Burnt Black w/Moon Logic Saturday, July 27, 8pm The Marquee Ballroom, 2037 Gottingen Street $15, tickethalifax.com Burnt Black might not be the first band that comes to mind when people think of Halifax music in the 1990s, but it is one of the most influential artists to emerge from the region. The Yarmouth quartet is […]
Chuck Teed
Posted inArts + Music
Suzanne Vega, master of song
Suzanne Vega at the Stan Rogers Folk Festival Sunday, July 28, 7pm Canso, NS $60-$165, stanfest.com I n Suzanne Vega’s 1985 single “Marlene On The Wall,” the titular character advises Vega to “not give up the goods too soon” when it comes to love. When it comes to live shows, though, all bets are off. […]
Posted inArts + Music
Cavendish‘s Island oddities
“The goal was to piss on Cavendish and everything they believe,” says Mark Little. “It’s government-funded revenge.” His new sitcom Cavendish, premiering January 8 on CBC, stars Little and former Picnicface colleague Andrew Bush, also executive producers The show revolves around the adventures of Andy (Bush) and Mark (Little), brothers who return to Cavendish, Prince […]
Posted inArts + Music
Joel Plaskett Emergency
Published November 06, 2003. Joel Plaskett Emergency Truthfully Truthfully (Maple) If the intro to “Written All Over Me” doesn’t convince everyone that Joel Plaskett is a rock god, there is no justice in the world. The cleanly picked, lively riff that slowly morphs into a fuzzed-out orgasm of rawk is one of the best openers […]
Posted inArts + Music
Bill Hicks
Bill HicksSalvation(Rykodisc)Fans of the late Bill Hicks will probably know most of the material on this double disc verbatim, but Salvation reveals the legendary comedian/ philosopher at his most meditative and relaxed. Recorded in Oxford, England, a week after George Bush Sr. lost the 1992 American election —this may perhaps account for the comedian’s pleasant […]
Posted inArts + Music
Fantomas
Published December 08, 2005. Fantomas Suspended Animation (Ipecac) Fans of musical acrobatics will not be disappointed in Fantomas’ latest disc. A 30-track assault of cartoon soundtracks, odd melodic passages, rhythmic bursts of noise and math-metal insanity, Suspended Animation is another wonderfully weird addition to the band’s dissonant discography. Bonus points for the stellar calendar case?easily […]
Posted inArts + Music
Fantomas
FantomasDelirivm Cordia(Ipecac)Fantomas’s 74-minute opus is not so much a song as it is a sonic story. Delerivm Cordia tells the instrumental tale of an operation gone horribly wrong, complete with spectacular musical breaks and creepy ambient noises. It contains the musical narrative elements that made Amenaza al Mundo a success, yet is as easy to […]
Posted inArts + Music
Oh God
Oh God S/T (independent) What Dartmouth’s Oh God lacks in production and polish, they make up for in spirit and swagger. The six-song self-titled EP may have homemade covers, burned CDs and a rushed recording job, but the entire package oozes a can-do attitude that’s missing from current glossy corporate punk. And the songs, especially […]
Posted inArts + Music
The Holy Shroud
The Holy Shroud Ghost Repeaters(lLevel-Plane)Fans of North of America’s Brothers, Sisters will rejoice over Holy Shroud’s debut. Darker than NOA’s swan song, Ghost Repeaters still adheres to the less-is-more approach, with simple song structures and oodles of call-and-response vocals. Rhythm teammates Mike Bigelow and Loel Campbell spice up the affair with some tasty low-end interplay, […]
Posted inArts + Music
Alex Keleher
Published December 08, 2005. Alex Keleher Elusive Recluse (Independent) Sparsely recorded with a couple of acoustic guitars and a handful of vocals, Elusive Recluse is a testament to the strength of Alex Keleher’s songwriting. Recluse’s disturbingly compelling lyrics, layered harmonies and shape-shifting rhythms channel the spirit of master arrangers Brian Wilson and Syd Barrett, yet […]
Posted inArts + Music
Candali
Published February 05, 2004. Candali Supersensory (independent) Listening to Candali’s debut album is like going to a cool garage sale: you’re gonna find gems, but you’ll have to sort through some junk. The band knows how to pen a musically challenging and catchy jazz/pop song—“One Masquerade,” “Her Hair” and “Better Days” are prime examples—but can […]
Posted inArts + Music
The Dears
The DearsGang of Losers(Maple)The Dears’ long-awaited follow-up to No Cities Left is an ambitious, challenging album that manages to remain cohesive despite it broad musical and lyrical scope. At times gritty and aggressive, at others lush and orchestral, Gang of Losers wildly waves the middle finger to the band’s indie-hipster status and still saves room […]