Tofu, watermelon, peaches, plums, strawberries and beans—just a few of the foods that nearly ended Sean MacGillivray’s music career. Beginning in early 2008 and lasting six months, the top end of MacGillivray’s vocal range started disappearing. “Honestly, I was working on exit strategies,” says MacGillivray, en route to Montreal with Jenn Grant. “I’ve been singing […]
Mike Landry
Posted inLifestyle
The Best Books and Comics of 2009
BOOKS Boy in the Moon, Ian Brown (Random House) The old cliche of “you’ll laugh, you’ll cry” stands true for Ian Brown’s essays on his son, who was born with a rare genetic defect. Brown lets down his macho journalist persona and delivers an incredibly honest reflection on manhood. —SCF February, Lisa Moore (Anansi) I […]
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Clowning around with the Red Bastard
Modesty and embarrassment are as foreign to Red Bastard as a fitness trainer. The bulbous, belligerent red monster is the creation of New York-based actor-writer-director Eric Davis. Already lauded as one of the premier clowns of our time, Davis has received new acclaim as Red Bastard. It’s led him to some unexpected places, too. At […]
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Talk of the town: best music of 2009
A History OfAction in the North Atlantic (Noyes) High-octane, Maritime-themed math rock? Yes, please. A History Of gets the Halifax music scene right, and finally gives us a full-length record. —LK Black MoorThe Conquering (Diminished Fifth) The stuff of heavy metal legend: surviving a car crash, Black Moor channels death and Kill Em All hooks making you […]
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House of Lancaster strips down
In a choice between fame and infamy, Sarah Gregg Millman (pictured, left) chose the latter. Seeking a name for her new band, she asked former Deadly Snake Max McCabe-Lokos. He suggested Toronto Blue Jays or House of Lancaster, a strip club on Toronto’s Bloor Street offering the “ultimate nude sports bar experience.” “It was a […]
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In Mannequin’s head
According to one bio, “Wax Mannequin is the fighter…He is music of the biggest fight style.” Or at least he used to be. Like the title of his latest release, Saxon, suggests, Wax is now a veteran reflecting on battles past. And certainly Hamilton-bred Chris Adeney, the man behind Wax, is a veteran of the […]
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The Danger Bees
Former Coast “best new music” honourees The Danger Bees have packed up house and moved to Toronto. Before leaving they played a final show featuring tracks off their one-night-only release, Bee-Sides. Recorded between 2006 and 2009 from primarily four limited-release recordings, Bee-Sides removes the clutter to offer a palatable presentation of these hidden gems. These […]
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Rebecca Born in the Maelstrom, Marie-Claire Blais (Anansi)
Rebecca was born in the Maelstrom, but you’re perhaps not so prepared for the swirling, crushing vortex of Marie-Claire Blais’ latest offering. Her GG Award-winner, composed in one paragraph and with pages-long sentences, is as clear as the Income Tax Act. It’s the fourth novel in a series, which could be to blame for my […]
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No apologies from The Sorrys
Trevor Millet pulls at his scraggly salt-and-pepper beard before pausing: “We understand you, and thus we can make you feel better.” The Sorrys’ affable frontman is being facetious, but, given that the quartet has been dubbed “the elder statesmen of the Halifax music scene,” there’s some sage advice in there too. Although in their 40s, […]
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Devil Eyes
Devil Eyes’ self-titled album doesn’t quite replicate their guitar-smashing performance at HPX, but it comes close. Inspired by early rock ‘n’ roll, the Montreal trio channels the wild, dance-roots of the genre. Devil Eyes jumps across surf, rockabilly, punk, psychedelic blues and Old Time Relijun-esque jazz. But the focus doesn’t change—each track, in its own […]
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In This Style
You can almost taste the angst from the opening of In This Style’s debut </sarcasm>. While these Dartmouth prog-rockers deliver a hefty helping of the teenage delicacy with lyrics like “hate is beauty,” the real treat is when they move from heavier chords into melodic, angular riffs. It’s then that the music effectively translates more […]
