By now, you should know the drill: Band cuts teeth in Halifax, implodes. Band moves to Montreal, explodes. The most recent incarnation of Mike Wright and Brad Loughead (ex-Long Long Long) caught the attention of Brooklyn’s Crikey Records, resulting in this sickly sweet seven-inch. Along with the expected spindly guitar work comes a newfound swagger: […]
Andrew Patterson
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Paper Beat Scissors’ poetry
Burnley, Lancashire native Tim Crabtree has finally landed. After coming to Halifax in 2004 to start a masters program at Dalhousie, Crabtree spent his first few years in academic circles, quietly studying and home-recording in his spare time. “I didn’t really know any musicians around town. I was just sending things out into the ether, […]
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Palm reading with Cousins
Sitting in an ill-lit corner of Gus’ Pub sipping local beer, the duo that currently makes up Cousins, Aaron Mangle and Leigh Dotey, speaks openly about its new record, touring life and the importance of friendship; they also giggle and tease each other, explaining that this is what they would be doing, interview or otherwise. […]
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Andrew Patterson’s Top 11 Albums of 2011
Julianna Barwick, The Magic Place (Asthmatic Kitty) A world unto itself, The Magic Place is the year’s most evocative and outright gorgeous album. Built almost entirely from Barwick’s hushed vocals, her wordless sound sculptures are entirely transcendent. Destroyer, Kaputt (Merge) Fifteen years on, one of Canada’s greatest current songwriters is still surprising his audience. Delivering […]
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Best music of 2011
Alison Lang Coast writer since 2007 Bad Vibrations, Black Train (Brotherhood) Bad Vibrations has what businesspeople would call a “consistency of vision.” With Black Train, these straight shooters will take you on a ride that is continually ghostly, tenebrous and spaced-out—brain food for headbangers. Bike Rodeo, Oh Bla Duh (Independent) Some bands out there raise […]
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Top 11 of 2011
Settle in and read our critics’ picks of the year. Learn about yourself and our writers in the process. Possibly a two coffee read and at least one of those coffees should have whiskey in it. MUSIC BOOKS DVDS VIDEO GAMES THE LOT OF IT
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The Field
Sweden’s Alex Willner has returned to form on his third full-length for Kompakt Records. Fans let down by his last record’s penchant for choosing texture over composition will be pleased to find out that Looping State of Mind is a perfect synthesis of his knack for immaculate microhouse hooks and his growing interest in live […]
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Real Estate
For a second time, New Jersey’s Real Estate has delivered a faultless set of dreamy, guitar pop gems. Everything on this sophomore effort sounds tighter, crisper and clearer, without losing any of the easygoing charm of the 2009 debut. The most immediate draw is, once again, the impeccable guitar playing; the dual work of Matthew […]
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Julian Lynch
On this, his third official release, Julian Lynch shows small signs of slumping. That said, listeners already familiar with his soft, swaying bedroom folk will find plenty in which to revel. All the slow-motion vocal phrasing and surprisingly warm, appropriate saxophone remains, but Lynch has not made any new leaps as a composer. This record […]
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Pure X
On its debut LP, Austin’s Pure X warbles and traipses its way through the reverberating valleys previously explored by the likes of Galaxie 500, The Jesus & Mary Chain and more recently, Real Estate. Their songs are bruised and tender, their playing is loose and hopeful. Recorded live off the floor, the album ambles gently […]
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Daily Picks: Thursday
DAN MANGAN w/The Crackling, The Daredevil Christopher Wright Thursday, October 20, St. Matthew’s United Church, $20/$25, 7:30pm People talk about record ‘cycle,’” says Vancouver’s Dan Mangan in a tone that suggests he finds the concept a bit odd. “There’s this idea that you tour your album, then lay low for a little while and take […]
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Daily Picks: Saturday
JENNIFER CASTLE w/ The Belle Comedians, The Weather Station, Spring Standards Saturday, October 22, The Company House, 8pm, $10 Many of the songs on Jennifer Castle’s major-label debut Castlemusic are unadorned; tunes like “Powers” make their mark with delicate strumming, spare, rattling percussion and whispers of flute. Though the music is low-key, an enormous strength […]