Slapstick is a 1976 Kurt Vonnegut novel about an outcast brother and sister who disguise their supreme synergetic intelligence and change the world by being “lonesome no more.” Yes, I think The Halls of Wickwire, the third LP from Halifax’s Cousins, shares themes with this novel. All the anxiety of being lost and alone rattles through Aaron Mangle’s signature distortion while Leigh Dotey’s new partnership as vocalist punctuates the poetry of souls who have found their place. Recorded in Toronto, this long-awaited indie rock record is that for which we’re all searching: a reason to love and be loved completely.
This article appears in May 22-28, 2014.
