Bienvenu (Bibi) Tanga plays bass precisely and lyrically, carrying the technical load and providing the tone and mood that help communicate the theme. Writing of peace, hope and celebration, he stumbles on the first two tracks, “The Moon” and “Red Wine.” Instead of writing and singing a whole lyric, Tanga’s best when he uses his […]
Sean Flinn
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Busking 101
Is this a busker? According to the festival, it’s not. Along with cash for its performers, the enjoyment and expectations of audiences, the Halifax International Busker Festival raises a perennial question: Who is a busker? For Kim Hendrickson, president of ESP Productions, the company that puts on the festival, a busker performs a “circle show. […]
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Art with direction
As the story goes, publishers roundly tossed out Yann Martel’s idea for a “flip book,” a volume that would contain a fictional story and accompanying essay. The Life of Pi author went on to use the experience of that rejection and reversibility (as a thematic motif if not physical format) in his novel from earlier […]
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Crowded House
Before Coldplay, The Killers, Wilco (on occasion) or Justin Rutledge, there was Crowded House and arguably one of the best pop songwriters of the last almost-25 years at its heart in Neil Finn. Without largesse, artifice or literary pretensions, Finn has written a truly literary, exciting and engaging body of pop composition. It’s been fine […]
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Teacher’s pet project
Teacher plays in a band. It was a secret until one savvy student in a grade seven class spoke up. “During silent reading, she lifted her hand up and said, ‘Mr. B.,’ and I said ‘Yeah?’” recounts Adrian Teacher, singer/guitarist/lyricist for the Vancouver trio Apollo Ghosts, from a tour stop in Rochester. The value of […]
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Brief Interviews with Hideous Men
Sara Quinn (Julianne Nicholson), an anthropology PhD student, gets dumped by her boyfriend (Krasinski). The event clarifies the purpose and structure of her doctoral work and her interviews with different guys: to understand who men are, how they help and harm themselves and others, even when they don’t intend to do one or the other. […]
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Colleen and Paul
As far as summer anthems go, “TV Summer” is a brilliant addition to the tradition from duo Colleen and Paul. Colleen Hixenbaugh, who plays rhythm guitar and sings most lead vocals, goes “la-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la-la, ta-da!” And Paul Linklater, who plays lead acoustic and harmonizes vocally, chimes in with calls of “TV summer!” And then Hixenbaugh […]
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Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse
Mark Linkous (Sparklehorse) committed suicide in March. Linkous’s last work is this collaboration with (and initiated by) Danger Mouse. Several guest vocalists appear. One is Vic Chesnutt, who took his own life last December. “Grim Augury” is the retelling of a “horrible dream” set to a waltz. Nina Persson partnered with Linkous on the first […]
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Cyrus a movie about ordinary people
The Brothers Duplass deliver a rare piece of cinematic realism about a divorced, directionless guy named John (John C. Reilly) living in LA, on the fringe of Hollywood. (You sense its presence). He begins the film down on his luck. By the end of it, his luck is changing. The film’s named after Jonah Hill’s […]
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Hot Hot Heat
It’s been a continuous cooling off period for Hot Hot Heat since that first full-length, Make Up the Breakdown. That’s eight long years ago, of course. Two original members (guitarist Dante DeCaro and bassist Dustin Hawthorne) have left since then and one wonders if Steve Bays (vocals/keys) and Paul Hawley (drums), the remaining originators, have […]
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M.I.A.
The clue to M.I.A.’s musical modus operandi on her third album resides in the album’s visual design: a cacophonic collage using the debris of digital culture. Most tracks sound forced and chaotic. It’s not until the latter half, including so-called bonus tracks, does the album hold interest. Working with several producers might’ve been a problem. […]
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Jazz Fest: Poetry gets sweaty
Cadence Weapon brings dirt city to Halifax. The evening flowed steadily, despite the heat. Four poets laureate from across Canada took to the small stage in front of a crowded Company House. (Seats at the bar and tables taken, several people stood and leaned against the walls.) Two ceiling fans and another on the floor […]
