s a synapse for that
Art and science—previously locked in Hatfield and McCoy-style perpetual conflict—joined peacefully at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia with Synaptic Connections: Art and the Brain. Featuring work from Alan Syliboy, Colleen Wolstenholme, Sarah Maloney, Mitchell Wiebe and Rose Adams, the exhibition, open until January 29, focuses on creativity and how the brain can inspire and…
More love for ice cream
To a certain cafe/ ice cream shop in the North End, I love you all! Your workers always bring a smile to my face, as well as your great food and ice cream! Thanks for always making my visit enjoyable and tasty. —Mmm, Burritos
Banff Mountain Film Festival comes to Halifax
A travelling festival of “mountain life” related films, The Banff Mountain Film Festival, arrives in Halifax next week, Wednesday January 25 and Thursday January 26. The screenings take place at Empire Park Lane (Park Lane Mall, 5657 Spring Garden Road) at 7pm. Tickets are available at The Trail Shop (6210 Quinpool Road, 423-8726) but are…
Mr. Brain goes south
It’s ten years since our year & a half, wickedly naughty and completely rule breaking affair ended. Affairs don’t tend to end well and ours was no exception. Still, from another country, you called me at my office today to say that you still love me and that I’m not really the monster you’ve been…
Spell it out
Writing Hali instead of Halifax makes you look lazy, not cool or hip. —Frank in Sackville, NB
Unemployed lifestyle
I am so sick of living unemployed in this city. It has been two years and I’ve not been able to find a job. I don’t know what it is, but it is ridiculous. April will be my last month living here. I refuse to stay in this city with no job. I’m not wasting…
Random annoyances
People who wear their pants too short, socks with sandals , ‘fad phrases’ such as : “Just saying”, “faded”, “deuces” and anything else started by someone else. People who put “because *insert stupid reason here* as every caption of a Facebook photo, teenagers who think its cool to take pictures of themselves smoking out of…
Clay West Bar & Grill opens in Bayers Lake
Formerly Kokomo’s Family Restaurant, Clay West Bar & Grill (120 Susie Lake Crescent) opened a little over a week ago, offering an alternative and locally owned food destination in Bayers Lake’s big box eateries. Owner Jim Bardos and chef Adam Todd are providing all locally sourced meat for their menu of burgers, wings, sandwiches and…
Stephanie
Dressed PERFECTLY for the weather, I turned around just as Stephanie’s coat, hair and scarf were moving in the wind. I had the “aha” feeling and decided to ask Stephanie to do a little posin’ for youlookfiiine. A NSCAD student, Stephanie is described by her friends as a sucker for monochromatic outfits. She swears that…
WE’RE LOOKING FOR A BITCHER
Did you write the bitches “Putting up with men’s shit” and “Ma Curves is KICKIN’!”? We want you to write something else for The Coast, if you’re interested, email lindsayr@thecoast.ca. —The Coast (bird)
Icy cool Steven Bowers “Migration” video
Steven Bowers, in town next week for the In The Dead of Winter Festival (Thursday, January 26 at Eyelevel Gallery w/Kev Corbett and Mary Milne, 8pm, $10), was kind enough to share this sweet homemade video with us. “I just wanted to share a homemade music video I put together with my wife. We were…
As I lay dazed on the sidewalk……..
Thank you SO very much to all the good samaritans who came to my aid on Sunday afternoon after I tripped and did a face plant at Spring Garden and Queen. A very special Bravo Zulu to the man who came with a First Aid kit and put pressure on my cut and reassured me.…
Carsharing-the love.
To the fellow member who noticed my fob (and keys) laying somewhere on Agricola street last Thursday, a big thanks! This isn’t the first time I have lost something of personal value and it has found its way home to me thanks to the kindness of my neighbours. Thanks Halifax! —Breadispencer
To my Spring Garden Road love
To the adorable homeless man on Spring Garden Road, you always make my day by telling me how much you love my hair! You are such a doll. You never fail to make me smile on these cold, frigid days. I am sure you could easily find a minimum wage job around here if you…
Looking for love… sucks!
I hate men. Why am I telling you this? Because I am angry. I like to think I’m a nice person (for the most part), and that I deserve a nice, attractive, ambitious guy. But no. I always get the “I’m not looking for anything serious right now” guy, who then turns around and shacks…
Big news from the Roberts Street Social Centre
Gem of the north end—hub of such culturally rich projects as the Shed Residency, Anchor Archive Zine Library, the Ink Storm Screen Printing Studio, the People’s Photocopier and the Crow’s Nest meeting space—The Roberts Street Social Centre (5684 Roberts Street, only residential home on the street, the cute little red one) is relocating as of…
Massage Addict to appear on CBC’s Dragon Den
Local business Massage Addict (1472 Martello Street, 407-4040, and three other locations in Halifax and Dartmouth) will appear on Dragon’s Den, airing Wednesday at 8pm on CBC Television. Massage Addict is a membership-based massage therapy company started in 2008 by Lori MacKenzie. She and Massage Addict COO, Chris Harker, will pitch their concept to the…
Alex and Julie
Well everybody, I did it. I tried the oval. I was expecting a smooth, carefree skate around and around on a beautiful winter’s eve. I was terrified! Poor Meeks—I was practically HANGING off her the whole time. My feet were on fire after one lap around, all these kids and shadows were just ZOOMING past…
Speed skates at The Trail Shop
The Oval is a raging success, but the vast majority of people are coming out in hockey skates. Others, however, are taking advantage of the long ice to learn how to speed skate, and now The Trail Shop (6210 Quinpool Road, 423-8736) is offering a range of speed skates for sale. For the youngsters, there…
Washmill underpass celebrated
Federal defence minister Peter MacKay, provincial transportation minister Bill Estabrooks and Halifax mayor Peter Kelly held a “photo op” today to celebrate the opening of the Washmill Underpass into the Bayers Lake Industrial Park. The three probably have a dozen PR reps between them, and yet it was collectively decided that it was a good…
![Ledwell meet Letterman [UPDATE WITH VIDEO]](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecoast.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/dledwell_portrait.webp?resize=200%2C150&ssl=1)
Ledwell meet Letterman [UPDATE WITH VIDEO]
Our own Daniel Ledwell (of In-Flight Safety, Music Nova Scotia producer of the year and general Ledwell fame) will be on Late Night with David Letterman tomorrow (Tuesday, January 17) accompanying Kathleen Edwards. Just another stop on the ol’ tour. Fun fact! Edwards’ first appearance on Letterman was nine years ago—to the day—tomorrow. Spooky! It…
Mr D‘s second episode tonight on CBC
We’re hearing a lot of positive buzz about Mr D, the CBC sitcom created by comedian Gerry Dee. The first episode—it aired last Monday at 8pm, the second is tonight—earned 1.23 million viewers on its premiere. Great news for the show, which was shot in Halifax in 2011. The show is based on Dee’s experiences…
Passage To The Caribbean opens second location
There will be those shouting for joy when they hear a new Caribbean food eatery has opened in the former location of Starlite Cuisine (5467 Cornwallis Street). Especially in January, when a little savory heat is welcome. It’s called Passage to the Caribbean Restaurant, actually the second location of the local resto, the first being…
Library girl lost
I know you said we can’t be friends. I understand. I just want you to know when you came back from the The City of Light I wanted to say please love me – save me – you are the only one who can. I will be waiting forever or at least until 75. I…
Laughter IS the best medicine
While you’ve probably been loved many times on this site, I wanna send some more……to the parking attendant at the hospital site – you always have a smile and an amazingly cheesy joke that makes me laugh. I actually don’t mind paying the ridiculous parking fee just so I get to chat to you. And…
The best
The three waitresses that work at M are so beautiful and lovely. Give ’em a raise god damnit! —Chaka Khan
An extra set of arms
To the woman and her daughter who offered to grab me a cart when my arms were full at the not-quite happiest place on earth, thank you again. I was indulging in a bit of minor retail therapy and the cart reminded me that, even when I do something to take care of myself, I…
Sarah
That hair. Those EYES! That bag. All my synapses were firing as I creeped up behind Sarah and asked her (begged her!) to stop for youlookfiiine. Sarah is a NSCAD student who just got back from a semester long trip in Edinburgh, Scotland. She says she used to be a “hippie” but really let what…
Everyone deserves someone like you
This goes out to my roommate of three years, my college buddy, and my best friend. You have no idea how much I value our friendship. You are always there if I need ANYTHING. From loaning me money, to making me laugh all the time, to being there when I need a shoulder to cry…
Is it as Chekhov said?
I love you, like crazy. You like me, like maybe. Can we get together already? I promise to stop giving you the cold shoulder and pretending to be cooler than you if you promise to do the same to me. Lucky us, we share the same insecurities. We’re destined by virtue of our similar lacks.…
Caring Dad
I was walking to work and you were leaving the house holding your little girl in arm. You squeezed her and said “Daddy loves you!!!!” As you turned around to notice me you looked embarrassed. It’s ok. You’re a dad who cares and that’s all that matters. —Wish There Were More of You
Coat check opportunist
To the person who found and then used my coat check ticket. You are a thief. Considering the weather outside, it is winter, and leaving someone without a jacket shows a blatant disregard for your fellow man. It doesn’t belong to you so don’t take it. Worst of all the damn thing was brand new…first…
Only on the East Coast, eh??
It is so hard to believe that tomorrow it will have been a year since you first contacted me. A little over a year since your first post on this site and my bold offer to be a sort of target for your venting. It’s an offer I am thankful I made each and every…
Damned by change bandits
Enough is enough. Is there no place safe from people asking me for money? From the “Would you like to support ______” and “Would you like to buy a ticket in support of _________?”Oh and let’s not forget the gangs of youths that collect near a table at the exits of department stores and grocery…
Wordsworth
Call, Email, Facebook, Skype, fax, send a carrier pigeon, or something to let me know you’re still thinking of me so I know it’s you. I miss you. —Please Meet Me in the Middle
That was somethin’
When the things that keep you up at night are one amazing memory after another … it’s worth the loss of sleep. Cheers to Slowcoaster, the Leafs (even Komisarek ;), hot water on a cold night, rats, vestibules, playgrounds, Jesus fish stickers and Hope cards, multi-purpose blankets, puddles, beer foam, live music … and to…
Dude, grow a set…
What happened to you? We can’t attribute it to marriage because all your friends are also married now. You’re the only one who went from being a man to being a total pussy who has every decision made for him by his wife. “Wanna join us for a drink Friday night?” and you respond “Oh,…
Hogs that don’t jog
Resolution = Lose weight. Two the two manatees at the gym on the treadmills, if you think walking the pace you’re going will do anything for your cellulite-based ass, you’re wrong. You need to move a lot faster. If you went at the same pace as your yapping mouths, you’d have more success. This is…
Bourbon Jungle turns two on CKDU
Ryan Delehanty’s amazing radio show, Bourbon Jungle, has hit a milestone as of yesterday—an impressive two years of weekly music-slinging on CKDU 88.1FM. Download the latest episode here, like the Facebook page here (help BJ hit 200!) and sit back and listen to the show every Thursday at 9pm on CKDU 88.1FM here. Or your…
Music video mania this weekend
I’m not sure if the children of today are still excited about seeing themselves onscreen, what with the YouTubes and the Weblogs and the computers with the FaceTime and the InterCaps, but if you still long for your 15 minutes, this weekend is a good chance to account for like 10 seconds AT LEAST. Tonight…
Helpful Spryberians
I was walking at an intersection on Herring Cove Rd Wednesday night and was struck by a vehicle. To all the people who came running with blankets, doing everything they could to make sure I was okay, I am doing fairly well and thank you so much. You have ALL renewed my faith in humanity.…
My breaking point…
I know a relationship is hard work and commitment and compromise but God dammit, when is it my turn? When, in all of this, will you try and actually satisfy MY needs instead of obsessing over what YOU need and want. I’ve done this for so long and you can see I’m worn out and…
Shush!
I walk or cycle into work at the hospital – just a few short blocks. I RELISH the time to listen to music before I start my day. My job involves dealing with people, all day. And that is great, I love it. What I can’t stand is how more mornings than not, when I…
Audiophelia
To the record store employee who was working on Thursday. Guns and Roses albums on vinyl are pretty much impossible to obtain and you gave me the most reasonable price ever, just because it was scratched. Thank you so much for your generosity and old-school business manner!!! You have nourished my faith in humanity. Keep…
Echo Designs adds flash to Scotia Square
Designed by Pat Mackin, a geologist turned jeweller, Echo Designs Jewellery (in Scotia Square near the fountain, 488-8458, open 9:30am-5:30pm, Thursday and Friday) creates affordable, artsy, handcrafted fashion jewellery for women. You’ll find signature designs with a distinctive Nova Scotia feel. Echo offers gems and local natural stones, Swarovski crystal, glass, wood, shell, ceramic, acrylic,…
Universities face three percent budget cuts
The Nova Scotia Department of Education’s new three year Memorandum of Understanding between the province and Nova Scotia’s universities all but ensures that students will see tuition fees, already higher than the national average, increase again. If you read only the first paragraph of the MOU, released last Thursday, you might be tricked into thinking…
Some love, love, love
What I love: nice bus drivers, the possibility of a snow day, being able to see the water and trees from my office window, heck, having an office window is wonderful!! I also love friendly coworkers, being able to chat with people, and going for a walk after work. My day just seemed brighter. —Thursday…
To all my regulars…
I stopped working at a coffee giant location on Spring Garden Road a few weeks before Christmas – and although I enjoyed my holidays immensely I’m sad I missed out on hearing the stories about yours! I hope you all know that uniform aside, my conversations and interest in your lives were genuine! I really…
A dinner, a movie and thou
Theme nights are often the perfect cure to a bad week. Gidget, a blender full of pina coladas and prank calls to the Bahamas are usually more than enough to make you forget there’s some sort of weather bomb outside your window. Your pals at the Roberts Street Social Centre (5684 Roberts Street) are making…
The secret ingredient is caring
I had a horrible day that included a hangover, a run-in with a person who doesn’t want to see me anymore, and an 8 hour day job that reminded me I’m wasting my life there. Then, a sweet tattooed cook/baker at a small café made my dinner. You jokingly explained how “caring” was a secret…
Bali eyes
I love you so much. For just being who you are. For putting up with my shenanigans and when I make no sense. Sometimes I miss you so much I can barely do any work. — xoce
D-Tox closing sale
Our intrepid Shoptalk reporters in the field inform us that D-Tox, the urban and skate-fashion outlet at Mic Mac Mall (21 Mic Mac Blvd., 463-5787) is closing on January 22. From now until then, you’ll find 50 percent off good in the store.
Get the hell over yourself!
I don’t understand why you are so conceited. Is it because you have your own apartment when a lot of people your age don’t? Is it because you have a university commerce degree and are getting even more education on top of that? You’re so sure that because you’ll have human resource mgmt (from your…
Free music and information from Pigeon Row
The tireless champions of local music at Pigeon Row have put together a delicious free comp for you featuring the music of Quaker Parents, Cousins, Cold Warps, Old and Weird and lots more. Click here to download and let the heady feeling of how lucky you are to live here wash over you. While you…
Ironic, I know
I don’t understand why there are always so many bitches. Good things don’t happen to people? You wake up saying “today is going to suck”? Stop being so negative all the time. I’m sure you could definitely write about some love but no all you people wanna do around here is bitch and bitch and…
Around and Around
Around and Around Just past sunrise, black ice. Careful bike ride so I don’t slide. To the common ground, so I can go around and around bad radio music but I don’t mind. It’s free and I call this free time or I call it ‘take advantage’ or ‘may as well’ or ‘exercise’ or how…
A tip is not just money, but rather a gesture of thanks
I am writing this bitch in support of the folks who serve your/my ass everyday. From your local coffee shop to the fanciest restaurant in the city, these workers do the same repetitive task of getting you what you want whether you treat them like garbage or not. Not all people that work at the…
Ursula Johnson’s new traditions
With Ursula Johnson’s MSVU Gallery artist residency this month (running until Feb 18, first open studio Saturday, January 14 10am-6pm, full studio dates below), you will get a chance to not only see into Johnston’s artistic process as she references traditional Mi’kmaq methods of Ash splint basket weaving while creating an entirely new visual impact,…
Who’s the bad friend here?
Honestly that was the worst night of my life. I’m tried of being the “mature” one, the grown up one that’ll be there to listen to your every rant and your obsession over the newest boy that merely made eye contact with you or just talking for the sake of being polite. Stop being so…
You think I had work done???
There’s an orange juice commercial on tv that makes me seethe. One twit woman keeps ranting; ‘You think I’ve had work done?’ like it’s supposed to be a HUGE fucking compliment. Yeah, trout pouts and silicone balls welded to your chest looks sooooo natural. —Fuck off, Advertisers
Conventional Contraband
This Mark Wahlberg vehicle is the celluloid version of a fast food burger, utterly unremarkable and yet comforting in its familiarity. Wahlberg plays a reformed smuggler who’s forced to get back into shady boat business after his brother-in-law (Caleb Landry Jones) botches a run and is threatened by a vicious crime boss (Giovanni Ribisi). The…
The Iron Lady shows some rust
Margaret Thatcher biopic The Iron Lady arrives already bruised by fair criticism from across the pond; supporters who find it presumptuous the filmmakers show the former British Prime Minister struggling with loneliness and senility in her twilight years, detractors who think the portrait is too compassionate of someone who lacked that very quality while in…
Joyful Noise? WTF?
Chaste romances, churchy speechifying, gospel-ized pop songs and surprising weirdness abound Joyful Noise, a movie wherein Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton grapple over the direction of their competitive choir group as well as their respective families. Writer-director Todd Graff loads the film with subplots, like the forbidden love between Latifah’s daughter and Parton’s grandson, that…
Tom Waits
The usual cacophony typifying Tom Waits’ most recent releases is tempered on this most brilliant recent offering. But that’s not to say all is ballads and sweet sounds—his battery of carnivalesque rhythmic gestures and oddball characters still rule the show (“Bad As Me” and “Hell Broke Luce”). One can’t help feel we are witnessing a…
Various artists
In the ’50s, few were better than Buddy Holly at delivering light yet heart-heavy music with the kind of virginal authenticity that’d be considered audacious today. This compilation of covers largely captures that, with the best coming from stripped-down spaces (The Black Keys, My Morning Jacket), funky headcases (Cee-Lo Green) and surprising places (Kid Rock).…
Rising Waters
The latest from Halifax based gloom rockers takes a stand right from go, as soon as “Powerless” hits the speakers. One quickly gets a feel of post-apocalyptical longing, from the many references to the extinction of the human experiment, which continue on “Asteroids,” which seems to beg for an end to the world, greed and…
A Dangerous Method cerebral, chilly
David Cronenberg approaches A Dangerous Method with an air of cool detachment, akin to a therapist analyzing a patient. Though appropriate for a story about Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung and the development of psychoanalytic theory, the scholarly vibe limits the movie’s effectiveness. Viggo Mortensen, as Freud, and Michael Fassbender, as Jung, do a good job…
Eviction Party lives on
Jokingly describing the band as “middle-aged by punk standards” Eviction Party is a pretty awesome indication that punk bands can move apart, grow old and reform and write inspiring songs again. Spread out across three provinces, the members of Eviction Party are back together writing new songs, touring and playing shows for the first time…
Profile: Gottingen Street
With the St. Pat’s-Alexandra controversy bringing new attention to the neighbourhood, now’s a good time to shine the Shoptalk spotlight on the Gottingen Street retail district. I’m happy to report that things are looking good. Merchants are still disappointed about the UARB decision to not allow Reflections to transfer its late-night cabaret licence to the…
Collage life
For the past 10 years, through every city she’s lived in and every place she’s called home Paula Grenon’s been collaging like mad. Perusing, picking, cutting, pasting. “I have stacks of books that I cut up and lug around with me from apartment to apartment,” says the artist who somehow chose 93 of her over…
Like the Dickens
If the great Charles Dickens was still with us, he’d be pretty darn ancient. Two hundred years young, to be exact. In honour of his two centuries as one of literature’s best, the Dalhousie Art Gallery’s winter film program is screening adaptations of Dickens’ works on Wednesday for free, all the way until the end…
Jerusalem Cafe impresses
It’s got to be a tough thing to sit kitty corner to Cousin’s on Lady Hammond. While nobody is showering the diner with the glitter and gilded praise of Best of lists, Cousin’s is an institution that has long lured in more than sailors with the siren song of cheap breakfasts and hot turkey sandwiches.…
Klarka Weinwurm’s metamorphosis
By the time you’re a sophomore, you’ve usually come into your own. Or at least, you’ve started to figure yourself out. The same can be said for singer-songwriter Klarka Weinwurm’s upcoming release, a departure from her solo material that channels her more indie-rock side. “It was kind of a natural progression—I always wanted to play…
Healing steps
After years of being faced with the nasty glare of stigma, Suneetra Karam Singh is looking it straight in the eye, and staring right back. Saturday marks the beginning of her journey, during which she’ll dance her way across North America raising awareness and fighting the stigma of rape for not only her own freedom,…
Free Will Astrology
Happy Birthday! CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19) Last summer, before the football season started, sportswriter Eric Branch wrote about a rookie running back that San Francisco 49er fans were becoming increasingly excited about. The newbie had made some big plays in exhibition games. Would he continue performing at a high level when the regular season began?…
Silicon Hali
Halifax is over 6,000 kilometres away from the Mecca of the technology world, Silicon Valley—found near San Jose, California. But that doesn’t mean we don’t produce some amazing digital products right here in the land of beer and boats. Over the past decade, Nova Scotia has seen a boom of interactive digital media companies due…
My Living Will dig deep
With a recording studio in their house, Dartmouth’s My Living Will had the luxury of time on their hands while making first album. “This gave us flexibility to try many different approaches and not settle for something because we were on the clock. It was important for us to get the sound right as we were…
Hollywood nostalgia-fest
There’s an historic notion of nostalgia as a mental disorder, now largely discredited. In film, we can still rely on what’s new being interesting. Knowing your history is valuable, but too much looking back is stultifying. It’s bad for art. Hollywood doesn’t always see things that way. Now, in the midst of awards time—the Golden…
Santorum’s frothy return
Q I remember reading your definition of “santorum”—“the frothy mix of lube and fecal matter that is sometimes the by-product of anal sex”—when it first appeared. I remember thinking it was a cute way to make fun of a dickhead politician. I never thought it would go this far. But after Iowa, Rick Santorum is…
Carnage a wreck
Roman Polanski has adapted plays for the screen before, including the single-location Death And The Maiden, so maybe one could understand the appeal of Yasmina Reza’s static examination of two New York couples meeting to discuss their children’s schoolyard fight. And the actors—Jodie Foster, John C. Reilly, Kate Winslet and Chrisoph Waltz—get a wordy piece…
From Silicon Valley to Silicon Hali
Anchored by the likes of Apple and Google, the collection of tech companies based around San Jose, California deserves its reputation for fostering innovation and success. Silicon Valley is such a powerhouse that even the idea of naming a clump of businesses Silicon Something has swept the globe. While stealing another place’s name usually doesn’t…
Long Weekends’ neurotic fiction
When it comes to the menacing sounds of post-punk, the theme of isolation shows up again and again as an inspiration for the anguished punk hybrid. From bands like Salford, UK’s Joy Division to Louisville, Kentucky’s Slint, the depressing states of remote towns act as an impetus to break out through music. But for Noel…
Unite the Left
Stephen Harper has drawn frequent comparisons to Hitler—including in this publication, in the Chronicle-Herald, by a Liberal candidate and as part of that YouTube blank-as-Hitler meme. Hitler’s the most infamous, but the playbook could be borrowed from any dictator: Stalin, Suharto, Amin. And while Harper isn’t directly massacring humans en masse, when you consider how…
John W. Doull moves to Dartmouth
You know what a pain in the ass it is to move books? You go to the liquor store, get eight boxes, bring them back and then realize you need four more, but then those still aren’t enough and you end up shoving a bunch of books into grocery bags. Down at John W. Doull…
Mayne event
You may have missed Jay Mayne’s show at the Seahorse on January 4, but there’s no need to sob about it. Download a whopping five free mixtapes—including the latest, #ChopTrees 3—from Mr. Mayne and have a look at his many previews, promos and videos all conveniently located at JayMayne.com (yeah, there’s a bit of drug…
