Published December 08, 2005. Editors The Back Room (Kitchenware) As creepy as a German impressionist movie, as icy as Joy Division, and even better than Interpol, Editors hit the mark with one of the best releases from across the pond in 2005. While other Brit bands catch the Franz dance-rock wave or the shambolic post-Libertines […]
Johnston Farrow
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OutKast
Published October 30, 2003. OutKast Speakerboxx/ The Love Below (Arista) The fifth album from OutKast is essentially two halves of the funky, beat-driven OutKast sound. On Speakerboxx, Big Boi proves he’s the Dirty South gangster, with a drawl-like rap and propulsive, bass-heavy tunes. On The Love Below, Andre 3000 is the Bowie of hip-hop, always […]
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Live show review
Published January 27, 2005. Live show review Stars and Broken Social Scene January 21 and 22 at The Marquee Club Stars and Broken Social Scene careened into Halifax and staked their claim for the best shows of the year, despite the temperature outside and long coat check line inside. Props go to In-Flight Safety and […]
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Muse
MuseBlackholes and Revelations(Warner)Overly bombastic? Check. Classical piano riffs? Check again. Emotive Thom Yorke singing? It’s there. That’s right, it’s another Muse record, complete with prog-rock flourishes that would make Yes proud and lyrics that recall doom, gloom and the apocalypse of a broken heart. That’s not saying this is a bad record. In fact, it’s […]
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Sister Scissors
Sister ScissorsSister Scissors(Polydor)If Elton John embraced the new wave influences of the late ’70s/ early ’80s, the result would have been Sister Scissors. Singer Jake Shears apes John—falsetto and all—better than a Vegas impersonator over a disco ball-, keyboard- and bass-driven beat. The results are bootylicious. The album starts hot pink with UK hits “Laura,” “Take […]
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The Go! Team
Published December 08, 2005. The Go! Team Thunder Lightning Strike (Sony) The Go! Team mixes hip-hop, schoolyard rhymes, ’70s soul, Britpop and much more, creating something entirely original and as exciting as the exclamation point in the band’s name. An intensely fun record, the energy doesn’t let up one bit. Check out “Ladyflash,” “Junior Kickstart” […]
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The Strokes
Published October 23, 2003. The Strokes Room on Fire (RCA) Forget the hype. Forget the magazine covers, prep-school past and NYC cool. Take Room on Fire for what it is: an accomplished sophomore album of precise indie-rock that exudes energy. The Strokes don’t stray from their signature sound, making new touches welcome. Hammed-up guitar solos […]
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The Verve
The VerveThis is Music: The Singles 92-98(EMI)The breathtaking opening salvo of the title track reminds us how truly underrated The Verve was and what the world is missing now that they are gone. With messiah-crazed Richard Ashcroft’s vocals front and centre, these songs are the same time heartfelt (try not to shed a tear during […]
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Junior Boys
Junior BoysSo This is Goodbye(Domino)Although hailed by critics, Haligonian hipsters and electronic fans alike grossly ignored Junior Boys at their March 2005 Reflections show—which saw fewer than 30 people in attendance. A collective kick to the arse should occur after this album filters through Metro stereos. The second outing from the Hamilton-based duo lives up […]
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High Holy Days
High Holy DaysAll My Real Friends (Roadrunner)Throw Nickelback, Default and High Holy Days into a hat and you’d pull out the same band every time. No wonder North Bay, Ontario‚s High Holy Days found a home on the Roadrun-ner label, the same imprint as the Nickelback boys. It’s more throaty vocals, bad lyrics and the […]
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Jenn Grant and Goodbye 20th Century
Published December 08, 2005. Jenn Grant and Goodbye 20th Century Jenn Grant and Goodbye 20th Century EP (Independent) What a tease! Six tracks to entice us with no hint of her return, Halifax’s Jenn Grant grabs the torch from other Atlantic singer-songwriters and makes it burn as bright as her auburn hair. This is melody, […]
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Metric
MetricLive it outUniversalMetric’s website claims the group has played 450 shows since 2002. That explains a lot about their increased popularity, since the release of the indie-synth-rock gem Old World Underground, Where Are You Now? in 2003. It also explains the sound of the new record Live it Out, produced by guitarist Jimmy Shaw in […]