Ferry terminal jackass
To the little punk at the Ferry Terminal…I am so glad that you stole my cell phone, and ten dollars.It’s not like you can use it, I cancelled it that day you ass. But I did lose my entire 300 number phonebook. Fuck you. You did so while I was raising money for breast cancer.…
Bluenosers, Red Sox and Green Monsters
So, the World Series trophy is on its way to Halifax this January and will be escorted by Wally the Green Monster (!!!). I still can’t believe the Red Sox won the pennant, so the thought of being in the same city as the trophy—the Red Sox’s trophy—is hard to grasp. But what I’m really…
Great burger, too bad you’re an idiot
br>To the waiter behind the bar who took 20 minutes to give us a menu, 10 minutes to take our order, 20 minutes to bring our food, forget the ranch dressing after asking for three times, talk about how people need to get tickets to the gun show and then flex, then discuss your stories…
AOL’s axe hits Halifax
The Silicon Alley Insider reports that layoffs at America On Line have taken some Canadian jobs offline: The AOL Halifax (Nova Scotia, Canada) campus covering Voice Services (AOL Voicemail, AOL PhoneLine, the former Total Talk system etc) was reduced by over 50% , including ALL of senior management and senior/lead developers. (60 days notice for…
To the people who litter and don’t believe in the power of one:
Get real! I hate it when people tell me global warming is a big sham to intimidate the masses. Maybe some parts have been used to capitalize on, but to actually be able to ignore the environmental crimes that happen around you everyday is shameful. Stop lying to yourselves! Tay Widrig
Phoney Xmas sentiment
Here’s a big f-u to all the folks who suddenly decide to acknowledge my existence because Christmas is coming….it’d be nice if you would talk to me all year round…THAT would be a nice present…. scrooged
drop off proper or drop out pronto
To all of the parents, siblings, etc that are pulling over on Bell across from Citadel High to drop your kids off – knock it the fuck off! There is not room for you to pull over there – do you not notice the traffic piling up behind you, swerving into the opposite lane, etc?…
Lazy school
Every day on the way to and from work, I go past an elementary/junior high school. It’s located in a neighbourhood full of houses and apartments. It’s very family oriented and safe for kids. However, what I don’t understand is why there are so many cars lined up everyday to drop off their kids and…
Sobey’s under 20 Speedy check out
FLAG ALL OVER THIS PLAY: under 20 is a medium grocery order not a speedy checkout stop. I’m calling shenanigans on this deal right now at Sobey’s Windsor St. That and fire Isiah (Knicks head coach) PR free agent
Say thank you when someone hold a door open
To the rude ass people who cannot say thank you when I hold the fucking door for you: Yes, you, hockey mother with your rude little kid with his hockey gear. I am nice enough to wait and hold out the door for both your and your kid only to have you not have the…
Enviro minister Baird bails in Bali
Canada’s environment minister ducked out of a speech he was supposed to give today at the big UN global warming conference in Bali, according to a local woman on the scene. Dartmouth’s Lise Richard just sent a note about the sinister minister, which I’m sharing with you below, hot off the email wire: As negotiations…
Dude in the Van
Hey, jackass driving past me in the van when I was by the Firestation just off of Agricola — thanks for the fucking slush off your wheels. I just don’t get it. Do you think you look cool trying to speed up a deserted street with your wheels spinning in the snow and spraying shit…
Disaster porn
Terrorists are coming! A suicide bomber is going to blow up your bus! Meteors will fall on downtown Halifax! Tidal waves! Anthrax! Pandemics! BOO! Are you scared yet? Well, you should be! How else is “Canada’s New Government” (now pushing two years “new”) going to hand bloated contracts to well-connected corporations? Here’s how it works:…
Love the Way We Bitch
Those escalators are made for walking and that just what I’ll do. One of these days these boots are gonna walk all over you moronic holiday shoppers who seem to think they’re there so you can take a 40 second break from your clearly exhausting schedule. It would take all of 5 seconds were you…
Ship Harbour- Long Lake
Let’s give credit where credit is due: in one very important aspect, the provincial government is coming through with its promises. You’ll recall that this spring the legislature unanimously approved the Environmental Goals and Sustainable Prosperity Act, which established a series of environmental targets that the province is legally committed to reaching in coming years,…
The coast
Hey as much as I love the coast website could you guys make a PDF (or something) of the printed format available every week? I find myself wanting to save a tree but I find I forget to check sections and miss a lot of things by just sticking to the website. Some sort of…
The Angus L. Macdonald bridge has an identity crisis. Some road signs say MacDonald, others say Macdonald. Which is it?
Remarks: We called the HDBC (463-2800), and were give the exact spelling: Macdonald, small “dee.” When we mention the conflicting signs, the pat answer of “That’s the city for you” made sense. Until we checked the HDBC website. Who, after all, is the city getting the information from? We spoke to HRM spokesperson John O’Brien.…
The Aliant payphone on the corner of Oxford and Quinpool was removed during the revamping of the corner. Will it be put back? How will we phone Mom and cry after we get stood up at the movies?
Remarks: The city says it’s the responsibility of Public Works, who in turn says it’s Aliant’s, who then passes the buck back to the city. Payphones and their maintenance are, apparently, such touchy subjects that Aliant’s payphone department (1-888-248-2260) say “they have no business discussing this” with us. Well! Finally it’s confirmed the phone will…
Gerard Hall, Dalhousie’s Sexton Campus residence, is surrounded not with young students eager to live and learn, but with scaffolding and concrete rubble.
Remarks: In our opinion, renovations on student residences should be finished by the beginning of the school year, and certainly before an open house for the public. But they do things a little differently at Dalhousie University. This year’s open house/hot dog barbecue/“Litter Challenge” is going to be carried out in the middle of this…
Quiet campaign
Published September 15, 2005. Quiet campaign To all you obnoxious south ender university students: You can shove your anti-litter, get-to-know-our-neighbours bullshit PR pamphlets (which are floating around Fenwick Street as I write this) up your collective noisy asses. You want to be my conscientious neighbours? Then SHUT THE FUCK UP after midnight, and party at…
Turf ‘n’ surf
Published September 01, 2005. Turf ‘n’ surf My backyard is full of the shit that you have been throwing out of your car windows/sun rovers as you wind your way to the beaches on Highway 207 (AKA the Larrytown Connection). Not only do I have Tim Hortons tumbleweeds and DQ napkin whirlwinds blowing into my…
Waking strife
Published September 08, 2005. Waking strife To the bikers who hang out at Bearly’s: It may come as a shock to you that people actually live near your favourite haunt, and actually sleep at 1:30am on Wednesdays, when you decide to sit outside and rev your bikes for 10 minutes. If you’re looking to prove…
Saturday night fever
Published September 22, 2005. Saturday night fever To the Superstore checkout clerk who was rude to me Saturday night: I realize now you weren’t the person I should have spoken to about the lamp. I too have been in retail/cashier positions before, and have felt the effects of an annoying customer. I’m not apologizing for…
Slice of the pie
Published September 29, 2005. Slice of the pie To pizza “organization” at pizza corner: At first I thought it was a simple error I could let go, but now I realize your scam after five mistakes in a row. You charge $3.85 for a slice and when I give you five bucks I get 15…
Service check
Published October 06, 2005. Service check To the nasty waiter at a restaurant in Hubbards who was ticked off because we brought a homemade birthday cake, who doesn’t know what a Shirley Temple is, who wouldn’t give my eight-year-old son a lobster bib and was rude throughout the evening; as well as to the owner…
Sound advice
Published October 13, 2005. Sound advice I know patio season is over and thank fuck. I’m sick of listening to nasty beats bouncing off every building in the north end. Get some good talent or shut the fuck up. This is a warning for you to rip those speakers off your patio and do some…
Broken
Status: BrokenWhat’s Wrong?: The corner of Argyle Street and Sackville Street is missing its road sign, making it difficult for tourists, new citizens and blurry bar patrons to know where they are. Who’s Responsible?: HRM Streets & Roads Services. 490-6203. Remarks: This has proven to be a real problem for the helpful Haligonian. On more…
Coast of gas
Published October 20, 2005. Coast of gas To the desperados who tried to siphon gas from our car at the carpool lot at the end of the 333: Dummies, you can’t siphon from a Toyota — there is a valve that prevents it. And when you decided to punch a screwdriver through the gas tank,…
Nerves of stealing
Published October 13, 2005. Nerves of stealing To the shit-eating thief that broke into my car last night on Bellevue Avenue: I hope you spend the money you stole on some shitty acid, have horrible hallucinations and kill yourself. Enjoy the money, you tramp, you got me this time. But ask yourself: will that $80…
The phone/power pole on Gottingen (across from Alteregos) has a sizeable chunk of an old pole completely suspended by power lines. We’re not wussies over here, but that shit is scary.
Remarks: NS Power says a complaint is usually registered and a crew is sent to determine whose pole it is. If it’s Aliant’s, NSP lets them know. It’s sweet how the companies keep each other in the loop, but one wonders if complaints get lost in the shuffle. An Aliant service representative says when either…
Paramount Apartments on South Park has a billboard in the middle of the sidewalk advertising its spacious parking lot.
Remarks: We at On Patrol, being avid pedestrians, care very much for a clear, safe sidewalk, not one that has to be carefully navigated by wheelchairs, strollers and the like. When a billboard is simultaneously advertising a parking lot and obstructing the sidewalk, it hurts. We called Paramount to get the details and we’re told…
The route markers on Windsor Street near North Street are badly damaged. Was it a truck? A bus? An unruly mob aiming to drive a witch out of town?
Remarks: An On Patrol reader alerted us to this municipal malfunction, noting that tourists are especially prone to fall prey to damaged signs. One might think that seeing as most of the information is intact, it shouldn’t be too hard to predict which direction the missing arrow is pointing. They may be right, but it…
An eyelevel gallery on Gottingen Street billboard has a typo
Remarks: Little things like apostrophes are just that, little. But what does it mean when we abuse them? It could be that an angel cries, or a fairy dies or maybe the good folks at On Patrol just get another migraine. Anyway, trust us, something happens. Ward Williamson, the artist, knows this. If you looked…
Why is the Macdonald Bridge, like, a million different shades of green? We could make a bunch of camouflage jokes here, but we won’t.
Remarks: On a top-secret mission to photograph the bridge, there just happened to be some repairs going on. A friendly construction worker quiets our concerns by telling us they simply use whatever green paint they can find. But what about our complicated conspiracy theories? Sigh. We call the HDBC and find out something else: It’s…
BIKE GRIPE
Published November 03, 2005. BIKE GRIPE Hey asshole on the bike heading north on North Park last Friday: It’s great that you’re saving the environment on your bike, but when you are IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, the toot of my friendly horn is to let your ass know I’m passing you. A cyclist…
Fear factor
Published November 10, 2005. Fear factor I read a poll last week that said 83 percent of Canadians think we need stricter immigration standards to control known terrorists. No one I know feels this way. No one I know was asked. I did a poll. According to my poll, three out of three Canadians think…
Money for nothing
Published October 27, 2005. Money for nothing Hey, you! The one who took $20 out of the blue station wagon parked across the street from the north end library on Tuesday just as the Wilma rain got heavy. I was getting a few videos. I had borrowed that $20 and was going to get a…
Busy signals
Published November 17, 2005. Busy signals Why is it that when I’m in line at the garage, the vet, clothing stores…and the phone rings that the person on the phone gets service before me? Does a caller take precedence over me actually being there? I am a living, breathing, money-spending machine. ATTEND TO ME!! —In…
Dog-owning animal
Published November 17, 2005. Dog-owning animal To the morons in the blue Honda who left their dog in the car during last Saturday’s North End Dance at the Halifax Forum: It was a freezing cold night and while you were inside getting trashed, everyone outside was forced to listen to your dog cry all night.…
Retail respect
Published November 24, 2005. Retail respect I work in retail and can honestly say I’m one of the most pleasant faces you’ll meet when you walk into my place of business. As for all you consumers, I know that it’s that time of year, but c’mon! I try so hard to be nice and helpful…
The Q104 website has a little section called the “Thong of the day” and has little to do with classic rock and more to do with disrespect for 50 percent of the population
Remarks: “Thong of the day.” Great. That’s not alienating at all, guys. Despite recently adding a link to another window instead of having the naked woman directly on the homepage, the sentiment remains the same. We’ll wager most women who surf your website to enter contests and the like don’t feel uncomfortable whatsoever! Congratulations Q104…
Capital District spent quite a bit of money on the planters in front of the Halifax North Memorial Public Library on Gottingen Street. But instead of a lush green oasis, we get a sad, stagnant pond. Sigh.
Remarks: Even serial plant killers know the importance of good drainage. In a city as rainy as Halifax, it’s crucial. The planters were originally built several months ago, at which time they remained empty for a few months, effectively demonstrating for everyone the cycle of evaporation. Rainwater filled these things and refused to drain, which,…
A pile of filthy snow in the middle of Grand Parade Square.
Remarks: We have no problem with snow here at On Patrol. Heaven knows we’re certainly going to be dealing with a lot of it in the near future. But an irate reader let us know about this curious pile and we simply had to know: Where did it come from? Is there a secret skating…
Poster poles becoming eyesores
Remarks: Look up. Look way, way up. At the top of the poles there’s a brass plaque proclaiming posters are cleared away on the 1st and 15th of each month. But there are posters on the Spring Garden Library pole that date back to July. Things have not changed, says Tracy Bennett from the DHBA.…
The concrete platform built in front of the Halifax North Branch Library is still statue-less after an unsuccessful call to artists for submissions last spring.
Remarks: Who doesn’t crave a nice statue from time to time? We all do. The helpful gang at the Halifax North Branch Library told us the entire application process had to be started again, as nobody met the criteria from the first one. People, please. There are application forms available from the library info desk,…
HRM copying On Patrol with “Access HRM” button on their website offering an on patrol type service. Oh yah, and the button doesn’t work.
Remarks: Now you know as well as we do that On Patrol stands for nothing more than simply righting the city’s wrongs. And this website will help, we know. But think of poor little On Patrol! Left out in the cold winter night, peering mournfully into the HRM’s warm joyful home! Will people still email?…
Atlantic Film Festival banners still hang from our city’s telephone poles and street lamps. It’s fine, until you consider just how long ago the festival really was. Eight weeks, my friends!
Remarks: We love the Film Fest, we really do. And seeing the banners still waving is sort of comforting. Like finding an old ticket stub in the pocket of your blazer, they can bring back sweet memories. A first date, a remarkable movie or maybe a particularly hot theatre make-out session, whatever. Bearing this in…
Not so hot
Published December 01, 2005. Not so hot Last weekend as we were enjoying the Parade of Lights on South Park, a low-life, trashbag “mother” standing beside us decided to leave her three very young children while she went to get a drink. Her confused children were left for 10 minutes or more among 75,000 strangers…
The city has given notices to owners of several buildings in the north end about “dangerous and/or unsightly” appearances, and a deadline has set for the owner to clean them up. But what if the property owners refuse?
Remarks: Boarded up windows, vinyl siding covered in tags, garbage on the sidewalk. Not houses we would like to live in, but what can we say? Humans make messes. If someone complains about a mess to the bylaw enforcement office, an officer investigates and writes the property owner a notice on what has to be…
Worn out welcome
Published December 08, 2005. Worn out welcome To the girl who stole the grey hoodie right in front of me: Thanks a lot. I run a small business and can’t afford to have expensive things stolen from me. Plus, that was a one-of-a-kind hoodie, so you won’t be able to wear it downtown. I remember…
Season’s beatings
Published December 15, 2005. Season’s beatings To the bastard who kicked me in the back at the grocery store on Dec. 3: The cameras don’t show me bumping you with my cart, but they have a real good picture of your ugly mug kicking me in the back. I hope I see you again so…
Bitter litter
Published December 15, 2005. Bitter litter To the asshat students who live in the concrete high-rise on South Bland Street: Stop throwing your fucking garbage all over the fucking neighbourhood!! I realize that you’re probably immature little college students who are probably still hanging off your mother’s teet, but grow the fuck up and properly…
Two cents
Published December 22, 2005. Two cents Why a person would pay to have a glorified ex-crack dealer, gun-promoting, women-degrading man jump around on stage and spew unimaginative, repetitive lyrics that do nothing more than numb our children and population into thinking this is acceptable is far beyond me. Who cares if every kid is walking…
Run for cover
Published December 29, 2005. Run for cover To the Lance Armstrong-type who ran past me last night on Cogswell. I think it’s great that you never smoked in high school and you have a fierce lung capacity. Maybe you’re training for the Olympics. If that’s the case — congratulations. But please think twice (and this…
Sounds of silence
Published December 29, 2005. Sounds of silence To the lowlifes who broke into my apartment on December 4th and took my red Squier Strat with a spot on fourth fret, two other acoustic guitars, my portable Tascam studio, discman and new Dell computer: If you return it, I will thank you for being honest and…
A nice little lavender bench in the parking lot through-way behind Taz Records on Gottingen is a shadow of its former self.
Remarks: The bench has been missing its seat for a long time. It’s a perpetual tease. We should note that Maitland Street, just behind the bench, is not heavily travelled, but that’s precisely what makes it so appealing as an impromptu pit stop. Just imagine! A thermos of coffee, your person of choice and the…
Horseshoe Island is going to shit!!
Remarks: We are unsure if this mess is a holdover from either of the charming Juan brothers, or simply new damage, but it will most likely put a hamper on strolling near the water’s edge this winter. Snow, besides being pretty, covers over things like deteriorating stone near the ocean, and could make this already…
The Christmas tree across from the Hydrostone market is only partly lit up. Everything looks fine from one angle, but when you walk around to the other side—Christmas is ruined.
Remarks: When we called the HRM info line, we were told that the businesses and the community in the Hydrostone area are responsible for erecting the tree. But while on a reconnaissance mission, we talked to a friendly business owner who told us that the city was in charge. No matter whose fault it is,…
Copious amounts of graffiti on the Scotia Square northbound bus shelter. Sometimes amusing, sometimes offensive, but always an eyesore.
Remarks: A little too much time on your hands (Cough! Metro Transit! Cough!), a generous helping of teenage anger and a Sharpie is a lethal combination. Well, maybe not lethal, but certainly annoying. The fact that most riders have a lot of time to kill in the bus shelter is bad enough, but having to…
Late show
Published January 12, 2006. Late show To the rude asshole-ette in the Oxford Theatre last Wednesday, thanks so much for ruining my (and everyone else’s) viewing by coming in 25 minutes late for the movie and whining loudly about how there are no seats left. And sorry my bag was on the seat you felt…
World view
Published January 12, 2006. World view When a president becomes a dictator, nothing good can become of it. If people actually thought about what was going on in the world, instead of just living in their own bubble…maybe, just maybe, the people of the world could actually have a say in how this world is…
Fight club
Published January 12, 2006. Fight club Bitch goes out the guy with the big nuts that sucker-punched my friend and I while walking home from the bar on Bell Road, near the horse stables. Must have taken a lot of balls to hit me and my friend like that when you were surrounded by your…
Public enemies
Published January 12, 2006. Public enemies I am so sick of hearing about stabbings and shootings recently in the Halifax area. This is getting RIDICULOUS! Why don’t all of you wannabe gangsters out there go out and get real jobs like the rest of us instead of hurting innocent people! There is obviously something wrong…
Washroom losers
Published January 19, 2006. Washroom losers This is to all the losers that feel the need to occupy public washrooms in fast-food places so they can roll joints or snort lines or deal drugs: I wish every last one of you would just do us all a favour, overdose and die already! mr. i-hate-stupid-people
Bus rage
Published January 19, 2006. Bus rage Concerning an incident on a metro transit bus this afternoon, the bus was late, we boarded and sat down, a woman got on and was asking for help, no problem, but it was taking a while, on behalf of myself and my partner and others who might need to…
Grocery Store Opulence
Published January 19, 2006. Grocery Store Opulence To those of you who trash your local grocery store leaving perishable food in all the wrong places: Is it stupidity that causes you to leave frozen food in the shampoo aisle, or dump fresh fruit in the freezer? Do you think someone is following you around personally…
Cube van crow
Published January 19, 2006. Cube van crow Listen Arseholes. When I put the old stove and other things to the curb in Highfield Park, it’s one thing to pick it clean and take the stove, so moron, assuming you can read, don’t toss what you don’t want, or can’t make a buck off, back in…
Feisted
Published January 19, 2006. Feisted Hey scenesters. Thanks for rushing the stage and trampling anyone’s personal space in your path on Saturday night. It was a long trip in for “one (shortened) evening”. Too bad you don’t have much respect for others, in your quest for hipster-hood, a better view, or whatever it was you…
Negative actions
Published January 19, 2006. Negative actions To the ignorant “newspaper photographer” at the January 15th Feist show, thanks a lot jerk. If you wanted to get decent photographs, maybe you should have arrived an hour before the doors opened, like some people who wanted a good spot did. But no, instead you shoved your way…
Whose you’re daddy?
Published February 02, 2006. Whose you’re daddy? Its hard to believe men still run from their babies at this day and age. Every man who runs out on his child(ren) should have to have a manditory visectomy. What a bunch of ass holes these deadbeats are. Life is too short to miss the opportunity to…
Definitely More Than 15% Enraged
Published February 02, 2006. Definitely More Than 15% Enraged To all of you people who don’t tip in restaurants, or don’t tip a full fifteen percent : What. The. Fuck. Is Wrong With You? Seriously. Are you all fucking stupid? Can you count? Oh, you can? Well then, let me think, hmm, oh yes, I…
Boss Hog of Metro Transit
Published February 02, 2006. Boss Hog of Metro Transit To the giant fucking ass hole, bus driver, Boss Hog wanna be, driving the metro transit bus on Saturday night……Thanks for not only humiliating me on a crowded bus, but your concern for my safety was touching…..as you announced that I had only put in $1.22,…
Pedestrian panic
Published February 02, 2006. Pedestrian panic To the motley collection of assholes who have nearly ran me over in the Mumford Road crosswalk: slow the fuck down! Wherever the hell you’re going isn’t half as important as the safety of pedestrians, other drivers or (because I’m feeling generous) yourself. Don’t think that your motorhead ego…
A is for artless
Published January 12, 2006. A is for artless I can only assume an enlightened north-end art aficionado is responsible for the recent tagging of Fred’s. Great, you know a big word! Now why don’t you grow up, do something useful for the community and quit punishing everything that doesn’t conform to your narrow view of…
Ticket to ride
Published January 12, 2006. Ticket to ride Has anyone at Dalhousie noticed that our bill for this winter term now includes a mandatory fee for a fucking bus pass? If I wanted to use the bus I would have moved to Clayton Park and paid cheaper rent, but I decided to spend the big bucks…
The Dartmouth bridge terminal’s schedule has fallen down.
Remarks: We think that the worst part about this problem is that there’s a security guard patrolling the bus shelters, who no doubt must have witnessed the frustration the issue causes (and may have reported it several times, for that matter) but the schedule still remains in a crumple behind the glass. With the computer…
The clock on the side of the CBC Radio building has been missing for more than a week, leaving a barren off-white rectangle in its wake.
Remarks: ProFac handles some of the maintenence duties for the CBC Radio building. Apparently, the sign is only temporarily displaced while it goes through a series of repairs (we can only assume this will involve a frenzied screwing/unscrewing of yellow light bulbs). In the meantime, frustrated commuters will be forced to rely on their dashboard…
The elevator in city hall has an expired operating license.
Remarks: To be fair, Kennedy has already fulfilled his primary responsibility. According to Kennedy, a new up-to-date license has already been sent out to city hall – it just isn’t on display. “A lot of licenses get sent out in bulk and they sit there for a week or so and they don’t get posted.…
Unfare treatement
Published February 02, 2006. Unfare treatement Did you see the guy with his penis hanging out, gyrating near the picnic tables in front of Scotia Square last week? How about the Metro Transit drivers cheering him on and encouraging him? Maybe our bus drivers need to spend more time keeping a schedule and less exploiting…
Chicken commotion
Published February 02, 2006. Chicken commotion Last week I was in a grocery store wanting to buy Prime boneless/skinless chicken, when to my horror there was an expiry date sticker scratched out with ink, and another sticker put on the package of chicken. Now of course the chicken said “special”…however, the scratched out sticker said…
The sign outside of the Pita Pit on Argyle Street is missing some bolts, making it seem most precarious.
Remarks: Good news for anyone worried about becoming a pedestrian pancake under a plummeting Pita Pit placard: Those missing bolts may look dangerous, but they don’t actually anchor the sign to the side of the building. “Those bolts were originally meant to keep the sign from swinging from side to side, but it didn’t work,”…
Super supervisor
Published February 09, 2006. Super supervisor I have this supervisor who is a liar, She/he thinks individuals around the office actually don’t pick up on the lies. He/She likes to flaunt their authority, well I got news for you………GO FUCK YOURSELF, and GET OVER YOUR EMPOwERMENT….You are stupid, lazy and have no idea how our…
The Anti-Seniors Club
Published February 09, 2006. The Anti-Seniors Club There was a time when I would help the elderly if they fell in front of a moving car, I would even open the door for them even though it meant that I had to wait. If I knew how to bake, I would have baked them the…
The Secret
Published February 09, 2006. The Secret To all you old looking bags out there: Your wondering why you look wrinkly, fat, and full of varicose veins!? Its because when you were younger you basked in the sun, drank liquor and smoked your heart out. You enjoyed fast food and maybe even smoked weed! You look…
Snow Fury
Published February 09, 2006. Snow Fury Hey HRM: With such a mild winter and only one real snowstorm, I thought you might think outside the box and reconsider the winter parking ban. I am NOT a moron who leaves their car on the street after 800 warnings about a snowstorm on its way. So last…
The sign outside of the Nova Scotia Public Archives building on the corner of University and Robie has been prominently graffito-tagged.
Remarks: On Patrol called the Public Archives, the premier’s office, the HRM call centre, and the provincial Department of Transportation and Public Works, but nobody knew who was supposed to field a graffiti-reporting call for the Archives building. Graffiti alone isn’t particularly noteworthy, but the Public Archives sign deserves a special mention considering how long…
Disgusting in the dark
Published February 09, 2006. Disgusting in the dark To the middle-aged guy with the red jacket who went to see Underworld Evolution Sunday afternoon: Keep it in your pants! You are disgusting and you totally ruined the movie for me. I came to see vampires and action, not to see you grabbing your undersized penis.…
The Holy Shroud
The Holy ShroudBackstage February 4 at the AtticPhoto David Cieplinski
Ticked off at Transit
Published February 16, 2006. Ticked off at Transit I am sick and tired of the crappy transit system in Halifax. Every morning I choose to use a more environmentally friendly transportation to work. Although, I am usually late because of it. I transfer buses at scotia square, and they are supposed to connect but never…
Bitch Back
Published February 16, 2006. Bitch Back in regards to the ‘BIKE GRIPE’ bitch printed Nov.3rd, i’d like to ‘bitch back’, i was that cyclist, i remember it clearly… I was approaching an intersection where i was going to be turning left so i was going from one side of the road, (the far right) to…
First time offender
Published February 16, 2006. First time offender To HRM Environmental Management Service: As it turns out, the area between the curb and the street at my address is very slim. Solid waste is uniformly placed (very close to traffic) in this area after 7pm on the proper dates, however garbage day was on the huge…
Round 2
Published February 16, 2006. Round 2 This goes out to “The Young One”, the anorexic, pasty skinned, veggie eating, exercising robot that bitched about us voluptuous, sun worshipping, drinking and smoking sexy old bags who have wrinkles. I am so sorry that you missed out on the times when us late thirties and forty some…
Dishonest bastards
Published February 23, 2006. Dishonest bastards To the people who stole my bag when I set it down to say goodbye to friends at the ferry terminal last week: That bag had my life in it – mp3 player, wallet, important shit – why the hell you couldn’t take the money and turn in the…
Reggae Splash
Reggae SplashDancing, February 11 at The MarqueePhoto Darryl James
Bus folk
Published February 23, 2006. Bus folk this bus smells like rank a million different ppls nasty awful stank. a lady answers a call “Halloowww” she yells in her nova scotian drawl. fucked if i can barely watch but salt stained windows keep my eyes from the outsides while a man grabs his crotch -Poetry in…
My wallet
Published February 23, 2006. My wallet To whoever found my wallet in Stage Nine on the 18th of February, I hope you enjoyed your free lunch compliments of me, with any luck you choked to death on it and are burning in hell right at this moment for being a horrible person. Maybe if you…
Pizza Corner car jumper w/cowboy boots.
Published March 02, 2006. Pizza Corner car jumper w/cowboy boots. Yeah, thanks for jumping on my car asshole. My car was on Blowers St. last Saturday Feb 18th. You left a big fucking dent on the roof of my black Honda Civic. If anyone knows who did it, please let me know, I want to…
Kings of the East competition
Kings of the East competitionFebruary 18 at Waterfront WarehousePhoto Darryl James
Lost & delirious at clothing store
Published March 02, 2006. Lost & delirious at clothing store I have a simple question: are the people who work at clothing stores supposed to help you when you shop there? Now, I’m not trying to be funny or facetious when I ask that but everytime I’ve been in a certain outlet store in Hfx…
Let me count the ways…
Published March 02, 2006. Let me count the ways… Dear local pub- You SUCK. Is it because your food is terrible? well, partly. Is it because your waitresses stand and watch the band while we’re waiting to be served? yeah, that too. I’ve given you several chances but have YET to have good food OR…
Cab Stiffers
Published March 02, 2006. Cab Stiffers To the young couple that grabbed a cab on the evening of Saturday, Feb.25th. I happened to grab that same cab about an hour after you and had a little chat with the nice cabbie…and as far as i’m concerned you should be ashamed of yourselves! He proceeded to…
A poor defenseless tree outside of the Scotiabank on Hollis Street has been partially toppled.
Remarks: Oh, won’t somebody please think of the saplings? This little guy was still young, in the prime of his life cycle – why, he barely had a chance to photosynthesize. Now, struck down by some careless twist of fate (or possibly a drunk), our fallen friend is destined to spend an unforgiving afterlife being…
The signs on the inside of the boards at the Halifax Metro Centre have some unnecessary quotation marks around the word “not,” making their message seem amusingly sarcastic
Remarks: Not all of the cautionary signs contain the erroneous quotes, but the ones that do; hoo boy, that’s some entertaining signage! According to Logan: “We checked it out. There are three signs that have the quotes and probably about 30 that don’t.” Hmm… Maybe this is the Metro Centre’s subtle way of encouraging their…
Raising hellions
Published March 02, 2006. Raising hellions To the little shit bragging about all the clothes he’s stolen while he and his buddies ate lunch in the Quinpool Road grocery store: I could say all sorts of things to you, but you’re young and learning. Clearly you have no positive adult influences in your life. I…
ECMAS
ECMASGettin’ down with Bubbles at the ECMAs.
Naked aggression
Published March 16, 2006. Naked aggression I left two garbage bags of clothes out for Big Brothers Big Sisters in front of my house with Xs on the bags. Someone decided to take the bags and dump what they didn’t want in the compost bin. To those individuals who took the clothes: I hope you’re…
Cat hit and run
Published March 23, 2006. Cat hit and run Hey you. That’s right, the asshole who ran over a woman’s cat on Sunday February 26 at about noon on Chebucto Road, just in front of the Bluenose Dry Cleaners. You ran the cat down, slowed down in front of the Ultramar, and then DROVE AWAY. The…
Alberta sucks
Published March 23, 2006. Alberta sucks I know Metro Transit SUCKS. I know the bouncers SUCK. I know the weather SUCKS. I know how much it SUCKS to see your favourite bar/ restaurant/ hair salon/ cafe/ grocery store/ florist/ book store etc shut down for whatever reason. I know servers SUCK, taxi drivers SUCK, taxi…
Job search
Published March 23, 2006. Job search Why does the Coast have a section entitled ‘smart jobs?’. All I’ve ever seen listed there are crappy jobs. Why is it so difficult to secure even a crappy job in this city? I hate this city more with each passing day. People with degrees can’t find jobs even…
Freedom of the press at The Coast
Published March 23, 2006. Freedom of the press at The Coast I have read your bitch column. Most of the foul mouthed comments sound like the NS Hospital game room language. I sent a sensable one but discovered you spike anything with which you do not agree or is about one of your pals. I…
Beatle battle
Published March 23, 2006. Beatle battle Could someone point me to the bathroom, I think I’m going to be sick. This feeling of nausea seems to come over me when I see another celebrity heading out to protest – of all the things in the world which need protesting – the seal hunt in the…
FAX 4
FAX 4March 4 at Stage Ninephoto Kelly Clark
Deceipt at its finest
Published March 23, 2006. Deceipt at its finest I’m going to be as polite about this as possible, as I don’t want to stoop to your low low level. This poor excuse of a gym has made me realize there is a reason why we have alternatives. Don’t waste your money. I should have known…
Shaddup, already
Published March 16, 2006. Shaddup, already To the NSCAD security morons who work evenings at the front entrance: The library is a perfect place to get research and work done, but you assholes sit outside the door listening to your shitty Nickelback songs way too loud and laughing hysterically at your unfunny stories about girls,…
Customer Service has gone down the poop shoot
Published March 23, 2006. Customer Service has gone down the poop shoot My tiff is with a particular lingerie store in town. Being well endowed, I don’t really have a choice but to check out specialty shops for sizes that fit me and help me to feel comfortable in my skin. It sucks to have…
Nova Scotia Power…
Published March 23, 2006. Nova Scotia Power… Well geez.. ANOTHER 9% and a bit… Feel good? Happy? I’m not… The provincial government? MAYBE they will look at a way to help lower income earners… MAYBE. Okay.. So maybe that’s not all bad… and I am fortunate enough to not be on social assistance (and BELIEVE…
Let Dogs Inside!
Published March 23, 2006. Let Dogs Inside! To all you dog owners who chain your animals in the backyard with a five foot piece of rope and leave them out in all extremes of weather for several hours of the day….Hang your head in shame and get a life you morons! What the hell made…
Are we not human? Do we not freeze?
Published March 23, 2006. Are we not human? Do we not freeze? Okay so i need to get this out. What the heck was up with the mandatory coat check the other night? Absolutely riduculous insistance by the staff on checking every layer that was remotely coat like. I watched in head shaking absurdity as…
Sam Roberts
Sam RobertsMarch 11 at the Marqueephoto Michael Tompkins
Burning sensation
Published March 23, 2006. Burning sensation I got a letter in my mailbox today addressed to “Dear Resident.” It speaks about the public hearing on deciding whether the Sensations Caberet on Wyse Road should continue with its present liquor licence. I’m rather indifferent to the whole situation, but what really gets me is that there…
Living with garbage
Published March 23, 2006. Living with garbage I need to get this shit off my chest… what is up with roomates who don’t clean up after themselves? I’m talking about having a shred of respect for common areas. Don’t think it’s acceptable to leave your filthy dishes on the counter for a week, or tramp…
Unqualified
Published March 30, 2006. Unqualified I’m sorry but your food reviewer Liz Feltham has no idea what she is doing . She bashed the new restaurant syn , which is quickly becoming my new fav restaurant(been there 5 times in 3 months and had greatfood and service every time) . But yet last week she…
The Nova Scotia Community Services sign on Gottingen Street looks like it could use some community service of its own.
< Remarks: The biggest challenge when trying to fix a non-traffic related provincial sign is finding out where to report the problem — the province has made it awfully difficult to track down the department in charge of public signage. For amateur On Patrollers, the department of Public Works is your best bet, but they’re…
An apparent misspelling of the word “material” has been immortalized on a plaque in Point Pleasant Park.
Remarks: We’ve received a number of complaints about the Point Pleasant plaque, which is located near the large memorial anchor on the harbour side of the park. The plaque points out that Halifax has historically “played a key role in furthering the delivery of needed wartime materiel.” Well, it may be a curious spelling, but…
A street sign on the corner of Market and Cogswell, knocked over and subsequently lodged in a frozen snowbank.
Remarks: Every now and then, we here at On Patrol get an uplifting (if brief) burst of good news; a ray of sunshine in an otherwise gloomy downpour of municipal malfunction tickets. After noticing the downed sign, On Patrol called the municipality’s Streets & Roads Services hotline to seek out the person(s) responsible. We couldn’t…
Plea coat
Published March 23, 2006. Plea coat To the person who took my bright blue winter coat and pink zip-up from the coat check at Reflections on Saturday night: Could you please bring it back to the bar? I know you might love those articles of clothing, but I REALLY LOVE them a lot more and…
NBNE Karaoke Brunch
NBNE Karaoke BrunchJeff Coll, host, March 18 at Gus’ Pubphoto Jon Hutt
Congradulations, Asshole.
Published March 30, 2006. Congradulations, Asshole. To whoever kicked my door in and stole my laptop: Congratulations. You’ve got a two-year-old hunk of junk, and MY ENTIRE LIFE’S WORK. Just back up the hardrive and send me a disk, would you? Yeah, I’ll get a new computer, but it’s not much good to me without…
Pubs and Washrooms
Published March 30, 2006. Pubs and Washrooms Hey All, I was very dissappointed to patronize downtown’s local establishments on St. Patty’s day and here’s why. After a night of drinking beer we did what most Haligonians do, we headed off to Pizza Corner for sustance. While on our search for said sustanance we also needed…
Rental Increases
Published March 30, 2006. Rental Increases So you move in into an apartment, the landlord says they will do things, they don’t so you do. It’s now a nicer place because of the work you put in, so the landlord asks for a big rent increase. Guess what you lose in Nova Scotia. If you…
Daytona or Dartmouth?
Published March 30, 2006. Daytona or Dartmouth? Someone was killed there you know….but I hope you got to where you were going on time. Yep, right in that very spot where you pulled out from behind me, passed me on the inside doing no less than 80, pulled in front of me AND the guy…
Dear dumpster divers
Published March 30, 2006. Dear dumpster divers All the more power to anyone willing to scrounge for free shit but don’t be an asshole, if you jump into a donation bin or knock it over to crawl around in it, fucking put it right-side up when you’re done and don’t make a mess. a little…
Akron/Family concert @ Stage Nine
Published March 30, 2006. Akron/Family concert @ Stage Nine This letter is directed at the fucking asshole towards the back of the room (@ Stage Nine) who thought it was OK to loudly pontificate with his friends, during most of Akron/Family’s set. Sure there were many other assholes, who thought it was acceptable to sit…
RACISM Whose Problem?
Published March 30, 2006. RACISM Whose Problem? Let’s take that ad from the March 23 to March 30 issue of The Coast. ” So, you’re white and you think racism is not your problem?…we think it is”. Well let ME comment on THAT racist-appearing statement. If the Metro Coalition is so pristine…why dab ANY colour…
Dent Monger
Published March 30, 2006. Dent Monger To all of the BRAINLESS assholes who don’t know how to get out of their car in a parking lot without flinging their door into the car that is adjacent- YOU SUCK! What the hell is wrong with you??? My friends make fun of me for my obsession with…
Loud douchebags @ the Grawood
Published April 06, 2006. Loud douchebags @ the Grawood I’m so glad that university students have the ability to loose all respect for others when they decide to go out drinking. Craig Cardiff is such an amazing musician and no one could find the time to shut up even when half the bar shouted SHUT…
Julie Doiron of Shotgun and Jaybird
Julie Doiron of Shotgun and JaybirdMarch 26 at Stage Ninephoto David Cieplinski
What incentive
Published April 06, 2006. What incentive So I, like many others, have a degree that doesn’t seem to do much for me. So I decided to go back to school, while working full time at a job I hate. I am doing very well, actually I now have a GPA of 4.12 out of 4.3.…
Dangerous Driver
Published April 06, 2006. Dangerous Driver To the Jeep driving slickster from the corner of Hollis & Bishop: 2 pm, Monday afternoon, you pull up to a stop sign as I start crossing the street. I’m in the middle of the intersection when you pull a left turn, slam on your breaks and miss me…
Pigs on Wheels are Dangerous
Published April 06, 2006. Pigs on Wheels are Dangerous To the asshole cop and his twat sidekick that almost hit my sister with her baby and friend whilst crossing the crosswalk at the Willow Tree intersection on April 5, 4:45pm; Once again, Fuck you, you greasy piece of pork. Just because you’re a pig, does…
Front Doors
Published April 06, 2006. Front Doors Well, thanks alot to the jack-ass who jammed our front door deadbolt locked. Really, it’s not like we need a front door, or that we have 200$ to put down to get a locksmith here. Smart idea, jackass, seriously, you’re cool. Locked Out And Pissed
Card-carrying jerk
Published April 06, 2006. Card-carrying jerk To the asshole who robbed me on Thursday, March 30, at 6:40pm at the CIBC on Spring Garden and Dresden—I absentmindedly left my card in the machine. Literally not one minute later, realizing I didn’t get my card back, I went back and found you doing a banking transaction…
C’Mon, 1:12am
C’Mon, 1:12amSaturday, April 1, Hellphoto Chris Smith
Dems fightin’ words
Published April 13, 2006. Dems fightin’ words I’m wondering if I’m the only one who is starting to get scared of being downtown in Halifax at night. I know way too many people who have been jumped and beaten by groups of 5 to10 people. And for what? The assailants don’t even bother to steal…
“Ssshhhhh” is for libraries, not bars.
Published April 20, 2006. “Ssshhhhh” is for libraries, not bars. The Josh Ritter show on Tuesday night was pretty packed, the show sold out. I’m sure Jenn Grant, who opened for Ritter, is talented and it’s a shame that she wasn’t well received by the crowd. But to the sound guy, whom I overheard telling…
Torngat
TorngatSunday, April 8, 1:10am, at the Marqueephoto David Cieplinski
Movers that were certainly shakers
Published April 06, 2006. Movers that were certainly shakers A big ol’ ‘f-you’ to the huge faceless company that moved my partner and I from Halifax to Ottawa. I guess paying $3000 doesn’t guarantee any sort of quality service. You were more than friendly at the time of signing away our possessions, taking the cheque…
Super-a-hole at the Joe Howe Superstore
Published April 06, 2006. Super-a-hole at the Joe Howe Superstore Hey bud I hope you are reading this. Last night I was leaving the Superstore on Joe Howe and you were standing behind a lady at the bank machine. I said, “excuse me” because I was trying to be polite and didn’t want to bump…
Municipal poster poles, intended to make downtown postering less random and more attractive, are beginning to look awfully unattractive.
Remarks: It’s impossible to completely regulate postering, but the poster poles (like this Spring Garden example, maintained by the DHBC) still make the effort. We’re not opposed to the poles in theory—they provide a valuable service, and their phallic design makes us giggle and blush like a schoolgirl. But the poles are beginning to look…
Some loosely tied-up power lines are dangling at eye level on Cogswell Street.
Remarks: The offending wires have been left to flutter in the breeze near the Centennial Swimming Pool parking lot, exposed ends and all. There doesn’t appear to be any live power flowing through the abandoned cables, but we still wouldn’t recommend chewing on them or putting them anywhere near your face. Anyway, that hardly seems…
A pointy metal fence has been knocked over on the corner of Barrington and George Streets.
Remarks: Of all the structures in this city to end up broken and lying on the ground, this fence would seem an unlikely candidate. It looks (well, looked) like a solidly built piece of downtown fencery—metal (iron?), cast into stone, firmly welded to the ground. What magnificent force of nature toppled this once-proud partition? Phil…
A hunk of curb is missing near the corner of Oxford and Oak Streets.
Remarks: If this sidewalk were a giant set of teeth (it’s not so hard to imagine…all those side-by-side off-white rectangles could be mistaken for chompers), this would be the X-ray that the dentist would soberly examine just before announcing, “Oxford Street, I’m afraid you’ve got gingivitis.” The curb’s demise might have something to do with…
Fucktards with really loud car stereos
Published April 20, 2006. Fucktards with really loud car stereos I don’t know what you are trying to prove with your loud car stereos. Is it that you want attention? Is it like, “Hey look at me and my car stereo, we can rattle windows a 500 paces. I am such a bad dude!!!!” Guess…
Is being a condescending prick the new requirement to bartend?
Published April 20, 2006. Is being a condescending prick the new requirement to bartend? The Economy Shoe Shoppe is my favourite bar in all of Halifax. I love it there. I met some friends there last night (Good Friday), who each had a drink, and went into the bar to ask if I could get…
Pick your poison
Published April 20, 2006. Pick your poison So after a night of pitchers, my friends decide the next stop is some all-night dance place. Not 10 feet inside the club, some 50 Cent knockoff asks if I want any blow or pills. Before I reach the bar, the same thing happens twice more (the last…
Nightime/Anytime (It’s Not Alright)
Published April 20, 2006. Nightime/Anytime (It’s Not Alright) I’d just like to thank the staff for being complete assholes Saturday April 8th when turning the house lights on during the Constantines’ second last song wasn’t enough of a hint that they were past curfew, they had the nerve to cut the PA system (which includes…
Doggie bag
Published April 20, 2006. Doggie bag I live on Agricola Street and my dog just shit on the sidewalk. I pick it up out of respect for my community, just like I shovel the municipality’s sidewalk every winter, just like I move my car across the street for the “street cleaners” that never come. So…
No scents/or little scents is good sense
Published April 27, 2006. No scents/or little scents is good sense What exactly is with women/men that like to really lather themselves up with cheap smelling perfume? Is that you don’t bathe regularly or are you trying to mask cigarette smoke. You don’t smell good and I’d much rather smell cigarette smoke than that other…
Jon Epworth CD release party
Jon Epworth CD release partySunday, April 23, 2:17am at The Atticphoto David Cieplinski
Khyber prom
Khyber promSunday, April 16, 1:30 am, Evolutions Cabaretphoto David Cieplinski
Grand theft auto
Published April 27, 2006. Grand theft auto This is for the asshole who keeps breaking into my car: Looks like you took the small gift of a power drill and all the bits to go with it. Now we need to go out and spend $300 on a new drill so my husband can work!…
Say it, don’t spray it
Published April 27, 2006. Say it, don’t spray it To the stupid asshole(s) who sprayed “Condos = Higer rents in the hood” onto the Lexington building at the corner of Cunard and Robie: You give anarchy and resistance a bad name. 1) You can’t spell ‘higher’? 2) The Lexington is apartments, not condos. 3) Don’t…
Bitter about litter
Published May 04, 2006. Bitter about litter I have to laugh at HRM’s new campaign against littering in the city. The campaign posters that I have seen mention that the average fine for littering in the city is $400.00 and that it costs HRM something like $2 million a year to clean this litter up.…
Fat Halagonians
Published May 04, 2006. Fat Halagonians I’m a public health nurse who must drive her car to work to take care of the ill. My problem lies with the number of bus stops per block!! Two, three, four per block. We wonder why we’re soo fat? Try walking a block and see how good it…
In Honour
Published May 04, 2006. In Honour Lots of griping lately of lowering the flag for our fallen heroes. Why should we forget for one second of what they signed up for and what they ended up with? This was peace keeping and ended up with war. We own the government but they seem to have…
Crowd control
Published May 04, 2006. Crowd control Last week, I proudly attended my son’s graduation from NSCAD. My memory of that day, however, will forever include the morons who sat behind us, screeching and hooting after EVERY grad’s name was announced. Grow up, assholes. My parents endured this inane behaviour until they had to leave. My…
Bigots
Published May 04, 2006. Bigots A small 70s and 80s club downtown is guilty of one of the most despicable acts of bigotry I have ever seen. My wife and I were there recently, and we were enjoying the diversity of the crowd. There were young people, old people, cuties, hounds, and despite a rumoured…
ASSaults
Published May 04, 2006. ASSaults Why is it that every spring there has to be violent attacks by groups of guys in cars??? You know why? Because of their no good parents who by them the car and give them the money to do whatever they want. Forget tracking down these punks, let’s get their…
Welcome to any movie theatre in the city!
Published May 04, 2006. Welcome to any movie theatre in the city! Come in and enjoy our high back seats that haven’t been properly cleaned since they were installed! If you like expensive popcorn, feel free to spend your week’s salary on the best stale popcorn the city has to offer! Our teenaged, sometimes stoned…
What is up there?
Published May 04, 2006. What is up there? Why do most women in this city walk with their noses straight up in the air? You know, I looked there and just saw sky- sometimes it was cloudy, sunny, day time or night time but always sky. Now sometimes men do it too, but who really…
All Charge No Service
Published May 04, 2006. All Charge No Service I was at the box office, no where else is selling the tickets, I took 3 minutes talking to the ticket window person and I payed $14 in service charges for 4 tickets. What the hell am I paying for? If you are going to have this…
Hot headed
Published May 11, 2006. Hot headed All these people are complaining about the avain flu that has been in the news and soon to be in a movie, but we are those to blame. If you consider the way we treat brids, its can be explained. One shed in a chicken or turkey farm can…
CDenied
Published May 04, 2006. CDenied I still like to browse CD stores; I’m not from the iPod generation. So, I’m looking for something new, I flip the CD cover over to see what songs are listed, and oh, I can’t even read them! Why? Because some stupid little tag is stuck directly over the song…
Leïlindel of UnXpect
Leïlindel of UnXpectSunday, April 29, 1:42am, at Speakeasyphoto David Cieplinski
Shove your cover charge
Published May 11, 2006. Shove your cover charge Last night I went out and totally dead bars were charging $4+ for cover. Why should we pay cover? Do the bars think they’re so great that we have to pay to enter their establishment and spend money? Restaurants and all retail business don’t charge cover for…
What the fuck…
Published May 11, 2006. What the fuck… How many fucking cars get broken into in this mother fucking city??? Seriously! You fucking cheap, lazy mother fuckers. Go out and get a fucking job and buy your own shit you jackasses. We all work to get our shit then you lazy pieces of shit get a…
Kitty cruelty
Published May 11, 2006. Kitty cruelty To the sub-sub-sub-sub-sub (I can’t say sub enough) human that recently castrated that eight-week-old dear angel of a kitten with a pair of scissors (RIP, little one): I pride myself on being an extremely non-violent person. However, because of what you did, I’ve allowed myself to think of at…
I am not paying for a dowry
Published May 11, 2006. I am not paying for a dowry There is a fundraising event coming up at the Economy Shoe Shop on May 14th. I think this is ridiculous. An electrical engineer is asking you to give your money so he can buy $10,000cdn worth of cows in order to pay a dowry…
The abandoned lot on the corner of Cogswell and Creighton Streets has started to attract garbage—among other things.
Remarks: Rumour has it the property, damaged by a fire in 2004, was recently sold. Councillor Dawn Sloane, who lives in the area, couldn’t track down the name of the new owner, but says that nearby residents have been murmuring about the sale. Last week, some adventurous artists ventured onto the lot to construct an…
The wheelchair ramp near the Ticket Atlantic Metro Centre entrance on Carmichael Street frequently bears an unfortunate odour.
Remarks: Pee. That’s right, we said it. The ramp often smells of pee. Hardy acknowledges that the pungent problem is legit—“It’s on our everyday patrols, we have to put neutralizer on it,” he says. “There’s another area near Duke Street. We leave the lights on all night to discourage the boys, but it’s hard.” Outdoor…
Two benches near the Park Victoria building on South Park have an identical problem: only one slat apiece to park your backside. Bummer.
Remarks: A call to Park Vic’s Resident Manager office reveals the benches are “partially Metro Transit’s. We asked Metro Transit to put them there years ago and we told them we would look after the maintenance.”—But!—“I would say go to Metro Transit. When we fix it, we go through them.” OK. Metro Transit, your thoughts?…
Distractions at the Oxford
Published May 11, 2006. Distractions at the Oxford Someone needs to tell the projectionist at the Oxford theatre to stop coming and going during the movies – and here I am. The last few times I’ve attended a screening at the Oxford I’ve been annoyed and frustrated with the man walking around the theatre -…
No, why don’t YOU buy it and go home?
Published May 11, 2006. No, why don’t YOU buy it and go home? First a little balance: thanks to Celtic Corner in Dartmouth for hosting David Francey, singer-songwriter-storyteller extraordinaire, last Thursday. And thanks too for employing a top-notch wait staff and for not overcrowding the place. It’s the little things that show an understanding of…
Love this column
Published May 11, 2006. Love this column I just want to thank you people at The Coast for allowing us people this outlet in order to express things that really piss us off. Kudos! Sometimes I really am a bitch
Service This!
Published May 11, 2006. Service This! To the patrons of Tim Hortons: I labour daily at a low-paying, insecure job to provide you with your daily fix, served with a smile. We’re instructed by the drones at Head Office to make sure that our smiles are sincere, which is especially hard to do when dealing…
Failed The Test
Published May 11, 2006. Failed The Test May4-11 issue of The Coast-Fat Halagonians (# of bus stops) and In honour (lowering the flag). I am the writer of both, and this was a test to see if we really like to “bitch” or really have an opinion. Bus stops received 17 responses and lowering the…
Unconnected events
Published May 18, 2006. Unconnected events Several important and seemingly unconnected things happened in the last few weeks. First, Neil Young released his new album Living With War, free for the listening on his website. From the prophetic intonations of After the Garden to the ironic Christmas-carol sentimentality of America the Beautiful, Living With War…
Clear a path
Published May 11, 2006. Clear a path When I’m riding my bike to work, I take the sidewalk. To all the tightwads who tell me to get on the road: I am always mindful of pedestrians. I have never hit anyone, and if I ever did, I’m sure they would not be splattered all over…
Old Man Luedecke
Old Man LuedeckeMay 6, 7:50pm, outside One World Cafephoto David Cieplinski
Car theft
Published May 11, 2006. Car theft To the jackasses that put a rock through my window and stole my cellphone and iPod out of my car – I hope you cut yourself on the window, like I did. I also hope you enjoy the big bucks you’ll get trying to pawn a 2 year old…
Do Unto Others
Published May 18, 2006. Do Unto Others I just wanted to send a huge thank you out to a local pair of folks working in tandem with a large, global oganization, to develop the international recognition of video gaming as a sport. I was contracted to develop a website for this global tournament with a…
Tired out
Published May 18, 2006. Tired out My beef is with a certain Canadian chain store and the literal crap that they sell. I work downtown and on several occasions I have gone to this store to buy appliances for my office. On three separate occasions I have purchased microwaves for our lunchrooms only to find…
Corner Cons
Published May 18, 2006. Corner Cons I’m sick and tired of walking down Barrington and having a cup of change rattling under my nose at every corner. I have seen a few of these people at the NSLC or the lotto booth in Scotia Square at the end of the day spending the cash on…
Lighthouse Choir
Lighthouse ChoirFriday, May 12, 8:47pm at The Pavilion.photo David Cieplinski
Cole Harbour Con
Published May 25, 2006. Cole Harbour Con To the lady (I only use that term cause you are female) who stopped to ask my b/f, myself and many other people for money in the parking lot of the Zellers in Cole Harbour. You are a useless peice of shit who needs to get a job…
Run Support
Published May 25, 2006. Run Support To all my so called “friends” and “family”: What were you up to last Sunday? I’ll tell you one thing you WEREN’T doing: standing at the Bluenose International Marathon finish line where I was dragging my exhausted ass home. This was a BIG ACCOMPLISHMENT for me. I’ve consistently been…
Cell Phone Shitheads
Published May 25, 2006. Cell Phone Shitheads Those fucking specialized rings drive me nuts – especially when you have three or four of them going off in an crowded elevator or bus – if I hear the ‘Sex in the City’ theme song one more time, someone’s lung is going to get pulled through their…
Gary Flanagan
Gary FlanaganSaturday, May 20, 8:44pm, at One World Cafe.photo David Cieplinski
Tit-Head Tailgaters
Published June 01, 2006. Tit-Head Tailgaters To the dumb twat who drives up my ass on the Prospect Road every morning – what is your goddamn problem? Morning after morning, you’re on my fucking bumper with a pained look on your face, like I’m the cause of all your fucking problems. My cruise control is…
Buffalo Butts
Published June 01, 2006. Buffalo Butts I can’t believe the number of grossly overweight women there are in this burg. They seem to be the norm, rather than the exception. I saw one girl last night that could have used her ass for a billboard and then some. I’m not talking about 20 or 30…
Bus swelter
Published June 01, 2006. Bus swelter I have been bitching about this for years. People who travel on Metro Transit buses, please, please, open the freakin’ windows! Every time I get on the bus there are only a couple of windows open, or none open at all. I always open one, or more if possible.…
TV tizzy
Published June 01, 2006. TV tizzy I am totally pissed at Prime for completely revamping their format to that of ‘classic’ tv shows of the ’80’s and ’90’s. The only reason I even bothered tuning in to Prime every night after work was to watch re-runs of arguably the greatest tv show of all time,…
Disgusted by Animal Cruelty
Published June 01, 2006. Disgusted by Animal Cruelty On behalf of all the animal lovers out there, I am writing in regards to the piece of crap who decided to mutilate that poor kitten!!! What the hell were you thinking??? This is proof that there should obviously be better screening done on people before they…
Swan enemy
Published June 01, 2006. Swan enemy The other day, as we were walking through the Public Gardens in downtown Halifax, we stopped to admire the swans. We noticed three maintenance workers working in the pond where the swans were. The curious swans were an annoyance to the workers, and the workers were trying continuously to…
DD/MM/YYYY
DD/MM/YYYYPre-show indie rock soccer game on the Common, 5:30 pm, Friday, May 26.photo David Cieplinski
Copped out
Published May 25, 2006. Copped out I would like to extend my many thanks to the nice Halifax Regional Municipality policeman driving the dark blue Jeep Cherokee who nearly ran me down in the middle of the Prince and Lower Water Street intersection on Friday, May 19, at 12:50pm. I know your window was only…
In the absence of plants, vacant sidewalk planters on Portland Street in Dartmouth have become makeshift garbage cans. Friggin’ ew.
Remarks: According to Bray, the planters haven’t been cleaned out because they’re about to be removed from the street entirely. “When the prime contractor first put these in, we found they were not satisfactory,” he says. Replacement planters of a higher quality are supposedly on the way; Bray says the garbage-gathering planters are scheduled for…
A Dalhousie University rock wall near Coburg is suffering from de-rockification.
Who’s Responsible?: Dalhousie University Facilities Management client reception, 494-3345. Remarks: See, this is why you should never trust gravity. Dal’s Facilities Management assistant director Peter Howitt says this isn’t the first time the rock wall has come undone. “The wall is a loose ‘rubble’ design held in place by gravity,” he says. “We’ve had to…
There’s only one bike rack outside the Halifax ferry terminal, leaving sea-faring bikers without much space to park their ride.
Remarks: The Capital District’s head office is located on the second floor of the ferry terminal building; it’s a wonder they haven’t noticed this problem themselves. Only one rack, and not exactly placed in the friendliest location—shoved underneath a dreary concrete overhang. Quick, Robin, to the bike cave! Every summer, the circular roadway outside the…
Sunbathing feminine products found on Crystal Crescent Beach.
Remarks: It may be gross, but beached tampon applicators are a naturally occurring phenomenon, part of the never-ending circle of life. Observe. Woman buys tampon. Woman flushes plastic tampon applicator. Tampon applicator goes on a magical journey through the Halifax sewer system and becomes…the SS Tampon Applicator. The good ship Tampax, now adrift in the…
Art Supply Store
Published June 07, 2006. Art Supply Store I usually shop at Loomis but today I was near another art supply store and thought I would check it out. This was my first and last time. The employees were rude and seemed very unhappy, cranky and unwilling to help. Also, most items were priced higher than…
Celebrity Babies
Published June 07, 2006. Celebrity Babies What is it with our society that people are so obsessed with celebrities and their offspring? I am so annoyed with “brangelina” and if I have to see one more article or show on them I am going to throw up! I can’t believe that CNN would even report…
Tim Horton’s
Published June 07, 2006. Tim Horton’s How can people drink and eat their wretched swill? The coffee tastes like bitter dishwater and I won’t even want to think of all the chemicals there are in their pastries. Their soup is blander than Steven Harper and the sandwiches have the texture of dried tortoise fetus tofu…
MSVU TV sucks
Published June 07, 2006. MSVU TV sucks Whoa! MSVU is a great little school, and the TV idea has so much potential…so why does it seem like everytime I come across channel 33 it’s like watching the credits to a shitty episode of Blossom? The music, the clothes, the production quality…exactly who are they trying…
Why this name/title?
Published June 07, 2006. Why this name/title? I think I’m probably going to get Flamed on this (?), but here goes… This site could be called “Rants” or “Fulminations” or “Bugged By” or “Pissed Off With” etc.- I’m no writer but I bet there’s lots of cool, pithy title-options out there. Let’s see…. Hmmm..m.m.m.mmm… “Bitch”…
All rocked out
Published June 07, 2006. All rocked out I am sick and tired of all these cookie-cutter bands in Halifax. Each week I pick up the Coast I see the same shit 4 piece indie-rock group in some alluring pose some first year NSCAD student took with his/hers fathers old 35mm. What is up with this?…
Shell-shocked
Published June 07, 2006. Shell-shocked To the little fuckers who keep egging my mom’s house in the south end — congratulations! You’ve succeeded in upsetting a sweet, kind lady who never did anything to hurt anyone, who won’t even call the police on you cause she’s too nice! She’s been out there for an hour…
Can I Kick It? A Caffeine Habit in Jeopardy.
Published June 07, 2006. Can I Kick It? A Caffeine Habit in Jeopardy. It has come to my attention that the one fair-trade, non-chain coffee establishment within close walking distance of one of this city’s more prominent institutions of post-secondary education has suffered the managerial decision to outlaw music falling outside the realm of top-forty…
Downtown Traffic
Published June 15, 2006. Downtown Traffic A boot to the head to drivers who ignore red lights, especially northbound on Barrington Street during supper hour. I don’t need you and your vehicle stuck in the middle of the intersection so that everyone coming up Prince is blocked when the light turns green. Tired of waiting…
The Vote???
Published June 15, 2006. The Vote??? Every vote counts, the problem is we can not vote for what counts. NDP, PC, Liberal, Green… blah blah blah.. Who ever is elected in does not count, what counts is what the corporations want. What the rich elite who run our western world want. Building a North American…
In concert
Published June 15, 2006. In concert To the selfish bastard who cut the first, most perfect iris from our garden: may you wither and die in concert with that flower. Flowerman
Gossips
Published June 22, 2006. Gossips You stand in mothly clothes behind pulled curtains, peaking through cracks at the world. Or you listen with a smile on the phone hearing about the struggles of others. You an addict! You need something bad to spread about others people your own life is nothing–absolutely nothing. You like to…
Slugbait
SlugbaitSpeakeasy, Sunday, May 4, 1:32 am.photo David Cieplinski
Decent Dad
Published June 22, 2006. Decent Dad Sunday; you were walking through our Soccer game on the commons wearing the kind of clothes and walking with the kind of swagger that said “don’t F### with me” loud and clear. One of the players was chasing a ball and nearly barelled over the 8-year old walking with…
Old’ Walt
Published June 15, 2006. Old’ Walt Lilo and Stitch, fro old’ Walt Disney had an episode where a new creature had big floppy ears, and a speaker in his tail. They listened in on private conversations; confused the facts. Everything was misinterpreted and made a hell of a mess. An argument saying the creature was…
You got served
Published June 15, 2006. You got served Firstly, how insulting it was for me to go the “HRM Customer Service Centre” to pay off my parking ticket. How about “HRM Resident Service Centre”? I am not a customer of Halifax, thank you very much. Before I even made it to the Customer (aargh!) Service Centre,…
I can hear IT, but no one can hear ME
Published June 15, 2006. I can hear IT, but no one can hear ME Since it seems no one in the Halifax bar scene understands acoustics or soundboards… maybe I can get through to someone this way. Volume (and bass) doesn’t have to be maxed for music to sound good. If it does, the music…
Don’t cross me
Published June 15, 2006. Don’t cross me To the fucking imbecile who pedalled off the bike path and across the road just around the blind corner that is the Macdonald Bridge exit down to Barrington: There is a railing along most of that path to prevent people from doing exactly that. When I locked up…
Citadel Hell
Published June 15, 2006. Citadel Hell It is 2:51AM Saturday morning, in the North End. Whichever band it is that’s badly playing Pearl Jam covers on Citadel Hill, please die in a fire. Man-rock Blues
Intersection Idiots
Published June 15, 2006. Intersection Idiots I’m an ECE (early childhood educator aka teacher) and I work downtown Halifax. Everyday my co-worker and I take our children outside for a walk and I’m so sick of walking in a crosswalk when there are some assholes in their cars that try to speed by us. Geez…
Bottled rage
Published June 15, 2006. Bottled rage To the scavenger outside my window early Tuesday morning: I don’t reallly give a shit if you want to paw through the garbage for my apartment building, but do you have to do it at 6AM??? Most people, unlike you, have jobs that they have to go to, and…
The Company Store
Published June 15, 2006. The Company Store I just moved to Halifax from Toronto and I can not believe the state of affairs with regards to renting apartments in this fair city. The feudal process of ‘applying’ to rent an apartment in which you need to provide your previous landLORD’s name and number so they…
Dickall Centre
Published June 15, 2006. Dickall Centre I took my 91 year old grandmother for tests a few weeks ago. The old lady is blind and can’t walk very well. Getting her in the lobby was like organizing a military maneover. I tried to find her a wheelchair so I could wheel her to her appointment…
Traditional dancers at Greek Fest
Traditional dancers at Greek FestSaturday, June 10, 8:30pm.photo Darryl James
Non customer service
Published June 22, 2006. Non customer service To the proprietors of a certain Pizza shop in Halifax’s North End…this is a free market society. You do not get to choose which of the three “convenience” stores in our neighborhood we use. Maybe if you stop hitting on every woman who enters, or returning the wrong…
Why bother taking reservations???
Published June 22, 2006. Why bother taking reservations??? I called a moving company on May 24th to book a truck for my move on July 1st. I made a reservation for a 10’ truck from 9am June 30th to July 2nd at 9am. I was assured that there would be a truck available for that…
Pay to pray
Published June 29, 2006. Pay to pray A woman I know told me this morning that her son has cancer. I told her I’d light a candle for her at St. Mary’s Basilica. I lit a few candles, including one for this woman and one for my mother, who is also unwell. There was one…
Just trying to get errands done
Published June 29, 2006. Just trying to get errands done To the annoying UNICEF, Greenpeace and Aminsty International idoits, I only have so much time durning my lunch break or trying to get to the bus stop after work…. I don’t have time to chit chat… I know what your charity’s do. For all the…
Down Town Mannequins
Published June 29, 2006. Down Town Mannequins I think that it is hilarious to go down town now a days and see all these meat-heads dressed up like they have class. You don’t have class. You dress like every other meat-head in this city, your collared “dress” shirts don’t fit and look like they were…
Cell Phone + Inattention = Asshole Drivers
Published June 29, 2006. Cell Phone + Inattention = Asshole Drivers That’s fucking it. I’ve had it with you dumb twats who blab on their cells while driving. I don’t know how many times I’ve been nearly smashed into because of these inattentive, moronic drivers. Listen up, shitheads, you can’t drive a 2000 pound plus…
Hourglass Class
Hourglass ClassThursday, June 15, Gorsebrook Lounge.photo David Cieplinski
Run don’t Walk!
Published June 29, 2006. Run don’t Walk! To the asshole driving a large Black van/truck on friday june22 on the corner of North and Robie streets at about 2pm; Is the exterior color of your car sucking the vision out of your ugly, getting nowhere fast face? It was a green light and I did…
Busses left to idle at terminals.
Remarks: Oh, buses. We like you, honest we do. But why must you be so loud? And smelly? And unwilling to take us to the airport? (Oops, separate problem.) Spokesperson Lori Patterson offered the Metro Transit house policy on idling: “When our busses are in the garage, we operate under a three to five minute…
A once-proud billboard lies in tatters on the corner of Barrington and Cornwallis, messing up an otherwise perfectly nice patch of green space.
Remarks: We spoke with George Hallett, in charge of sales and operations at Halifax’s CBS Outdoor office. He assured us that the downed poster would be addressed. So what caused this unsightly mess? In the immortal words of Milli Vanilli, blame it on the rain. “The billboards are a special paper and then a water-based…
Construction of the new Citadel High School has muscled in on the Bengal Lancers, our fave equine urbanites. Is this the end of Halifax’s voyeuristic obsession with jumping show-horsies?
Remarks: The Lancers are indeed moving, but not far. Their new permanent home will be right across the street from their old site. Barker describes the move as win-win-win; win for horsie lovers—“You’ll be able to watch us ride sitting on the grass under a tree rather than in the dust through a board fence”—win…
Snack attack
Published June 29, 2006. Snack attack To the carload of brats who threw what appeared to be a half-eaten hamburger at two women walking up Lacewood Drive last Sunday afternoon: I blame your parents. Kids don’t raise themselves. And the fact that you think this was funny is proof that your parents failed in some…
Car bombed
Published July 06, 2006. Car bombed Twice in the last week I have been pelted with objects thrown by teenagers in moving cars. Once it was a water balloon—I didn’t mind that so much. But the second time it was a fucking milkshake. Then I read last week’s Bitch about some punks throwing a hamburger…
Respect the Veterans
Published July 06, 2006. Respect the Veterans Wow, awesome. Pissing on the Canadian War Memorial, on Canada Day. Nothing says ‘Thanks for serving our country!’ like urinating on THE symbol of the sacrifices made by the many men and women that were killed while wearing the uniform. The worst part is, the only charges that…
Aggressive Panhandlers
Published July 06, 2006. Aggressive Panhandlers Rattlin’ cups aside, this city should have a law controlling aggressive panhandlers like the dude that cruises the Rainne Drive/North Park Street every supper hour. This mother walks right up to your frigging car, looking for Aqua Velvet money – that’s aggressive panhandling and in many major cities, it’s…
Cleanin’ In the Rain
Published July 13, 2006. Cleanin’ In the Rain Can someone please explain the logic to me behind street-cleaning in the pouring rain? Seems like a waste of tax money? logical cleaner
Why we have rush hour traffic
Published July 13, 2006. Why we have rush hour traffic Out there somewhere in this city there is some guy (or woman) who is in charge of making rush hour go smoother; I submit this, in the hopes of him somehow getting wind of this. If you’re that guy, or know that guy, tell him…
Church crusaders
Published July 13, 2006. Church crusaders I’ve never heard someone who works at a Church yell until this past sunday when we were kicked out of the parking lot. At the Happiest Church in Halifax, if you’re not a happy Christian then you are tresspassing on “church property, private property”. So says the man in…
Screw NSPC
Published June 29, 2006. Screw NSPC What the hell is it with that monopoly??? They put on their bills “Contact us to make payment arrangements” and then they refuse to make any kind of arrangements whatsoever!!! F*cking Corporate Mafiosas!!! Here’s to living off the grid! F*ck Nova Scotia Power Corporation and all their fat assed…
Farewell to Ms Nova Scotia
Published June 29, 2006. Farewell to Ms Nova Scotia Farewell to Nova Scotia, you backwards ‘Alabama of the North’. I loved you, but you just couldn’t stay up to date, do the things I wanted to do, or accept me for who I am. Sure, I supported you for a while, but you took me…
Shoot, coward, you are only going to kill a man
Published June 29, 2006. Shoot, coward, you are only going to kill a man A giant FUCK YOU to all those kids out there acting and dressing like thugs and gangsters. You look foolish and you don’t scare anyone. The only reason why people may cross the street when you come is to save you…
Kamran of Dr. dFunkt
Kamran of Dr. dFunktFriday, June 23, 12:39am, at The Frigate.photo David Cieplinski
I’ll get roasted for this…but…
Published July 06, 2006. I’ll get roasted for this…but… I am so so so sick of hearing people whine and bitch about not having Sunday shopping…suck it up, go for a walk, or a movie, go out to supper, spend time with your kids, DEAL WITH IT! I hate the comment ‘We only have one…
Grump about Gottingen Street
Published July 06, 2006. Grump about Gottingen Street Has anyone noticed how ugly and unsightly this street is? I mean why doesn’t the city do something to clean-up some of the butt ugly and abandoned looking buildings? What the frak is up that building with all the freakin’ sh*t piled in it’s window? that guy…
Kiss my glass
Published July 06, 2006. Kiss my glass To all you punks who just LOVE the sound of breaking glass: I’m sure you get an erotic rush hearing that sweet ringing, tinkling sound as you send thousands of tiny and not so tiny sharp items all over the place—let alone the magnificent sparkle it creates. Oh…
Policing the supermarket
Published July 06, 2006. Policing the supermarket What the fuck is up with the HRM police showing up at the Superstore to measure floor area to ensure all floor space is in compliance with legislation? Do we not face a bigger concern with the violence occuring all over this fucking city? This fucking province is…
Small Sins
Small SinsSunday, July 2, 12:26am, at Stage Nine.photo David Cieplinski
Thanks for the local support
Published July 13, 2006. Thanks for the local support Yo Poopsie! It’s me… the local who pays your tips the OTHER 3 seasons of the year when flush tourist is NOT here. Me, who does not complain when you chop and price your menu WAY up on the waterfront for tourist season, me who doesn’t…
Lock and load
Published July 13, 2006. Lock and load I work in a small downtown boutique, and this goes out to all the shopping cyclists: add one item to the very top of your shopping list—a bike lock. Our store’s physical space is reserved so customers can move freely about the store. You can’t store your bike…
Rotary Retards
Published July 13, 2006. Rotary Retards A friend of mine was yielding to traffic in the Armdale rotary circle when he was rear-ended from behind. So you know what Colliding Clyde says to my buddy? “I thought the rotary was one on one.” What the fuck did that have to do with anything? He slammed…
Roger Ebert Wannabe
Published July 13, 2006. Roger Ebert Wannabe This is to the older dude who works at a certain public library – please don’t approach me in the DVD section and hand me some fucking movie I have no interest in, then go on and on and on about how good it is. What you consider…
It’s Getting Worse….
Published July 20, 2006. It’s Getting Worse…. Between Barrington Street and Spring Garden Road, while on lunch, I encountered, at least, seven or eight bums looking for loot. The jig is up, you lazy bastards, I wouldn’t give you a smell of two cents let alone one penny of my own money. I cannot believe…
Tired of being conned at concerts
Published July 20, 2006. Tired of being conned at concerts Movies start on time. Hockey games start on time. Theatre starts on time. Even little kids’ Christmas concerts get going within 15 or 20 minutes of the advertised start time So why the fuck do concert promoters and club owners think they can start things…
If it’s too loud…
Published July 20, 2006. If it’s too loud… I’m so fed up with grey power. These old fucks take up way too much space and their demands are out of control. I couldn’t believe it when I moved here and was told by the landlord that there’s a by-law that restricts noise after 9:30pm on…
Roger Wilco
Published July 20, 2006. Roger Wilco Finally, a band comes to town that is worth leaving my fortress of solitude to see and it took all my superpower patience not to let the incredible number of ignorant no-manners idiots ruin, what is now on my top ten best concerts ever seen to date list,my night…
Clutch performance
Published July 20, 2006. Clutch performance To the two impatient bitches behind my stalled car on Young Avenue Monday night: Go screw yourselves. Clearly Daddy bought you an automatic and you’ve never had to learn to do anything that took any skill. I take solace in the fact that I likely have more intelligence in…
VG Transition Unit for the Elderly
Published July 27, 2006. VG Transition Unit for the Elderly There’s no way that these poor seniors should be living with such poor air quality, filthy laundry and rusty equipment – isn’t hospital food punishment enough for these poor individuals? What a horrible way to treat people who have paid taxes for 50+ years, shoving…
MSTRKRFT
MSTRKRFTTuesday, July 18, 2:17am, at The Attic.photo David Cieplinski
Rim job
Published July 13, 2006. Rim job To the city hick that rammed the back tire of my bike in the South End: Listen you sheep-fucking diesel-junkie capitalist, that’s my transportation! I was just picking up a component for my neo-Marxist machine when instead of backing up, you pushed the gas and bent my back rim.…
Flower pot man
Published July 20, 2006. Flower pot man What the hell was the guy in Truro doing watering plants (the plants at the top of poles) yesterday morning in the pouring rain!!! What a waste of the taxpayers money! I hope the Mayor of Truro reads this !! Trying to understand the mentality of people in…
Almost! We almost caught the city with a ripped Canadian flag on Canada Day!
Remarks: Almost! We almost caught the city with a ripped Canadian flag on Canada Day! However, to their credit, the city replaced the flag over the course of our week long investigation, and a brand new flag was flapping at press time. “We know the flag you’re talking about, and it is indeed ours,” said…
Something is definitely amiss with this swing set, near Green Village Lane in Dartmouth—they’ve got the set, but where’s the swing?
Remarks: Look on the bright side, kids: You’ve lost a swing set, but you’ve gained a chin-up bar! Darren Deion, a PW employee, tells us that quite a few municipal swing sets are currently out of commission—and that there’s a perfectly good explanation. “A lot of these sites are going to be lacking their swings…
These “helpful” blue signs that line the waterfront aren’t displaying anything but this ugly grey rectangle. What’s that supposed to be? Fog?
Remarks: The signs are supposed to display “Harbour Walk” maps, pointing out pretty things to look at along the waterfront—but without the maps, the signs themselves are an eyesore. We’ll pause while you appreciate the irony of the situation…OK, all set? Strathdee says the signs have been sent away for “refurbishment.” “They’re changing the Sheraton,…
Actually, it’s what’s still wrong—drainage problems in the planters near the Halifax North Memorial Public Library.
Remarks: We’ve already ranted about the stagnant water that collects in the planters—we issued a ticket about this problem last November. Eight months and one fantastically rainy summer later, progress is flowing…albeit at a trickle. “The two out front along the sidewalk have been fixed in the last three weeks,” says MacMillan. “But there’s still…
Bus Driving Bozo
Published July 27, 2006. Bus Driving Bozo Yesterday, I almost got creamed by one of those fugly big accordian buses turning on to Rainne Drive by the Red Cross building. The stupid driver didn’t even look to see if any traffic was coming before she turned. I had to screech to a halt, only a…
Where’s my Friend?
Published July 27, 2006. Where’s my Friend? Why is it that as soon as my friend gets a boyfriend it’s like we disappear?….. We of course have to pick up the pieces when it falls apart. Friend Who
Cocksucker cops.
Published July 27, 2006. Cocksucker cops. To the cocksucker cop who called me a cunt and then threw me in the paddy wagon Saturday night because I told him to stop standing around with his thumb up his ass and oh I don’t know…maybe go out to Spryfield and solve a murder – you can…
There is no God.
Published July 27, 2006. There is no God. To the group of conservative, god fearing, asshole pro-lifers (find them at abortionNO.org) who lined both sides of Barrington Street during Monday morning rush hour traffic (July 24): I understand that you think that abortion is murder, but thanks to you altar boy fucking cunts I had…
Barrington Street barf
Published July 27, 2006. Barrington Street barf Just want to say thanks to the anti-abortion activists lined up on Barrington Street on Monday morning. It wasn’t enough that it was pissing down, I mean what the hell were you thinking? I know you are trying to raise public awareness, (and you certainly did succeed in…
You’re embarassing yourselves.
Published July 27, 2006. You’re embarassing yourselves. To everyone in this city that chooses to wear crocs – what the fuck is wrong with you? They’re ugly, they’re tasteless, they’re plastic, they have totally unnecessary holes (are you trying to be aerodynamic?) and they have no place outside of the garden. I see kids wearing…
Subhuman nature
Published July 27, 2006. Subhuman nature To the subhuman who dragged his dog across the Common on Saturday afternoon, hoisted it onto his shoulders—causing the dog to yelp in pain—and then eventually slammed the dog on the ground so hard that it couldn’t move for several seconds: you are one miserable lowlife. You deserve to…
Public disgrace
Published July 27, 2006. Public disgrace At the Queen Street Sobeys on July 22, I had the opportunity to overhear two store employees commenting negatively and laughing about other gay Sobeys employees and the Pride parade. These two young men obviously have issues and should learn to be aware that such talk in a public…
The Cliks
The CliksSaturday, July 22, 5:25pm, on the Common.photo David Cieplinski
Cooterville junction
Published August 03, 2006. Cooterville junction To the girl who gets “humped” on Bauer Street every GD night: get some AC and shut the hell up. Or at least have the courtesy to close your window. I’m sick of being woken up by your crappy, drawn out, wild animal kingdom orgasms, and so is everyone…
Kim Barlow
Kim BarlowSunday, July 30, 4:44pm, at One World Cafe.photo David Cieplinski
The Halifax waterfront features an uninterrupted boardwalk—except for this patch of gravel near Bishop’s Landing. What gives?
Remarks: Nunn isn’t exactly responsible, but he does have answers. According to the province, the spot wasn’t developed in 2000 because there were no proposals for the area then. Now, Centennial Group is working on a development agreement that would bridge the gravel gap. An application, “which includes a hotel, residential units, an urban park,”…
No chews is good chews
Published August 10, 2006. No chews is good chews I’ll admit it, I’m easily irritated when it comes to people eating around me. I hate the lip-smack, slurp-up, munch-munch of people chewing their food. This is why I was so sickened when you started eating an apple in the office across from mine as loud…
Keep The Pride
Published August 03, 2006. Keep The Pride For a week every July, I feel am proud to witness all the progression our city makes to involve queer folks in the community. It seems, however, that this is the only time we Haligonians want to show our pride. Part of the reason our city is so…
Looking for a Life
Published August 10, 2006. Looking for a Life To the fucking bastard who took my wallet on the weekend and tried to use my credit card, I hope the police catch up with your fucking sorry ass. Why couldn’t you just take the credit cards and leave me my life. Pissed Off Life Stolen
Cowardly Bastard
Published August 03, 2006. Cowardly Bastard So HONEY, you decide after six years of marriage that ‘you’re not happy’ and ‘you can’t do it anymore’. That’s fine. I can respect your feelings. But to fucking do it via a cocksucking TEXT MESSAGE? How fucking lame. Take your e-dick and go e-fuck yourself, jackass. Psycho Butterfly
See no evil
Published August 10, 2006. See no evil To the jerk who made fun of the man with the bi-focals: He wears them because he is legally blind. That would explain the white cane he uses as well. Just because someone is blind doesn’t mean they are deaf. Keep your mean comments to yourself next time.…
To all the pervs out there
Published August 03, 2006. To all the pervs out there I am so sick of walking down the road, and having guys honk their horns, yell obscenities, followed up with the equally obscene gesture, just because I am of the female persuasion. I would love it if when you are doing this, that your girlfriend,…
Bully for you
Published August 17, 2006. Bully for you There is this guy I see around the city—on the bus, at the malls, etc.—and he has to be one of the most aggressive, angry individuals I have ever seen. I had a run in with him once and just put it down to him having a bad…
People are fucking knobs
Published August 03, 2006. People are fucking knobs To the asshole(s) that broke the big flower pot at Saege before 4am July 28th. What’s the point of it? Who are you trying to impress? I hope someday someone sees you breaking public property again and gives you a swift kick in the face and plasters…
Someone is killing the north end’s pedestrian signals, pedestrians lights that don’t light up.
Remarks: On the way to investigate a reader’s report about one blown light, we stumbled across a couple more. And that’s probably just the tip of the incandescent iceberg. Fillipone has to keep around 5,000 bulbs screwed in at 240 “signalized intersections” across the city; he aims to get repairs made within 24 working hours…
Red light Runner
Published August 03, 2006. Red light Runner To the bitch who ran the red light at Windsor and Bayers Road while I was biking through the intersection friday night. Are you fucking blind? The light was red way before you even got to the intersection. You just about killed me you fucking bitch! Close call…
Deema and Nick Nonsense
Deema and Nick NonsenseSunday, August 6, 2:22 am, at Evolve.photo Ryan Whynott
Handicapped parking isn’t a waiting spot
Published August 03, 2006. Handicapped parking isn’t a waiting spot To the jackass in his new Suburu wagon with his kids in the back seat parked in the Handicap parking, waiting for his wife to come out of the Starbucks. When I told you it wasn’t a waiting space, and you said you would move…
Shut your face
Published August 03, 2006. Shut your face This is an open letter to all you Chatty Cathys and Loose-Lip Louies—I don’t go to live shows to listen to you yammer on about how your boyfriend’s cheating or how your roommate never cleans the toilet. It must be nice to be so rich that you can…
Creeps on Dartmouth Waterfront
Published August 03, 2006. Creeps on Dartmouth Waterfront To the creeps who now inhabit the waterfront park by the Dartmouth Ferry Terminal: Why can’t you be human beings and let people walk in peace, secure in the notion that they are not being cruised? Do you think it’s attractive to a stranger to see you…
May you choke on your smoke
Published August 03, 2006. May you choke on your smoke To all the fuckers who feel that they have the right to light up a cigarette on the beach at Shubie Park. For fucks sake, look around you, all you see are tons of kids !!! The beach is too small for everyone to not…
A stop sign means…STOP
Published August 03, 2006. A stop sign means…STOP I live right at the corner of South and Barrington, and in the past week I’ve seen about three idiots cruise right through the stop sign there. Get a fucking clue! That intersection is so busy and there are constantly other cars and people crossing there. Pay…
Palace bouncers
Published August 03, 2006. Palace bouncers On Sunday night I went to the palace to meet up with visiting relatives and got a little carried away with the dollar drinks. Leaving my relatives side I headed to the bar placing my purse on top of it. A bouncer approached me telling me I had to…
Bitch ’bout baby strollers on buses
Published August 03, 2006. Bitch ’bout baby strollers on buses Just curious if anyone has any opinions on how safe it is when 2 women get on a metro transit bus and occupy the seats at the front of the bus on opposite sides of the aisle? Basically what you get is an extremely narrow…
The “Naval Dockyard Clock” near the Halifax ferry terminal has stopped at 6:04, which makes it accurate exactly twice a day.
Remarks: The placard at the base of the clock says that it’s wound twice a week, and is accurate to within a minute—which means someone hasn’t been minding their winding duties. “The clock is HRM, and we’re responsible for repair,” says the city’s streetscape coordinator Stewart MacMillan. “But the winding of the clock is the…
Take the bus!
Published August 17, 2006. Take the bus! To the stupid bitch who was driving the tracker in Bedford today (Sunday) and decided to stop suddenly and do a u-turn into Sobey’s sticking your tounge out at us as you went: YOU ARE A STUPID BITCH! Shit like that causes accidents and although you may not…
Blues at 2 a.m.
Published August 17, 2006. Blues at 2 a.m. To the goddamn tool who played his repetitive blues shit on Young Street near Connolly in the middle of the night – thanks for keeping me up listening to your lousy crap over and over and over again. If you want to make that much fucking noise,…
Challenge
Published August 17, 2006. Challenge Ok, so I challenge this bitch session! Why continue to bitch? Why not balance the universe with a little nonbitchiness. Let me begin what hopefully will catch on. I would like to express gratitude to the people who work at the Clayton Park vet hospital. They are GREAT. Every time…
Use of force
Published August 17, 2006. Use of force To the Sackville cop who smashed my kid’s face on the hood of your car after he was handcuffed: You let the adult he was with get away, and you took your anger out on my son. Congratulations, by the way, on confiscating the sweatshirt of the adult…
Yucky Yucky
Published August 24, 2006. Yucky Yucky As a mid-20 year old girl who has worked in the Halifax retail and restaurant sectors for the past 2 years this is a message to all you “Yummy Mummies”: I realize that you have nothing else to do with your little precious time and jobless days while you…
Rated “Arrgh!”
Published August 24, 2006. Rated “Arrgh!” I’m sick and tired of going to restricted movies and seeing little kids there. I saw Snakes on a Plane last night and when I was walking out I saw a 10-year-old. This movie had nudity, lots of swearing and it was very violent. I always feel uncomfortable when…
We really couldn’t afford the window
Published August 24, 2006. We really couldn’t afford the window We can’t really understand why you’d want our truck. That took a lot of balls though, to smash the window out right in our driveway. In a residential area of Dartmouth. Sorry you didn’t get it, we’ve made sure you never will. That hot for…
Market street mayhem
Published August 24, 2006. Market street mayhem To all you drunks that walk down market street after the bar closes stop your noise and have some consideration for those who are trying to sleep and stop your bitching espcially the girl at 4 am Sunday, August 20, 2006. Yelling and screaming at some guy that…
How is this healthy?
Published August 24, 2006. How is this healthy? Alright, so healthcare in this country is (Let’s face it) in shambles. We’re struggling to ensure that we come up with a plan of action so that our future generations will have access to these services.. Fine. Cut a few corners, buy some cheaper goods. But -…
Waiting in Limbo…
Published August 24, 2006. Waiting in Limbo… It’s irritating enough to have to wait at the various Superstore parcel pickup areas for sometimes up to fifteen minutes before a clerk will clue in that there’s someone there. However, my real beef is with the fucking morons that use that area to wait for whoever, effectively…
Way to go, Vandals
Published August 24, 2006. Way to go, Vandals I’m so sick of the fuckwads who regularly vandalize the bus shelters at Victoria and Primrose Sts. in the North end of Dartmouth. You jackasses obviously don’t take the bus, otherwise you’d know that waiting in the rain and snow with no shelter really SUCKS. Especially if…
Unfair tones
Published August 24, 2006. Unfair tones I’m sick and tired of having to travel far and wide just to find make up that matches my skin tone. I live and work in downtown Halifax and not one of the drug stores carry make up suitable for my skin. It’s either “fair” or “fair-medium” tones, i’m…
Lacewood is NOT the center of the universe…
Published August 24, 2006. Lacewood is NOT the center of the universe… To all the arseholes living on Lacewood Drive who leave the ass-ends of their vehicles sticking out over the sidewalk: FUCK YOU. Who the fuck do you think you are? Do you not realize how many people walk up and down that street…
TV Superstars
Published August 24, 2006. TV Superstars To all you fucking people who just enjoy to complain about everything. While watching the evening news tonight, they interviewed numerous people who were complaining about the Rolling Stones concert and the fact that the surrounding streets will be closed off…They insisted that they were not given enough time….THEY…
Yard Sale Shysters
Published August 17, 2006. Yard Sale Shysters I couldn’t believe the number of greedy flea market assholes who swarmed at my yard sale last weekend a FULL HOUR before I opened. You conniving bastards wanted my stuff at half price the asking price when I KNOW FULL WELL YOU’RE GOING TO SELL THEM AT YOUR…
It’s to SUPPORT charity, asshole, not STEAL from it!
Published August 24, 2006. It’s to SUPPORT charity, asshole, not STEAL from it! Last fall, I bought a magnetic pink ribbon for my car, in support of research into the causes and someday a cure for breast cancer. This spring, it disappeared from my car while we were in a mall parking lot. In May,…
Geezer Handholding Couples
Published August 17, 2006. Geezer Handholding Couples I suppose you old geezers think it’s cute walking downtown holding hands, taking up the whole fucking sidewalk. I’ve been behind too many of these cutsie boomer couples, strolling around like 13 year olds instead of the wrinkly old farts they really are. Get moving, Gramps and Granny,…
Do not enjoy holding doors for fun
Published August 24, 2006. Do not enjoy holding doors for fun You know I really don’t mind holding the door open for you, infact I do it all the time. Im a polite person and If your walking behind me I will gladly hold the door or wait until you have a hold of it…
Walk Out of WALK-INs
Published August 24, 2006. Walk Out of WALK-INs To the wonderfully NON- helpful doctor at the Portland St. Family Walk-In Clinic: thanks for snidely dismissing my newly pregnant wife’s serious questions, and generally being a disgrace to your profession. It was much appreciated that you refused to refer my wife to any pre-natal clinic, or…
Sicko!
Published August 24, 2006. Sicko! I just read in the paper about some digusting asshole who castrated a seven week old kitten with a pair of scissors. That kitten ended up dying 4 days later. Who are these people? A grown man mutilated a tiny, defenceless kitten. I think it would fitting that someone take…
I need my licence
Published August 24, 2006. I need my licence I really, really love it when: I am trying to catch the bus that will take me to work when all of a sudden it pulls away from the curb after I have been not just walking but really running fast flailing my arms in the air…
To Dartmouth’s errrr… Finest
Published August 31, 2006. To Dartmouth’s errrr… Finest When the police are called nightly to “tha corner” of Kennedy & Churchill it is because the 15-25 year old crackhead pushers & skank ho’s voices ECHO through ALL neighbouring buildings. It makes me sick to see you sit in your vehicle watching – fearful to get…
Bo Diddley
Bo DiddleyFriday, August 11, 10:22pm, at Alderney Landing.photo Paul Hammond
Backstage at NOFX
Published August 24, 2006. Backstage at NOFX To the greasy haired, big ass glassed bitch who kicked me out from the backstage of the NOFX concert. I had a fuckin back stage pass in hand (that was legit) and because you had to play this high and mighty dumb bitch, I didnt get to fullfill…
Denied pie
Published August 24, 2006. Denied pie I am so mad at all those people who ruined ordering pizza if you live in the north end! I guess my pizza place of choice must’ve had too many bad experiences down here, ’cause I can’t get them to deliver to me on Gottingen. I hate being lumped…
Rock the Plank
Rock the PlankMonday, August 21, 11:12pm, The Silva.photo David Cieplinski
DOWN WITH THE FRUMP!
Published August 31, 2006. DOWN WITH THE FRUMP! In light of the coming “Croc backlash”, and to just about everyone in the city, please give up the flippin frumpiness in the way you dress! What is it with this town anyway? It seems everyone either has to take on a very conservative Jack Frasier/nerd golf…
Sick of ignorant prick smokers
Published August 31, 2006. Sick of ignorant prick smokers I am sick and tired the ignorant prick smokers that are constantly invading my space with their filthy habit. I especially loathe those pricks that smoke at bus stops and only choose to exhail when they get on the bus, (invariably in the driver’s face). I…
The Art of Talking
Published August 31, 2006. The Art of Talking Why do people have to yell when they are either talking to each other or on the cell phone, (Especially the guy in Hillside Apartments on South Street) Not everyone wants to hear your conversation. Are you trying to instill in others how important you or your…
magic
Published August 31, 2006. magic can someone please fix the payphones in this city!? am i the last person in the world that doesn’t own a cellphone?!? dragons
Poo dunk
Published August 31, 2006. Poo dunk To the jerk walking your dog along Cleveland Beach on August 23, around 7pm: My friend and I were enjoying the beach when you came along with your dog. It was a pretty cute dog and he was obviously excited to be at the beach. So excited, in fact,…
street dumb
Published August 31, 2006. street dumb All right, so it’s an easy fight to pick, but I’m only swinging back here; enough with the faux slacker “appeal” of those back-to-school ads by, for example, phone companies. Why is it that an advertising wanker who, typically, works a desk 9-5, lives in the ‘burbs and wishes…
On Common Grounds
Published August 31, 2006. On Common Grounds To all those whiners that have nothing better to do than complain about the Rolling Stones concert, get a life and find a hobby. It’s one day people. What are you more concerned about? All the money it will generate for the city or the fact that Halifax…
Child Labour
Published August 31, 2006. Child Labour A certain downtown lunch spot has taken to employing children, the owner’s kid, who is all of eleven or twelve. Well, no goddamn wonder there’s no jobs out there – cheapskate owners would rather ’employ’ their spawn than pay minimum wage to an ADULT who truly needs work. How…
Rolling BONES#@!
Published August 31, 2006. Rolling BONES#@! just heard on the TV news that there might be a problem with The Rolling Stones BiGGER BANG Tour fireworks because of residential area considerations and logistics are they gonna actually tell The STONES they can’t have fireworks at the end of the show??? the concert promoters and Halifax…
The recently re-christened Buddy Daye Street features a low-drooping wire, complete with an even lower-drooping severed wire. Whoever’s responsible should have a low-drooping head.
Remarks: We called NSP about the problem. After a minute or two of calming muzak, a customer service rep happily took our complaint, and said that when it comes to wire repairs, they always send out a crew, even if they aren’t certain that it’s their responsibility. If it turns out to be an Aliant…
A big ol’ pile of dirt is blocking a footpath on the Halifax Common, forcing pedestrians to walk around it, or face the slightly inclined consequences.
Remarks: Who would put a dirt pile in such an awkward place? From whence did it come? Is the ground, tired of being trod upon, fighting back and (literally) staging an uprising? Well…no. According to Brinson, the dirt was left on the Common by city workers, to be used whenever they need to “repair a…
discrimination..anyway you slice it…
Published August 31, 2006. discrimination..anyway you slice it… about the no pizzas on gottingen…blame the pizza joint not the residents….its called class descrimination.I refuse to give my business to somewhere to high and mighty to take it whether i’m in the ghetto or in the ritz.all of the places that will not deliver to us…
Human Stinkbombs
Published August 31, 2006. Human Stinkbombs I work in an office tower and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been trapped in the elevator with someone drenched in perfume. No, no light dab behind the wrists or behind the ears for these gals. They insist on being human Pepe LePews, without a thought…
Professional beggars
Published August 31, 2006. Professional beggars Im sick of being bothered by the Unicef and other dip shit organizations canvassing downtown. A) We all know you get paid to do that…don’t act like you’re volunteering with you self ritious smug attitude. B) Making people give thier time and money via guilt and the fact that…
Chocolate a cocoa
Published August 31, 2006. Chocolate a cocoa Why is chocolate so good. It’s just so delicious I think about I’t all the time. Right now i should be going to sleep but Im thinking of ways to concoct a chocolate treat out of cocoa and flour. Is there some kind of drug In it, do…
Crossing pattern
Published September 07, 2006. Crossing pattern I have just come into the Spring Garden library to type this. A very stupid fucking idiot, only moments ago, ran into the street directly in front of an approaching vehicle, which had to perform an emergency-braking manoeuvre to avoid hitting your red shirt-wearing ass. What the fuck is…
Not-so-superintendent
Published September 07, 2006. Not-so-superintendent To our superintendent who thinks he can get away with stealing shit from his tenants’ apartments: You have been caught! That’s right! You’re reading this correctly: we’ve caught you. On film. Your boss knows. Your boss’s boss knows. And soon the whole damn city is going to know, because not…
Nice day for a pricknic
Published August 31, 2006. Nice day for a pricknic To the aged couple in Laurie Park on August 27 at around 9am: After returning to my vehicle after a 10-minute walk, I couldn’t help but notice that you parked your vehicle in the same picnic site as me. What was wrong with the other 25-plus…
Torso
TorsoFriday, August 25, 7:30pm, at One World Cafe.photo David Cieplinski
movie madness
Published September 07, 2006. movie madness Hi. I am the mother of that ten year old that made you feel un-comfortable at the movie, Snakes on a Plane. How do I know? I just know. I share costody of my son with his Dad. He and his Family are loving people, they just share different…
Taking a stand
Published September 14, 2006. Taking a stand When older people and women with small kids or babies get on the bus, why do you just sit there? Get your ass up off your damn seat and let them sit down, for God’s sake—I do. Especially you shitheads who pretend to read your books and ignore…
Dinosaur Jr
Dinosaur JrTuesday, September 5, 12:38am, The Marqueephoto David Cieplinski
Ahhh, boo hoo!
Published September 14, 2006. Ahhh, boo hoo! There are probably going to be lots of complaints about this, so feel free to lump it with another one. I got to spend about 3 hours at bus stops and on the buses listening to everybody bitch and complain about the traffic jam because Condi was in…
Highway to Hell
Published September 14, 2006. Highway to Hell to every stupid, idiotic asshole who drives the circumferential highway on weekday mornings. SLOW the FUCK down whats wrong with you people? its 80, not 100, not 110 and sure as shit not the 130 im guessing the fucknut i avoided on thursday was doing. And to the…
What was Nicolas Cage thinking?
Published September 14, 2006. What was Nicolas Cage thinking? So…we went to see the Wickerman this week…I have never truly disliked a movie, but this was honestly, HONESTLY the worst movie I have ever seen in my entire life. The acting was terrible, which I should have expected since Nicolas Cage isn’t that fabulous of…
ScAir Canada
Published September 14, 2006. ScAir Canada Last week we attended my daughter’s wedding in the USA. Our connecting flight out of Toronto was delayed and then cancelled because of mechanical problems. I’ll give the airline credit for having the good sense to cancel the flight. BUT in the shuffle, they lost our luggage. We kept…
Would you like some cheese with that whine?
Published September 14, 2006. Would you like some cheese with that whine? To the whiny, rude, condescending assholes who threatened to report the promoters of the Corb Lund show to the Better Business Bureau for not giving them a discount on their cover charge, here is what I’d expect the response to be: “Fuck off,…
Waiting for Elevators
Published September 14, 2006. Waiting for Elevators I work in a large office building downtown. Whenever I press the up button for the elevator, there’s always some jackass who has to punch the already lit up button. Do you honestly think that’s going to make the elevator arrive quicker? Or do you just like demonstrating…
Judgment call
Published September 14, 2006. Judgment call To the sanctimonious “Thou shalt not shop on the Sabbath” taxi lady: What’s with the lecture about this being “God’s country” and the sneering, “Are you from Ontario? I thought so…” attitude when we asked for a taxi to a department store on Sunday morning? If it’s against the…
Rotary Idiot
Published September 14, 2006. Rotary Idiot Last night, some dick comes screaming through the Armdale rotary in his gleaming SUV, laying on the horn until he exited towards Spryfield. Everyone else had to scream to a halt to let this impatient, reckless bastard zoom thru. Travelling thru the rotary under the new rules is a…
Great expectorations
Published September 21, 2006. Great expectorations To the dipshit in the car who spit out his window at me: Rot in hell, you disgusting slime ball! And to all of you who spit saliva, snuff your snot and then spit or hack and spew your lungs’ contents into places where people are forced to side-step…
Well Meaning Kid Killers
Published September 14, 2006. Well Meaning Kid Killers Jesus H. Mother of Christ, what is wrong with these ‘environmental’ types who insist on dragging their sprogs in those damn bike trailers? Don’t they realize that their precious little angels are inhaling vehicle exhaust as they’re peddling thru traffic? These poor tikes are eye-level to any…
Aeolian ride
Aeolian rideSuits for sail… Sunday, September 10, 3:42pm.photo David Cieplinski
Urban panic
Published September 14, 2006. Urban panic Dear Bridge Commission, Seriously. It should not take me 2 hours to get to Dal from Cole Harbour. And getting home? I should not be able to get off the bus and walk from Staples on Gottingen, across the bridge and almost to the ferry terminal faster than the…
There’s a City Beyond the Peninsula People!
Published September 21, 2006. There’s a City Beyond the Peninsula People! People need to get it through their heads that “Halifax” is actually much more than that just within the old city coundaries of 10+ years ago. There’s a lot outside of the peninsula that is so often disregarded and forgotten in favour of obsessing…
Horrormones
Published September 14, 2006. Horrormones I live near a big Grade school that i think goes from primary to gr.9. I am on a top floor of an apt. building and I see all. I am discusted by the lack of monitoring on school property. This is what i see regularily: young boys wrenching young…
Dog Lover
Published September 14, 2006. Dog Lover Let me just say…I love dogs. I would have one if my apartment would allow it. But what is it with people bringing their dogs everywhere?? I work retail and I have dogs in my store all the time! If they’re small and in a bag thats one thing…but…
Rock Throwing Ass
Published September 14, 2006. Rock Throwing Ass To the little punk who was throwing rocks at a teenage girl on Octerloney Street a week or so ago. At 17-18 you are a complete a-hole for even thinking about doing that to begin with but you also hit my pregnant wife and then followed her for…
Cyclists with Blinders
Published September 14, 2006. Cyclists with Blinders OK, I know the city bike lanes are limited and I know bikes are a decent form of urban transportation but fer christ sake will you cyclists keep your eyes open at least? I have had two near misses in the last while due to people on bikes…
Indie indeed
Published September 21, 2006. Indie indeed I,m a musician, not gifted or anything but I have one little suggestion for you (gulp) indie bands trying to make some go…get a singer that can f*cking sing! This melodramatic, off key caterwalling is not cool, it,s NOT ‘indie’, it,s shit and it stinks… very,very badly. earshot
Intentional walk
Published September 21, 2006. Intentional walk To the people who play baseball in the Common on Saturday: I don’t care how “politely” you balding middle-aged men yell, “Walk around!” at me on my way to work. I am never going to walk around. EVER. The Common is a public space: I pay the taxes to…
This tree and this parking sign aren’t getting along. The sign is using the tree as a pole, and the tree is fighting back by eating the sign. They’re the original odd couple!
Remarks: Andrew Bourgeois with HRM Transportation and Public Works clears things up: “Attaching to telephone poles and to metal poles is the new practice—attaching signs to trees is an old practice that started…I would say 20 years or so ago.” Some old tree signage still exists, says Bourgeois, particularly in Halifax’s south end (the pictured…
This fire hydrant on the corner of Gottingen and Falkland, which has been recently repainted a delightful bright orange—unfortunately, some of the surrounding sidewalk also got sprayed. Orange sidewalks? In your dreams, hippie.
Remarks: A very helpful MacDonald said he’s never before received a hydrant-painting complaint, but that he would look into it and see if it could be fixed. Is a sloppy paint job the end of the world? Not really. But whether painting a fire hydrant, or writing a funny little paragraph about painting a fire…
Maitland Street just got a new sidewalk. Yay! It also just got new telephone poles—smack in the centre of the new sidewalk. Boo!
Remarks: We thought it was common knowledge, but apparently it bears repeating: Sidewalks are typically for walking. Therefore, it helps if they’re not obstructed by big concrete pillars, like the bases of these telephone poles. And if you think walkers have it rough, try to get past one of these things in a wheelchair. Sideblock,…
Top 5 Reasons why it sucks ass to be a waitress in the airport bar..
Published September 21, 2006. Top 5 Reasons why it sucks ass to be a waitress in the airport bar.. 5 – University students. I have the intense displeasure of serving them in droves as they fly in and out of the province on holidays, spring break, long weekends, charter season and the start and end…
Waverunner Meatheads
Published September 21, 2006. Waverunner Meatheads To every one of the arseholes who are out on Grand Lake on their Sea-doos around Laurie Park, STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM THE SHORE. If I see any more of you ripping by the shore about 50 feet out, I will be doing one of two things. If…
St. Margaret’s Bay Road Morning Traffic
Published September 21, 2006. St. Margaret’s Bay Road Morning Traffic Ten years ago, I moved to the Prospect Road. It used to take me a half hour to go to work. Now it takes me well over an hour. What the hell gives? Why does the HRM allow all these damn houses in Timberlea and…
To the dissers
Published September 21, 2006. To the dissers I have heard enough of you ripping my province, because of Sunday shopping, and shit like that, name to anyone who hates my province, my city.. Get the fuck out. I hear it all the time from tourist, and even locals. my family has been in this great…
Film Fest Boredom
Published September 21, 2006. Film Fest Boredom First of all, the elephant in the room of the Atlantic Film Fest is the fact that the programming SUCKS. The most boring the world has to offer. I think the film fest staff really needs to get out more to see what’s making waves at other festivals.…
Red Pontiac Convertible
Published September 21, 2006. Red Pontiac Convertible To the guy in the fiery red Solstice convertible who VERY CAREFULL mouthed ‘F OFF’ to me bacause I delayed his turn onto Jubilee by, what, three seconds? at me and incidentally my young children, GET A LIFE!! And BTW, your car is the only one in town.…
Broken into and outraged
Published September 21, 2006. Broken into and outraged To the cock fuck who broke into our place on north park st your a fucking loser. You prob looked at all of our nice things and wished you could legitametley afford these things on your own. Instead you have to be a petty thief who prob…
Your So Hard
Published September 21, 2006. Your So Hard To the 4-5 “thugs” who jumped 1 guy outside of the Seahorse on Wednesday night, chanting “That’s how we roll” once you finished jumping on this guys head, I bet it made you feel like “men” for doing it too, but to everybody who witnessed what you guys…
Yellow Fever
Published September 21, 2006. Yellow Fever What’s with all the media showing white/black males with asian females yet you never see the asian male with anybody else other than an asian female? Every where you see in this town it’s white male/asian female couple. I find it odd that white females have some kind of…
HRM has Police?
Published September 28, 2006. HRM has Police? Enough is enough already, yet again I hear of an unprovoked attack in HRM… This seems to be a subject well discussed but rarely acted upon, the question is can the folk’s in town hall put some pressure on our local law enforcement to actually get some results?…
Stop asking for change. Get a Job!
Published September 28, 2006. Stop asking for change. Get a Job! In any other city this would be a cruel statement. But in Halifax Tim Hortons needs so many people there can’t be such a thing as ‘homeless.’ Here are some suggestions to get rid of this problem: 1. Sue the street people for Harrassment…
Light Polution
Published September 28, 2006. Light Polution About four months ago the Brunswick towers were sold and renovations have been ongoing. The beautification of the buildings is great for the city as a whole and the neighbourhood. What I could do without are the lighthouse strength lights shooting down towards the street that make daylight a…
Drop Kick Murphys
Drop Kick MurphysSaturday, September 16, 10:08pm, McInnes Room.photo David Cieplinski
crosswalk parkers
Published September 28, 2006. crosswalk parkers You know, just because you’re in YOUR CAR pretending you can’t see me, while you’re idling ON TOP of the crosswalk, doesn’t mean that I can’t see you, you pointy headed, inconsiderate road hog. I’m so sorry that while you’re SITTING inside your climate controlled vehicle listening to your…
Always Time For Politeness
Published September 28, 2006. Always Time For Politeness Ok, so I figure that by the time I get my fucking coffee from the TH drivethru(and that sure doesn’t stand for Terrific Hospitality) I’ve thanked you ingrates three times already. Is it too much to ask that when you take my money and give me back…
Tough crowd
Published September 28, 2006. Tough crowd Had a great time at the Stones concert on Saturday, but it would have been better if some of you assholes had learned some outdoor concert etiquette and didn’t push your way past us right up to the front of the crowd—you know who you are, especially the two…
My achy breaky heart….
Published October 05, 2006. My achy breaky heart…. Well, I just have to say it, I have been biting my tongue for so long and I know that there will be a million people bitching back at me but here is goes… I am starting to really get sick and tired of the Pirate that…
cogswell balcony spitter
Published October 05, 2006. cogswell balcony spitter hey loser boy in the khaki green hoodie, drinking beer with your friends on the balcony roughly across from music stop on cogswell. i saw you, the day of the concert in the commons, carefully lean over the railing and drool spit on some girls walking by. i…
Star-fucks
Published October 05, 2006. Star-fucks I appreciate the corporate necessity of Starbucks coming to Halifax (regardless of the destruction to both local business and the economy) but I draw the line at accepting their asshole clientele who insist on putting their hazards on while parked on Spring Garden Road just so they can get their…
Bite your tongue
Published September 28, 2006. Bite your tongue To the stupid, old, gross asshole who said, “Nice tongue, baby,” to me at the Rolling Stones concert Saturday night: Mick Jagger is the only man in the world who could get away with saying that to me. The only man. In the world. I mean, give me…
Keith Richards
Keith RichardsSaturday, September 23 8:20pm, on the Common.photo Danuchevsky
Equal Opportunity Yelling
Published October 05, 2006. Equal Opportunity Yelling So I’m at a small acoustic show a while back and I hear someone talking their gums off right behind me. I know we both paid cover, but let’s be honest here, it was a Tuesday night, people were there to see the show. But my bitch isn’t…
Sidewalk hogs
Published October 05, 2006. Sidewalk hogs I have never had a problem with people standing on the sideway smoking but when they look at you as you are walking by and don’t move, that upsets me. Have you ever tried walking down Ochteloney in the morning and there are at least three or four people…
Big biggot
Published October 05, 2006. Big biggot To the government employee on the bus: Please keep you fucking racial and immigrant comments to yourself. Nobody wants to hear it! It really hurt my black immigrant girlfriends feelings…..oh wait I’m a dirty faggot! Appalled
Baby Blues
Published October 05, 2006. Baby Blues To the two mommies who unleashed their brats and all their accessories (which took up two tables) on the unsuspecting coffee shop: I’m guessing it’s normal for you to treat cafes like playgrounds where you can leave your children to their own devices while you nurse your lattes and…
Hate Mile
Published October 05, 2006. Hate Mile We buy fuel in litres. Our roads and distances are measured in kilometres. Our speedometers read km/hr and our odometers read kms. So, you stupid car dealers, why do you keep noting the fuel economy of new cars in mpg? Stop being so lazy by just taking the American…
Save the Historic “X” People
Published October 05, 2006. Save the Historic “X” People There are a load of people in this town that need to realise that simply because a construction project is new does not make it a spawn of Satan out to destroy the historic whatever. Things that were constructed in the past are just like things…
Mr. Attitude, is it so hard to get?
Published October 05, 2006. Mr. Attitude, is it so hard to get? To the dumbasses who call where I work and ask, “are you open?” and then show up and bitch because some of the store is unavailable for sale: Get a Life! So what if you can’t pick up your photos or get that…
Why I’m Moving West
Published October 05, 2006. Why I’m Moving West Many employer’s are idiots! Myself and all my friends suffer from a disease I didn’t know about. It’s called being too qualified. What the hell? When was this a bad thing? I’m going to the West because they think differently. Employer’s out there are not worried that…
Eggplanted
Published October 05, 2006. Eggplanted To the Jerks who live upstairs at 6065 south st. What the F is wrong with you? Saturday night you sounded like bunch of apes yelling at people walking under your balcony. I am a student too AND I can probably drink you dandies under the table, but I would…
Enough Already
Published October 05, 2006. Enough Already To all the loud, inconsiderate people that live in the apartment at 961 South Bland Street: Although you may find it hilarious when your cat gets loose in the hallway, and then you proceed to scream about it while in a drunken stupour for the next twenty minutes, or…
yucky ducky!
Published October 05, 2006. yucky ducky! These bitches are sooo lame. I could write a better bitch with my eyes closed. Infact, Im doing It right now. Ok so heres my bitch: Im out at the Sulivans pond, which is usually beautiful, there are usually swans swimming and people getting married and having their pictures…
Sick of it
Published October 12, 2006. Sick of it Im sick of MWH yacking. Anyone else agree? Even more sick
The 9/11 Truth
Published October 12, 2006. The 9/11 Truth To all you dip shits who think I’m a crazy fuckin’ nutt job for believing 9/11 was an inside job…. FUCK YOU.. I bet you don’t even remeber the 3rd tower, WTC7, that fell that day do you??? I bet you think jet fuel is more then just…
route number 87
Published October 12, 2006. route number 87 I leave work to catch a bus that is “scheduled to depart” in 10 minutes, thinking I’d have plenty of time to catch it. oops, from across the street I watch the bus pull up and leave, 5 minutes early. thanks a lot for doing your job, asshole.…
For some reason, a backstop and some lighting have been removed from the Halifax Common—and in their place, there’s this giant stage. How odd.
Remarks: So, these rock and roll hooligans think they can just waltz into town and interrupt our Saturday afternoon softball sojourn? We were supposed to play a league game this weekend, jerks. To quote your “hit song” (which, frankly, we’d never heard of before): “I don’t find this very satisfying.” Or however it goes. Jennifer…
Take one part massive concert. Add 100,000 feet. Mix with rain, sprinkle with heavy equipment. Churn for 6-8 hours, or until field turns brown. Gauge public reaction, and possibly repeat.
Remarks: Public opinion can always be split into two neat categories, and sentiment about Saturday’s concert is no exception. On one side, the argument that Halifax needs these events to prosper and cultivate a “big city” identity. On the other, the idea that holding a private concert on public land sucks, and that tax dollars…
Left lane asshole
Published October 12, 2006. Left lane asshole Hey jerkoff you need glasses? I just cant figure it out you are doing at least five KM over the speed limit you are flyin’. maybe you need to look in that shiny thing stuck on your windshield It is called a mirror you asshole. Touching the breaks…
Scumbag Trash Pirates
Published October 12, 2006. Scumbag Trash Pirates hey you blue bagged ass fucker smell the piss i let ferment in the sun for a week? i poured it all over my cans I was donating to the recycling fund.i even left some in them to leak over you.Did you wipe it on your pants? smell…
Sunday Shopping Freaks
Published October 12, 2006. Sunday Shopping Freaks Can we please put this ridiculous matter to rest now? After spending loads of money and wasting loads of time ho-humming about if it’s somehow “right” or “moral” for people to be able to buy lettuce, diapers and pork chops on Sunday, finally the courts have spoken! It’s…
In Purgatory, after their final show.
In Purgatory, after their final show.Saturday, September 30, 8:41pm, The Pavillion.photo David Cieplinski
uni-green-amnesty
Published October 12, 2006. uni-green-amnesty to the amnesty international beggar who gave me shit for being able to afford university but not their charity: go fuck yourself. if you really cared about your charity you’d be volunteering, instead of being paid almost double minimum wage to harass me instead. do you even make back that…
Dumbass commercials
Published October 12, 2006. Dumbass commercials ok so not sure if this is so much a “bitch” but just a comment on stupidity.over the last few weeks there are these ads on tv about not gambling, lotto addiction, etc put out by the Nova Scotia Government.ok fair enough……..but then the very next commercial is for…
Freedom of speech?
Published October 12, 2006. Freedom of speech? The other day I was on the number 80 Sackville bus and I just happened to strike up a conversation with the driver about Sunday shopping and all of it’s repercussions. Anyways there was this woman sitting nearby and she started up on the topic as well with…
lookin’ for a “lost” cat?
Published October 12, 2006. lookin’ for a “lost” cat? Hey shit bag just because you own a cat why the fuck should I have to wash my car, clean up my backyard for my kids so they don’t have to step in your gem infested cat shit. All because your fleabag is out roaming the…
Naturally stupid
Published October 12, 2006. Naturally stupid Just got the current issue of Naturally Green, an HRM environmental awareness newspaper, wrapped in non-recyclable fuckin plastic! I mean, come on! It’s a newspaper, fer chrissakes! Do we really need it wrapped in plastic? But the best part: Its headline: “Waste Reduction Week in HRM, What are You…
die jocks
Published October 12, 2006. die jocks to the worthless assholes who kicked in the frame of my beloved peugeot on saturday night on argyle st., i hope someone kicks in the frame of someone you love r.
sunday shopping
Published October 12, 2006. sunday shopping It is nauseating having to hear people whine about Sunday shopping 24/7. Just because you work at the grocery store or in Retail you want to cry and moan all day because you may have to work Sunday? Have you ever thought about the people that work at hospitals…
PIGS!!
Published October 12, 2006. PIGS!! After coming home today after a lovely walk downtown my happy mood was shattered upon seeing the garbage that was left in the driveway we share with another home on North. Its not the first time – and probably not the last but for the love of God people, why…
Tourists
Published October 12, 2006. Tourists My bitch is with all the American Tourists that come in off the ships. They all ask in our store if we take American money, which we do, and then bitch and complain because they don’t get their ugly money back in change. Where do you think you are??? Oh,…
Magnetic rage
Published October 12, 2006. Magnetic rage Look, everyone has the right to express their own political beliefs, be they liberal or conservative, communist or socialist, etc. But if I see one more of those fucking “Support Our Troops” magnets I am going to pull my hair out. Those magnets were originally manufactured for AMERICAN soliders,…
Cold as ice
Published October 19, 2006. Cold as ice I live in an electrically heated apartment building. Electricity is included in my rent. I just read today that NSP will be raising rates yet again and may continue to do so annually. I have a feeling that my rent will not be so much of a bargain…
Joint effort
Published October 12, 2006. Joint effort I have to snort every time I see devoted joggers doing their little dances down the sidewalks in Halifax. How long do you think your knees will take the punishment of being pounded by pavement? You think your fancy, high-priced sneakers will save you? Think again, pea brains. I…
Bubbles look-alike contest
Bubbles look-alike contestEmpire Bayers Lake, Friday, October 6, 7:06pm.photo Michael Tompkins
Freedom of speech my ass.
Published October 19, 2006. Freedom of speech my ass. What happened to the days of the good old constitution? Where someone had the freedom to say what they want, when they want? Well, To the teacher who told me I wasn’t allowed to use the word “Fruit” in school. I say, you should go back…
Corporate Drones
Published October 19, 2006. Corporate Drones To all you bitchers coming out against the sunday shopping supporters, throwing up the fact that the courts have decided and it’s over. This is when the rest of the population should be most riled up on the issue. we had a democratic vote and the government help Sobeys…
Busin it.
Published October 19, 2006. Busin it. This is gonna make me sound like an asshole, but I am, so it’s all good. It really irks me when people in wheelchairs get on regular buses. I mean this pisses me off to no end. They get on, and the bus driver has to spend 20 minutes…
Twin City Management, Clean Up Your Act
Published October 19, 2006. Twin City Management, Clean Up Your Act I can’t believe how you get away with ignoring your tenants’ requests, yet you’re willing to cash our rent cheques every month without a second thought. I’m sick of living in an apartment building where things don’t get fixed. As for the Super… Get…
dumb dumb cabbie
Published October 19, 2006. dumb dumb cabbie I was heading to a party that was at a lake so i called a cab to take me to the trail head but the stupid fuck would not take me cuz i did not have an address for him 2 take me to and if that cabbie…
Rainy Days Must Make You Blind
Published October 19, 2006. Rainy Days Must Make You Blind To the guy driving the light colored car who nearly ran me down in the crosswalk on Saturday October 14, at 7:10 pm, as you turned left onto Dunbrack: You nearly killed me. Do you even understand that you nearly took my life in an…
NS Politicians/Bumpkins
Published October 19, 2006. NS Politicians/Bumpkins Anyone ever take a look at who’s actually running the province these days? Well, we’ve got a wanker premier who’s a “professional musician/gym teacher” (man that’s embarrassing) a deputy premier (another backcountry teacher) who’s listed as a professional “woodlot owner” and basically a government devoid of anyone to speak…
parking tickets
Published October 19, 2006. parking tickets I am getting tired of waking up to a piece of white paper on my windshield saying I owe $25 because some asshole thinks my wheels aren’t cut to his preference or $50 for parking over 2 hours when I clearly have a residential parking pass on the fucking…
Bike Snatcher!
Published October 19, 2006. Bike Snatcher! To the scum who stole a precious, classic 60’s bike….what were you thinking? It wasn’t even mine, just locked behind my house! Thanks for forcing me to alert the the world! You won’t be able to ride it in town you ass! On the lookout
Naked aggression
Published October 19, 2006. Naked aggression To the asshole who decided it would be funny to steal my clothes off my clothesline: Thanks to you, I’m down five pairs of jeans and god knows what else and I have to go replace most of my wardrobe with money I don’t have. If I see you…
Driving 101
Published October 26, 2006. Driving 101 Get out of the left lane unless you’re going to pass. Use your turn signals BEFORE you get there, not while you’re making a turn or when the light turns gree. Let go of the gas pedal and coast, not release gas, immediately brake. Why are you braking when…
Prohibition?
Published October 26, 2006. Prohibition? I was greatly disappointed at the Weakerthans concert held at the DAL campus Wednesday. When my ticket was purchase I was told that alcohol would be sold. Upon arrival I find out that as an ADULT I was not able to A. Leave the building once entered. And B. Not…
Manage yourself
Published October 26, 2006. Manage yourself Just because you manage an establishment downtown doesn’t give you the right to get completely fucked up and start grabbing girls on the dance floor by the hair and holding their arms behind their backs. And to think that no one did anything because of it! That makes you…
This block of sidewalk near the corner of Buddy Daye and Maynard looks like it had a fight with a jackhammer and lost.
Remarks: After reporting the problem, we had a call back from the city informing us that they couldn’t find Buddy Daye Street—it didn’t appear to exist in their records. Hmm. Not off to a rousing start. Buddy Daye was formerly called Gerrish Street, but the street was renamed in June, roughly four months ago. We…
In the proud Halifax tradition of “neglected things that have turned into garbage cans,” this former base of a streetlight on Cogswell has turned into a garbage can.
Remarks: Haligonians have proven time and again that, when given an empty receptacle, we’re more than able to fill it with garbage. Regardless of shape, regardless of depth—give us an empty three-dimensional cube or cylinder and by god, we’ll find a way to put a coffee cup in it. Or a banana peel. Or a…
Bus pass
Published October 26, 2006. Bus pass To the group of immature, loud, socially (and cognitively, by the sound of your inane conversation) stunted idiots who got on the number 1 bus near Howe Hall at around 9pm on Thursday, October 19: One of you wondered aloud in a munchkin-sounding voice, “Could we BE any more…
Bitch to Stop the Bitching
Published October 26, 2006. Bitch to Stop the Bitching To all the people who work retail…please stop complaining about working on sundays, try talking to the people who have been working sundays for year ie cooks, waitresses, fast food, movie theatres, call centre etc…so sorry that you had to join the rest of us Happy…
Ramped up
Published October 26, 2006. Ramped up For the assholes who keep kicking in the spindles on my wheelchair ramp, fuck you. How very brave of you to pick on a crippled person and my only means into the house. It costs monies to fix them, to buy the spindles as well to hire someone to…
Halifax is full of douche bags
Published October 26, 2006. Halifax is full of douche bags Good job kicking the shit out of those two guys on Brunswick Street Friday night, you thugged-out fucking rejects. Four on two, very nice. This is the third time I’ve witnessed this kind of thing in that exact same area, including one time it happened…
sick of taxi drivers hogging crosswalks
Published October 26, 2006. sick of taxi drivers hogging crosswalks My piss off is with a certain major taxi company in Dartmouth and their drivers who constantly run through crosswalks swerving around pedastrians runnning throgh crosswalks. It also pisses me to no avail that they block the main entrances to malls and public buildings! Next…
Conspiracy
Published October 26, 2006. Conspiracy Recently I have been reading about the 911 conspiracy as well as the moon landing conspiracy but here is one I bet you will all be shocked and awed to read. I have figured out that our whole being on the planet Earth is one large government conspiracy!!!! OH MY…
DAL on the rocks
Published October 26, 2006. DAL on the rocks Dear DAL, I was looking forward to seeing Kos..and taking in a drink prior to the concert with my friends…that’s right a drink..not get drunk….but that didn’t happen…turns out the WET/DRY as listed on the ticket…well WET was for DAL Students/Alumni/Staff only…WTF???….I thought it was a PUBLIC…
Put on a Costume!
Published October 26, 2006. Put on a Costume! In the spirit of Halloween, to all those “kids” out there who will soon be begging for candy in their neighbourhoods, if you voice is deeper than the guy giving it to you, get lost and while you’re at it, try putting on an actual costume if…
Nice sport, no sport.
Published October 26, 2006. Nice sport, no sport. Poker is not a sport. I know it’s the new “thing”, that it fills Canadian broadcasting quotas, and that it’s cheap to produce, but for the love of god stop flooding my television with it. Just play the highlight loop and put poker on where it belongs,…
Gross Me Out
Published October 26, 2006. Gross Me Out I work in a downtown office building. When I went into my floor’s washroom today, some bozo bitch was in a stall, loudly yakking away on her cell. I couldn’t frigging believe it. I only wish I could have produced enough stink to melt her goddamn phone and…
Waiting CAN hurt you!
Published October 26, 2006. Waiting CAN hurt you! This evening (Oct24) a 72 yr. old woman slipped and fell while coming out of Zeller’s at the Bayer’s Rd. Shopping Ctr. She landed hard and couldn’t get up. Myself and a co-worker went to her aid immediately, but we were afraid to move her so we…
Stop Breaking the Law
Published October 26, 2006. Stop Breaking the Law Dear Adults of Halifax, Stop breaking the law! Right now! If you don’t like a law, or think it is stupid or unenforcable, then get it changed! Stop jaywalking, speeding, parking illegally, littering, etc. If we, as citizens of Halifax, aren’t willing to stop behaving like criminals,…
I.D. but no service?
Published October 26, 2006. I.D. but no service? On our way to see the Beginners play, my friends and I decided to go for a pre show Beer at a local smoking bar. We go there all the time because we are gross and still smoke. Imagine our surprise when one of us got ID’d,…
Fur Shame
Published October 26, 2006. Fur Shame While walking in the south end today, I saw a beautiful black and white cat on the sidewalk. A construction worker told me that its owners had dumped the cat when they moved. To the assholes who did this, you seriously suck to leave your pet—whose companionship you did…
Bitter Old Servers
Published November 02, 2006. Bitter Old Servers Bitter servers in the restaurant business over a “certain age”…..GET OUT OF THE BUSINESS! If I have to be served by another surly, inconsiderate, aloof, hung over, 30+, waiter/waitress who treats customers like a bother more than a source of income I’m going to scream. You may not…
Abracadaver
Published November 02, 2006. Abracadaver What is with the state of so-called “professional” journalism these days? Every time I tune in to a news report broadcast by one of the major television or radio stations, I’m subjected to some news writer’s ridiculous attempt to punch up a serious news story with a pun or some…
Sylvie
SylvieThursday, Oct 19, 11:15pm, at the Marquee.photo Robin Hart Hiltz
Harmed By Hollywood
Published November 02, 2006. Harmed By Hollywood To the cold-hearted, money-grubbing (oops, isn’t that the job definition?) producers on the schlockbuster, Outlander: So it’s just fine for you to tell people they have work as extras on your movie, require them to drop everything for six weeks, and to leave them jobless when you decide,…
Turn that shit off!
Published November 02, 2006. Turn that shit off! I am so tired of watching women being raped, tortured & murdered on the many many cop shows that litter prime time television. What is wrong with people? Lovers of these televsion shows, how can you justify watching women being tortured for entertainment value? If these story…
Thirsty in Fall River
Published November 02, 2006. Thirsty in Fall River We have no water. The Government has the money. We want it! E-mail me to find the solution (verythirsty@hotmail.com) Thirsty
Green Losers
Published November 02, 2006. Green Losers OK Green Party, WTF is up with your candidates for the last election anyway? I for one, wanted to vote for you but after checking out the available crop of potential people to send to the legislature, ended up only losing a lot of respect for the party. I…
Hip huggers on “men”
Published November 02, 2006. Hip huggers on “men” Guys will you Please, PLEASE stop wearing those hideous hip hugger jeans and try to look a little bit less like a homely 12 year old girl! Gad they look terrible on 80% of the female population let alone on “men”. I don’t care who you think…
Insecurities
Published November 02, 2006. Insecurities After following the rules and paying my rent on time and never having had a problem with previous landlords and leaving my apartment in mint condition, my landlord decides to make me stall for two months to make me think I’m getting my security deposit back. I moved out at…
Are you people brain dead???
Published November 02, 2006. Are you people brain dead??? When the red light is on at the Rotary and there’s not a green arrow in sight, you are supposed to fucking well stop, even if there’s no traffic in the circle. There’s not a goddamn day that goes by that that I don’t see this.…
Dine to five
Published November 02, 2006. Dine to five On behalf of the serving staff of Halifax: PALEEEESE, do not come into our place of work 5 minutes before we close and ask us if we mind if you come in! You are asking a question that you know we cannot answer honestly. “Are you sure it’s…
Transformers: more than meets the eye
Transformers: more than meets the eyeHallowe’en, 12:12 am, at Stage Nine.photo David Cieplinski
Got an extra smoke, man
Published November 09, 2006. Got an extra smoke, man To all you teenage punks in Dartmouth, stop pulling guns on people for half cigarettes. You’ve had your fun swarming innocent women for their bus change at the sportsplex bustop. So stop now!! Oh yeah, and untuck your pants from your socks. Bus stop vigilante
To the crazy bitch at the Mumford bus terminal
Published November 02, 2006. To the crazy bitch at the Mumford bus terminal I’m sorry that you found my holding the door open for whoever was coming behind me so offensive, you dumb bitch. The next time I see you I’ll remember to be as impolite as possible. Sick of the bus
Incompetance Behind the Wheel
Published November 02, 2006. Incompetance Behind the Wheel Would it kill you asshats to use the turn signals that are standard equipment on your car? Not at the four way stop, not after the light turns green, not half way through a turn, but BEFORE. Its called a fuckin signal, which means you are to…
McDick
Published November 02, 2006. McDick This is for the fucking asshole manager who was working at the McDonalds on Saturday night Oct. 28. Where the fuck do you come from Mars? On Halloween night people get dressed up and go out and after want to go to your stupid restaurant and get a fucking burger…
Bus “etiquette”
Published November 02, 2006. Bus “etiquette” For the LOVE of GOD and all things holy, why do people thing that it is OK to bring baby strollers the size of aircraft carriers onto already crowded buses. Grab a cheap, collapsible stroller for those trips…and what’s a one year old doing on a bus at 10:00…
A*%&#ole in the beige sedan
Published November 02, 2006. A*%&#ole in the beige sedan I bet you thought you were pretty cool cutting off a bus on Robie street on Monday Oct. 30th around 9:40 pm. Did you get a rush? Well, it’s only thanks to the driver’s skillful braking that we managed not to plow into you. Personally, it…
Taxi Drivers Who ThinkThey Own The Road
Published November 02, 2006. Taxi Drivers Who ThinkThey Own The Road What is it with these cab drivers that speed around this city like it’s their own personal Autobahn? I’ve seen so many of these bastards break every driving law in the book. But do you ever see them get stopped by the cops? Nope.…
Sick of the Teenage Punks
Published November 09, 2006. Sick of the Teenage Punks I’m so fucking tired of these shit head little bastards beating helpless people in our streets. Nowadays at Pizza Corner, not only can you grab a slice, but you also get a free kick in the fucking face, and a broken jaw. What the fuck is…
Masquerade Charade
Published November 09, 2006. Masquerade Charade To the allegedly privedlegded crybaby demanding the unreserved booth for you and your (shocker) emaciated bimbo at the club last Saturday night after the tittie show… fuck you and your one horse carriage, princess. Futhermore, to the “manager” who told us we’d have to move, that he didn’t want…
Not a bitch but a compliment
Published November 09, 2006. Not a bitch but a compliment People in the North End of Halifax might have noticed or heard about the changes implemented by the new manager of the Needs Convenience store on Gottingen. He’s cleaned up the place and gotten rid of the crackwhores and thugs who kept people like me…
At the bottom of an embankment behind Penhorn Mall in Dartmouth, there lies a mythical ditch where shopping carts go to die.
Remarks: The slope takes hold of the carts, and a fence at the bottom of the hill catches them. The crafty hill-and-fence combo has captured many a hapless cart, inspiring us to investigate. We spoke to managers at all three stores: Sears claims to check for stray carts on a weekly basis through an outside…
What’s Wrong?: 5151 Terminal Road has been spotted with its lights on well past business hoursNot great, considering three floors belong to the department of Enviro and Labour.
Remarks: In June, the department claimed it was leading by example with ideas such as motion sensors in boardrooms. Sooo, WTF? Janet McNeil, an Enviro rep who works in the building, explains, “We’re all pretty diligent… my light switch has a big sticker that says, ‘Turn me off.’” Still, she says, cleaning staff come in…
Yuk Yuks loudmouth
Published November 09, 2006. Yuk Yuks loudmouth To the girl in the audience up front at the Yuk Yuks show on Saturday. The world does not revolve around you and making comments just to make them ruins entertainment for everyone. I didn’t pay money to hear your idiot voice disagree with the comedian every !@#$…
To Yellow Cab 449
Published November 09, 2006. To Yellow Cab 449 It’s 5:15 p.m., I’m heading down Chebucto Rd, in the right lane which exits on Mumford Rd. You were in front of me and as I turned the corner, you slammed on the brakes. I barely had time to react. THEN you swung a fucking u-turn on…
Big Brother or More Murders and Assaults
Published November 09, 2006. Big Brother or More Murders and Assaults Enough is enough. It’s time to install cameras all over the downtown, especially Pizza Corner. I’d rather deal with cameras than the savage animals that prey on innocent people. Hey, you violent losers, I hope the cops pound your nuts into hummus. And I…
A haven for US deadbeats
Published November 09, 2006. A haven for US deadbeats Why is Nova Scotia so desperate for immigrants that it does not care if new immigrants use their immigration status to evade child support? My ex-husband, who has refused to pay support for our child every time an opportunity presented itself, has come up with a…
Keep off the grass
Published November 09, 2006. Keep off the grass To the group of obnoxious drunken frat boys waking up my neighbourhood late Saturday night: I hope you learn two lessons. Number one is that you should not ramble on loudly to awaken sleeping citizens. Number two, you should not pee on the awakened citizen’s lawn while…
Ferry Hoarker
Published November 09, 2006. Ferry Hoarker To the idiot who was humming to himself while hoarking off the the side of the morning ferry from Dartmouth….you disgust me and I’m sure you disgusted the entire upper deck during the ride. Once I could perhaps understand but I don’t need to hear your morning phlem hit…
Lottery Jerks
Published November 09, 2006. Lottery Jerks People checking their lottery tickets at corner stores….check them and move on. If you win $10, well bully for you but don’t keep standing there continuously buying new tickets and then checking them again! Some of us just want to pay for our coffee or gas or newspaper, get…
Hide your face big man
Published November 09, 2006. Hide your face big man I just want say say how disgusted I was at seeing Cory Wright on the ATV news last night hiding behind his winter coat. What a piece of scum you are. Why do you need to hide behind a winter coat? The man that you allegedly…
Violent city
Published November 09, 2006. Violent city WTF is going on lately downtown? It wasn’t that long ago that I was regularly hitting bars on Argyle, etc and outside fo a few pretty minor scuffles and a few isolated fights, it was pretty tame but fun. Now the city seems to be experiencing a rash of…
Boiled over
Published November 09, 2006. Boiled over I would like to thank you for last saturday night. Normally I would have turned down the order you placed 25 minutes after the kitchen closed, but I thought I would already miss my bus and you seemed very nice, so I thought I would take 10 minutes out…
Dog shit
Published November 09, 2006. Dog shit to the person who didn’t clean up their dog shit on south park st. on tuesday night which i stepped in…fuck you…you lazy ass, you don’t know how much i gagged while cleaning my shoes at midnight Unhappy walker
hats off to Noisy Neighbors
Published November 09, 2006. hats off to Noisy Neighbors What the fuck is wrong with people? Every apartment that I have lived in since moving out have had asshole neighbors. I am a poor student who can’t afford luxury accomodation but does that mean I have to be subject to this bullshit? I just moved…
piss off shutter-bugs
Published November 09, 2006. piss off shutter-bugs Every Rememberance day I come to Parade Square and see some obnoxious freelance or some amature (NSCAD) photographer in some poor veterans face snapping photos, running around the square like a chicken with their heads cut off. The thing that pisses me off the most is when there is…
Buyer Beware
Published November 09, 2006. Buyer Beware re: Best of Halifax poll. I can’t NOT hold back my fury on the selection of your Best Optician qualifiers… who stuffed the ballot box on this one?? I feel everyone should know this; the bridesmaid in this category, after repeated customer complaints on his atrocious service and poor…
Ashes to asphalt
Published November 16, 2006. Ashes to asphalt All I want is to not throw my cigarette butts on the ground. I work in a downtown mall that has decided to prepare for the new smoking legislation by removing all the butt containers. Bad idea. Now people stand outside, smoke and then toss their smokes to…
Land of the walking idiots
Published November 16, 2006. Land of the walking idiots I applaud walking, really i do. however, when someone is in a car at an intersection, why must the vast majority of the walking population insist on crossing the street in front of the car, and not behind it ? is it that difficult to comprehend…
Sam Roberts
Sam RobertsSaturday, November 4, 10:55 pm, Cunard Centre.photo David Cieplinski
Phoning it in
Published November 23, 2006. Phoning it in Dear bleached-blonde woman at Neptune’s Pay-What-You-Can night: Hey, did you enjoy the play? Remember before the show when the theatre director came on stage to ask people to please turn off their cell phones? Maybe you don’t remember, Ms. Stirrup Pants, because if I recall, you answered your…
Halifax Drivers Suck
Published November 23, 2006. Halifax Drivers Suck You were flying southbound on Hollis at suppertime tonight, went through the red light at Duke, didn’t brake, didn’t look, you slimey piece of shit. You almost creamed two vehicles on Duke who had the green light when you fucking came out of nowhere- If I ever see…
Music scene is dead in halifax
Published November 16, 2006. Music scene is dead in halifax Halifax is a city that loves to boast about its music scene and its many fine musicians, however i have found that no one goes to shows anymore. venues have closed or changed to non-live music. it seams no one has an interest in live…
Guns N’ Roses Security
Published November 23, 2006. Guns N’ Roses Security On Monday night, around 9000 GN’R fans flooded the metro centre for what had to be the best rock show to hit this city in over decade. Granted, Axl is notorious for finding ways of bringing out the worst in a crowd, but this was an extremely…
Beep to dream
Published November 16, 2006. Beep to dream I can’t sleep. I’ve never slept well. When I do sleep the whole night through, it’s practically a celebration the next day when I don’t need a pulley system to get out of bed. However, when someone drives by at 2am, honking goodbye to whomever they were visiting,…
To my fellow transit riders:
Published November 23, 2006. To my fellow transit riders: I support your right to smoke. Really, I do. I even support your right to have smoking rooms in bars. I’m no anti-smoking Nazi. But for the love of Christ, why does EVERY SINGLE BUS PASSENGER light up at the Mumford terminal, lining the entire sidewalk…
Slow the truck down!
Published November 16, 2006. Slow the truck down! I’m sick and tired of all you idiots that speed down city streets. There are pedestrians everywhere, and sooner or later, you going to kill one of us. How would you live with yourself if you hit a little girl or a puppy or something? On a…
To the supporters of Corey Wright…
Published November 23, 2006. To the supporters of Corey Wright… Innocent until proven guilty…yes, this is true. Don’t let the fact that he’s family blind the evidence brought forth that is alluding to his rather obvious guilt (considering there were multiple witnesses). He loves his baby? There is no doubt that he loves his child…
Christmas tunes
Published November 16, 2006. Christmas tunes Can we please at least wait until it’s December, hell maybe even the last week of November, until we are assaulted by holiday music piped into every damm store and public venue imaginable?!? It’s fine to start playing the happy little x-mas tunes at some point if we must…
Stupid cyclists
Published November 16, 2006. Stupid cyclists OK bikers (cyclists) time to get real. You want a place on the road fine. I have no problem with that but to the 5 of you who swerved in front of me on the ramp coming onto Barrington this morning…..you stupid granolas in your faded tattered sweaters didn’t…
Motorcyclist near miss
Published November 16, 2006. Motorcyclist near miss To the prick who almost ran me into a parked car on Quinpool rd. on Sunday afternoon while i was driving my motorbike in front of the Oxford. A simple “Oh shit, Sorry man, I didn’t bother to check my mirrors and ignored your horn honking and therefore…
Halifax Shoulder Chips
Published November 23, 2006. Halifax Shoulder Chips Whenever I hear anyone make any sort of negative comment on pretty much anything considered to be “Haligonian/Nova Scotia sacred” (which includes almost everything under the sun) they get such well thought out and informed responses. What amazing debaters and thoughtful intellects abound in our fair city. NOT.…
Condeming my own politness
Published November 16, 2006. Condeming my own politness My apologies go out to everyone on the #1 with me this morning. When that asshole decided to tear down Nova Scotia the way He did I should have been less polite and told Him to get the fuck out of my province. If I had told…
Uninformed drivers
Published November 23, 2006. Uninformed drivers To the old geezer in the cute little red sports car on University Avenue. Learn the rules of the road! Bicycles have as much right on the streets as you. It is not only impolite, it is rude and stupid to swear and honk your cute-little-horn at bicyclists that…
Tired of Demonization
Published November 16, 2006. Tired of Demonization When the fuck are they going to legalize pot in this country? They’re proven that cigarettes kill your ass but THERE IS NOT ONE RECORDED CASE OF ANYONE DYING FROM JUST POT ALONE!!!! Doesn’t this stupid government realize that we could clear our national debt and allow people…
Sunday Shopping
Published November 23, 2006. Sunday Shopping For christ’s sake when did shopping on Sunday become a crime? I find it quite convenient actually, especially since I work most weekdays, don’t have a car and still need to buy curtains for my house that I moved into 2 weeks ago! But everytime I turn around everything’s…
El Viento
El VientoSunday, November 12, 9pm, at the Astor Theatre.photo Kelly Clark
Coffee Shop
Published November 23, 2006. Coffee Shop Do people not know how to work anymore? I was standing in a coffee shop, gave my order, watched as no one made a move to make my coffee until I said something 4 minutes later and this wasn’t the first time and I’m sure wouldn’t be the last.…
Messy situation
Published November 16, 2006. Messy situation I met a guy a couple of years ago and foolishly fell in love with him. At the time he told me he had never been married or engaged. We had a casual relationship over the past two years. He has acted like a rotten prick on a couple…
Insulting Smokers
Published November 23, 2006. Insulting Smokers To the sawed off, ugly little troll woman who somehow saw fit to cough loudly while waving her hand in front of her face and glaring at me in Wolfville……next time I hope someone has less restraint than I did. Yeah, I was having a smoke. Outside, in the…
When is a Crosswalk Not a Crosswalk…
Published November 23, 2006. When is a Crosswalk Not a Crosswalk… I am soooo pissed. Today I was walking along Grafton Street at lunch. I came to three crosswalks, put my arm out and NOT ONE OF THOSE COCKSUCKER CARS WOULD STOP! If I had had a coffee in my hand, I would have thrown…
Taxis
Published November 23, 2006. Taxis I hate this Taxi company. For a company that’s been around for ages and has a near strangle hold on the city they are terrible. Three weeks ago I called for a cab three times over the course of an hour and a half, waited each time and then called…
Bus stop smokers
Published November 23, 2006. Bus stop smokers Alright you smokers, can’t you read? The bus shelters are non smoking areas. Why don’t you understand that??? Everyday there’s one of you that steps into the shelter and lights up. The smoke blows in everyone’s faces and next thing you know your selfishness has resulted in everyone…
Red Fridays
Published November 23, 2006. Red Fridays OMFG this thing is stupid. It isn’t bad enough that we have a government led by “I don’t understand world politics” Harper, much like ole W down south but now we have these puffed up “support the troops” red Friday garbage days dreamt up by some suburban housewife who’s…
The entrance to King’s College—the gateway for hundreds of young minds into a world of academic achievement, critical thought and self-discovery—has a really big pothole.
Remarks: Pothole is perhaps an inaccurate term to describe this thing. It’s more like a pot-gully. Or a pot-gulch—it’s big, is our point. The hole (caused by a broken water main, according to a rep from King’s administration) is occasionally blocked by an orange barricade, ensuring that cars and pedestrians aren’t accidentally trapped in the…
Halifax has some sad looking pay phones, like this one on Gottingen. For those of us who still don’t own a cell phone (yes, we exist), pay phones are a quarter-eating necessity.
Remarks: Oddly, Nova Scotia pay phones still feature the MT&T logo, despite the fact MT&T hasn’t been around since the Aliant merger in 1998. Conspiracy theorists, take note: Could this be Aliant’s way of ducking their payphonian responsibilities? Have cells de-prioritized the pay phone? “From our maintenance perspective, cell phones don’t come into play,” says…
Military Minds
Published November 23, 2006. Military Minds I am sooooo goddam sick of hearing and reading the same repetitious “opinions” on Afghanistan/”support the troops”/Thank a Vet etc, etc, etc, issues in publications and on websites, from military members and/or spouses! Now before you get your knickers in a twist, I absolutely agree with your right to…
No Parking Means Just That
Published November 30, 2006. No Parking Means Just That Every goddamn afternoon around 4-4:30 p.m., a whole fucking string of vehicles will PARK on Hollis Street in front of Province House (where there are no meters) and NEVER, NEVER GET TICKETED! Why the hell is this? The goddamn meter men will slap a ticket on…
Final Frustration
Published November 30, 2006. Final Frustration To the girl who almost ruined the Final Fantasy concert: Do you have no consideration for those around you? Final Fantasy aka Owen Pallett is delivering this beautiful violin solo finale, the lights are all out, and you decide to pull out your camera phone to take a picture!…
Un$%#&ing Patriotic Guns N Roses Fans
Published November 30, 2006. Un$%#&ing Patriotic Guns N Roses Fans I am disgusted at the number of people who stood for songs like “Welcome to the Jungle,” during the Guns N Roses concert and then stayed in their seats for the National Anthem! Kudos to those of you who realized 4 or 5 minutes in…
Excruciating Xmas
Published November 30, 2006. Excruciating Xmas To the bleached blonde in the disgustingly tight shirt: You shoved me out of the way on Saturday afternoon in a desperate lunge for the last package of No Name spaghetti noodles and I pray you rot in noodle hell! Also, what is it that compels people to spend…
grocery store cashiers
Published November 30, 2006. grocery store cashiers You know who you are. Yes, the ones that don’t say hello or even acknowledge me, the customer. I only have a few items (that’s why I’m in the express lane) and I’m not causing you any problems or giving attitude. I’m just wondering why you don’t even…
Excruciating Xtina
Published November 30, 2006. Excruciating Xtina Hey, moron whose bedroom is set up right below my office, how about you stop playing that one Christina Aguilera tune and that other dancey tune you have over and over again (it’s been months, fuckwit) and I agree not to light your head on fire? You play that…
lost flamencos
Published November 30, 2006. lost flamencos To the group of twenty or so fifty-somethings who ruined the Los Flamencos show at Seasons Bistro Saturday night: Your conduct was on a par with a pack of teenagers on public transit right after school. All that pent up contempt for authority bubbling over in a riot of…
Tight ass
Published November 30, 2006. Tight ass I work downtown and each floor has a two cubicle washroom. That’s fine and well expect for the stupid twat who stands in front of the fucking sink for ten-fifteen minute stretches, primping her hair, brushing her teeth, spraying herself with smelly shit, putting on makeup and probably changing…
Final Fantasy
Final FantasySaturday, November 18, 10:15pm, at St.Matthew’s.photo David Cieplinski
Not a punk!
Published November 23, 2006. Not a punk! I am so sick and tired of being treated like a criminal by what sadly seems to be a majority of older people. I was yelled at by a bus driver today for wearing headphones simply because I was unaware that the 14 that I was on didn’t…
Save your phoney Xmas smiles for when I really need them
Published November 30, 2006. Save your phoney Xmas smiles for when I really need them Call me Grinch. Call me an asshole….I don’t really care. My bitch is about all the phonies who suddenly decide I’m worthy of a smile just because it’s Christmas season. Guess what, I don’t by it. Save them for when…
I fucking smoke – deal with it.
Published November 30, 2006. I fucking smoke – deal with it. As fucking taboo as it has become I will admit without hesitation that I am a smoker, yes that’s right I fucking smoke – deal with it. I do not agree with the estrangement that been brought upon smokers, not being able to smoke…
USE A CROSSWALK
Published November 30, 2006. USE A CROSSWALK This is to the stupid brunette with a backpack who darted across the street across from King’s College this afternoon. HELLO a fucking crosswalk was 10 feet down the street, you just walked out into the street….TRAFFIC COMING AT YOU BOTH WAYS….you didn’t EVEN LOOK. If I would…
Paid good $ to listen to someone talk, and it wasn’t you!
Published November 30, 2006. Paid good $ to listen to someone talk, and it wasn’t you! To the fucking assholes sitting behind us at YukYuks from Five Isle Islands who talked through the whole god-damned show and agitated the awesome comedians, thanks for making our 4 yr Anniversary a little less than perfect! PS We…
BF
Published November 30, 2006. BF is it just me or is Bruce Frisko’s hair is getting out of control?l!!! It seems as if he spent an hour in a wind tunnel before live at 5. As well as the hair, I am sure that he is totally drunk when on air. cheers to that! Thank…
Oppurtunistic people parking their vehicles on Granville Mall.
Remarks: A Granville Mall business owner got in touch with The Coast to complain about the problem. “I came into work last week and our front doorway was completely blocked off by a vehicle that didn’t need to be there.” Parking enforcement officers have already dropped by to issue tickets and they encourage people to…
Construction at the intersection of Vernon and Pepperell has created two speed-bumpy things, making the two-way stop a tad confusing. And frustrating. And…bumpy.
Remarks: The city has been cleaning old water pipes in the south end: The bumps covered temporary piping being used in the interim. A note sent to local residents in early fall said that construction would begin on Sept. 25 and last roughly two months. “It’s day-to-day,” said Hannam this week. “We need to pick…
Winter Wonderland Grid Lock
Published December 07, 2006. Winter Wonderland Grid Lock The first snowstorm of the season only proved that many drivers in this burg act totally recklessly in a storm because they don’t have any sense or patience to wait like the rest of us. Oh, no, they were in too much of a hurry to be…
Corporate charity
Published December 07, 2006. Corporate charity Standing b4 the cash register at, name the store kent sears zellers superstore etc. I pay for my purchase and am asked if I wish to donate a dollar 4 whatever worthy charity they name. Heres the problem , I give my hard earned cash to the big corporation,…
Please, Pick up After Your Dog at Long Lake Provincial Park
Published December 07, 2006. Please, Pick up After Your Dog at Long Lake Provincial Park Look, I know its not Point Pleasant Park with lots of garbage cans available (there is one at the main parking lot though) but would it be too much for people walking their dogs at Long Lake Provincial Park to…
Pink Floyd Piss Off
Published December 07, 2006. Pink Floyd Piss Off To the miserable hag at the Pink Floyd show who was wearing earplugs, grimacing, and pointing out those of us partaking in the smoking of our joints to the police in the stadium. Thanks for getting us kicked out of one of the coolest shows I’d seen…
Metro Transbitch
Published December 07, 2006. Metro Transbitch I’m sure you were all well aware of the storm that backed everything up for 2-3 hours last night (12/04/06). I got off work @ 8pm and made it home roughly 11pm. Thats an approx. 3 hour commute from Bayers Rd, to Scotia Square (I live behind Scotia Square).…
Disgusted with youth crime and crime in general
Published December 07, 2006. Disgusted with youth crime and crime in general All we hear about in the news lately is how youth crime is on the rise. On Monday night a man on the way to the forum to play hockey was attacked by four youths with snowballs and swung his hockey stick at…
When does “indie” become “scene”?
Published December 07, 2006. When does “indie” become “scene”? So I was at NSCAD the other day, and I had lunch at one of the cafes across the street. Honestly, I’ve always liked the style of dress that so called “indie” people throw together…don’t get me wrong, but when I got enough awkward stares for…
The Scene
Published December 07, 2006. The Scene Why is our music scene an exclusive club of pretentious hipster tools? Last time I checked, the music scene was about music, and not the fashion and friends that come with it. No one honestly cares about whether or not you know a few songs by some random indy…
Cell Phones
Published December 07, 2006. Cell Phones People I have four words for you…PUT DOWN THE PHONE. Excessive cell phone use is literally ruining our social fabric. Remember 10 years ago when we all just walked around, taking in our environment, talking to the people we were actually with, paying attention to our surroundings. Now were…
Open for bitchness
Published December 07, 2006. Open for bitchness To all people who eat out at 3pm: If the door is open, music and lights are on and I’m walking around in my uniform, then you can safely assume we are open. If it is quiet, that may be because it is 3pm, and everyone else is…
Hey ladies…
Published December 07, 2006. Hey ladies… Women of Halifax, I have an exercise that I’d like you to try: Turn your head, look into my eyes, smile. There we go. Now you know how to flirt and how to attract a guy. You see, I’m not from Halifax. And I’m an attractive, smart and caring…
I Hate Metro Transit
Published December 07, 2006. I Hate Metro Transit Considering how much a bus pass cost, metro transit is a fucking rip off. It never comes the time it’s supposed to, 9 times out of 10 the drivers are assholes, I cant count how many times an alderly person has tripped or fallen becuase the drivers…
I can walk slower
Published December 07, 2006. I can walk slower Newsflash vehicle driving assholes – inching toward me as I’m crossing the street will not make me walk faster. I do not care if you have a green light and are making a right hand turn. I have the little white illuminated man, so go fuck yourself.…
No One Needs To Hear You
Published December 07, 2006. No One Needs To Hear You To the self important bitch from New Brunswick who thinks evryone at China Town needed to hear your conversation, think again. We were 6 booth away from you, and we couldn’t hold a romantic conversation because we had to shout over you. You talked to…
Windom Earle
Windom EarleFriday, December 1, 1:22am, at Stage Nine.photo David Cieplinski
SNOWSTORM
Published December 07, 2005. SNOWSTORM This to all the stupid fuckers that didn’t bother to put on snow tires til after the first big snowstorm. HELLO it’s December. What a shock that we had a snowstorm??!!??? Last time I checked we lived in NOVA SCOTIA not FLORIDA. Hey morons that white stuff is called snow,…
This pole on the corner of Robie and Willow once held a guide wire in place. Now it whacks pedestrian crotches. What happened to you, pole? You used to be cool.
Remarks: This was always a difficult pole to detect with the naked eye. It had something to do with the sightlines as you approached the curb—it’s almost like the pole was trying to sneak up and hit you in the crotch (unfortunately, our crotch is our one Achilles’ heel). We called it in, got a…
Scratch bastard
Published December 14, 2006. Scratch bastard Hey, asshole: next time you’re in a parking garage, and you see a spot that would just barely fit your car, maybe you should think about parking in a different spot. A spot, for example, that wouldn’t cause you to scratch the side of your car up against the…
teh intrwebs
Published December 14, 2006. teh intrwebs …theres some thing in us it dont have no name…it aint us but yet its in us. Its looking out thru our eye hoals. …I cud feal it in the guts and barrils of me. You try to make your self 1 with some thing or some body but…
Insane Woman at Aussie Floyd Show
Published December 14, 2006. Insane Woman at Aussie Floyd Show To the blond woman who went fucking crazy during the Australian Pink Floyd Show…..what the fuck is your problem. Smoke a joint, relax….it’s Floyd for God’s sake…..relax. Alternatively you could give back your day pass and go back to the institution…..which you may have when…
Pothole from Hell
Published December 14, 2006. Pothole from Hell To the grand canyon of a pothole next to the construction site on South Street marked with a “bump” sign and to the city who has never fixed it. Thanks a fuckin lot for the uninvited rim job you performed on my tire. You busted my hubcab and…
Aisle ogle
Published December 14, 2006. Aisle ogle This is to the beer-bellied grey-haired asshole at the Joe Howe grocery store on Friday night wearing jeans and a leather jacket: I noticed you fucking stare at me. You looked me over like a piece of meat—while my husband was standing there—and then looked at me directly in…
Repressed City?
Published December 14, 2006. Repressed City? Less a bitch than an inquiry. Maybe one exists but outside of a few aging drag queens at Reflections and the quite excellent sex shop Venus Envy, there doesn’t seem to be much of a sex “scene” in Halifax at all. As far as I can tell, there’re no…
Skuzzy Landlord
Published December 14, 2006. Skuzzy Landlord Over the years I have had a number of landlords who fit the stereotype of “skuzzy slumlord” quite nicely but I have NEVER been treated with more contempt than when I moved out of my apartment yesterday. Thank you, Mister Landlord, for booking a construction crew to dig a…
no gentlemen
Published December 14, 2006. no gentlemen Where have all the gentlemen of society gone to? A lady and her small son got on the 61 morning bus on Monday and she actually had to ask for a seat for her son. A woman was kind enough to get up. The thing that pisses me the…
Stupid men hater!
Published December 14, 2006. Stupid men hater! I just found out that one of my good friends was followed from tacky ‘ole “Liquor Dome” this past weekend and was brutally beaten in front of his building, apparently because he’s gay. I think i should send some of my gay/straight friends for some “stupid shithead straight”…
Hair treatment
Published December 28, 2006. Hair treatment To the woman who thought it’d be clever or humourous to shout, “Get a haircut, why don’t you?” at me in the Hydrostone: despite how ignorant you are, I hope you never lose a relative to cancer and decide to shave your head out of respect. I was just…
Rude bastards
Published December 14, 2006. Rude bastards This may be a re-hashing of a recent bitch, but a few nights ago at a certain gas station in Rockingham Ridge, I was left speechless. Went inside to pay for my gas and was about 4th in line to pay, figuring something must be wrong with one of…
Matt & Rita of Confidence Band
Matt & Rita of Confidence BandThursday, December 7, 8:30pm, at the Khyber Club.photo David Cieplinski
Lights not so bright.
Published December 14, 2006. Lights not so bright. I am all for conserving energy but LED Christmas lights suck. For example – the tree on the Bi-Hi that is adorned for thousands of commuters is now draped with hundreds of these crappy lights – probably three times as many lights as last year’s regular bulbs…
Insulation sucks
Published December 28, 2006. Insulation sucks So, the insulation sucks cause i hear everything from my neighbours downstairs, i am sure they can hear me too, my tap leaks, my doorbell doesn’t work, there are mice here!,my heat is broken, my bathroom is moldy. I have called several times and still no one comes to…
Cell block
Published January 04, 2007. Cell block To the girl I saved from an accident two weeks ago on Allen Street, backing out of your driveway with your cellphone attached to your head. A car crossed onto Allen, unable to see you because of the trees. You would have been able to see them if you…
How to keep me in Nova Scotia
Published January 04, 2007. How to keep me in Nova Scotia I’m hearing a lot about the attempts businesses and government are trying to make to keep young people from moving to Alberta and other provinces out west. But their approach is ridiculous. They are still thinking like it’s 1960. Stop trying to get any…
Polluted
Published January 04, 2007. Polluted What the flying you know what and it ain’t fish, not at this location. I’m talking Black Rock Beach, right, everyone knows where that is. Just in case you don’t it’s at Point Pleasant Poluted Park. Well the ‘Beach’ has been off limits for years now because of the Halifax…
Why do i have to sign in?
Published January 04, 2007. Why do i have to sign in? Why do i have to sign in to make a comment? I’ve bitched about this before but it was never published. Now that I have signed up and given my email address to you I can now enjoy the hundreds of spam emails a…
Oil addicts
Published January 04, 2007. Oil addicts To all you people who drive around in those big SUVs, and then go tell a smoker how bad and disrespectful they are to those around them: Shut the fuck up. The exhaust from your car/van/truck/SUV is -worse- than second-hand smoke, and destroys the environnement on top of it.…
Bus bimbos
Published December 28, 2006. Bus bimbos I’ll keep this simple: if you are riding the bus and you are using your cellphone, STOP IT. You brainless fucking twits have zero consideration for the mental wellbeing of your fellow passengers. No one wants to sit there and listen to you blather on in that whiney, nasal…
Number 1 pain in the ass
Published December 28, 2006. Number 1 pain in the ass I’d like to ask Metro transit to go ahead and send a few extra buses around on line 1 (Spring Garden/Mumford/Dartmouth). It’s a busy ass line, especially around rush hour, and there’s no need for me to be waiting a half hour between buses, only…
Lights out
Published December 28, 2006. Lights out To the assholes who’ve destroyed the Christmas lights outside my house: MERRY FUCKING CHRISTMAS. I originally used glass lights; you fucked them up to the sound of “pop pop pop” on the pavement. I purchased LED lights and they were torn down and destroyed. To the parents out there:…
Christmas Spirit in Clayton Park
Published December 28, 2006. Christmas Spirit in Clayton Park To the total piece of shit who snuck in the back door of Tim Horton’s last Sunday and stole my wallet – I hope you choke on it. Did you really need my hard earned money that bad? You think I’m working at Hortons for fun?…
Property managers
Published December 28, 2006. Property managers You corrupt low life head in the fucking sand scumbags. Rather than deal with employee theft, sexual advances, unprofessional attitudes and cursing at tenants behind their back, you fire the man who brings it all to light?! He was the best you had you twisted wastes of flesh. You…
King of do-nothing
Published December 28, 2006. King of do-nothing I am leaving Canada, I have my going away party tonight, I walk into a pizza place and ask for a Donair slice and get an answer that they are not making any tonight.????????? What is wrong with this city. You have 1 signature dish and you do…
Punks Not Dead
Published December 28, 2006. Punks Not Dead Shithead punks that cause mayhem aren’t only in the streets of the HRM my friends. What’s with the teens down in New Waterford heaving a frozen ice ball at Santa, who happens to be handing out candy to children in a fucking Christmas parade!!! They bruised his chest…
PBBs(PUBLIC Bulletin Boards)
Published December 28, 2006. PBBs(PUBLIC Bulletin Boards) To those who use the bulletin boards around town to advertise your whatevers. Just a few simple rules would make it better for all of us. 1) Good idea to bring your own tacks just in case instead of stealing mine 2) Please don’t completely cover someone else’s…
Welfare abuser
Published December 28, 2006. Welfare abuser In todays society you would think that the welfare program would be better monitored. How is it that an alcoholic mother (who has already had her kids taken from her three times) can get a cheque, spend it all on alcohol instead of presents for her kids for Christmas…
Portland Street in Dartmouth has been reduced to one lane since early September. Construction was to end by mid-November. Now, it’s December. Soon, it will be January. Soooo…
Remarks: A frustrated Coast reader complained about the state of Portland, claiming that she nearly punctured a tire on the edge of an exposed pipe sticking up through the gravel. You might say she “piped up” about it, but we wouldn’t, because that’s just ridiculous. Sidewalks, sewers, pavement and gas mains are all being fixed,…
Crotch-endangering pole at the corner of Cornwallis and Maitland.
Remarks: How many of these malevolent poles are there? Are there triplets? Quintuplets? Octuplets? Clearly, we’re in over our waist. We called the HRM call centre, where a receptionist dutifully took down our problem and assigned it a service number (#2369848). Last time, it only took a few days for our pole complaint to be…
I hope you have a guardian angel
Published January 11, 2007. I hope you have a guardian angel To the elderly lady who was crossing against all of the traffic lights on Sunday on Spring Garden road- PLEASE TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF WHILE CROSSING THE ROAD. I yelled at you to look out as you crossed twice while the lights were red.…
Stop the noise
Published January 11, 2007. Stop the noise Hey all you wingdings with windchimes: they may soothe your savage breasts (if you even notice them anymore) but they’re driving the rest of us nuts. Take those nasty things down and stop contributing to noise pollution, for the love of peace and quiet! I’ll shut up if…
Lesson learned
Published January 11, 2007. Lesson learned So, from what the police have been telling us, I’ve learned the following: If you’ve been drinking & are involved in a fender bender (or worse), make sure you leave the scene of the crime. Go home, and sleep it off to make sure all the alcohol (or drugs)…
Tread lightly
Published January 11, 2007. Tread lightly To the guy who was running on the treadmill next to me on Tuesday at Nubody’s in Park Lane: don’t think I don’t know it was you who pushed the ‘resume’ button on my treadmill after I had paused it to go get a drink. Thanks to your hilarious…
VKNGS
VKNGSSaturday, January 7, 2:09am, at The Attic.photo Robin Hart Hiltz
Carmen Townsend
Carmen TownsendMonday, January 1, 12:37 am, at Stage Nine.photo David Cieplinski
Net loss
Published January 11, 2007. Net loss To the kind folks who broke into my apartment in mid-December: Thanks. You caused: a major blowup with roommate, the loss of a job interview, the loss of my deposit, the loss of a backpack I can’t afford to replace and the loss of my grandfather’s wallet. Now, what…
Negative Nelly in Sector 4!
Published January 11, 2007. Negative Nelly in Sector 4! I’ve just finished reading a plethora of movie reviews. Ranging from horror to kids movies. One thing I’ve noticed is that in every article, it is always negative, or starts out somewhat positive, yet ends on a negative note. Instead of having critics critique movies which…
Gangstas on the bus
Published January 11, 2007. Gangstas on the bus To the guys dressed like they were from “The Hood,” on the 52 that threatened to beat me up. I turned you down because I’m a lot smarter then that. But I wanted to give you some advice. Your “friends” are quite a lot younger then you.…
Germ warfare
Published January 11, 2007. Germ warfare Why do people who are sick as shit come into work so they can infect everyone around them? I’m not talking about the poor bastards who won’t get paid if they don’t show up, I’m talking about the idiot management types that think that the whole fucking company will…
Talk about ignorance?
Published January 18, 2007. Talk about ignorance? I was just reading some of the bitches from a few months ago and the ones about the ignorant Yanks seriously annoyed me. I’m an American who has moved to Halifax because I prefer Canada to the States. I love it here and perhaps to the dismay of…
I want my powder substance topping!
Published January 18, 2007. I want my powder substance topping! Empire Theatres, kindly remove your head from your arse. The last 4 times i have visited your establishment you have been out of White Cheddar topping. What the hell? This stuff looks like it would survive at least 2 nuclear winters, yet you can’t seem…
Restaurant Assholes
Published January 18, 2007. Restaurant Assholes On behalf of the server, Here’s a big “FUCK YOU” to the assholes at the Mustache on Thursday (January 11). You guys seriously were being jerks. Here is the scenario: Waitress brings over menus. Patrons order drinks. Waitress brings cranberry juice. Said cranberry juice is warm. Waitress says, I’ll…
Hello? It’s winter!
Published January 18, 2007. Hello? It’s winter! Driving to work this morning, before 7 a.m., coming up Chebucto Road… there you were, little red car, with every single window obscured by snow, with the tiny exception of the little bit of the windshield on the driver’s side that was cleared so you could see. What…
Hate For City… Rising
Published January 18, 2007. Hate For City… Rising I know there aren’t a lot of us who take the last 14 Leiblin Park, but seriously, if you can’t wait 5 minutes for the last 2 Wedgewood to get to Mumford to take us home, you’ve got a problem. Last night I was absolutely delighted to…
Nacho Nacho Man
Published January 18, 2007. Nacho Nacho Man To a certain lunch dive downtown – don’t let your menu read that nachos are your specialty, pal, then serve me up eight soggy nachos and two fucking tons of cheese that could clog the arteries of every doctor in HRM. If you do the math, you’d discover…
Bogus Racism
Published January 18, 2007. Bogus Racism Hey, Mr. MLA who thinks his colleagues, et al are racist – did it ever dawn on you that maybe THEY JUST DON’T LIKE YOU AS A HUMAN BEING AND IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH RACISM???? This looks like a sad attempt to get some press and belittle…
University isn’t daycare!
Published January 18, 2007. University isn’t daycare! To the bright student who brought her infant to class: look, I understand it’s hard to be a student/parent, but don’t bring your noisy baby to lectures! On top of the lecture material being difficult, your kid was crying, whining and banging things while we’re trying to listen.…
Asshole teachers
Published January 25, 2007. Asshole teachers To my asshole teacher at my crappy run down school. Thanks alot you jerk thanks to you I was suspended because I took a break from the fucking work you gave me and wouldn’t help me with. I hate you fucking assholes what else would I expect from civil…
Pub Crawl Scam
Published January 25, 2007. Pub Crawl Scam So there’s gonna be a pub crawl on Feb 9th and I couldn’t help but wonder “$20 per person? Is that all? Why which lovely charity will be accepting this money so we can make it into the Guiness Book of World Records?” I emailed the organizers of…
Helen Hill Memorial Parade
Helen Hill Memorial ParadeSaturday, January 13, 1pm, on Gottingen Street.photo Robin Hart Hiltz Related Stories
T’isn’t the season
Published January 18, 2007. T’isn’t the season Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE Christmas. It is my favourite time of year and every year I look forward to seeing all the lights on people’s houses…but COME ON people. For the love of Christ, turn the lights off already. I understand the whole 12 days of…
Smash trash ’n’ dash
Published January 18, 2007. Smash trash ’n’ dash To the man on Inglis the other evening who, instead of driving around a garbage bag that blew onto the street, decided to drive over it thinking he could clear it: what the fuck were you thinking? The bag, which was full and was probably three feet…
The Traffic Bitch
Published January 18, 2007. The Traffic Bitch Twice this week I had the pleasure of being stuck on the Magazine Hill and ended up being late for work. Twice! I refuse to leave home any earlier to get work based on the chance that there may be an accident. It is getting ridiculous. Why, why,…
Studity and Ignorance Have No Bounds
Published January 18, 2007. Studity and Ignorance Have No Bounds This morning I came across this little gem in the paper…. ‘A poll says 89 per cent of Canadian motorists are concerned about the dangers of driving while distracted. But the same survey found that 60 per cent of those surveyed are not willing to…
Finger pointing
Published January 25, 2007. Finger pointing This bitch is concerning the television commercial where the asshat apparently has a radio in his finger. Which advertising firm came up with this concept and how the fuck did they sell anyone on it? Seriously, this has got to be sitting in top spot for the number-one cheeziest…
Traffic Weaver on Robie Street
Published January 25, 2007. Traffic Weaver on Robie Street This friendly little message is to the cocky asshole driving the black Honda Accord on Robie St heading towards SMU Wednesday Jan 18 around 9pm.What the fuck was your rush you dumb fuck? Weaving in and out of the two lanes to rush ahead of everyone…
Blind spot
Published January 25, 2007. Blind spot Everyday I am almost hit by cars who cannot wait for me to cross the street. I wait for my green light but they cant wait for theirs. So the other day you can understand why I was so annoyed that a car starts honking at me with a…
Scandalous
Published January 25, 2007. Scandalous What is it with people who do their weekly grocery shopping and go through the SELF-SCAN with FULL CARTS? The self-scan is meant to be a quick alternative to standing in line for a cashier. I’m so sick of going to pick up lunch on my 30-minute lunch break and…
Elevator etiquette
Published January 25, 2007. Elevator etiquette Fellow residents of Scotia Towers: Apparently none of you are aware of proper elevator etiquette, so please allow me to instruct you. Wait for the elevator doors to open before plowing forward at top speed. Look UP, and check to see if someone is trying to exit the elevator.…
Classic Rock
Published January 25, 2007. Classic Rock I’ve figured it out: we have so many classic rock stations since the beneficent radio conglomerates don’t want us, a have-not province, to spend our money on good/ current/ local music. Thank God the Q or Hal never tried to promote any concerts at Stage Nine – now that…
Saw Ads
Published January 25, 2007. Saw Ads The ads for the ‘Saw’ movies you see fit to run are sick beyond belief, disturbing and have no place anywhere except a restricted viewing movie. It’s only money–GET RID OF THEM THE LAST THING I WANT TO DO IS HAVE TO AVOID EXPLAINING ONE TO MY SIX YEAR…
Valentine’s Day
Published January 25, 2007. Valentine’s Day No sooner is Christmas over when greedy retailers start flogging their goddamn Valentine’s Day card and gifts at us. Wake up, people, this is a fucking Hallmark holiday, nothing more, nothing less. If you need to commemorate your love for someone once a year, do it on an anniversary…
Learn some manners
Published January 25, 2007. Learn some manners This is to the cabbie asshole that picked up my mom the other day. She wanted to go to the bank on a day the windshield was -27 and the sidewalks were icy as hell and she’s also in her 60’s. You looked at her and yelled ‘you…
These Bell Road sidewalks look sick—and not “sick” like the way the kids are saying it. Sick like broken.
Remarks: Smith says the problem can be traced back to the still-under construction Citadel High School, which will draw its heat from the nearby hospital. “There won’t be a furnace in the school—the pipes will run under the road. They’re not eager to pave that over until those things are installed”—this spring. However, Jessome calls…
This “no parking” sign on Maynard is sleeping on the job. Newsflash, signy: Nobody will notice you if you’re lying face-up on the ground—except birds, maybe. Or pilots. Or sad people.
Remarks: These types of malfunctions always amaze us—this wasn’t some rinky-dink sign thrown up with scotch tape and chewing gum: This was a metal sign, held in place by an equally metal pole, anchored in terra firma and reinforced by good old-fashioned Canadian craftsmanship. And yet, here it lies—pole severed, spirit broken. What could have…
BA Johnston’s Birthday Bash
BA Johnston’s Birthday BashFriday, January 19, 12:35 am, at Gus’ Pub.photo Rob Fournier
Dearest Dal
Published February 01, 2007. Dearest Dal My dearest Dalhousie University, I pay the highest tuition and receive the lowest student financial assitance in the country. I have to work two jobs in order to keep up, yet when I walk on your campus and see the brand new big screen TVs’ (that are never on)…
Smoking and the Powers That Be
Published February 01, 2007. Smoking and the Powers That Be Those government idiots might as well make smoking illegal. You can’t smoke anywhere in public – cars will be next, then apartments and condos. Soon, the only place it’ll be safe to smoke is in a lead lined shed on Sable Island. The government claims…
Get Some Manners
Published February 01, 2007. Get Some Manners To the two idiots who were at Costco on Saturday, January 20th. You made complete morons of yourself by trying to get past the shoppers in line who were patiently waiting to have their purchases checked at the door before leaving. ALL of us in line had to…
For Pluto
For PlutoFriday, January 26, 9:29pm, at the Pavilion.photo David Cieplinksi
Please tip
Published February 01, 2007. Please tip When someone is cleaning your hotel room for a number of nights it’s always nice to get a tip when you check out. People tip the coffee girl for doing a 30 second job and it takes me 30 minutes everyday to clean up after your slop day after…
Beer rip offs
Published February 01, 2007. Beer rip offs Is beer a poor man’s drink or what? Why the fuck is my local tavern charging 4.25 for a beer. That’s disgusting. And their draft is 4.00. I use to go there all the time when their prices were reasonable but they can go fuck themselves now. And…
More of the Same
Published February 01, 2007. More of the Same Fuck you, “Same.” I am sick and tired of seeing your fucking poor-excuse graffiti plastered all over my neighbourhood. The few initial tags here and there didn’t bug me so much, but when you started to plaster 15-year-old teeny-bopper schoolbinder bubble-letter shit all over the sides of…
Stupid new driver!!
Published February 01, 2007. Stupid new driver!! To the idiot who didn’t look both ways when pulling onto Skeena drive, you almost took out the front of my car, and also could have hurt YOURSELF, me or my unborn child. LOOK BOTH WAYS, this is something your parents should have taught you when you were…
Pro Walking – Anti Idiot
Published January 25, 2007. Pro Walking – Anti Idiot I always ALWAYS give pedestrians the right of way. I understand it’s cold, it’s inconvenient and sometimes makes you late when you don’t have wheels. I just recently bought my FIRST car and sympathize COMPLETELY with walkers, but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don’t fucking run infront of…
Save the children
Published February 01, 2007. Save the children Jesus H. Christaroonie, here’s a ridiculous front- page headline: Make kids wear helmets while sledding. When is this total bullshit going to stop? I can see the sense of bike helmets, but just how many sled fatalities have you heard of…EVER??? Kids should not be wrapped in cotton…
Should be Committed at this point
Published February 01, 2006. Should be Committed at this point I’m really tired of guys being scared off by “commitment”. Guys, all a commitment is to us is a grown up version of playing house, but rest assured, we’ll be the first ones out when it’s clear it isn’t working. I don’t believe that all…
Cabs in Halifax
Published February 01, 2007. Cabs in Halifax Why do Haligonian Cab drivers refuse to turn off their light when they have people in their taxi? Do they enjoy seeing people try to hail a taxi and just staring at them as they drive by? I know from experience how cabs work in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto,…
Masked cowards
Published February 01, 2007. Masked cowards This ones to all these “masked” thugs running around the city with bandanas over their faces. What the fuck is wrong with you? Do you think your tough? Are you scared to show your face in public because you owe your crack dealer money? As if violence wasnt enough…
Banned Smoking Fallout
Published February 01, 2007. Banned Smoking Fallout Hahahahaha, you bureaucratic morons – now that you’ve banned ‘smoking rooms’, you now have the pleasure of cigarette butts all over the city sidewalks and streets. These smoking laws are fucking ridiculous – if I’m in a ventilated room with other smokers, the non-smoking nutrags shuold shut their…
Tag-bag
Published February 08, 2007. Tag-bag “Jem”. You’ve failed as an urban artist tagging our neighbour’s homes. Maybe you thought you could get good enough to do throw-ups, or even bombs, but your progression is continental drift-like. Your style is repetitive and unimaginative, and now has been blacklisted for destruction. Nice try “Jem”, but I look…
Pissing in the Girl’s Room
Published February 08, 2007. Pissing in the Girl’s Room To the girl who couldn’t wait to get into the bathroom stall at a downtown night club last Saturday night (Feb 3). Thanks for pissing all over the floor instead! You couldn’t have waited 30 seconds before the next girl left the stall? Second in line
Anger grande
Published February 08, 2007. Anger grande To the imbeciles who have been repeatedly egging a new Spring Garden coffee shop, do you really believe you are doing your noble part to resist corporate takeover? Have you any idea the positive changes that place has created for millions of low-wage workers worldwide? Do you really think…
Small business
Published February 08, 2007. Small business To people who steal from small businesses. What the fuck is wrong with you? Just because a person owns a business, doesn’t mean they haven’t grown up poor or are living on the bare minimum to make something for themselves. when you fucking steal something, you’re making that month…
Phoque off
Published February 08, 2007. Phoque off Why do news shows think that people want to see baby seals getting clubbed on ice floes? They never say: You may not want your children to watch the following…Why are seals different than dogs, cats, other animals? It’s enough that I have to see people getting beat up…
Eww Tube
Published February 08, 2007. Eww Tube Will the networks quit with the fucking reality shows already? Even clever editing can’t make this crap even remotely interesting. Who the hell gives a shit about the Gottis, Carters or that hideous Flava Flav? Do I really need to see screeching little bastards on Nanny 911 or some…
Bar Brawl
Published February 08, 2007. Bar Brawl To the Bitch who jumped my friend outside of the bar on saturday night, she was only trying to break up a fight, and come on two on one, and the bouncers who just stood there and watched, you’ll get what’s coming to you!! sick of beastly manly bitches
Wake Up, Q104
Published February 08, 2007. Wake Up, Q104 I love Q in the morning – only one segment ruins what is otherwise a pretty good show and that is ‘David Letterman’s Top 10’. This gaped toothed geezer is just not fucking funny. The fact he gets paid millions gauls me to no end – all that…
Bad tippers
Published February 08, 2007. Bad tippers Is it unknown to humankind that 15% is a standard tip. Listen carefully. To all you cheaply, sheltered, uneducated and “pretentious” ass wipes who like a good high class meal (high class in your twisted world), budget for the damn tip. Your date will eventually know how dispicable you…
Check Your Brain at the Car Door
Published February 08, 2007. Check Your Brain at the Car Door I’ve decided to get rid of my car after driving it around this city for the past year and a lot of you jackasses out there have made it an easy decision. What is wrong with you people? Do they just give licenses away…
Enough of the Carping.
Published February 08, 2007. Enough of the Carping. To the carpenter’s union who insists on setting up their picket line right outside my bedroom window on Hollis at 7am: Shut up with the airhorns, and quit encouraging the car honking. I’m all for solidarity, unionization, good wages etc. But at seven in the fucking A.M.…
Use the crosswalks
Published February 08, 2007. Use the crosswalks To the jerk who crossed Wyse Rd near the bridge just now….WAKE THE HELL UP! Use the crosswalks thats what they are there for!!! If I had not been the curteous driver that I am, I would have run your sorry ass over! And you’d be paying the…
Good Bus Drivers/Bad Bus Drivers
Published February 08, 2007. Good Bus Drivers/Bad Bus Drivers Well I ride the bus everyday, so I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later. The vast majority of bus drivers are hard working people, and most are very nice considering the riff raff out there. But… The other night I had “fun” trying…
Play Guitar
Play GuitarThursday, February 1, 12:30am, at Gus’ Pub.photo David Cieplinksi
The streetlights on Portland Street in downtown Dartmouth are still adorned with festive holiday trim. That’s heartwarming, but quite out-of-date. It’s February, people; there is no joy in February.
Remarks: It’s hard to fault a group for trying to beautify a part of their city. And yet, here we are. Everybody knows, December is the time for wreath-y decorations—February is reserved for tacky pink heart-shaped schmaltz. A rep from the Business Commission told us that the adornments are supposed to light up, but they’ve…
Multitude of problems on Bishop near Barrington.
Remarks: So, we’re walking along Bishop near Barrington, and we see half the sidewalk isn’t paved. That sucks. We shrug. Then we notice that some of the signs are in the middle of the sidewalk. That sucks too. We forgive. Finally, we trip on one of two signpost nubs left sticking out of the ground,…
Corner of Inglis and Barrington is FFP: Fucked for pedestrians
Remarks: Campbell tells us that the construction was done for a new sewage pumping station, and that the work is now essentially complete. Still, the pylons, barricades and other unsightly crapola will likely linger until the spring. “But,” he asserts, “there won’t be any traffic disruptions.” …unless, that is, you count foot traffic. Which, well,…
…Deal with it
Published February 15, 2007. …Deal with it I love it! Students rallying together in the cold to fight the rise in tuition fees. Guess what, Einsteins? You wasted your time. Nothing will stop the fee increase. Year after year, the same protest falls on deaf ears. No working-class citizen gives a rat’s ass about student…
help save music
Published February 15, 2007. help save music What the hell is wrong with halifax and radio stations. I am sick and tyred of hearing the same classic rock songs over and over. the Q wasnt to bad because they were the only rock station. But hal fucked that for them, by playing the exact same…
so sick of the seal shit
Published February 15, 2007. so sick of the seal shit i’m so damn tired of hearing about the bloody seal hunt. You know.. this is Nova Scotia. You environmentalists and animal activists need to remember that this is a provice which rely on fish. There are too many seals. Period. They do what they do,…
Sewage
Published February 15, 2007. Sewage To the unhelpful staff member of the downtown bar-whether it is only 11pm on a Saturday night, or not, over-flowing toilets are not a non-issue. I paid $6 bucks to walk in your shit! Thanks a bunch for the fantabulous night! Soggy, Stinky Feet
World’s Largest Waste of 20 bucks
Published February 15, 2007. World’s Largest Waste of 20 bucks According to the World’s Largest Pub Crawl” website: ‘As a participant you receive a shirt you will never throw away, free cover to all your crawl schedule bars and no lineup waits, drink specials, a copy of the Guinness World Records Certificate emailed to you…
Piss-Poor Patch
Published February 15, 2007. Piss-Poor Patch Anybody who has driven by the Travellers Motel on the Bedford Highway has experienced the violent turbulence when you drive over that terrible patch-job the workers did after doing pipework under the road. Way to go, you lazy bastards! That’s a busy stretch of road, and you did a…
Pot Hole Parade
Published February 15, 2007. Pot Hole Parade Look, I know this is pothole season and there’s not much that can be done to repair them in this weather BUT something has to be done about the ones that are deep enough to conceal a German Shepherd. They are downright dangerous for both car and driver.…
Seeing is Not Believing
Published February 15, 2007. Seeing is Not Believing You can’t trust any image these days. So much of what you see these days is another masterpiece of photoshopped, airbrushed bullshit – nothing is genuine anymore. Celebrity photos are so bogus in most cases, you wonder if you’d even recognize the real person if you saw…
Get a Clue
Published February 15, 2007. Get a Clue Why, oh why are we flooded with media (books, television, movies) about dumb pussies looking for Mr. Right? Get a clue, girlies. There is no Mr. Right – that’s right, it’s a fucking myth. Here’s the three stages of so-called Mr. Right as I’ve seen it in several…
Killing is cheap
Published February 15, 2007. Killing is cheap I can’t quite figure out why the courts fine people $400+ if they litter. But if you kill someone at a crosswalk, you get fined less than $375. Go figure. I’m all for the family suing as stated in the paper this morning. The girl was in a…
Come Back Crash & Mars!!
Published February 15, 2007. Come Back Crash & Mars!! To the stupid morons that got rid of Crash & Mars at HAL 89.9 – DO YOU HAVE A BRAIN IN YOUR HEAD!! Crash and Mars were the BEST radio hosts I have heard in this town in a long time! Sorry but the new gal…
Tuition fees suck…
Published February 15, 2007. Tuition fees suck… I’m sorry the provincial minister of education feels that the students in NS are making “poor lifestyle choices” that are sending them into debt, as she stated at the tuition rally. Apparently one of those poor choices is deciding to go to university at all—I’m sure the people…
Non-smokers (and militant ex smokers) just don’t get it.
Published February 15, 2007. Non-smokers (and militant ex smokers) just don’t get it. Okay, there is this ad about a kid who’s father died as a result of smoking. It is supposed to get you to quit smoking. My girlfriend is a smoker, and I quit recently. We both had the exact same response to…
CRAZY LADY ON BUS 52
Published February 15, 2007. CRAZY LADY ON BUS 52 To the Crazy Lady on bus 52, please do not ride the fuck transit if you can not stop thinking ppl are laughing at you. Your insane and bus drivers should not let you on the bus if you are going to sit there and yell…
parking tickets!
Published February 22, 2007. parking tickets! Seriously, as of this school year (starting in september) the parking tickets around Saint mary’s are 50 DOLLARS EACH! These have gone up from 15 dollars, which was acceptable for a student to pay. Is this how they’re collecting student loans back? If we sit in 2 hour parking…
Aisle wild
Published February 22, 2007. Aisle wild Last week when I went to buy my groceries at a certain store on Barrington Street, I noticed not one but three small birds flying and chirping (and undoubtedly pooping) around the produce section. Then, as if that wasn’t bad enough, what did I see scurrying across the dairy…
Dear CTV…
Published February 22, 2007. Dear CTV… Could you please program something after 8 pm that doesn’t involve women being raped/murdered/tortured/pulled out of a dumpster in the nude etc…I know the 18 CSI and 37 Law & Order spin offs ARE popular and make sense from a ratings perspective. But the other night I was actually…
To the idiots who take the Mom and new baby spots
Published February 22, 2007. To the idiots who take the Mom and new baby spots To all you jerks who take the spots for new moms and expectant mom spots who aren’t pregnant and who don’t have babies -thanks a lot – do you have any idea how hard it is to haul you 39…
Suv Drivers
Published February 22, 2007. Suv Drivers To all of the suv and minivan driving jackasses you have no right to complain about gas prices. Its you fault for picking a inefficient, dangerous stupid vehicle don’t bitch about how you need a minivan or a suv to drive little scottie to baseball. God people like you…
Who needs a hug?
Published February 22, 2007. Who needs a hug? To the DJ who was spewing his homophobic bullshit at the Marquee on Saturday night during the ECMA show: What the fuck is wrong with two guys hugging? Get over yourself. You’re an asshole. You gave other homophobic assholes the opening to then spew their bullshit. Why…
Make Me Puke
Published February 22, 2007. Make Me Puke So MacIsaac gets married with his and his mugs on the front page of the Daily Snooze. Am I offended because he’s smooching his boyo? Naw, I’m too civilized for that. What offends me is that he should receive so much attention from the media after the disdain…
SHUT UP RETAIL WORKERS
Published February 22, 2007. SHUT UP RETAIL WORKERS I am sick and when I’m not sick… I’m sick and TIRED of hearing the retail workers bitch about having to work on Sundays. BOO FUCKING HOO. I work in a profession where we work weekends, evenings AND holidays. If you retail people aren’t bitching about working…
Charitible Driver Spares Pedestrian
Published February 22, 2007. Charitible Driver Spares Pedestrian I’m crossing at the pedestrian crosswalk — with the signal — at the willow tree Monday at rush hour. You want to turn right and you honk your horn at me. I gesture at the walking signal to point out that I have the right of way…
Commonwealth Games
Published February 22, 2007. Commonwealth Games I can’t see why people want these games so much without fully knowing all the facts. The games committee is so secretive and refuses to open their books for a thorough investigation. Why? They first stated that it won’t cost much, etc.. But now we find out it’ll cost…
Jill Barber
Jill BarberSunday, February 18, at the East Coast Music Awards.photo Rob Fournier
Attention all loogie hawkers
Published February 15, 2007. Attention all loogie hawkers When you’re coughing up a lung and depositing the green goo to the sidewalk.. perhaps you could be so kind as to spit it a few inches further… say off the sidewalk into the grass or street perhaps? We folk who walk .. or should I say…
Disgusting School
Published February 15, 2007. Disgusting School To my piece of shit school. This is disgusting. There are mice running around the school during classes and its disgusting. The kids were in the room during exams which are stressful enough yet there were two mice running around. I know “Oh we are building a new one”…
Licence to bill
Published March 01, 2007. Licence to bill For the second time since I got my licence, I had to renew it. Not only did I have to pay $63, but in order to get the blue “N” off it, I have to take a course that costs $90! That’s a student loan payment! I have been…
SUV Haters
Published March 01, 2007. SUV Haters I wonder if the SUV haters are fundamentalists or just folks that cannot afford an SUV? Come on folks, take heart with bigger issues; people are dying every day from diseases, children are starving and here you are complaining about some preppy folk that drive SUV’s. GET A LIFE.…
NO MORE POWER OUTAGES!!!
Published March 01, 2007. NO MORE POWER OUTAGES!!! Things are starting to get a little ridiculous around the city of Halifax. I’m currently sitting in my room at Saint Mary’s University typing this with my last 3 minutes of laptop battery power. I want everyone to know just how often this happens and how freakin…
Done With Used CD Shops
Published March 01, 2007. Done With Used CD Shops Ok that’s it: I’ve had it with the used CD shops in Halifax. I’m trying to decide what I hate more about going to those places: the piss-poor attitude and awful customer service i receive or the way I continually get raped over the cash value…
goodbye city
Published March 01, 2007. goodbye city to a certain band of 5 douch-bags from Scarborough: why are you here? take notes asshats: if you’re going to pledge never to come back to this city, and then write a song in your album (hello city) about how much you hate the place, you better not show…
A simple question
Published March 01, 2007. A simple question I really don’t think mine is a bitch but more of a question. why do celebrities, sports stars, models, and etc. make so much money? Now I know how they make their millions but why do they get these millions? what is it about them that they should…
Tired of @#$%
Published March 01, 2007. Tired of @#$% Do @#$%ing folks @#$%ing think @#$%ing adding “@#$% “before @#$%ing every @#$%ing word @#$%ing adds @#$%ing clarity? @#$%ing no? @#$%, then @#$%ing why the @#$% do I @#$%ing hear “@#$%ing” so @#$%ing much on the @#$%ing sidewalk in @#$%ing broad @#$%ing daylight? @#$%ing learn @#$%ing English. I’m @#$%ing…
Ass in the Rotary
Published March 01, 2007. Ass in the Rotary To the driver of the black Accord who rear-ended our gold Sentra in the Rotary last Wednesday during rush hour: Thanks so much for taking off after ramming my son into the car in front of him.This will be a lovely story to share with your child…
Diabetic Conspiracy
Published March 01, 2007. Diabetic Conspiracy Less than 10 years ago, people were diagnosed with Type II diabetes if their sugar levels were over 10. Now the ‘norm’ is between 4 and 6. Here’s what I want to know – were these standards lowered just for the medical community to get an easy cash grab?…
Anti Seal Hunt?
Published March 01, 2007. Anti Seal Hunt? Ok let me start of by saying I am for ending the Seal Hunt. But this Anti-Seal Hunt group isn’t going about it the right way. Mother Theresa once said, “I would never be part of an anti-war concert. I would be a part of a peace concert…
A Sad Statement
Published March 01, 2007. A Sad Statement What the fuck is wrong with people? A lady passes out in Lr. Sackville a few weeks ago and no one came to her assistance – this week, it was a kid on a schoolbus, pummelled by some little psycho and no one did squat, not even the…
We are so lame
Published March 01, 2007. We are so lame It’s 2007—Nova Scotia should catch up with the times. Teens are getting pregnant only to have their babies taken away or given up for adoption. Why do we not have abortion clinics in Halifax? Why is abortion not an accessible option for young women? Because we’re an old-fashioned, conservative, outdated province. Halifax…
Local rockers The Hemingways once recorded a song called “What the Hell’s with Connaught Pharmacy?” Good question.
Remarks: “It was operating as a pharmacy at some point in the past 20 years,” says Fougere—and technically, it still could. The pharmacy opened before the area was re-zoned as residential, therefore it retains the right to operate as a business. The current owners still live in the building, says Fougere, but she’s heard of…
Last week we tried to tell you what’s up with the mysterious Connaught Pharmacy. But guess what? We got it wrong. That’s right—wrong. We’re brave enough to admit it.
Remarks: Contrary to our shoddy reporting, it seems that the Connaught Pharmacy was operating as a pharmacy right up until the end of December 2006—the doors were kept locked because the pharmacy had been robbed on multiple occasions, but the owner would still fill prescriptions for familiar customers. Now, the pharma-countdown: Starting from the closing…
Crossing on Red
Published March 08, 2007. Crossing on Red To the stupid fat cow who ran out in front of my car last week, then shot me a pissed off look when I screeched to a halt – a red light does not give you permission to bolt in front of a line of traffic roaring up…
Barrington Street Blues
Published March 08, 2007. Barrington Street Blues So what’s driving all the businesses out of Barrington Street? Could it be that some of these specialty shops have bitten off more than they can chew? Or that the rents are too fucking high? What’s going to attract the tourists now? The bums on every corner? Empty…
Andy Cragg Nonet
Andy Cragg NonetMonday, March 5, 9:25pm, at Stayner’s.photo David Cieplinski
Still Skipp’n the Loogies
Published March 15, 2006. Still Skipp’n the Loogies So it’s March and it’s still frigg’n freez’n which I guess means peeps in our lover-ly loogie city are still suffering runny-nose-sniff-it-back-spit-it-out-on-the-sidewalk-syndrom.. cause on my tip toe to Tims today.. I skipped over several lover-ly shaped loogs.. my fav was the green star fish shaped loog.. next…
GET OFF YOUR CELL PHONE!!
Published March 15, 2007. GET OFF YOUR CELL PHONE!! To all of you morons that are driving while talking on your handheld cell phones, you are the dumbest people ever!!! Do you realize that it totally affects your driving? I counted over 20 people driving last night that were talking on their handheld phones and…
Cabin Fever
Published March 15, 2007. Cabin Fever Has anyone flying Air Canada lately noticed the long delays, lost baggage, and poor inflight service? I fly quite often and things are sliding down a slippery slope for this airline like never before. Every time I have flown into Toronto there are long waits to deplane. I’ve spent…
Canon fodder
Published March 15, 2007. Canon fodder To the asshole out there who stole the memory card from my camera on Friday night, I hope you enjoy my photos, since I obviously won’t be able to. I hope you realize that you ruined my night, just so that you could make a quick buck. It wasn’t…
Why I love this Bitch of a Town
Published March 15, 2007. Why I love this Bitch of a Town As someone who fondly reads all of your charming bitches evey week via the web, thank you for your rants. They remind me why Halifax is still the best place to come home to when you’re stuck in a shithole city like Montreal.…
Tiga
TigaFriday, February 23, 2:51am, at Reflections.photo David Cieplinski
No cry zone
Published March 08, 2007. No cry zone Thanks to the bitch that fired me because I had been crying all morning over family issues—I told you I couldn’t come to work, and you said I was not professional because of that. Well, you were not professional in the way you fired me, so don’t even go…
Yet another transit bitch
Published March 08, 2007. Yet another transit bitch You know, you’d think that with the amount of bitches about the public transit system that I read in The Coast, someone somewhere would take a fucking clue and do something about the shitty transit system in this city. I love this city, but I hate the…
A walk to dismember
Published March 08, 2007. A walk to dismember What does it take to get some fucking sidewalks in Bayers Lake? If the government won’t pony up for it, the businesses should have to. Your customers should be able to walk to your store without almost getting smoked by a fucking idiot driver. There are a…
Entitlement?!?
Published March 08, 2007. Entitlement?!? What has happened to our culture? Why is it that a man thinks that just because he is a man he can reach out and touch a woman, my body, my property? And why is it that when I make it very clear that I do not want to be…
Bar Dick
Published March 08, 2007. Bar Dick To the guy who got thrown on his back while he was in the bar line. Serves to right for grabbing and pinching people! Grow up or get thrown down! At The Table At The Time
Annoying Room-mate
Published March 08, 2007. Annoying Room-mate Gah! I hate it when my room mate starts talking to him self! he has full blown conversations with himself the annoying bit is hearing the ‘hissing’ from the wall. Another annoying habit of his is when he does the dishes he just piles them over the dried new…
METRO TRANSHIT
Published March 08, 2007. METRO TRANSHIT to the bus driver who let me on the bus 2 feet away from a bus stop on the corner of north and oxford, and then proceeded to say rudely when i got on the bus… “this is the part where you thank me, because i don’t have to…
Shut the Fuck Up Already
Published March 15, 2007. Shut the Fuck Up Already I applaud the wise decision of the mayor and premier not to get this city in major hock over the 2014 Commonwealth bid. Boo-hoo-hoo, you jerkwad athletes – there’s more important issues to address in this city that a bunch of fucking ‘games’. As for that…
Parade Squared
Published March 15, 2007. Parade Squared After years of waddling their taxpayer funded arses mere steps from car to office, ya’ll finally decided to use one of the most attractive public spaces downtown as something OTHER than a parkade? Brilliant. But where to park those Passats now? Halifax being oh-so-flush with available downtown parking. I…
The Frank Zappa Choir
The Frank Zappa ChoirSaturday, March 10, 11:17pm, at North St. Church.photo David Cieplinski
You’re not good enough
Published March 15, 2007. You’re not good enough To my TL ( Team Leader = “supervisor”) that thinks that a coaching session is to rip ppl up. For all those that know what its like to work in a call center, its bad enough you get flack from the customers not happy with the service,…
HSC Gripe
Published March 22, 2007. HSC Gripe In regards to your latest renovations.. I’d like to know who’s bright idea it was to devote aprroximately 80% of the food court’s seating, to 4-person tables! What were you thinking? Is the food court supposed to be Halifax’s newest family dining experience?? Because the last time I checked,…
Real men don’t slash tires
Published March 22, 2007. Real men don’t slash tires Why did my right rear tire get slashed and two tires on my other car along with over a dozen more cars in the Millwood area some time on Wednesday night? Where do these lowlifes come from? Who ever the fuck you are, I can only…
Renter’s remorse
Published March 22, 2007. Renter’s remorse My husband and I were quick to pick a place to live in the downtown area for schooling and work purposes. But, our property company blows. We pay almost $800 a month. We move in, and soon, the screen in our bedroom window was ripped off. Why? Because IT…
Mic Mac Mall Shoppers
Published March 22, 2007. Mic Mac Mall Shoppers To the nieve/money hungry couple that were shopping at mic mac mall,complaining about store security who apprehended a shoplifter,your no better then the shoplifter,trying to get something for free those guys treated him with respect till he decided to run and fight and you try to lodge…
Silly girl!
Published March 22, 2007. Silly girl! A guest at a party that I’d helped to organize, you flirted with my husband (who was sitting next to me) all evening. He and I laughed off your ridiculous display but, c’mon hon’, that’s just rude! What sisterhood?
Bullying at Capital Health
Published March 22, 2007. Bullying at Capital Health Reading the article in the Hearld today disgusted me. A housekeeper being bullied by management and nurses. The manager says in the article that she encourages staff to come forward with these issues. Someone does and then a week later starts getting bullied by the housekeepers supervisor.…
Idiot drivers
Published March 22, 2007. Idiot drivers I realize that driving in any city or town means encountering idiot drivers. I’ve come to grips with that. What I can’t stand is the impatient pricks on Sackville Street at South Park. Let me paint a picture. At the South Park / Sackville intersection, sitting on Sackville facing…
Piece of shit bus system
Published March 22, 2007. Piece of shit bus system I’m new to halifax, and never in my 28 years of life have i been late for work because of the bus as much as in the last 3 months! Halifax, your bus system is going to get me fired. Today i got up at 5am…
Capital Bullying
Published March 22, 2007. Capital Bullying Finally someone has stood up and said no more. To the housekeeper that was forced from her job crying because she was bullied by not only nurses but her supervisor, we say GOOD FOR YOU! I am a housekeeper as well and have tolerated this type of abuse only…
This is Hell at Winterfest
This is Hell at WinterfestSaturday, March 17, 8:40pm, at the Pavilion.photo David Cieplinski
Buried beneath this pile of snow in front of city hall, there are two bike racks.
Remarks: Seriously though, this one goes out to you: The Stubborn Winter Cyclist. With your touque stuffed under your helmet and your heart filled with an equal mixture of determination and crazy, you pedal through the winter. It’s admirable, especially in the face of such discouragement. Speaking on behalf of the vacationing Phelan, HRM parks…
This sign fell down right beside the po’ po’ parking lot near Rainnie Drive. We don’t mean to poo poo the po’ po’, but then again, that does sound funny
Remarks: Look at us, policing the police! What audacity! What pluck! To be fair, it’s not the cops’ problem to fix: Clean-up duty falls to the city. Just for fun, we call the police station to see if they’ve (A) noticed the sign, or (B) reported it. The receptionist seems thrown by our inquiry—Awkwardly long…
Tarp and pylons and barricades and rubble have been sitting on this South Street sidewalk for what seems like an eternity. It’s a perfect recipe—if you’re making fugly.
Remarks: We leave a voicemail with the feds, but they don’t return our call. Pity. Undaunted, we talk to Brian Robarts with the city’s Right of Way services. He tells us that the federal government had been doing some work on the retaining wall around the adjacent Fort Massey Cemetery last fall. From the looks…
Below me
Published March 22, 2007. Below me I live in a crappy Halifax apartment and I can’t fucking stand the people that live above me! They are so loud all the time, it’s like they have no respect for anyone else in this building, like, oh, I don’t know…me, for example. Why do you throw bookcases and chairs…
To a lazy cop
Published April 05, 2007. To a lazy cop When I first saw you, you were ticketing some poor old woman for jay-walking. Then you see me and decide to pull me over. While you are ticketing me for some asinine mistake, a girl rides by on her bike not wearing a helmet. You yell at…
Crackbook
Published April 05, 2007. Crackbook This is a sincere and heartfelt “FUCK YOU” to all the assholes in the SMU libraries and computer labs who spend hours on facebook. Next time you see people lingering behind you waiting to use the computer: don’t just avert your eyes, get out of your seat and go get…
Hail To the Bus Driver
Published April 05, 2007. Hail To the Bus Driver Thanks to the grouchy mother fucker Metro Transit driver Monday afternoon around 2:30 going to SMU. I got on your bus in a great mood, ipod on & some rocking beats to amuse me on my ride to work…when you decided to stop the bus before…
not loving how you bitch
Published April 05, 2007. not loving how you bitch To whoever wrote last weeks bitch decrying the possibility of putting positive stories in the weekly column: look, if you’re so cynical and jaded to the world that all you want to read about is stories of people ripping each other off and how much everyone…
Stone-cold assholes
Published April 05, 2007. Stone-cold assholes To the fucking knobs that knocked down the tombstones in Mount Olivet Cemetery last week —what purpose did that serve, you goddamn little maggots? Thanks for knocking over my grandparents’ stone. I am completely distressed over this. Honestly, what kind of heartless excuses for human beings are you? Did you…
The love haters
Published March 29, 2007. The love haters In last week’s Coast, someone suggested you should have a column dealing with the more positive aspects of life. I only have one response: BAHAWHA!!!! Do I really want to read a column that looks like “Chicken Soup for the ‘Fill in The Blank’”?? No fucking way. The underbelly…
Speeding Assholes
Published April 05, 2007. Speeding Assholes What is your goddamn rush, you idiots?? Are we such an ‘instant’ society that we can’t wait a few seconds for other drivers or pedestrians? Every day I encounter morons who are too impatient to wait a fucking minute, laying on the horn, pounding on the wheel or giving…
Partnership for a Drug Free America
Published March 29, 2007. Partnership for a Drug Free America I have been a pro-pot activist for several years. In my reckoning, if you are a hard-working responsible adult, there shouldn’t be anything wrong with having a toot once in a while. My bitch is the demonization of a plant that has offered relief for…
North End Night mare
Published April 05, 2007. North End Night mare So I was walking my daughter to school today,as i do every other day,but i was not prepared for what i walked into when i entered her school.First of all,there were no teachers watching these kids,as there are most other days,I don’t know why they were inside…
Bitch on ice
Published March 29, 2007. Bitch on ice Thumbs down to the puritanical older couple across the aisle from me at the Mooseheads playoff game. My general understanding of public sporting events is that paying your $12 to sit behind the opposing team’s bench in a playoff game gives you the right—nay, the responsibility—to make their…
Stupid woman
Published April 05, 2007. Stupid woman To the woman who honked and waved her arms franticly at me to go across the road while i was at a crosswalk with my dog… screw you!!.. im not going to step off that sidewalk until ALL the cars are stopped..how do i know if that person in…
Lotto Theft
Published March 29, 2007. Lotto Theft The reason people who work within organization can’t enter contents run by their organization is because if they won it would look fixed. If they not only entered but won 10 times more than they statistically should it would look like the lottery retailers of Atlantic Canada. I think…
More Media Bullshit
Published April 05, 2007. More Media Bullshit Here’s what I read this morning off the mainstream media: COUPLE COMMIT SUICIDE AFTER PET DIES… AIDS VICTIMS FLOCK TO HOLY WATER ‘CURE’… MAN WITH DRUG-RESISTANT TB LOCKED UP… And that’s the good news…. Is there anything worth reading anymore?
Ignorant-outspoken cab driver!!
Published March 29, 2007. Ignorant-outspoken cab driver!! To the low life disgusting cab driver that picked me up at Speedy Muffler the other day. You were one of the most outspoken, rude people I have ever met! I tried to be nice and friendly and strike up a conversation with you, but you argued with…
9/11 Conspiracy Sticker Vandalism
Published April 05, 2007. 9/11 Conspiracy Sticker Vandalism I thought that all the vandals weilding stickers that say “9/11 Was an Inside Job” had disappeared, but as I continue to see new ones popping up here and there, apparently that is not the case. I am opposed to all forms of sticker vandalism, but these…
The Bicycle Thief
Published March 29, 2007. The Bicycle Thief Dear sir or madam who stole my bike in front of the Quinpool Rd. Superstore, I don’t know anything about you, but let me tell you about myself… I am poor…really poor and that bike was the best thing that I have ever had and I used it…
Parking lot horror!
Published April 05, 2007. Parking lot horror! My sister bought a new flat screen tv at future shop in bayers lake Monday night. After securing it in the trunk, she went to walmart for 10 minutes and the goddamn thing was stolen, windows shattered, the tv pulled thru the backseat. A years worth of savings…
Bend Over For Another Tax Grab
Published March 29, 2007. Bend Over For Another Tax Grab Have you seen the changes in the provincial Motor Vehicle Inspection Act? With all the new additional checks, one out of every two cars is going to fail. A friend of mine proved this point when he brought in his eight month old car. Yep,…
To Mr OR Ms “Plant a Garden”
Published April 05, 2007. To Mr OR Ms “Plant a Garden” I am assuming that your inspirational quotes so lovely spray painted all over the city are an attempt to either make some positive cosmetic changes or to in some way help the environment. I hope the irony hasn’t been lost on you. The designs…
Delusional Calgaria?
Published March 29, 2007. Delusional Calgaria? Holy shit, can’t this fucking fiddler from Mabou do something more constructive with his time? There’s homeless people a block from your office, Mr. Premier, why don’t you get your priorities straight. Oh, and by the way, Rodney, the many people I’ve talked to who came back from Calgary…
unemployed blues
Published April 05, 2007. unemployed blues Gov’t Canada sucks. I was unemployed for 4 weeks, over 2 months ago. 2 of those weeks were a ‘waiting period’ and the other two I have received a grand total of $254.36. I only got the fucking money two days ago. It makes me sick to think that…
Cream and sugarrrgh!
Published April 05, 2007. Cream and sugarrrgh! To the woman who did not tell her friend to shut the hell up while in line for coffee at the SUB on Friday: Grow a spine. As for the ignorant/immature person with her: Shut up and change your attitude. If I ever hear someone berating service-industry employees…
Cross Walk Rules
Published April 05, 2007. Cross Walk Rules No disrespect concerning the recent cross walk accidents in the city…they are sad for all parties, and my heart goes out….however, driving down the road the other day at only 35kms/hr, a pedesrtian decides whithout so much as a head swivel, to jet out into the crosswalk like…
Really sick and tired of Christmas after 5 months.
Published April 05, 2007. Really sick and tired of Christmas after 5 months. For the love of Christ, take down your friggin’ christmas decorations already! Have you not noticed it’s April? Please don’t tempt me to walk right up to your door and rip them down myself because I will. Hell maybe I’ll go on…
The Lovely Transit system in the HRM
Published April 12, 2007. The Lovely Transit system in the HRM I am very confused by our transit system. Does everyone have a holiday tommorrow? Why are the buses running on a holiday schedule even though half of the HRM still have to work? Are we not important enough to be able to depend upon…
Vicious cycle
Published April 12, 2007. Vicious cycle To the person that stole my blue CCM Excel bike that was secured with a “sturdy” lock: thanks. I, as a student, really appreciate that you stole my bike right out of my backyard. Now I have nothing to get around on! You’re AWESOME!! Steal more bikes, why don’t…
The shitty end of the stick
Published April 12, 2007. The shitty end of the stick To all you motherfuckers who are throwing McDonalds trash and pizza boxes all over HRM fuck you, and to those of you who are packaging you dog’s biodegradable shit into a nonbiodegrable plastic baggie and leaving it on the sidewalks eat a fat one fuckers!…
walking on broken glass
Published April 12, 2007. walking on broken glass To those of you who feel compelled to smash beer bottles on our sidewalks and streets what is your deal, what are you thinking? My dog hates you right now. Are you fucked or just plain stupid. Leave it on the stoop and someone will recycle it…
Robie St. rube
Published April 12, 2007. Robie St. rube To the balding, bearded asshat who crossed against the light at Robie and Jubliee at 8:15am on Tuesday morning—you are an unbelievable idiot. You walked right in front of my vehicle against the light, made the boulevard, then proceeded to walk in front of another stream of rush…
Bucket Truck
Bucket TruckSaturday, March 31, 1:40am, at The Attic.photo David Cieplinski
we got some rules around here
Published April 12, 2007. we got some rules around here Open letter to the A-Hole who spray painted Grow A Garden in front of my stoop: First, you used an anarchy symbol for your A. Perhaps you should look up anarchy and then stop telling people what to do. I assure you, anarchy would not…
Ah, the coming of spring: a magical time when melting mounds of snow reveal a season’s worth of garbage. Take this, for instance, just outside the Wal-Mart in Bayers Lake. Now that’s magical!
Remarks: There’s a line in “Nobody’s Fool” by Kenny Loggins, “I’m going all the way, don’t care how long it takes,”—appropriate, given that we listened to that entire song while on hold with Wal-Mart. They eventually directed us to the Superstore phone system, which didn’t have any Kenny Loggins, but did lead us to a…
This protective fencing on the Common—designed to protect the turf from the wear ’n’ tear of rock ’n’ roll—was scheduled to be removed in the spring. Spring has sprung. The fence has not.
<BRRemarks: It’s a sunny 13 degrees as we write this ticket and we can say with certainty: The warmer it gets, the worse that fence looks. Verge says that everything will be removed by mid-May at the latest…unless…“If it’s a really wet spring, we might have to postpone the date,” he says. As for the…
There is a serious sidewalk shortage in Bayers Lake.
Remarks: Gord Gamble, president of the Bayers Lake Business Association, says the BLBA has requested that Bayers Lake sidewalks be considered in this year’s capital budget. Why weren’t sidewalks installed in the BLIP in the first place? “The original intention wasn’t to have the amount of retail space that we have there now,” says Gamble.…
Sons of HollyHELL
Published April 12, 2007. Sons of HollyHELL just was on A & E , wasted 15 minutes of my life I will never get back. Sons of Hollywood- worst show ever. Frankly don’t know how I even got there, but I had to fight my way up to the surface of reality. Let this be…
Heavy Meadows
Heavy MeadowsSunday, April 8, 11:22pm, at Gus’ Pub.photo David Cieplinski
Gas regulations
Published April 19, 2007. Gas regulations What’s up with the gas prices in this province?!! I travel regularly to NB and they pay close to 10 cents less for the same fuel!!! (105.5 in Moncton)I know they just got a tax break in NB but does it explained this discrepancy alone?. I thought the gas…
Dear NSCAD Guy
Published April 19, 2007. Dear NSCAD Guy I saw you on the bus today. Patiently riding the 1 Spring Garden to some unknown destination, stroking your strategically untrimmed beard. I sat quiet, unambitious, carefully observing you from across the aisle. Sitting, watching, and wanting so badly to grab you by the beige felt lapels and…
Transgendered bathrooms
Published April 19, 2007. Transgendered bathrooms I am for all for equality just as much as the next person, but i feel as if minorities have nothing more to bitch about so they find trivial things to bitch about. As an example, take the transgendered people who want their own bathrooms. I think it is…
Great F^##*ing Message Board!
Published April 19, 2007. Great F^##*ing Message Board! It’s bad up there. Come on DOWN to Columbus (Ohio) sometime, for a little vacation. Try “living” between reejex from the old Confederacy and subwooferin’ yard-tards totally de-brained from self-asphyxiation. I need a message board! I’m so envious, I want to move up there and bitch till…
Jaywalking Jerks
Published April 19, 2007. Jaywalking Jerks This is to all the stupid little fucks who think they’re sooooo cool when crossing the street AGAINST the light with oncoming cars within feet of their sorry ass. You waltz across the street, impressing your stupid friends with your oh-so-brave smirky strut in front of oncoming traffic. One…
Pet stores
Published April 19, 2007. Pet stores Last weekend I went to a pet store and wanted to cry. I saw animals with fucking filthy, pooped in water bowls, puppies with weepy, crusty eyes, birds with big chunks of feathers missing off their bodies, and 2 full grown Affrician Grey parrots stuffed into 1 small aquariam…
Sour note
Published April 19, 2007. Sour note Roommates who constantly sing at the tops of their lungs have no fucking decency. If you think that other people can’t hear you through the floor or the walls, especially in the middle of the night, think again. The reason that you haven’t heard anything is not because nobody…
Why do libraries attract so many stupid people?
Published April 19, 2007. Why do libraries attract so many stupid people? Every time I go to the library I can’t concentrate. I can’t because a lot of people bring their babies to the library, a lot of people blare their diskmen and talk loudly, laughing. It doesnt seem like anyone comes here to read…
Chebucto LANE….
Published April 19, 2007. Chebucto LANE…. To the ignorant woman walking her mutt up Chebucto Lane on April 17th at 745 am. That’s right, I said Chebucto LANE…not walking trail, not pathway, LANE….that means cars drive down there and when a car is coming you should move out of the fucking way!! I was going…
The Creepshow
The CreepshowSaturday, April 14, 8:24pm, at the Pavilion.photo David Cieplinski
Merging
Published April 26, 2007. Merging To the twits not allowing cars to merge off of Purcells Cove Rd onto Herring Cove Rd towards the Round-A-Bout( Yeah learn how to use this too) realize it is not a Nascar speedway. If you are in that much of a hurry to get to work (and I know…
Power outrage
Published April 26, 2007. Power outrage As I write this (9:20 am Thursday) the power in my neighbourhood (Fairview-Main Ave) has been off for 10 hrs. When I called the NSP outage the the message said that power would be restored by 1pm today. Also, the message indicated that it was “animal interference that caused…
Hey, upstairs old lady smoker cougher, STFU!
Published April 26, 2007. Hey, upstairs old lady smoker cougher, STFU! Every morning at 6 am, I am awakened by the sound of YOU, South End upstairs neighbour, letting loose with what can only be described as a startling, and nauseating, old lady smoker cough. For the 10 minutes. Every day. When you first moved…
Gym Bandit
Published April 26, 2007. Gym Bandit To the piece of shit who stole my jacket, shoes and shirt from the gym on South Park Street. When I graduate from my Masters program in two years, you will still be stealing shit from people who actually WORKED to pay for that stuff. Have fun with your…
Toxic emissions
Published April 26, 2007. Toxic emissions To the disgusting inconsiderate old man who chose to light up a smoke directly on the bike path at the bottom of the bridge: Did you know that smoking is actually BAD for you? Unlike exercise, which I was enjoying up to the point when I was forced to…
You put the ass in asshole
Published April 26, 2007. You put the ass in asshole I drive agressively…no doubt, but going on to the bridge the other day, some chapeau de arse almost corn holed me with his 1982 BMW piece of shit car. Hey bud, your ride’s cheezy, and it doesn’t help that you’ve cheezed it up even more…
Viewing Displeasure
Published April 26, 2007. Viewing Displeasure To the group of guys sitting behind us in the park lane theater showing ‘Distrubia.’ Do you think you’re so special that you can have no consideration of others? I didn’t pay nine bucks to listen to the idiotic and disrespectful comments of jack-offs all night. Next time, keep…
ASSHAT SUCKS
Published April 19, 2007. ASSHAT SUCKS OH MY GOD YOU UNEDUCATED REDNECKS WHERE THE HELL DID YOU GET A WORD LIKE ASSHAT GOD ITS A FUCKING STUPID WORD PISSED
Newsflash, idiot
Published April 19, 2007. Newsflash, idiot To the woman who nearly ran me over at the corner of Charles and Robie on Monday: Put down your newspaper and watch where you’re going! I realize that commuter traffic is slow and boring, but reading the paper while driving is not appropriate. I didn’t appreciate how you…
Big Trucks Turning Way Too Fast
Published April 19, 2007. Big Trucks Turning Way Too Fast The recent accident on Howe Ave. is a grim reminder of the speed of behemoth vehicles that roar through this city. I’ve been nearly creamed as a driver and pedestrian by such driver negligence, in particular garbage and recycling trucks who seem to think they…
Styrofoam Containers – Man’s Most Insidious Enemy
Published April 19, 2007. Styrofoam Containers – Man’s Most Insidious Enemy Styrofoam containers should be banned from food service and not just because they make unsightly, indestructible garbage in our fair HRM. I have seen countless occasions where these containers are filled with deep fried goodies that actually melt the styrofoam. And what about styrofoam…
To the Fucktard Who Held Hollis St. Hostage on Tuesday
Published April 19, 2007. To the Fucktard Who Held Hollis St. Hostage on Tuesday You fucking handjerk, don’t you think the police have better things to do than to deal with your bullshit? You have held Hollis and the surroundinig areas hostage since 9 a.m. and there’s no end in sight (it’s now 4 p.m.).…
Haligonian Liquor Retention
Published April 26, 2007. Haligonian Liquor Retention I live downtown. So every day I get up and go to work on foot through the streets of Halifax. Two things to get out of the way. Number one, I’m from Ontario. Number two, it is my lay understanding of Nova Scotia that Halifax has a rich…
Per-fuming
Published April 26, 2007. Per-fuming What is it with you bus riders who feel you can’t go to work without spritzing gallons of perfume or cologne all over your bodies? I’m allergic to perfumes and scents. When you sit near me my lungs burn, my sinuses fill up, and I start to cough. Then you have…
High School Stabbing
Published April 26, 2007. High School Stabbing Intolerance has reached levels of pure idoicy – some kid’s windshield washer fluid squirts on another kid’s car so he’s stabbed in the chest? Somebody better nip this shit in the bud or it’s only going to get fucking worse. The Halifax West stabber should be expelled and…
Your bike was stolen, get over it
Published April 26, 2007. Your bike was stolen, get over it I have read the coast since you started (thank you) and every three months or so we get some sort of whiney “my-bike-was-stolen-and-I’m-a-poor-student-who-has-no-other-way-to-get-to-school/work blah blah blah” rant. please stop. We get it. Having your bike stolen sucks. We understand. We don’t care. In my…
Taggers beware
Published April 26, 2007. Taggers beware OK taggers, enough. We get it. You’re young, full of testosterone, and you have nothing else to do with all that energy. Well stop writing your name all over this city! It’s not funny anymore, it’s not “art” (who remembers the “Meat is murder!” tag on Blowers Street from…
Unions
Published April 26, 2007. Unions I hate unions. I hate them because their demands for outrageous wages have priced them out of the market – think: industries going to Asia, Mexico, etc. If they weren’t so fucking greedy, they’d still have their jobs. No one is saying that they should be unprotected – we all…
Dog Day
Dog DayFriday, April 20, 11:29pm, at the North Street Church.photo David Cieplinksi
See sidewalk. See rat. See rat rot. Rot, rat, rot.
Remarks: Sorry—we know this is gross. But, hey, there’s a big decomposing rat lying on the sidewalk along North Park Street and it ain’t gonna get rid of itself. Keisha (sp?) at the HRM dispatch centre is remarkably unfazed by our call, which is weird, because we can’t imagine that she gets decomposing rat reports…
This chain-link fence beside the Holy Cross Cemetery on South Street is not doing its fencely duties. When your only job is to stand up straight, drooping is a notable failure.
Remarks: We called the Commission on Easter Monday, not really expecting to get anyone on the phone. I mean, if anyone is likely to observe a holiday that marks Jesus’s ascension from the grave, it’s a Catholic Cemetery Commission, right? Well, so we thought. But, after rambling through half of a voice message, someone did…
The basketball court on Ashburn Avenue has two flawed baskets—one has no mesh, and the other has no function because it’s lying on the ground.
Remarks: OK, fine: We can live without the mesh. That’s cosmetic. But a backboard without a basket is like an All-Star Game Weekend without a slam dunk contest! It’s like the Bulls without Jordan! It’s like an alley without a corresponding oop! The next Steve Nash could be living out by the shopping centre and…
Pucking Politicians
Published May 03, 2007. Pucking Politicians Just when I thought my contempt and disgust for Canadian politicians couldn’t get any greater…most parties have agreed to debate the naming of Shane Doan captain of Team Canada during the World Hockey Championship in Russia. This is such a non-issue it is laughable. Just as an intro, Mr.…
Laura Peek
Laura PeekThursday, April 26, 10:15pm, at the North St. Chuch.photo David Cieplinski
Bike Dumper(s)
Published April 26, 2007. Bike Dumper(s) To the idiot(s) on Preston St. who decided it would be a good idea to tip over my bike: You owe me a new coat of paint, a new spark plug, new handle grips and new handlebars, not to mention a weekend’s worth of labour, a full tank of…
OH NO.. Crocks are back….
Published May 03, 2007. OH NO.. Crocks are back…. Spring’s in the air.. birds are singing.. flowers blooming and then there’s crocks.. yes they’ree back on the freaky flat footed ffreaky feet of the crock wearing freaks of halifax!… and take noticed that you who wear them have an ass as big as your crocks…
Squatters’ wrongs
Published May 03, 2007. Squatters’ wrongs Okay, girlfriends, listen up. Although I respect your right to avoid germs in public washrooms by not making contact with the toilet seat, there are those of us out there who, for whatever reason, find it necessary to sit, not squat. However, if you are going to insist on peeing…
Get a job hood rat
Published May 03, 2007. Get a job hood rat To the no good greasers who decided to steal my girlfriends tips – what gives you the right? It’s not your money, you have not earned it. You are the lowest of the scum in this city and I hope you choke on whatever dick wad…
Tip for non-servers…
Published May 03, 2007. Tip for non-servers… To all those who have never worked as a server: Please stop stacking your plates when you are done eating! We know that you are trying to help, but it doesn’t. Let us clear the plates, better for you, (much) better for us. Appreciative but annoyed server.
Where Did the Sidewalk Go?
Published May 03, 2007. Where Did the Sidewalk Go? Lot Owners, okay we get it, do not park in your empty lot, but do you really need to extend your fence so that it also covers the sidewalk, leaving pedestrians to walk on the road of south street? I thought a sidewalk was for walking…
School house rot
Published May 03, 2007. School house rot To the janitors at my high school, I’ve got a small but not unimportant request: clean up for once…or even once a day. I’m begging you: could you pleeeease do some damn work for once? The school is disgustingly dirty all the time. It seems like the only…
To The Experienced Glasses Specialist
Published May 03, 2007. To The Experienced Glasses Specialist Thanks a lot for fixing my glasses you jerk-off, having me walk out of the store with them in two pieces after you told me they would “definately go back”. I left without so much as an appology that October Day, and I am still living…
I’m walkin here
Published May 10, 2007. I’m walkin here To the asshole who almost ran me over. It was broad daylight out, the crosswalk sign was flashing, and there were other cars stopped. Yet SOMEHOW you still failed to stop and came within inches of fucking hitting me. You’d think that after the accident where that girl…
Sit and spin
Published May 10, 2007. Sit and spin Every morning I get on the bus at the same time and every morning that bus is crowded with the same people. I get on, say excuse me and end up more or less sitting in the bus driver’s lap because there is no room anywhere. Or IS…
Happy Mother’s Day
Published May 10, 2007. Happy Mother’s Day This is to the rude piece of shit who yelled at my eight-year-old daughter as she walked her dog on our non-sidewalked street: There are no sidewalks on Melody Drive, therefore, where the hell do you expect people to walk? You yelled at her to get off the…
Human Scum
Published May 10, 2007. Human Scum If I have to read or hear about one more male barricading himself and holding their women and/or children hostage, I’m going to projectile vomit into the Harbour. These men are nothing more than self-pitying, bullying control freaks who waste taxpayers’ money with their fucking drama queen standoffs and…
No Respect
Published May 10, 2007. No Respect To the guy with the red foils in his hair who was at the Quinpool KFC on Tuesday who couldn’t help but stare, whisper and laugh at someone just because they have a visible birth defect on their face. You are a poor excuse of a human being and…
Public Gardens Vandalism
Published May 10, 2007. Public Gardens Vandalism Listen up, you little twat flaps who vandalized the Public Gardens – you might think this is all very funny but I’ll betcha my left testicle that Karma is gonna bitch slap your thick heads so hard your fucking teeth will fly out of your idiot gobs. It…
This couch (ugly couch, we might add) has been baking in the sun for far, far too long.
Remarks: It’s that time of year again: discarded couch time! If you’re on the market for a very free, slightly damp living room accent, now is the time to get hunting. This offending chesterfield was found on Maitland Street, where it sat for a couple of weeks doing nothing in particular. The city will dispose of…
Zumbi
ZumbiSaturday, May 5, 11:45pm, at BusStop Theatre.photo David Cieplinski
Roadkill
Published May 17, 2007. Roadkill To the drivers coming through the intersection at Bell, South Park and Sackville like bats out of hell—did you notice those white lines on the road? The ones between which people are trying to walk? You’re not really supposed to accelerate AT the pedestrians. In fact, you might even let…
Taking turns
Published May 17, 2007. Taking turns To the cab driver (Yellow Cab number 958) who pulled a U-turn right in front of me on Quinpool to go downtown while he had a passenger in the backseat: You suck. I almost hit you and would have killed your passenger. U-turns are ILLEGAL in Nova Scotia and…
To the moronic parents that take their children to Seaview Park
Published May 17, 2007. To the moronic parents that take their children to Seaview Park There are 2 off leash dog parks in the city: Seaview Park and parts of Point Pleasant Park. I have no idea how many regular parks where dogs have to be on leash there are but I know that there…
Gaping hole at Bayers and Connolly.
Remarks: Generally, holes stink. This one really stinks because it bores into the Halifax drainage system. Holes leading into the sewer aren’t cool unless they involve Ninja Turtles or Super Mario, and we see neither. And who jammed that stick in there? Given that our mystery hole is right beside a crosswalk and a sidewalk,…
Barren Barrington
Published May 10, 2007. Barren Barrington Sam’s is gone. Dooley’s is gone. Government wants to spread its ugly sprawl there amid the sub shops and used book stores. Our downtown is a fucking disgrace. Punctuated by bums on every corner, Barrington Street has all the appeal of downtown Detroit. If I were getting off a…
Relief For Squatters
Published May 10, 2007. Relief For Squatters To Sitting Duck: Don’t you think squatters would rather be sitters? Some of us squat because our right to sit is infringed by substandard conditions in public washrooms. While respect for fellow peeers is a given (there’s no excuse for not even attempting to mop up one’s own…
smellin good
Published May 10, 2007. smellin good ya know i’ve been ridin the bus (80) for 4 years now. and there are some stikin, smelly people on that bus.Oh! u got beer, cig, resteraunt, b.o., dog and cat piss smellin people. so excuse me for smellin GOOD. sgsob
Finally!
Published May 17, 2007. Finally! Looks like Fredericton is on the right track. Downtown business owners will now give panhandlers a chance to earn food chits in exchange for odd jobs like window washing, sidewalk sweeping and snow clearing. Bravo, Fredericton, and shame shame shame Halifax for not creating the same type of program. Give…
Claws for alarm
Published May 17, 2007. Claws for alarm To those parents who lifted their three-year-old kid over the barrier of the bear cage at Shubie Wildlife Park to feed the bears: Jesus H. Christ, what the fuck were you thinking, you morons? Can’t you read the fucking “DO NOT FEED” signs posted everywhere? Then you go…
Choke BBQ
Choke BBQSunday, May 13, 6:38pm, at the Pavilion.photo David Cieplinski
to a ugly blond hoe
Published May 24, 2007. to a ugly blond hoe To a certain blond dipshit who stabbed me in the eye with a piece of paper and did not apologize about we all know your a big man eating slut bag but do you really have to be such a bitch I meen we all pityed…
Large rusty bolts exposed on decaying playground equipment at Joseph Howe elementary on Creighton
Remarks: “My crew went down to Joseph Howe and found some issues,” says Arbuckle. Now comes the juggling act of repairing the equipment so it’s safe enough to last until the city can afford to replace it with a new piece—in a year or more. Meanwhile, Arbuckle’s people “noted the deficiencies and are going to…
Dear Smokers of HRM
Published May 31, 2007. Dear Smokers of HRM I am not one of the anti-smoking nazis. I don’t support the blanket ban on the use of a legal product in public places. If I walk past you on the street and catch a whiff of your cigarette smoke, it really doesn’t bother me. But when…
Asshole in the Green Van
Published May 31, 2007. Asshole in the Green Van To the asshole drving a green van at 3:00pm May 25 turning right onto Spring Garden road – YOU FUCKER!! YOU NEARLY KILLED MY BABY IN THE STROLLER I WAS PUSHING!!! What the fuck is the matter with you! You gunned your old beat up van…
Unpleasant park
Published May 31, 2007. Unpleasant park First off, to the guys who warned us away from the Park Patrol Nazi, thanks! Now, on to the matter at hand: To the Point Pleasant Park Patrol Nazi, a big fuck you! A $250 fine for cycling on the wrong day of the week? You’d’ve got a false…
Bogus Boulevard Bum
Published May 31, 2007. Bogus Boulevard Bum To the Conniving Bastard trolling the Bayers Road-Connaught Avenue boulevard looking for spare change. You’re been outed, you twat, by a caller to Q104 on Tuesday morning, who claims that you not only have a car but also $11 grand in cash. I am sick of greedy shits…
bitches at work
Published May 24, 2007. bitches at work I work as a cleaner. Most of you low lifed office people with your suv’s and big houses in the suburbs love to bitch about how the cleaners don’t dust enough. You actually sent a complaint in because we used your pop vending machine. GET A LIFE maybe…
Knock down, drag out
Published May 24, 2007. Knock down, drag out We were having a smoke outside of a bar on Spring Garden and this A.H. asks for a smoke and we didn’t have any more, so we told him, “Sorry, we don’t have one.” Then he walks away but comes back and knocks my guy out cold.…
Just Give ‘Er, but not in my back yard
Published May 24, 2007. Just Give ‘Er, but not in my back yard Wow, what a great Bluenose Marathon, well organized, well run. But to the two women who decided to evacutate their bladders in my driveway and back garden, couldn’t you notice the public port-a-potties set up just across the street? Show some respect,…
cart confusion
Published May 24, 2007. cart confusion So you were green and walked (instead of drove) your groceries home in a shopping cart “borrowed’ from the store. Well here’s a tip for you. You are healthy enough to take the cart home, for chissakes take the friggin’ cart BACK! How hard is that you lazy fuck??!!!!…
Ei-EI-go
Published May 24, 2007. Ei-EI-go I have a university degree and more than 10 years experience in my field. I left all my jobs on good terms. I am willing to work shiftwork; I don’t have unreasonable salary expectations. But I’ve been unemployed for almost a year, my EI is about to run out and…
I Hate Drug Companies
Published May 24, 2007. I Hate Drug Companies Thanks for allowing my type 2 diabetes be treated with your fucking heart-attack inducing drug, Avandia. Thanks to the feds for allowing this crap to enter any Canadian’s blood stream. Thanks for putting my family thru incredible anxiety because of your lax standards that could kill me…
Bayers Road/Joesph Howe
Published May 31, 2007. Bayers Road/Joesph Howe To the arsehole and his girlfriend who decided pulling up an inch beside me to give me the finger on Joseph Howe the other day was a good idea. I am sorry I pulled out in front of your silver Hyundai when you decided at the last minute…
enoughs enough
Published May 24, 2007. enoughs enough Ok i have “afrcian Canadian” family members and all my life my parents have taught me about slavery / oppression / the rights of the individual …. and i agree racism is totally and absolutely wrong. But to the freeking dip shit who placed the add in the free…
Go duck yourself
Published May 31, 2007. Go duck yourself To the STUPID, STUPID young woman in pink at the Public Gardens entrance: what the fuck were you thinking? First I watched you and your boyfriend approach duck mom and her ducklings. Fine. Everyone wants to look. Then you try to pet them? The ducklings recoiled in fear.…
Flashing Arrows
Published May 24, 2007. Flashing Arrows I’d like to know why flashing arrows for left hand turns on busy intersections are disabled at certain times of the day and night. I live near an intersection on upper Lacewood Dr. (near the 102) and both intersections leading to my residence have flashing green arrows for left…
The Maynards
The MaynardsSaturday, May 26, 12:20am, at the Speakeasy.photo David Cieplinski
Hit-and-Run
Published June 07, 2007. Hit-and-Run To the souless, heartless bastard in his Smart car who hit the dog on the corner of Windsor and Charles Monday evening, it would’ve been an accident. What made you a despicable coward was the fact you drove away. Karma’s a bitch, my friend, and someday I hope you will…
Ban Beach Whistles
Published June 07, 2007. Ban Beach Whistles I was one of 130 volunteers who went to McNabs Island to clean up garbage that had washed on the beach. While it makes sense that we picked up fishing lines, styrofoam floats and the like, I just don’t get why women continue to buy and flush plastic…
Make up your minds!!
Published June 07, 2007. Make up your minds!! This is a bitch about gas prices – not that they are high or regualtion or any of that, but in the way they are determined. I bring it up because in reading an article in the Globe, I see this blurb about the rising value of…
Women Co-Workers
Published June 07, 2007. Women Co-Workers I am so tired of women going on and on and fucking on about how victimized they are, that all men are sexist assholes and interpreting every little fucking thing as a slur against womankind. I am a forty plus female that wouldn’t work with other women if my…
Calling all idiots
Published June 07, 2007. Calling all idiots To all the asshats who complain about telemarketers calling you….you are fucking idiots. For all the whining and complaining you people do you are none to bright. If you don’t like being called then ask the company calling you to remove you from their calling lists it will…
Get off the phone or get in the manhole!
Published June 07, 2007. Get off the phone or get in the manhole! This bitch is to the utter fuck who nearly ran me down on the weekend. The reason i was stnding on the road waving traffic off was so that nobody else would drive into the open manhole 3 feet behind me. It…
Rescue blues
Published June 07, 2007. Rescue blues To the person (or persons) who broke into my car on Sunday night, I hope you’re enjoying everything. If you’re wondering why I had so much camping stuff, it’s because I volunteer with Halifax Search and Rescue. You took my Search and Rescue pack and orange search jacket, which…
Jesse Dangerously
Jesse DangerouslyFriday, June 1, 1:26am, at Diamonds.photo David Cieplinski
Shame on you!
Published June 14, 2007. Shame on you! This is for the dummies who work in offices and throw paper, organics, and recyclables in the trash: Shame on you! You’re too lazy to do your part to help the environment. Get off your asses and recycle that paper, pop bottle, and compost your left-over lunch! Sick…
Death from above
Published June 14, 2007. Death from above I have a message for the inconsiderate, incoherent and incredibly intoxicated imbeciles who were on Church Street on Saturday night: The next time I hear that kind of blatant disregard for those of us who aren’t drunken testosterone-laden fuckwits, I will not hesitate to unleash my repertoire. This…
Anarchists, unite
Published June 14, 2007. Anarchists, unite To people who spray paint “A” in a circle: On a sidewalk, I don’t mind. On the facade of a church or other noble building, you disgust me. You want to save the planet but the only thing you’re looking at is your own little piece. Do you call…
Construction Nightmare
Published June 14, 2007. Construction Nightmare What is with the construction in this city? Does Council have its head on right? Oh wait, they dont fight the traffic all day long right? The funny thing is every time you pass by a construction site all you see are overweight men that are long past retirement,…
Bay Road Racers
Published June 14, 2007. Bay Road Racers Hello all you morons who speed up St Margaret’s Bay Road. I know you think you’re driving on a highway, but take off the blinders and look around you: people live in these streets. Children walk to and from school; people walk dogs; seniors take evening strolls. There…
Trashy hotel
Published June 07, 2007. Trashy hotel I work as a room attendant. Being environmentally friendly and struggling to make ends meet, I started pulling empties out of the trash and taking them home at the end of my shift to cash in. I did this for about four weeks until word spread to management. I…
Attention Advertisers…
Published June 07, 2007. Attention Advertisers… Women Buy Beer, Too! I just want to advise today’s advertisers that we are now living in a time when women are permitted to earn their own income and even decide how to spend it. I, for one, am fed up with advertisers targeting only the male audience with…
Gamma Gamma Rays
Gamma Gamma RaysFriday, June 8, 8:40pm, at the Pavilion.photo David Cieplinski
This is not idle chit chat
Published June 21, 2007. This is not idle chit chat For the love of god turn off your fucking engine when you are waiting for some one. Idling for more than 10 seconds wastes more fuel than starting your car up again. So turn it the fuck off. I see this all the time, everywhere.…
Lights on day and night in some churchy building in the Public Gardens
Remarks: According to our hot tipper, “I’ve passed by it, day and night, for months (too bad I can’t climb that spiky fence)—always on!” Some other buildings in the gardens—the bandstand, the two newish buildings that flank the church—also emit 24-hour-a-day light. We’re not advocating total park darkness, but this seems excessive. We’re going to…
Shabby-looking basketball net near Inglis St. Elementary school.
Remarks: The process for reporting damaged school equipment is a bit convoluted. Clattenburg handles requests from school staff, and then his department passes them on to the city. But, as one might expect, safety repairs take precedence over recreational needs (like b-ball nets), so things don’t look good for ol’ Netty McEyesore here. But, a…
The pathway near the QEII Health Sciences Centre on Robie is constantly littered with cigarette butts.
Remarks: Good luck trying to get a straight answer out of the hospital. To be fair, health workers probably have more important things to worry about, but we would argue that persecuting smokers is kind of like a preemptive strike against illness. We try to call the groundskeeping crew three times: first, we’re forwarded to…
After last week’s spate of rain, these potholes are putting the “pool” in Quinpool Road. You know what word isn’t used enough? Spate.
Remarks: Potholes should be reported to HRM’s god-like all-purpose phone number (490-4000—it handles everything!) but work orders for smaller potholes ultimately fall to Joe and his crew. Taylor could not be reached, but we speak to a helpful receptionist who explains that pothole priority has less to do with size and depth and more to…
Hey Horoscope Ripper
Published June 28, 2007. Hey Horoscope Ripper Thanks for ripping your horoscope out if the copy of this weeks coast, which you left otherwise intact and on the rack at Just Us on Barrington. Next time take the whole paper with you so other readers can enjoy their horoscopes too. People who also enjoy horoscopes
Where can a brother get some haircare?
Published June 28, 2007. Where can a brother get some haircare? I’ve noticed lately that they have a vast array of hair care products kept behind the counter at the drug store. My concern is that they are all products marketed to Black people. All with pictures of beautiful Black smiles. None with a picture…
Not So Fantastic
Published June 28, 2007. Not So Fantastic To the fuckin’ 4-5 guys that wouldn’t shut the fuck up during Fantastic 4 Rise of the Silver Surfer at Parklane, Sunday afternoon – FUCK YOU. SHUT YOUR FUCKIN’ PHONES OFF, don’t fuckin’ answer your phone and carry on a five minute conversation, and if you need to…
Small Dog Owners
Published June 28, 2007. Small Dog Owners To the lady at Sea View Park, Sunday afternoon… Yes you. The one with the little brown, cute Daschund. My dog is bigger than yours and didn’t hurt your dog but moreso tried to HERD it. He’s 1/2 border collie if you couldn’t tell by looking at him.…
You stay classy, jerks
Published June 28, 2007. You stay classy, jerks To the classy mature couple who were in the parking lot of the grocery store on Young Street last Sunday: Next time you’re out in public with your three children, do us all a favour and keep your offensive comments to yourselves. Oh yes, I’m quite sure…
Customer ….. What?
Published June 28, 2007. Customer ….. What? This goes out to the 2 staff working @ the mall, Friday June 22 in the A.M. I walked around your store 3 times, waiting for someone to speak to me…. You walked directly in my path TWICE! I looked at you, smiled, and you just kept walking!!!…
You need a license for a dog, but anyone can have kids!
Published June 28, 2007. You need a license for a dog, but anyone can have kids! This is to all the useless excuse for parents out there, who bring your children to the clothing store I manage: WATCH YOUR CHILDREN! …I am NOT a babysitter! When you let your children stand on light boxes in…
Chip on her shoulders
Published June 21, 2007. Chip on her shoulders To the tanerexic hagatha christie, whom I had the displeasure of serving last Thursday night. Good grief woman! You were upset that the owner didn’t come over and talk to you? What are you? In Grade Two? “Oh, he visited some other tables, but not me.” Cry…
Be real.
Published June 28, 2007. Be real. Hey neighbour. Yeah, you who lives in the apartment right beside mine: next time you think the conversation coming from my unit is too loud, here’s a tip for you: COME OVER AND TELL ME. You’ll see it works much better than ringing up the property manager in the…
Parking Pettiness
Published June 21, 2007. Parking Pettiness Dear Sobey’s on Queen St: I wasn’t aware every single parking space in your lot was used and someone wanted the space I usually park my bike in (where I can conveniently keep an eye on it from my apartment) overnight. If you’re going to sic the parking nazis…
The Got to Get Got
The Got to Get GotSunday, June 24, 10:16pm at the Khyber Club.photo David Cieplinski
Have some respect
Published June 21, 2007. Have some respect To all of the little skanks who get on the bus and practically yell to your friend sitting next to you about all the guys you’ve slept with, have some respect to others on the bus. Better yet, get some respect for yourself. YOU are the reason I…
Moron on Oxford Street
Published June 21, 2007. Moron on Oxford Street To the jerk on Oxford Street who decided it would be wonderful to take up the the whole damn road while waiting to turn on to Allan Street. I honked at you to move your damn car to the yellow line so I wouldn’t have to wait…
Blah Blah Blah
Published June 21, 2007. Blah Blah Blah This for all the bitchers (bitchees) writing in to say how people are going to be sorry “the next time they do/say something offensive”. Please spare us all your pathetic little hissy fits. If you were going to do something you would have done it the first time.…
Spare Change Alley
Published June 21, 2007. Spare Change Alley How many panhandlers does it take to fill Barrington Street and Spring Garden Road? All of them. Tourist season is upon us and there is nothing more refreshing than being asked for spare change every half block or more. I work on SGR and I am quite fed…
Danny Michel
Danny MichelSaturday, June 15, 11:19pm, at Ginger’s Tavern.David Cieplinski
Leggo my preggo
Published June 28, 2007. Leggo my preggo This is to the bitch who left the nasty note on my car when I was at the grocery store last week. I am 12 weeks pregnant with TWINS and I am SICK. I park in the “expectant mothers parking” space and drag my ass into the store…
Cats Cats Cats – so what?!
Published June 28, 2007. Cats Cats Cats – so what?! I am a proud owner of 4 cats (that are strictly indoors -apartment) and a new addition – a dog. They’re all well taken care of, loved and fixed. Now why is the HRM bitching that we can only have 3 cats/3 dogs in the…
Kamakazzi Bridge Police
Published July 05, 2007. Kamakazzi Bridge Police Monday afternoon, I was returning to Halifax form a trip to the Mic Mac Mall. I was driving down the bridge approach where traffic queues for the tolls when I saw some guy in a yellow safety vest come running across the 6 busy lanes of traffice waving…
Bike Bitch
Published July 05, 2007. Bike Bitch To the Bastard driving up Bell Road two Sunday’s ago talking on his cell phone, who took my BF out on his bike. When you cut him off the first time, I’d say a big FUCK YOU was in order, but the second time?? You ran him off the…
My Dead Dog
Published July 05, 2007. My Dead Dog To the Person who found a Tellus, Razor phone early Friday morning the 29th, i hope you enjoy your new phone. yes I’m the idiot who lost it, But all the pictures and video of my now, dead dog are on there. You cant even hook it up…
Brent Randall and his Pinecones
Brent Randall and his PineconesSunday, July 1, 3:50pm, at Needham Park.photo David Cieplinski
DVD’oh
Published July 12, 2007. DVD’oh To the dirty thieving bastards that broke into my apartment last week and swiped thousands of dollars worth of DVDs and other pawnable goods: I hope the money you got for my prized DVD collection bought you some good crack. You stole something that took years to build in exchange…
Rock beefs
Published July 12, 2007. Rock beefs I attended concert on the hill, and while I thought it was a great concert, I had some beefs about the layout. First of all, the stage was facing the concession area, and not the hill which is where most people were sitting. That made no sense! Second, as…
Bitch Bitch
Published July 12, 2007. Bitch Bitch I offer for everyones disapproval a bitch about bitches. The kind on here, not the kind you meet. It saddens me off to no end that no matter what the topic, almost all replies to a bitch rapidly degenerate into a festival of insults, threats, vulgarity, name calling etc…
Conservative Cowards
Published July 05, 2007. Conservative Cowards Many local papers have been covering the news about Elizabeth and Erin Macdonald and it makes me physically ill. Why is it that Canada is considered one of the most progressive countries in the world and people afflicted with uncurable diseases can’t die with some dignity? It almost makes…
Dead wrong’d
Published July 05, 2007. Dead wrong’d This goes out to the thieves who thought that the Barrington Street burial grounds would be a good place to stash their shit. As if stealing from people who have never wronged you isn’t bad enough, you’re going to use this consecrated holy ground to stash it until you…
Spill on the hill
Published July 05, 2007. Spill on the hill I waited for 40 minutes in a French fry line-up at the Concert on the Hill for $21 worth of fries and pop. As I wandered back to my spot, I noticed a larger woman struggling to get her footing. I saw her step up and slip…
Rage against the machine
Published July 12, 2007. Rage against the machine This bitch is for you, girl in the green t-shirt. You were waiting to use the bank machine at the Almon Street bank on Sunday afternoon. As I made my transaction, which only took a minute or two, you “Hmm’ed and Hawww’ed” and made yourself look stupid,…
Young Street Business Bozo
Published July 12, 2007. Young Street Business Bozo Buddy Boy buys a nice old family-type house near me on Young Street near Connaught. Then he proceeds to set up four frigging landscaping-type businesses in our very quiet residential area. Do I have a problem? You bet I do. The guy has backhoes and dump trucks…
2-Wheeled Road Rager
Published July 12, 2007. 2-Wheeled Road Rager On behalf of the *mostly* responsible bike commuters out there I’d like to apologize to anyone (on a bike or in a car) who had the misfortune to encounter a hard-care commuter on an XC race bike this past Tuesday, the 10th. This guy almost slammed into me…
Employers Pay attention!!!!
Published July 19, 2007. Employers Pay attention!!!! I would just like to know when it became acceptable for employers to expect their employees to put in 110% effort while being paid casual wages ( or NON- DECENT wages) with NO benefits what so ever. Or they make the employees pay partial to have benefits, it…
Know smoking
Published July 19, 2007. Know smoking Thank you, city council, for once more proving you have the collective brain power of a 20-watt bulb. Throughout the downtown are spanking brand-new garbage bins. These cylinders include a very helpful ashtray for all us lower-than-goatshit smokers. So why were these ashtrays placed well within the designated 16-metre…
Goo covered fire hydrant on Harvey Street
Remarks: Nobody wants to live beside a gooey fire hydrant. You probably wouldn’t want to live beside a gooey anything (think about it.) But a gooey hydrant seems particularly poor and potentially unsafe. An unidentified Water Commission employee said he would send a truck out to check on the problem—and, as we all know, trucks…
You know that lame empty lot on Quinpool? Near Harvard? The one overlooked by a sign that says to check for rust? That place is so lame.
Remarks: Once upon a time in 2002, there was an Esso station. And it closed. And the people were sad. And Esso was sad. And most of all, the soil was super-sad, because it was deemed potentially contaminated. And so, Esso and the Department of the Environment went on a gay jaunt down the enchanted…
Motorcycles. Some are fine. Others are too bejesus loud. One drove by on Queen Street the other day and our heads nearly exploded. Feck.
Remarks: In 2005, Clayton Park MLA Diana Whalen introduced a bill to amend the Motor Vehicle Act. If passed, it would define an unacceptable decibel level for vehicles and give cops the authority to penalize noise polluters. Despite support from HRM councillors and the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities, the PC government has shown little…
Stream of unconsciousness
Published July 19, 2007. Stream of unconsciousness CBC is moving their best show – Intelligence – to the desert of Friday nights. Walter the Farting Spray Can has tagged everything on Chebucto Lane from the great UNITY mural to several private houses. After losing a quarter of the Commons for half a year, Halifax is…
corporate cops
Published July 19, 2007. corporate cops while biking down south park street this past monday afternoon, i was passed by a squadron of halifax motorcycle cops who kindly gave me a siren squeal to clear the way, and perhaps steer my bike into a parked car. while i was slightly annoyed by this unnecessary piggy…
Sackville Street Disgrace
Published July 19, 2007. Sackville Street Disgrace The sidewalks in front of Reflections and across the street are covered with wads of gum, hundreds of them. It’s sickening to look at and I do not, for the life of me, understand why the city tolerates such unsanitary conditions. However, judging from the combined intelligence of…
Idling Bus Engines
Published July 19, 2007. Idling Bus Engines I work in an office at Dalhousie overlooking LeMarchant St, across from where the Metro buses park to wait until for their departure times. May I ask why these buses continually insist on keeping their loud engines running while they are parked there for up to 15 minutes…
Sick of Transit Strikes
Published July 19, 2006. Sick of Transit Strikes I just found out that the Transit Workers Union will be holding a strike vote in August because talks broke off with the city….NICE! That’s 3 that I’ve had to go through since moving here. I’m sick of it and don’t know quite where to direct my…
Why do libraries suck so bad?
Published July 19, 2007. Why do libraries suck so bad? They charge too much for fines. Most of their shit is broken. Their books are extremely outdated. And to top it all off most of the libraries, the librariens are fucking assholes. After the library fines I ussually buy my own danm books.. because the…
to who keyed my car
Published July 19, 2007. to who keyed my car Hello you fucking prick who keyed my gray mercedes on kline st friday night. Thanks alot I spend my whole day detailing my 87 Mercedes 190e. You truly ruined my day and I ever see you near my car and trust me Im up till 4…
Call Chronicle Herald
Published July 19, 2007. Call Chronicle Herald There’s someone taking our newspaper in the morning – and I want it to stop. It doesn’t seem that anybody else orders the paper in our building, except for us and our apartment number is written on it several times. The paper boy/girl throws it outside of the…
A tip for tourists
Published July 19, 2007. A tip for tourists To all of you foreign visitors: In North America, individuals tip when they receive foodservice. They don’t do this in Europe or Australia, because the wages of the servers are SUBSIDISED BY THE PRICE OF THE FOOD. But in Halifax, we are paid MINIMUM WAGE (which leaves…
I still don’t get it…
Published July 19, 2007. I still don’t get it… It’s that time of year again…Pride Week. Why O’ why do gay folks need a parade? Can someone explain this to me? I can only guess it’s to create awareness and sensitivity towards homosexuality. And yes perhaps a parade could accomplish such things. But why a…
Good Job Metro Housing
Published July 26, 2007. Good Job Metro Housing Thanks for chasing the f**king bedbugs all around the building instead of telling clients so that 2 yrs. later ,for the 3rd time I have to go through the poison spray, throwing out my belongings, nightmares, permanent twitch from fear they are sucking my blood yet again.…
Penny Dreadful
Published July 26, 2007. Penny Dreadful You live on the fifth floor of the brick building by the Barrington Superstore. You and your fuckwad friends made a game of throwing pennies off your balcony Saturday the 21st around 5:30pm. Like throwing your butts all over the place wasn’t stupid enough, you throw away money. Obviously…
Bob Wiseman
Bob WisemanMonday, July 23, 7:30pm, One World Cafe.photo Paul Hammond
Working 9-5 not the only way to make a livin’
Published August 02, 2007. Working 9-5 not the only way to make a livin’ I don’t work 9-5. In fact, I work crazy hours in my field. But I get so much flak for this it’s insane. People ask me when I am getting a real job. I knew it was unlikely I wouldn’t get…
Eggs-cellent
Published July 19, 2007. Eggs-cellent This bitch is not for the kid who threw the egg through the only open window on bus and hit the only passenger (me) that night. Kids are stupid, and that was pretty good aim. No, this Bitch is for today, three weeks after the egg, when I was riding…
Dog Do
Published July 19, 2007. Dog Do To the guy whose unleashed, unattended dog wandered out into the intersection of Robie and Cunard while he was waiting for a donair: “That’s not like him” just doesn’t cut it. And so I and another held onto your sweet dumb dog to keep it off the street while…
The White Stripes
The White StripesFriday, July 13, 9:40pm, at the Cunard Centre.photo Rob Fournier
Advertising Pollution
Published July 26, 2007. Advertising Pollution How is that while the global environmental movement seems to be at its crest, Halifax is still plagued with packs of motorcycles winding the city streets for the sole purpose of toting along portable advertisements? Let’s boycott any company that uses these senselessly air and noise polluting modes of…
Bar Bitch
Published July 26, 2007. Bar Bitch Your bar came highly recommended, but WTF was your problem on Wed July 18th? My family was there celebrating my aunts 50th we ate and drank for the whole night. You didnt mind taking our money but you cerainly minded turning the baseball game back on. My 87 yr…
Bus Strike
Published July 26, 2007. Bus Strike The drivers of metro transit are set to go on strike in the very near future. As a bus rider, I am pissed. After speaking to one of the drivers a week ago, I am behind them. The powers that be want to install microphones on buses so that…
Ipod Idiots on the Bus
Published July 26, 2007. Ipod Idiots on the Bus What is wrong with these ipod idiot users on the bus? Its a personal listening device not a public one, turn it the F** down. If I can hear your music (lyrics, bass, fiddle music and all) across the bus or in the back of the…
Tall shits
Published July 26, 2007. Tall shits During the Tall Ships, I was kicked off the waterfront for busking. I was told I had to pay $2,000 to perform. Why does the Waterfront Commission stifle local talent? The official performers, whether at Tall Ships or Buskers, are mostly imported. No, I don’t play fucking Peruvian pan…
Not Proud of the Way I Bitched
Published July 26, 2007. Not Proud of the Way I Bitched To the residents of South End Halifax, I have to apologize for the foul language you endured yesterday. I’m not proud of the way I bitched. South End Howler
Boring bitch, but littering still sucks!
Published August 09, 2007. Boring bitch, but littering still sucks! Hey twunt! Yes, you, with the middle-class-hand-me-down Volvo Wagon that you threw your little piece of garbage under outside Blockbuster on Kent Street. You might consider paper ultimately “biodegradable”, but it takes a fair while, and that ain’t the point. How about I go dump…
learn to use your tools
Published August 09, 2007. learn to use your tools Congradulations to Tim Hortons for steping into the 20th century and adding Credit card Machines (21st Century Debit can only be around the corner) But for the Love of God, If you are going to be so progressive, Teach your Staff how to opperate them. I…
bus trouble
Published August 09, 2007. bus trouble Since relocating to Clayton Park West I find myself on the bus like all the time. And my biggest bitch? Parents or sitters who bring these frigging huge strollers on the bus when they take baby out for the day. I am not staying that you shouldnt be taking…
FUCK YOU RED HONDA
Published August 09, 2007. FUCK YOU RED HONDA 10:11 – August 6th 2007 To the asshole driving the souped up red honda accord blaring your music. you were turning left from south to south park street and decided to chuck out your time hortons cup. I passed it back to saying you dropped something and…
Why the fuck?
Published August 09, 2007. Why the fuck? Can someone please explain to me why the fuck HRM has even bothered to put public smoking by-laws into place? I watch Metro Transit drivers park thier idling busses at terminals and chain smoke thier fucking faces off every single day, right in front of a sign that…
Sick Fuck
Published August 09, 2007. Sick Fuck To the sick fuck who beat that kitten to death, you ought to have a club taken to you. And to the mother of the sick fuck who’s defense is that “everyone in Spryfield does it”; your kid is going to grow up to be a fucking serial killer…
Beware, Arse Grabber
Published August 09, 2007. Beware, Arse Grabber This is to the cowardly piece of swamp scum who has been terrorizing Central and West End women – I hope to fuck I never come across you, you cunt, because I will personally rip off your balls with my molars and spit them out in the gutter…
Grind guide
Published August 02, 2007. Grind guide To the popular amphibious tour guide with the high-decibel, blaring loudspeaker and the downtown route, advising tourists to visit Starbucks and Second Cup for their coffee fix: Why don’t you support local cafes? Haligonians care so much about supporting independents, maybe a local business should be directing out-of-town customers…
bitch slapper
Published August 02, 2007. bitch slapper so i’m driving by the Commons on Saturday afternoon, windows down and feelin good when i hear a yelping. i look over and see this blonde headed squeege bitch sitting on her dog and punching it in the head and yelling at it…all the while the rest of you…
Glass smash be-trash
Published August 02, 2007. Glass smash be-trash To the shitty little arseholes who busted all the glass out of the bus shelter on Herring Cove Road: what the hell are you thinking? You got a problem with the nasty transit users who stand in the shelter to get out of the rain? Maybe you hate…
Slow moving morons
Published August 02, 2007. Slow moving morons This goes out to all you cyclists who insist on riding in the middle of the goddamn road; FRIG OFF. Unless you can peddal as fast as I’m allowed to drive, then stay as far over the side as you can get, ride on the sidewalk. I don’t…
Big babies
Published August 02, 2007. Big babies I really, really hate it when men refer to taking care of their OWN children as “babysitting”. Babysitting, guys, is when you take care of SOMEONE ELSE’S children. When you take care of your own children, that’s called “parenting”, and it doesn’t end when the other parent comes home.…
Jill Barber
Jill BarberHarmony Bazaar, Lockeport, Saturday, July 28, 9:50pm.photo Tara Thorne
This sign, near 2131 Gottingen, beaten and graffiti-tagged to the point of unreadability.
Remarks: If this much-tagged but unloved sign is familiar from Coast pages, it’s because it was in On Patrol in March 2006. Not much good has happened to the sign since then. Finding who’s responsible for fixing non-traffic-related provincial signage is tough, but Public Works put us on to communications officer Hance Colburne at the…
Missing the signs
Published August 09, 2007. Missing the signs To the people/city workers/Metro Transit people who keep ripping down my lost cat signs in the north end of Halifax—don’t you have anything better to do? I understand homemade advertising signs are a blight on the city’s landscape, but how else am I going to let people know…
Do Make Say Think
Do Make Say ThinkSunday, August 5, 7:45pm, Evolve, Antigonish.photo Alison Lang
Gimmie shelter
Published August 23, 2007. Gimmie shelter To the dumb fuck who was in the red hoodie and pants half down his ass at Scotia Square bus shelter: learn how to fuckin’ read. It says “NO SMOKING”—that includes your fuckin’ weed, pal. If you want to go smoke a joint, at least smoke it in your…
Bus Stop Garbages
Published August 23, 2007. Bus Stop Garbages Downtown Halifax now has tonnes of new garbage/recycling bins. FANTASTIC – I’m happy seriously. Now HRM get off your ass and please – install more garbage cans!! Did you know that people can litter OUTSIDE of Downtown Halifax?? I know the Harbour Hopper attracts a lot of tourism…
Sign Wrecker
Published August 23, 2007. Sign Wrecker To the loser last Thursday night at 7pm who was walking with his 2 friends and decided to put on a little show by ripping the “Home for Sale” sign out of the earth in front of my home. You’re lucky you ran like a little bitch when I…
Sea-don’t
Published August 23, 2007. Sea-don’t First of all, it’s a SEA-Doo, not a LAKE-Doo. Why not do us all a favour and take your rich-man’s, testosterone-y toy elsewhere and leave the canoers, paddlers, rowers, loons, fish and other wildlife to use the lake in peace. Haven’t you ever noticed that when you start to rip…
litter bugs!
Published August 16, 2007. litter bugs! What the hell is wrong with people? Doesn’t anyone give a shit about keeping the city clean? Please have some common sense and throw your shit in the garbage can! I can’t believe that I still see people that litter on the streets. Grow up Trashy people
Demolition does NOT include me
Published August 23, 2007. Demolition does NOT include me Maritime Demolition and Trade Mart or whatever the hell you are on Brunswick street: I understand your doing some important construction and renovation. I understand that you “need” it. But your taking up 30 feet of side walk. My baby and I almost got ran over…
…Two wheels, bad-ass
Published August 16, 2007. …Two wheels, bad-ass To the Anonymous Asshole who wrote in last week’s Bitch that he/she will give a cyclist “a little love tap” with a truck. Go right the fuck ahead and do it, it may hurt me more than it hurts your truck, but it sure as hell is going to hurt your insurance…
Shopping Mall Illegal Parking
Published August 23, 2007. Shopping Mall Illegal Parking There has been news reports within the past year about accidents in crosswalks, global warming, etc. One area of concern for a lot of people including myself is the lack of safety in shopping malls and plazas. In the Summer time, during storms or other times when…
Fast, furious
Published August 16, 2007. Fast, furious I can’t believe the gall of the Halifax media to make such a fuss over the “good little son” killed in a head-on collision in downtown Dartmouth. He was a street racer, and his actions ended in the death of an innocent victim. When he decided to race another…
Drinking doesn’t make you DEAF
Published August 23, 2007. Drinking doesn’t make you DEAF Here we go – Saturday night, had a friend over, played music quietly and had supper and talked until 11pm. Neighbours – there you go with your fuckin’ loud music (why didn’t it play the whole song? Oh right I think you were downloading it all)…
Identification Please
Published August 16, 2007. Identification Please If you are 19 and go out to drink in Halifax, take your goddamn ID. If a bartender asks for it, just show it. Don’t be annoyed, or insulted, or outraged. “Oh my god I have’nt been asked for so long!” Then the server looks at your ID and…
Bragging without rights
Published August 16, 2007. Bragging without rights Dude, it’s great that you are working toward your Master’s degree…and that you need it to get a job teaching English in Korea…but you clearly know nothing about the local society or you wouldn’t be quite as excited…your landlord – in the admirably PAID housing – will take…
Pet Population
Published August 16, 2007. Pet Population While on Kijiji today I noticed a women giving away 11 kittens. WTF is wrong with you?! Do you not read the papers? The world is full of horrible people who will take your kittens simply to torture them. Fuck off and get your cat spayed. If you can’t…
Alberta’s Playground—I think not!
Published August 16, 2007. Alberta’s Playground—I think not! Hey Shithead leaving the Clam Harbour Sand Sculpting event in the Ford Truck from Alberta with the licence plate starting with “H” I was behind you, you fucking punk-bastard. You 1) drove over conservation land throwing earth chunks 2) intentionally swerved to knock over several road signs…
Fucking angry 2 wheeler
Published August 16, 2007. Fucking angry 2 wheeler TO THE ANONYMOUS ASSHOLE WHO WAS THREATENING US CYCLISTS: IT IS FUCKIN’ ASSHOLES LIKE YOU THAT TOOK THIS 23 year old’s life: check out the blog: http://thedoublecross.blogspot.com/ Unfortunately, this guy never fufilled his dream of getting from San Diego to Toronto, as some anonymous asshole ran him…
HRM Roadwork
Published August 16, 2007. HRM Roadwork Why, oh why do road crews start working on the roads before 8 a.m. or after 4 p.m.? The traffic tieups on the Prospect Road and Rotary have been fucking ridiculous. What’s worse is that the crews seem to let the smaller outbound traffic stream through while allowing the…
A lot of people have no lives
Published August 16, 2007. A lot of people have no lives You know the dozens of people who write in to the love the way we bitch column about discarded coffee cups? I think I counted 5 those reading that today. I mean, man, dont you people have better things to do than write letters…
Special Noise
Special NoiseThursday, August 9, at The Attic.photo Aaron Fraser
Give me my fucking change!
Published August 23, 2007. Give me my fucking change! Has anyone else out there experienced this one yet? You pull up to the drive-thru window at Tim Horton’s to get your medium double-double for $1.30. You hand the girl a toonie, she hands you your coffee, turns away and arbitrarily decides that your 70 cents…
Hip-hop night
Hip-hop nightSaturday, August 18, 1:30am, at Rain.photo Julé Malet-Veale
Save Our Sundays?
Published August 30, 2007. Save Our Sundays? The “Save our Sundays” bandwagon, thinks that Nova Scotians should be forced to stay home and enjoy a quieter kind of life one day a week. I, for one, don’t think it is appropriate that the government or ministers mandate days of rest for the entire province. The…
shitting in your litterbox
Published August 30, 2007. shitting in your litterbox I’m a driver. I drive a lot because of my job. I encounter cyclists several times a day, every day. And honestly, people, I have never found them to be that much of an inconvenience. Once in a while, I have to slow down a little, which…
BUSted
Published August 30, 2007. BUSted To the man on the number 1 bus yesterday around 11am: Where do you get off at calling 13 year old girls who did nothing to you except for accidentally stepping on your foot (and apologizing by the way) “SLUTS” and “NIGGERS?”I understand your old, frail, crippled and probably bitter…
Pissed about Pilferage
Published August 23, 2007. Pissed about Pilferage Sunday afternoon I’m waiting for the bus on Barrington Street across from St. Matthews church. There’s a mom with 4 little boys and one of her kids noticed a vehicle with a SMASHED in rear window. I decided to call the cops since the owners didn’t seem to…
Head up ass
Published August 23, 2007. Head up ass Hey you in the light blue station wagon, corner of North and Gottingen 7:30 Am 20th of August. Thanks for rear-ending my car and speeding away to hide in Dartmouth you waste of shit. I’ll see you and your 4 loser friends in Hit and Run court thanks…
Double standard
Published August 23, 2007. Double standard To the HRM Council: If I’m not mistaken, isn’t it the responsiblity of the “property owner’s” to remove graffitti from their property within 24 hrs? I drive to work everyday on the Bicentenial Hwy and the same GIANT piece of graffitti has been on the Exit 1 Dunbrack overpass…
Proving their point
Published August 23, 2007. Proving their point As a cyclist, I want to thank those who have insisted on riding over the bridge during the construction. Thanks for confirming the opinion of everyone who thinks cyclists are a bunch of assholes who can’t be bothered to follow the rules. It’s no wonder they want to…
On Ahern, the avenue between Citadel High and the fortress, lies a collection of cavernous craters.
Remarks: The wheels on the bus go round and round, but the kids on the bus go up and down. Way up and down, especially on Ahern, one of the arteries bordering the new school, where the potholes are so deep and roomy they’ve been scouted by spelunkers. In a few short weeks when the…
This parking sign has turned Maynard into an avenue of lies. The sign says it’s OK to block the driveway to Joseph Howe Elementary School. How can that possibly be true?
Remarks: To make matters worse, there’s another parking sign on the other side of the entrance which also encourages people to block the driveway: It’s like some kind of bizarro parking world where everyone is a jerk. Bourgeois tells us there used to be a chain blocking the Maynard entrance, but with the chain gone,…
The intersection of Alderney and Ochterloney in downtown Datmouth has no street signs.
Remarks: You’re wandering down to see a show at Alderney Landing, which you know is on the Dartmouth waterfront at the foot of Ochterloney. But the fog is thick; you’re not sure where you are. You find a major intersection, this could be it, but due to the absence of street signs, you can’t be…
Gotta Love the Bridge Commissioners
Published August 30, 2007. Gotta Love the Bridge Commissioners There’s no doubt about the Commissioners hate cyclists. They make sure the bridge is one of the most difficult and dangerous places for cyclists to get on and off. Though the ride on the bridge is lovely..they shut down the lane to protect the walkers during…
Con-d’oh
Published August 30, 2007. Con-d’oh Dear company(ies) in charge of building these ugly condos behind my house: Are you done yet? It’s been months. You wake me up at 6:45am with the trucks, the saws, the drills, the jackhammers. Some evenings you go until 10:30 or, better, when it’s raining your pump goes off every…
Tissue damage
Published August 30, 2007. Tissue damage Who sneezes like Cindy-Lou Who? Silly little girls who think that it’s attractive to sound dumb, that’s who. Well, guess what? It’s not attractive. You sound like an idiot. Why is it that most gals propel the image of stupid, ditzy females by doing these foolish things, like made-up…
Get the connection?
Published August 30, 2007. Get the connection? To the owners and operations of the business on the corner of South and Barrington. You guys must open up at about 830am. I know this because the old crank and his slo-mo’ sidekick sit in the bus shelter EVERY MORNING smoking cigarette after cigarette (smoking extinguished butts…
It’s Time For a Change
Published August 30, 2007. It’s Time For a Change 3 asshole chicks beat the shit out of a 65 year old women in the Commons with table legs. Throw the bitches in adult jail for at least 2 years….and start setting a fucking example. Enough Already!!
Youth Violence
Published August 30, 2007. Youth Violence Great – now you can’t walk anywhere in Halifax without feeling like some group of psycho kids is going to beat you senseless FOR NO REASON other than their perverted sense of entertainment. Come on, you stupid government cunts, put in some legislation that will put these little monsters…
Big Fat Turd Yacht Clogs Arm
Published August 30, 2007. Big Fat Turd Yacht Clogs Arm To the ugly giant fiberglass eyesore yacht parked in the middle of the Northwest Arm – please leave. It isn’t enough that your fat yacht with helicopter and 3 engine speedboat is blighting the view in the Arm; it isn’t enough that it is allowed…
Table Legs vs. Cats
Published August 30, 2007. Table Legs vs. Cats Two nights ago a 60+ woman was beaten by 3 girls with table legs on the Commons for sport. Halifax police have finally admitted that random violence is a problem. Currently Halifax city council is spending much of their time debating whether or not to license cats.…
Young Offenders Act
Published August 30, 2007. Young Offenders Act I find it very disturbing when I turn on the radio in the morning and listen to the top stories and five of them are committed by youths and consist of random beatings against innocent people. What the hell is going on with our children and where are…
Tracy Nelson
Tracy NelsonSaturday, August 25, 11:53pm at Bearly’s.photo Aaron Fraser
Simple solution
Published September 06, 2007. Simple solution The solution to all this teen violence is so incredibly, utterly simple and yet no one is willing to do it. Get together and take back your neighborhood. All it’s going to take is several groups of maybe 15 – 20 adults – with clubs, bats, whatever they have…
Did you call?
Published September 06, 2007. Did you call? Hey you with the blue hoodie & puffy eyes on the 52 from Highfield Park on Friday…cut up your weed elsewhere! Kids ride that bus. And so do I. And I have no interest in your drug habits, nor does the majority of the city. It isn’t cool,…
Bad reception
Published September 06, 2007. Bad reception To the bitch from Ontario who cut in front of me in line at the cell phone store on Spring Garden Road:walking around the store doesn’t actually mean you are in the line-up. We were there first, and we were pressed for time…because we have jobs, which we needed…
Not my dirty laundry
Published September 06, 2007. Not my dirty laundry To the two clueless 20-something girls who were walking on the north side of Citadel Hill, last Friday afternoon: I understand that it was piss pouring rain and hence your socks got sopping wet and dirty, but did you really need to strip them off your stinking…
Back to scowl
Published September 06, 2007. Back to scowl To the manager with the brown hair at the Dal Health Sciences Bookstore: I saw you “training” (berating) the young Middle Eastern guy behind the counter. You can pretend that “tough love” was all about inspiring your employees to do better, but we both know what you were…
Jellyroll Dixieland
Jellyroll DixielandThursday, August 30, 11:20pm, Stayner’s Wharf.photo Aaron Fraser
Young Mouth Pieces!
Published September 06, 2007. Young Mouth Pieces! To the 2 young college guys that thought you could intimidate the poor looking Urkel kid after the bars on saturday night. What were you thinking? There was two of you and one of him and you bump into him on purpose and then sit there and make…
Haifax Needs Commuter Rail
Published September 06, 2007. Haifax Needs Commuter Rail The city of Halifax has 400,000 people. Problem is, because of centuries of lackluster city planning, or the total lack of any planning whatsoever in many cases, Halifax has been built out and out, in the least dense fashion possible. What does this mean? It means thousands…
Check your attitude at the border
Published September 06, 2007. Check your attitude at the border Check your attitude at the border For all you Upper Canadians, especially the ones from T.O. check your ‘better than us’ attitude at the border. I don’t want to hear how things are bigger and better in T.O. I don’t care that your Daddy is…
Trucked ‘n fucked
Published September 13, 2007. Trucked ‘n fucked To a very unreasonable trucking company: in August, you agreed to move our belongings to Ontario for $1,000. On moving day, you show up at 10pm and demand twice that. You tell us WE have to carry everything onto the truck and you’re going to charge us to…
Grow Up, Halifax
Published September 13, 2007. Grow Up, Halifax After being away for 4 years and returning to Halifax, I feel like I’ve grown up a bit, and I was hoping Halifax would have done the same. In some ways it has, but in some ways, we’re still the laughing stock of other Canadian “cities”-here are three…
Bus Driver
Published September 13, 2007. Bus Driver The bus driver that was driving the Number 7 Friday afternoon on the 7th is a fucking prick. He’s lucky I didnt knock him the fuck out. It starts when I’m about half way in between stops, and notice the one i’m headed to is all blocked off due…
Stupid Pit Bull Owner
Published September 13, 2007. Stupid Pit Bull Owner Whyohfucking why did CTV’s Steve Smurfy have to show seemingly endless footage of that blubbering moron from Truro who DID NOT HAVE THE GOOD SENSE TO MUZZLE HER BEAST IN A PUBLIC PLACE! I love dogs too but a RESPONSIBLE owner would not take a dog’s good…
The fucking prize inside
Published September 13, 2007. The fucking prize inside You know those frozen boneless skinless chicken breast that come in a 3 kg box? Why the hell do people open those? Do they think there might be something other than chicken in the box? Are they looking for the box with the fucking prize inside? What?…
Random Acts Of Unkindness
Published September 13, 2007. Random Acts Of Unkindness To the loose cannon who kicked me in the abdomen on Spring Garden Road on Sunday afternoon, Well played, asshole. I greatly appreciated your random, unprovoked kick, followed by an angry stare as if I’d just attempted to throw you into traffic. Your explanation — that your…
Garbage out>Garbage Out
Published September 13, 2007. Garbage out>Garbage Out What is the problem with lazy fukkers who insist on putting garbage out (any day of the week) and leave a note on it declaring: “Free to a good Home”? What? Your weak Philanthropy delusions are lost on me when I see your shit blowing down the street…
Keep the A/C inside, FFS
Published September 13, 2007. Keep the A/C inside, FFS Last weekend was a nice hot one. So hot, in fact, that a certain clothing store and a certain salon on Spring Garden decided to air-condition the sidewalks. What the fuck?!! In this age of environmental degradation and the desperate need for more accountability, some businesses…
Biking a Line
Published September 13, 2007. Biking a Line To the assholes who insist on flying down sidewalks on their bicycles. They’re sidewalks, not sidebikes. I have news for you: legally, you’re a motor vehicle. You agree to ride on the fine roads of Halifax when you hop on your pretty ten-speed and (some of you) strap…
Brent Randall and his Pinecones
Brent Randall and his PineconesSaturday, September 8, 4.17pm, North End Festival.photo Aaron Fraser
On South Park and Sackville (across from the CBC building), there’s this weird pathway thingy that leads you to a dangerous tightrope walk along the curb–right beside zooming cars of death.
Remarks: Even though there is a legit sidewalk option (it’s elevated, and cuts the corner) many, many schmos end up doing the curb-top lambada. Just watch that corner for five minutes; you’ll see what we’re talking about. But schmos, it’s not your fault. And if anyone from the city would call us back about his…
Those on welfare
A bunch of them moved into the apartment building next to mine. What have I seen so far….people that loiter by their cars all day long/out in the open drug deals…this used to be a “good” building…I’m not a rascist “but” “they” sure as fuck reinforce the stereotypes. Thanks to Dumbass Realty. Cyrus
One IP address???
So the only vote for the ‘best of’ contest that can register from my home is that of (one of) my jerkbag roomates? This is a guy who hasn’t left his room except to piss on the toilet seat in 4 weeks and he gets my one shot from this IP address and steals my…
No place to put plastic bottles in Point Pleasant Park.
Remarks: Other than two four-source bins at the park entrances, it’s nothing but oil-drum style garbage bins inside PPP. Laaaame! Nature, parks, recycling…seems like a natural fit, no? “We feel that is a good balance of cost,” says Phelean, noting that source separation is expensive and that “responsible park users” know to carry their recyclables…
Hey, asshole.
I’d like to send out a big fuck you to the guy who stood on the corner of Almon and Isleville on the night of Wed. September 12th yelling at the top of his lungs for nearly 3 hours. You were with a girl and another guy, it was the middle of the night, and…
On either side of the Windsor and North intersection, one lane of traffic splits into two, and then, after the intersection, back into one. No signage. No lane markings. Just a big merge-unmerge nightmare.
Remarks: This is dangerous for drivers, but it also for bikers, walkers and everyone else trying to get through Windsor/North in one piece. Why god, why? “There’s not enough traffic to designate a left or right turn lane,” says McEachern. “It optimizes the capacity of the intersection.” And, continues McEachern, there’s about “a dozen or…
Attempted suicide prevention
Has anyone else noticed the cow-catchers they’ve put up recently on the MacDonald bridge? One can only assume this is an effort to prevent suicide jumpers. Now, I have nothing against this. Those things look very difficult and painful to climb over and I’m sure that if someone has not got the will to continue…
On either side of the Windsor and North intersection, one lane of traffic splits into two,and then, after the intersection, back into one. No signage. No lane markings. Just a big merge-unmerge nightmare.
Remarks: This is dangerous for drivers, but it also for bikers, walkers and everyone else trying to get through Windsor/North in one piece. Why god, why? “There’s not enough traffic to designate a left or right turn lane,” says McEachern. “It optimizes the capacity of the intersection.” And, continues McEachern, there’s about “a dozen or…
Kiss my rear
To the lady who rear-ended my car in late August on North Park Street: THANKS! You didn’t even fucking stop before you rammed me, and then both you and your fucking passenger verbally assaulted me and made me freak out even more. I was injured but did you even care? FUCK YOU! Get off your…
Buck 65
Buck 65Thursday, September 13, 12.30am, on Argylephoto Jule Malet-Veale, for the AFF
10×10 at the AFF
10×10 at the AFFFriday September 21, 9pm, at the SeahorseAaron Fraser
Steve Poltz
Steve PoltzSaturday, September 29, 8:17pm, at Ginger’s Tavern.photo Aaron Fraser
The Cape May
The Cape MayFriday October 5, 10:30pm, at The MarqueeChris Smith
Bogus Causes
Hey, lady, you’ve made the press with your sob story about not being included on your kid’s birth certificate. Well, I’ve got news for you, sweetheart – YOU ARE NOT A BIOLOGICAL PART OF THAT CHILD so WHY SHOULD YOU BE ON THE FUCKING BIRTH CERTIFICATE??? I’m sympathetic to the gay cause but this is…
Trivial crap
Ever notice a lot of people write stuff to this that generally people dont care about? Oh boo hoo, the bus drove by the bus stop. That happens, I dont know 500 times a day in Halifax? Who the fuck cares. It happens so much that no body cares. It happens to everyone. Or boo…
Smoking Kills = MAKE THEM ILLEGAL, DIMWITS
I am so fucking sick of all these goddamn reports about the evils of smoking – this morning, it was ‘Smoking Costs $1 Billion A Year’ – o.k. genuises – here’s the solution: MAKE CIGARETTES ILLEGAL!!! The evidence is there, what are you waiting for, you government pricks? Oh, yeah, the tax revenue. What a…
Pay me!
Yeah, I quit. Because you lied to me about the job when you hired me. But I showed up for work and worked, you have to pay me! It’s only 200 bucks. But that’s my 200 bucks. So just because you “can’t find my cheque” or it’s apparently “lost in the mail” doesn’t mean you…
Hell Bus # 9
To the miss who drives the # 9 up and down Inglis St….slow down lady….speed limit is 50 km on Inglis, not 80km/hr. When I stepped off the cross walk unto the curb, carrying my 17 month old at that, and you drove by us at mock 9, the wind coming off that 10 ton…
Bad Day
To the asshole that stoled my back weel on monday knight of the only transportation i have THANKS!!! My day was bad enough that i had to leave work early to go see my dad that was just told he had lung canser so i left my bike at work out side on the bike…
Gnome come home
To the dirty rotten thief who stole my garden gnome from my backyard on Queen Street…I have a deal for you: I have you on video taking my gnome, so you either bring back the gnome, unharmed, or I will take the tape to the police. You get one chance to do the right thing,…
Miniature quarry on Barrington and Cornwallis
Remarks: Worr Construction is currently working on the Spice condo building being built on that corner. Ralph Worr tells us that the gravel is temporary, so that the construction crew can run underground wiring and make cuts for the parking lot driveway and such. “Should be completed very shortly,” says Worr, possibly within a couple…
Basketball net at Artz and Brunswick has neither a basker nor a net.
Remarks: We speak with Dixon, who recommends calling the HRM call centre (490-4000). We do. Checking in a few days later, an HRM staffer tells us the city took down the net because it was unsafe, and replacement parts are on order. The whole job should be complete in “hopefully, no longer than a month.”…
It’s all fun & Games
So, after reading the fine article on the front concerning the CWG’s, it’s great to know that people finally came to their senses and killed the thing. The great publicity machine sure did its job in getting all the lemmings on board while they wined and dined their fat asses courtesy of Joe Public. We…
Pity itty bitty Fiddy
To the knucklehead crusin’ down Queen Street Sept. 20 with the bass pumpin’ from his white pimpmoblie and a toddler in the back: you are unfit to be a parent and are showing the whole world you have the common sense of a peanut. Seriously, if anybody knows this guy, report him to social services…
Just Quit Already
I’m sick of hearing smokers say they are going to quit and then go and light up. Just quit. I work with someone who says he wants to quit everyday and when I tell him to just quit he says “it’s hard”. It’s not hard it’s just takes willpower which apparently all you wishful quitters…
You’re not my bus driver
To the asshole driving the number 10 bus at Weyburn and Spikenard around 3:45 last Friday: I know you put up with a lot of shit all day, but If I’m right in front of you, 20 feet from the stop, and you’re stopped at a quiet, residential corner, please don’t wag your finger and…
Reality checkout
Hey Lady.. Ya you, the one with the plastic helmet head of hairspray and sour look on your face, harassing the produce department guy with: You only have RED tomatoes? ..this store sucks, I’m sorry.. I know its not your fault, but honestly. Do you have any..” ..and on it went re some other obscure…
Keep it in your pants
To the guy getting head behind the dumpster of The Coburg in broad daylight Saturday afternoon: get a fucking room! I’m no prude, but you were in plain sight of a bunch of kids that were playing next door. Not to mention you were getting it on behind a FUCKING DUMPSTER! You sick, sleazy, fuck.…
AD BITCH
To the stupid asshole on Kijji My ad is not spam I had over 50 replys to my car and could not respond to every god damn one. and I don’t see how a YAHOO Internet email account could send you tons of spam get a filter you stupid hick fuck you
signal indicaters
My bitch is for all those drivers that signal as they make a turn in their car.For any one thats had to slow down behind someone on icy roads knows a liitle more notice that your turning helps alot.If you signal as you turn ,da thats a no brainer we can see your turning.Maybe the…
The tampon/pad receptacles are up to the rim…and its been like that for over a week. Charming.
Remarks: Doug Rafuse, facilities manager for the city, checks into the problem. “The HRM is responsible for cleaning common space in the building…we started doing that once a week, now it’s been upped to three times a week.” So, why the overflowing tamponial refuse? Well, despite the cleaning stipulations outlined on the lease, there has…
Toilet Mannerw
To ANY guy who pisses all over a public toilet seat. CLEAN IT UP!!!! i am NOT your fuckin father, or your nursemaid. its not my job to wipe your piss off so i can use the john. i feel bad for anyone who has to live with a man who cant aim for a…
It’s only one floor
this is to anyone that is healthy and able, but still takes the stairs to go one fucking floor. ITS ONE FLOOR, take the god damn stairs if you can, and stop making people that have to go up 5 or more floors wait for your lazy ass. tired of waiting for elevators
Sidewalk Protocol
The sidewalks in Halifax mostly have room for two people to pass. I can’t believe how many idiots there are that have to stay in a group while passing you and either push you off the sidewalk or whack into you. Between them and the bike riders who ride your heels in between shooting out…
Lords of the Ride
Shocking. I would prefer not knowing the details of what it took the HRM to do to avoid this walk off. How much more of my tax dollars is going to be sent to satisfy the needs of these barely skilled workers? Quite amazing how a work force comprised of workers, some without even a…
Whats with the lights at Quinpool
I am a mature member of HRM who likes to takes my grandson in his buggy shoppping on Quinpool Road. When I cross the road at the former St Pats and by the Sicilian Pizza the flashing lights starts half way across. With Baby I can’t speed up. I don’t feel safe crossing at these…
Fire beazley!
I’ve had enough of police chief Beazley’s bullshit excuses about violence in this city… how do we go about getting this man FIRED?! Halifax needs a new police chief, and it can’t happen soon enough. Fed up with hooligans & violence
Taxi cab confession
To the drunk girls on Windsor Street, 12:30am on Saturday standing in the middle of the road: Oh, you party with the big kids now? Cars without cab lights are NOT cabs. You don’t need to stand in the middle of the road pissing off drivers to prove how cool you are to be leaving…
Fried Kitten
Who are these people who are so violently opposed to the proposed “cat bylaw”? Anyone who scoffs at the idea that roaming cats are a nuisance has obviously never tried to grow a garden in the city. Granted, it’s not a life altering issue like the war in Afghanistan or Global Warming. But it’s not…
Zoobombs
ZoobombsFriday, October 19, 12:45am, The SeahorseTara Lee Wittchen
9 hours to do your laundry????
This is to the lady that lives on the 3rd. floor in my apartment building @ 6_ Main Ave. Why the hell does it take you 9 hours or more to do your laundry when it is just you and your husband living here? I could understand if you had a huge family with say…
Windsor Street Deathtrap
WTF is up with the two lanes on the Windsor Street exchange that turn left onto the Bedford Highway and merge immediately into one lane? I live on Windsor Street right by the exchange and drive through there 2-3 times a day. I am beginning to have anxiety attacks when I drive through the exchange.…
Crazy thug type Cop
OK….To the officer that assaulted me on pizza corner…saturday thanx giving wknd…you have created a mess for yourself as i have a lawyer and witness’s and you and the police force are being sued…and I am charging you in criminal court as well ..because you are one in my opinion and in the courts as…
A moving story
I submitted a bitch about a trucking company a couple weeks ago, and someone named Dave posted a comment at thecoast.ca that he had similar experiences with the same people. I’m filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, and it would make my case a lot stronger if I could show that this has…
Sick of Religious Wingnuts
Hey, dick breath on Spring Garden Road, passing out your Christian bullshit paper – go fuck yourself hard. I heard about your treatment of the lesbian couple who you loudly condemned to hell – well, buddy boy, if there is a hell, I hope you have a front row seat and it’s a hot plate.…
Stool sample
To the two dumb fucks (guy and girl) with the cart who decided to swipe our stools off our deck on Charles Street just after 11 on October 11th: You were seen. You’re lucky I was just getting out of the shower because I would have come out and knocked your fuckin’ teeth out. Now,…
rubber booted cyclist
To the female cyclist wearing rubber boots driving westbound on Brunswick st thurs afternoon. Kudos to you driving in the bike lane,however, it was not my fault the was a delivery truck blocking YOUR bike lane and if I had not been paying attention and blew my horn,YOU would have been SQUASHED between my car…
Blowing Smoke
Here’s to all you wonderful people who feel it’s a-okay to smoke in public. I support your right to damage your body in any way you choose, but I get extremely pissed when I’m walking down the street with my son and some arrogant, oblivious jerk decides smoke, blowing their dirty, disease filled second hand…
Idiot Driver
To the asshole who nearly hit me on the crosswalk at Mumford Terminal early Tuesday morning. Thanks for getting my day off to a heart-stopping start. If someone else had’ve been crossing IN THE CROSSWALK with me, you would have hit one of us. The light was green for me too. You only watching oncoming…
Playground disgrace
Why, oh why, is every playground in HRM filled with disgusting cigarette butts? People who smoke: grow the f**k up! This is where kids play. HRM: institute an immediate $100 fine on anyone caught smoking within 50 metres of a playground (and actually enforce it). I dare anyone to say smokers have more of a…
Charity Begins At … Work?
Why oh why oh why must I have to suffer the annoyance of self-righteous do-gooders blocking my entry into work so that they can smile insideously and ask if I have my United Way form??? I donate to charities on my own and do not need my employer harassing me just so they can brag…
Dresden Row Trees
To the yahoos who thought it would be “cool” to destroy the young trees growing on Dresden Row, thanks a shit load. I’ve been watching over those trees for three years, adding fertilizer and making sure they are healthy. Just this afternoon, I looked at their foliage. Tonight they’ve been snapped in half. Why? Dresden…
Go ! Let’s goooooo!
Look we can ALL GO THRU THE LIGHT, IF WE STOP LEAVING SEVENTY FOUR CAR LENGTHS BETWEEN US AND THE GUY WHO JUST WENT THRU. STEP ON IT PEOPLE LETS GO!!SO TIRED OF WATCHIN THE LIGHT GO GREEN AND SEEING FOUR CARS MAKE IT. Am I the only one who is losing their mind with…
First cut is the deepest
To the asshole who I “cut off” walking to a bus at Mumford terminal: Fuck You. Oh, I’m soooo sorry I made you have to stop for a whole half a second! Then you have the nerve to get on the bus and shoot your mouth off so loud I can hear you, even while…
cats view
Who’s stupid idea is this. What a waste of money that could be better spent on the violence plaguing the city. I seriously doubt my three cats are going to understand that they can’t leave my yard. I doubt the councilors got more than one complaint. It was probably some old gas bag hag who…
Thanksgiving hangover
To the person who dumped leftover turkey in my garbage can on Vernon on Monday night: I have left the lid off my garbage can on Vernon for as long as I have lived here. It is typically filled by coffee cups, dog litter etc, and as a family of four, we still only put…
Nightmare on Windsor Street
I have an invitation for the moronic ass who designed the new and improved Windsor street exchange. Please, oh please join me for the ride of your life in my passengers seat as we occupy the far left of the two left hand turning lanes from Windsor street on to the Bedford Highway. I would…
Sidewalk Cyclists
This morning on my way to work I saw no less than a half dozen bicycling asswipes riding on the sidewalks. Get a clue, you idiots, sidewalks are for pedestrians, not mental 10 year olds. If you can’t deal with traffic, then take the fucking bus. And don’t expect the simpletons at city hall to…
By our estimation, this staircase outside of the Killiam Library is operating at one-third capacity. What up with the chains?
Remarks: Turns out Dal chained off the side stairs to make room for a little bit of campus beautification—note the folksy flower barrels and gardeney plots. Good intention, but frankly, this ain’t working. This is still a darn ugly concrete staircase. Besides, the chain links seem to scream, “Please, do stay the fuck away from…
Barrington Street Bums
Why do businesses allow bums to stand right in their entrances? Barrington Street is a prime example. Who wants to go into a place with some lazy prick rattling a fucking cup under your nose? Isn’t there a loitering law in this backwater burg? It’s pretty fucking bad when Saint John New Brunswick can have…
Hicks be gone.
I live across the street from a “hotel” of sorts for people coming in from outside of the city to get medical treatment. The “hotel” is on South Park Street and is designed for people who can’t afford a regular hotel. My bitch is that every day I look out the window I see dozens…
Red Hand
To the Asshole in the truck at Windsor and Robie this morning, thanks for yelling at us while we were crossing the intersection “Can’t you see the red hand!”. I am sure you must get a particular kick out of yelling at me and my 7.5 month pregnant wife (who walks slowly due to being…
Somebody’s got to drive the bus, assholes
I am so tired of hearing the shit about bus drivers, what they make, how they act, for fucks sakes fuck off, your all just jealous that you dont make their money, The jobs are available , you want to make that money apply, for the fucking job, then see what its like to put…
The Lights Are On But No One’s Home!!
To all the business/services in the Manulife Buildings on Joseph Howe Dr….TURN OFF YOUR LIGHTS AT NIGHT! I drive by there almost every night and every floor in both buildings is lit up like a Christmas tree! I understand working late, janitor’s cleaning, etc..but please, is there a need at 11pm to have the buildings…
Bluetooth Bastard
To the fat 14 year old fuck at Saw IV last night, I spent 11 bucks to watch a movie, not the fucking blue flash of your bluetooth headset for an hour and a half. Get a fucking clue, grow up and realize that wearing it every where you guy doesn’t make you “cool”. P.S.…
These info poles near Blowers and Grafton (read: Pizza Corner) have lost their oval cap. And you know what fits perfectly into a pole with no cap? Paper plates. More specifically, Paper pizza plates. We know. We looked.
Remarks: These poles, along with a few other aesthetic flourishes around Metro, were installed in anticipation of the G-7 by the city’s Capital District. But now that the likes of Bill Clinton, Jean Chretien and Helmut Kohl have come and gone, the poles have fallen into disrepair…and they’re definitely collecting a healthy crop of garbage.…
Bike license??
So the City is thinking of requiring bicycles to be licensed. Well, I can’t say I’m thrilled with the idea, but I guess fair is fair. If we want to be recognized as legitimate road users, we have to suck it up. Rather than licensing of bicycles, though, I would prefer to see licensing of…
Supporting Those Trying To Give Something Back
Hey, buster, I heard you call me a bitch when you rattled your Timmy’s cup under my nose and I didn’t give you anything – there’s a reason, buttplug. I’ve seen you several times cursing under your breath when people wouldn’t give any change to you. Which is why I gave a toonie to the…
rough criminal
Ok, so let me get this straight! So you have this guy robbing stores and people, racing through Halifax to Dartmouth requiring a police chase and now he’s suing the police for shooting him in the leg?? Give me a break!!! Assuming he actually did rob those stores and considering his probable dangerous driving through…
Hey Rosetta!
Hey Rosetta!Saturday, October 28, 11:45pm, at The Marquee.Aaron Fraser
Andrea Curry, Dwight D’Eon and Nathan Bishop MacDonald
Andrea Curry, Dwight D’Eon and Nathan Bishop MacDonaldFriday, November 2, 11pm, Duffy’s Speakeasy Aaron Fraser
In-Flight Safety
In-Flight SafetySaturday, November 11, 8:42pm, Astor Theatre, LiverpoolTara Thorne
Welfare Whores
To my ex-friend who has been sucking off the welfare tit for 10 years – thanks for using my hard earned tax money so you can drink and smoke your brains out while sitting on your lazy ass. Food isn’t even a priority for you, just getting wasted. I tried to fucking help you but…
Speed Limits
Seriously people, what the fuck is wrong with you? If the posted speed limit is 70km/h then go 70km/h. NOT FUCKING 40KM/H!! I get that in shitty weather people are gonna drive slower, but this morning the road was fine. Or hey, here’s an idea get the fuck out of the passing lane… there’s a…
Dear HRM municipal authorities:
Get your collective heads out of your collective asses. First it was the cats (absurd), then the “study” to see if you can squeeze more money out of cyclists for the privilege of daily humiliation, and now I read today that your trying to get Freak Lunchbox and Girly Boutique to take down their awesome…
call centers
I work in a call center. I’m not thrilled about that, but you do what you have to do to pay the rent. And before anyone gets all snarky and superior, let me say that a year ago I was a decently paid professional in a highly specialized field. So let us be very clear…
Fenwick Tower Social Hour
It’s like this: I live next door to the Tower. Lots of you are way too loud in the wee hours prior and post boozing. You hang around the entrance and it’s killing my sleep. Go inside or go downtown, mmmkay? Carolyne
Dear Dalhousie Pedestrians
i.e. poor students who do not require a fucking car, like me, to go to school (and no assholes I’m not rich, but I live to fucking far). First off, you are dumbasses the lot of you, want to know why? Well you walk in front of my car while I’m waiting at a stop…
Holier Than No One
I’m am sick and tired of reading these cyclist vs car bitches where the bitcher gives only one side of the story in a holier than thou attitude. Nobody is perfect not even you so stop trying to pretend you are. This goes to car drivers and cyclist alike. Maybe if you all had more…
poo police
To the small group of asshole dog owners who insist on NOT cleaning up after their pets. I really appreciate having to scrap dog shite from the soles of my 19 month old son’s boots after a visit to the playground. To those of you who visit Conrose Park and the park behind Le Merchant…
aging
why is it so many ads and sales offered to look young younger. yet few actually work. we all age in a most natural way, so enjoy it as an adventure, stop bitching about it , it wont make you look younger. annoyed ager
Three Identical Signs on the Rotary
Jesus H. Hangnail, why in the name of Jebus are there three identical signs that read ‘Bedford and Joseph Howe Drive, bang, bang, bang when you hit the Rotary via Quinpool Road?? Are we such a city of mental defectives that we need to be visually pounded thrice? Isn’t it enough we have to risk…
Don’t hurt the kitty!!!
I know that the must have received lots of emails from people enraged over the kitty cover- “Hey city council…” I personally thought the cover to be a classic…I had a co-worker of mine tell me that she normally reads The Coast, but tossed this one in the waste-bin because of the tasteless cover. I…
There are dirt piles, and then there are dirt piles! This one—on the Common, near the skatepark—falls into the latter category. It’s huge! And it’s growing foliage! Daaamn, son!
Remarks: This jolly grey giant was excavated during skatepark construction. The soil was found to contain high levels of arsenic and the province wouldn’t allow the city to haul it away. The clean up is expensive—about $100 per cubic metre—but the money has been requested in next year’s budget (not yet approved). “Our intention always…
He’s African, not Deaf!
To the young guy on the Rt. 1 bus on the evening of Saturday 27th Oct talking to the guy from East Africa; why did you feel the need to speak so slowly – and worse, LOUDLY to the poor guy the whole time. His admirable command of the English language was quite apparent and…
The North Common public washroom sings a siren song to the urine-saturated. But like a spring of fresh water in a hot, dry desert, ’tis but a mirage—the damn thing is always locked. That pisses us off.
Remarks: We call facilities management, who send us to HRM public relations. Seems unnecessary: They’re in charge of the washroom, we’ve got them on the phone, they know the answer and they won’t talk to us. Even without their help, we gather that one only gets access if one books a field with the city.…
How Rude!
This morning I was waiting at the Lacewood terminal. I had a five minute wait for my bus. So I stood there, eating an apple, looking at the out of service bus at the curb and wondering if it was going to turn into the 16. Then the bus driver changed the sign. I saw…
R u serious????????
Recently, I have been receiving a lot of applications for some well-paying jobs in marketing and sales fields. Supposedly well-educated people have submitted AWFUL coverletters filled with typos, grammatical errors and, worst of all, “text-type”. Lower-case “i”‘s, “u” instead of “you”, and they seem to have no idea how to format a basic business letter…
Fucking Metro Transit
I am so sick of having to wait out in the cold and in the rain for my bus to arrive at its stop AT THE PROPER TIME. I’m tired of being late for lecture all the time, and I’m sick of having to run after busses only to have them drive off without me…
To the Cesspool…
This a message to the ones who will be able to read themselves easily into this bitch..you know, you’re the ones who feel the need to shit on anyone and everything you possibly can because you’re jealous and insecure and lack confidence. You do it in order to deflect attention away from the fact that…
Celine Dion? Seriously?
I’m not gonna rip on her. I really can’t stand her myself, but if she’s your thing, hey that’s cool. My issue is putting her on the commons. With all the acts out there and the fan base associated with them, this is one act that should not be on commons. I haven’t looked at…
Where’s your Parents?
Oct. 26 was an inservice day for all the kids…good stuff. To the 5 or 6 little dumb fucks that were riding their bikes among traffic at approximately 5pm along the intersection of Robie St. and Lady Hammond Rd…SHAME ON YOU!!! Not all of you had helmets either – and you caused a lot of…
cell phones in library
What is with these abortions sitting in the library at MSVU? Every night i am studying, some douche bag is talking on their cell – I want to go over and choke them and tell them to read the effin signs. Gordon Gekko
bike it or not
Just read the bitches section in the latest Coast regarding bike committing. For those drivers out there who feel the need to be aggressive in your cars when you see cyclists, I bet you were bullied in school and now you wanna give back a little with 2 tones of steel and petroleum products. I…
HRM, I don’t like you.
Alright, so you fixed up the roads and highway on and off Kearney Lake Road. Why in name of God would you put a second set of lights (nearest to the highway) where you did? You jack-offs need to put a 4-way off broadholm. The only time the light changes is when a pedestrian needs…
slow down hacks
This is for the alzheimer driving cab driver who almost ran us down at a crosswalk,after we pressed the button,he flew by,(empty of course), but 3 minutes later who do we run into again at a crosswalk (with a paying customer) we asked him about the earlier incident and of course he didnt remember. 3…
bro population
Please stop popping your collars. You look ridiculous. fashion police
You’re Not David Beckham
To all those idiots that have nothing better to do than hang out in groups and randomly kick at people’s backs – I hope you rot in Hell. I was on the 7 Robie Friday Nov. 2nd shortly after 5pm – and I saw one guy take a kick at a young man who was…
Suburban Wannabe Gangsters
To the two guys in the bright blue PT Cruiser on Dublin and Almon, late Sunday night, who tried to get fresh with me while I was innocently biking home: get a life. I’m not sure what you were trying to prove in half-assedly trying to door me, and then getting out of the car,…
Take the law into your own hands…sort of
Hello Haligonians, This was intended for cyclists like myself, but it also applies to pedestrians, and I guess motorists (the good ones). I commute from Windsor Street, Halifax, to Main Street, Dartmouth, and back, 4 days a week. 19kms round-trip, 45-60 minutes, with about 12 minutes of bullshit. The bridge, sucks. North street, sucks. Ochterloney,…
You want a tip?
Here’s a tip for ya…Get another job! I am so sick and tired of feeling compelled to give servers money for doing their jobs. Yeah, I get it, the pay is shitty, but you don’t have to be a waiter, waitress or bartender. Why is it that the job of server, once a vestige of…
Rotten Food
To the very rude people at the restaurant on Quinpool Road. It was not the waitress’s fault that your sausages were rotten. Check the dates on your products and please have the decency of coming to talk to the customer instead of sending the waitress to do your dirty work. The minimum you could have…
ipod stolen
To the person who stole my ipod video in CMT at Citadel High School Monday November third I certainty hope you enjoy my collection of music. Actually I hope you kill your self because all you are is dirty filthy stealing scum. I bought that ipod with my first paycheck from my first job and…
Pedestrians & Crosswalks
Okay peds… I’m on your side. My gf has used mass transit or walked all her life and has learned me in the ways and hardships of a pedestrian. However, I’m pleading with you to give us drivers a little help. The other day I was travelling up lacewood (which is dangerous at the best…
Leaf blowers!!
I just think it’s hilarious to see these people with leaf blowers who blow their leafs on to their neighbour’s yard, and then the neighbour will come out and blow the leafs back, and then someone will try blowing them on to the street, and then the street cleaners will come and blow them back…
Bah Fucking Humbug
I cannot believe how many people buy into the nauseating commercialism of this holiday. Every store you walk past, it’s buybuybuy the love of the people you care about. A diamond braclet for Mom, a 42″ LCD TV for Dad and iPods for all the little kiddies. I love the family and friends aspect of…
No King’s in this palace
To the 3 drunk loosers and your 2 female companions who acted like total morons at King’s Palace on Saturday night around 8pm you need to get some class. Especially you in the pink striped polo shirt. I thought pink was the new “no bully” colour but not for you. You acted like immature imbeciles.…
This section of sidewalk on Trollope Street near Citadel High has been chewed up by some unknown vehicle, turning it into a leafy, muddy, watery mess.
Remarks: Remember soakers? When you’d step into a deep puddle, and water would go into your shoe, and then your sock would get all wet and your friends would go, “Awww, soaker!”, and then you’d have to walk around all day with one dry foot and one clammy, wet foot? This potentially does that. We…
Buses
This is for the bus that BUMPED me in the cross walk at the South Park/Inglis crosswalk last Thursday. WERE YOU DRUNK? I was in the white lines, and I’m a big guy. You didn’t even see me till I banged on your window and you hit your breaks, sending everyone flying forward, including a…
Sick of pickin up shit!
I am a proud parent of 3 furballs, we’ve been taking advantage of the new off leash areas in metro, mostly Shubie park. This is a monitored probationary period of 12 months. After all the fighting with HRM to make this possible it’s already being abused. EVERY TIME we’re there I end up picking up…
Overworked Nurses? HA!
To those lazy twats at the QEII who supposedly ‘cared’ for my grandmother: a great big fuck you. You treated a woman with dementia like crap. I watched the group of you sitting on your lard asses at your station every single time I came in, drinking coffee and chatting like you didn’t have a…
Get Over It!!!!
For christ sakes, I am so tired of hearing the people of Halifax bitch about Celine Dion coming to the Commons. We complain when no one comes, and we complain when they do. Im not a fan either, but that doesn’t mean that others are not. Are we really that ungrateful and unwelcoming folks? Get…
This is a traffic light, and red means “don’t speed up”
If I’m in the intersection at Robie/Cunard/North Street, have been waiting to turn left to since a green light and am still in the intersection when it’s red and am trying to complete said turn, kindly do NOT run the red light coming toward me! If I hadn’t breaked at the last second, YOU would’ve…
Po-Po Haters
I really love all these “Fuck Tha Po-lice” things I see scattered throughout the city and all over Facebook. I can’t help but notice that most of the people that support this opinion are criminals and are just upset for being punished for their crimes. YES, there are shitty officers, and always something to complain…
dearest Christopher:)
this is a friendly remark from the writer of the pedestrian bitch. just so you know I wouldnt actually run people over dumbass. I was just frustrasted at the time thanks to an idiot ped who walked in front of my car instead going around back which would have been nice of them. I kinda…
rain on our parade
I’m a fan of the city spreading some holiday cheer with festivities like the Parade of Lights that recently took place. However, as a resident of downtown and someone who takes pride in this city, I was disheartened to see the level of garbage left by families and onlookers of the parade. Shame on you…
Dirty Ernie Fage
So voting to give tax dollars for your family isn’t bad enough. Drinking and driving, still not bad enough. Fleeing the accident caused by that drinking and driving is still not bad enough for you Mr. Fage. You decided your best hope was to smearing the name of a freelance photographer who took pictures of…
Apparently having babies means maternity parking spaces for life
My wife and I were sitting in our car, getting ready to go home after shopping at Superstore in Elmsdale on Thursday evening (Nov 15). A woman, man and young child came out of the store and got into their vehicle which is parked near us in one of the designated “maternity” spaces. The woman…
Thank you for abusing MY lungs.
To the four or five idiots that drove me out of a bus shelter on Barrington street this afternoon: It says right there on the side ‘no smoking.’ If you had have turned your head about 4 degrees, you probably would have seen that written on the wall behind you. I have no problem if…
To the Impatient S.O.B…
…who could not possibly wait the 10 seconds it would have taken me to cross the Coburg @ Lord Dalhousie crosswalk and decided instead to drive into the other lane and around the other cars who had stopped for me-almost hitting me…you’re lucky there wasn’t a rock in my hand, or you would be down…
stupid “intellectuals”
They exist in every single classroom, anywhere. These are the students who sit in lecture or tutorial and always have something to say and DON’T SHUT UP. You’re always interrupting and more than half of what you say is wrong, irrelevant and stupid. You may think that you’re being intelligent and insightful, but everytime you…
Brainless Cows
On my way to work this morning via the Bay Road, I saw no less than three female drivers twist their mirrors to do fucking makeup while they were driving. One of them was applying fucking face cream – what are you stupid people thinking???? You are behind the wheel of a 2000 lb weapon…
Cuts like a knife
This goes out to every person who cuts in a line. Or stands in a convenience store buying lotto tickets for 20 fucking minutes. or doesnt thank a person who holds a door open for you, or makes NO effort to make passing someone easier on a crowded sidewalk or in a mall… You suck.…
Customer service goes a long way
To the lady working at the Credit Union in the red shirt thursday night on Lady Hammond I understand that your bank needs to follow certian poilceys but you could be alot nicer when dealing with customers if you hate your job and don’t feel like waiting on people then thats your issue you don’t…
Thanks so much for keeping me up all night
To the 20-something girls outside of Bubbles Mansion on Saturday nights at 4 AM – why the fuck do you retarded idiots have to scream at the top of your lungs outside after the bar closes? Don’t you have cabs to call, inept, horny boyfriends to go home with or corners to pass out in?…
Life in the non-bike lane.
If I am riding in the middle of a lane on my bicycle it is because I don’t want you to pass close to my bicycle on a particularly dangerous road section or windy day. Please don’t ride the yellow line. If you motorists don’t like being slowed down, join cyclists in advocacy for bike…
pee on your own university
To those who attend their saturday afternoon beer orgy at the split crow: fuck off. NSCAD University isnt your girlfriends mouth, so please do not piss on it. And why must you yell so loudly at someone who is 2 feet away and standing right next to you? some quiet and respect would be greatly…
Stop Snitching?
I don’t get those “Stop Snitching” T-Shirts. What the fuck are you trying to say when you put one of those ridiculous things on your back? Do you support murder, rape, child molestation etc? I bet if something happened to someone you loved you’d want people to contact the police with information right? So fuck…
Video Store Scum
To the waste of flesh that stole my wallet from the staffroom at my work : I hope that you spend wisely the $100 that I worked my ASS off earning, and get some good shit with my gift cards that were gifts to me from my family. I bet you’re proud that you stole…
Is it support the troops in Afghanistan or is it support the war in Afghanistan?
Anyone notice how increasingly militarized Canada has become since Steven Harper came into office? How/or why did our role of peacekeepers/re-builders in Afghanistan change to one of active combat? Is it support the troops in Afghanistan or is it support the war in Afghanistan? Who’s behind this? Turn on the ATV news most nights and…
Lay Off the Squeegee Kids
I was reading some of the DN’s responses to their article on Squeegee kids (re the new legislation) and was absolutely sickened by some of the nasty responses from people who think their shit doesn’t smell. While some of these kids may look scary, I have always found them polite and never pushy. If you…
Spray Paint tag’r
To the two loosers who taged my vehicle on Quinpool Rd Nov 17 at 355am, you were caught on videotape, It is obvious why you tag, your so ugly you figure making other things ugly will make you feel better. Get therapy, and remember about kharma, you will get what you deserve, and then some.…
Rich Guy in Lexus
Mr. Rich guy who recently sold his marine business I have met you before and I have always felt you to be one of the good guys. However saturday morning when there were already two cars parked outside of the marked parking lines you parked your large Lexus SUV basically in the niddle of the…
Coventry Place Deceptions (Highfield Park)
For those of you who live in 55-65 Highfield Park Drive (Coventry Place), know that you’re little oasis will soon become part of the Highfield Park Apartment’s family (a.k.a TRASH CITY). Universal Properties (the current property managers) have been intentionally keeping their superintendants in the dark, knowing that the building is being sold and that…
Loud dog on Vernon Street
To the fucking idiot on Vernon or LeMarchant street near Coburg road who likes to leave their loud ass dog outside for hours to bark, there are other people living in your neighborhood, Jerk. Keep your dog in your fucking house, especially in the night! The dog barks morning, day, and all hours of the…
Cherry Poppin’
So, it’s like being touched for the very first time–lugging my fucking groceries home from you, Quinpool Superstore. You super-suck with those ghetto-ass, thin plastic bags you hawk. I’m a damn student who lives more than ten blocks away and no buses go from your location to my place, so walking in the rain on…
Get Off the Road Grandpa
I know the stereotype and sorry to offend some people are that women and oriental people can’t drive but has anyone takin the time to watch how the elderly drive? Most of the time I feel like their napping at the wheel? I’m all for mandatory testing for the elderly every year. Scared for my…
bike it or not #2
I just had a great laugh reading over the comments on a bitch I posted a while back titled “bike It or not” (Nov 2.) Obviously some of the folks commenting lack critical thinking skills and did not get the basic meaning (perhaps I was too fictitious). Bicycles in cities are the future, along with…
Finders Keepers
Yesterday (Sunday Nov 18) at around 1PM, my bus pass fell out of my purse while I was paying for my purchases at Walmart on Mumford Rd. In the approximately 30 seconds it took me to notice, someone had taken it. In fact, the person who picked it up and put it in their pocket…
Fucking Ridiculous
After seeing a specialist at the QEII yesterday, I was appalled by the droves of students from Citadel Hill descending upon the Summer Savoury cafeteria just before noon. The cocky little bastards even have their own cashier as was pointed out to me by one surly punk. What the fuck is wrong with their school…
Paintball Pests
To the obnoxious girls and guy who randomly shot me in the foot with a paintball when I was on my way to work Tuesday night, minding my own business at a bus stop outside the Barrington Street Superstore: thanks a lot you fucking morons, that milky crap looked great splattered all over my navy…
Rude NSCC Student & Teacher
To the class in room 4334 who came in for your class starting at 12:30, a little patience and common courtesy would be appreciated in the future. As you probably know, school is no picnic and we were using the last few minutes left from our lab class to discuss projects and FYI we still…
no more celine concert
I am writing this message to most or all people in the media responsible for the cancellation of the Celine Dion show AND making her feel like she is not welcome here. I was very excited to hear that she was going to perform here. Then the STUPID media got involved. I listen to the…
bikes and cars
I don’t know if this belongs in the bitch column, or in the long list of things to be addressed concerning transport and infrastructure in this crumbling city: 3 separate mornings in the past month I’ve seen very VERY close calls between large cars and bicycles at the intersection where the Commons meets Bell Road…
Don’t Eat The Fucking Donuts!
A friend of mine just quit her job at a popular coffee chain and told me that when the donuts are dipped, the glaze is spread around with bare fingers even though all the personel out front wear plastic gloves. I am so totally fucking grossed out about this, especially after she said that for…
Business sense of the fruit flies
To the proprietor of a certain market/eatery: fuck you for refusing to give me the tips I rightfully earned during my final week of work at your absurd little bistro. After four agonizing months of grinning through your asinine bullshit I gave you the courtesy of a two-week notice when most of your former employees…
Learn to Function Without Caffeine
To the dumb man at Tim Horton’s who apparently was born before cars were able to back up: When you walk behind my ALREADY REVERSING car, through my BLIND SPOT, and continue to go even though its obvious I have not seen you, that makes you a moron. Not me. And in no way does…
Swiss Chalet’s Funky Special
I visited the swiss chalet on november18/07 at 5:54pm. I ordered the Festive Special. I ordered it for the first time ever simply due to the Delicious commercial on TV. Buyer beware. This meal was nothing as such. My meal was a substandard meal I would not even serve as Hospital food. My stuffing was…
AAAARRRRGGGGGG!!!!!!!!
So Bridgewater wants to ban smoking in every public place. I’m getting fucking sick and tired of this bullshit. My parents smoked around me all my childhood, including in an enclosed car and I made it to 50 plus. I try to be a considerate smoker in public but that ISN’T GOOD ENOUGH. O.K., SO…
metro transit asshole bus driver
To the miserable asshole who was driving the # 6 Downtown bus today, and wanted to make my life miserable just for the sheer joy of it, I hope your bus hits a dump truck head-on. fed up Metro Transit rider
TO ALL THE COMMISSIONAIRES
It is unbelievable how the commissionaires are treated at the QE11hospital. First of all the shifts are always short, Maybe if the so called boss or headquarters gave an incentive EX: Overtime or a day off if you work over 48hrs a week. NO nothing at all. Can’t even get overtime so why should people…
River running through the West End Mall parking lot
Remarks: Burke says the puddle will soon be sucked dry. The area will be dug up to deal with the drainage issue causing the flash flood. He hopes work starts within the week. Until then, if you visit this parking lot, be prepared to take a dip (water wings optional). Who’s Responsible?: Dan Burke, West…
Pamela Underwater
Pamela UnderwaterSaturday, November 18, The Seahorse, 11:38pmAaron Fraser
B.A. Johnston
B.A. JohnstonSaturday, Dec. 1, 12:35am, Gus’ Pub.Aaron Fraser
Van driver
To the Dude Driving the Van in Burnside. No I wasn’t checking you out….I was tryin gto tell you that tossing you disgusting cigarrette butt out of the window was one of the most nauseating displays of littering ever…I wish I was a cop because I would have slapped the $400 fine on your lazy…
How the Bus system Sucks
1. How many routes do we really need servicing the same streets… 2. I can leave my job no later than five thirty or I have to walk though burnside on a shoulder over an over pass until I reach Highfeild park…in the dark…Fun TImes….I wonder how people who work there later get home…scary thought….…
Quiet riot
What’s with the librarians who don’t have in-door voices? In the King’s library, it’s the librarians I want to SHHH—. I don’t get it, shouldn’t they know better than anyone to keep it down? Too loud
“That’s it, I’m leaving- You guys can stay.”
I am sick of walking into a restaurant WHEN IT’S NOT BUSY and getting a shitty table. So many of Halifax’s restaurants are on my blacklist for shitty service. (Yah, I get the “section” thing) What’s more- I’ve walked out of WAY TOO MANY restaurants because I would have sat at my shitty table for…
Make a Change, Keep Your Change!
Attention Haligonians: “Spare any change?” Yes we have all heard that one, and I have gladly contributed to those who just seem a little more down on their luck. As for the rest of you, particularly the ones who can brag aloud how they sat on a corner and cleared +$100 for the afternoon, Fucking…
Clueless!
It’s hard to believe that a set panel of supposedly educated people would send the children of HRM off to school this morning. The roads were absolutly treacherous ( I know because I traveled in this weather to teach the 4 children that showed up in my class this morning!) I can only hope that…
hey asshole
I saw you you piece of crap at Citadel High today. You in that minivan with the stick on the back window. You were not even parked in a parking spot and were honking and hollering at the woman driving the bus for the disabled kids. Almost all of the people on that bus are…
to all the sh*tty drivers
For those of you who like to speed up falkland to bauer street and neglect the fact that there is a stop sign …. Use your F*CKING brain!!!! There have been way too many times when I have been walking on that street have been soo close to getting hit because people don’t know how…
Bus Nazi
To the driver of the 7 gottingen on Saturday mornings: You are the biggest fucking asshole I have ever come across. All other bus drivers are SO easy going.. you are fucking crazy. You’ve made me put in more money, put in an extra bus ticket because I had JUST turned 16 and only had…
Barrington Street has been robbed of its schedule for the Metro Link buses
Remarks: Patterson says acts of vandalism like these are something that Metro Transit is always dealing with and are most definitely a concern. How long before the missing Links are replaced? Patterson says new schedules should be up any day now. Who’s Responsible?: Lori Patterson, manager of public affairs, Metro Transit. 490-6609.
Fireworks? At 4:30am!?
What’s up with people with making fireworks go off at night? Last year some moron from my apartment building thought it would be hilarious to let off fire crackers every 1-30 minutes. Real hilarious you bastard. Trying to study through that was hell. Last night, somebody thought it would be fun to let off fire…
Re: Litter bugs. Ignorance is bliss
For your information the Tim Hortons coffee cups ARE biodegradable now. I work at a Tim Hortons and made a special point to find out if they are biodegradable. A little while ago they weren’t but now they are. P.S: if there were a wax coating inside the cup, you would be drinking some pretty…
Hey, Shithead!
I can’t count the number of times other so-called drivers have cut me off or screamed in front of me without so much as a glance in my direction. Maybe they think if they don’t look at me, I’ll disappear out of their tunnel vision. Only by the grace of flying squirrels have I been…
Ripping off the Hospital
Ok, it’s cool if you come up from your regular panning at the Willow tree to get warmed up or get coffee at the Tim’s in the hospital off of Robie. It is NOT cool to wander around like a rat inside the hospital looking for shit to rip off, especially with everyone knowing what…
Another Parking bitch
Thank you so much you dumb dick for parking in the only lane to get out of the parking lot at Kit Kat pizza. You boxed me in and I hit your new over sized “work” truck and now I have a dent on my drivers side wheel well because your a self centered piece…
Hating on Toronto?
Here’s a shout out to all you backwards MF who hate people from T.O. I just spent the night at the Marquee with Mr. Africa Bambaataa and it was the best club night I have had in a decade. I thought for certain if he didn’t sample Time Zone I would be cranky, but he…
litter bugs
To the lady who is always wearing a pink jacket, pants and hat (covering your bleached blonde hair): Last Tuesday you were at the Mumford terminal and got on the 2 wedgewood busa long with me. Before gettin gon the bus, you stuffed your face with gum and threw the wrappers on the ground. You…
Musing on communication
Maybe less of a bitch and more of a musing–I wonder if the powerless rage that results in barely literate curse-filled rants and threats here might actually be channeled into societal good? Perhaps a reasonable face-to-face conversation, where possible, might get better results than anonymous car-keying and head-punching threats. Besides getting better results in individual…
Butt Out!
Attn smokers: I don’t mind if you want to perforate your esophagus or blacken your lungs, but when it comes to mine, well I would prefer if you would be considerate and butt out. To the older “gentleman” who was smoking in the bus shelter at the bridge terminal: you must think that you are…
Lotto Addicts
I would dearly love to get back a fraction of the time I’ve spent waiting in line at pharmacies for some jackass lotto addict. They fill their ALC-branded little loto organizer with about 80 dollars of tickets while I lose my mind. Oh yeah, and there are last week’s multitude of tickets that have to…
Jeffrey Spalding
Speaking of hitting the road, sadly it’s AGNS director Jeffrey Spalding’s last tour as gallery director on Sunday, December 2 at 2:30pm. At the end of his contract, Spalding will take over as CEO of Glenbow Museum. Yah, yah, in Calgary.
HRM Cultural Advisory Committee
It’s been awhile since we’ve heard from the HRM Cultural Advisory Committee(a quick office game of “name the committee councillors” brought no winners), but that doesn’t mean life is boring in Official Cultureville. Last week they sponsored a public art forum and sent in an application to the federal government which would designate Halifax as…
Twinning wins
To the editor, When you drove the untwinned stretch of Highway 103 between Timberlea and Tantallon prior to last year, you went down the deadliest stretch of highway in Nova Scotia. Riddled with hundreds of accidents and bloodied with death, it destroyed hundreds of peoples’ lives. Last year it was twinned. Since that time, things…
We need Celine!
To the editor, I think that the fuss made about Celine Dion performing on the Common is proof to the exact opposite of what Lezlie Lowe is suggesting in her column last week (“Anger Management,” Nov. 29), which is that Halifax is “growing up…stumbling to find our stride as a big city….” To me, the…
Public art
Now, a brief but exhaustively researched timeline of successful public art projects in Halifax, including all notable projects of the past quarter-century: The Wave is unveiled on the Halifax Waterfront: 1988. There is much grafitti tagging and climbing. Many children summit The Wave. Some children fall and hurt themselves. The more intelligent, coordinated children do…
Barrington St.
Another quick update, as council lends some attention to something that actually needs attention: Barrington Street—or, as we call it around the office, Urine Alley. With all those empty storefronts, there’s been so much public peeing! It’s the secret shameful symptom of abandoned buildings. Put that in your urban planning forums and address it. In…
Chebucto Community Net wireless
A quick update on the Chebucto Community Net’s wireless project: This week, after working through some technical tomfoolery, the Chebucto peeps started testing new software that will manage and stabilize their wireless nodes—basically, the user-hosted, on-the-ground radio antennas that will pass a wireless signal along the ground, originating from Fenwick Tower. If you’re around Fenwick…
Eat & Fit, Mongolie Grill, Ecology Action Centre & Garrison Brewing Co.
New signs are up at the old Dodo’s Cafe & BBQ space (6184 Quinpool). Iranian restaurant Eat & Fit will open there soon. Check back here for more details…The Mongolie Grill restaurant is now open, in the former Sport Hall of Fame building on Hollis…Looking for a sweet Christmas gift for an ecologically aware loved…
Mud Room Cafe closure
It’s been almost a week since wonderful caffeine provider the Mud Room Cafe closed its doors at 1541 Barrington. We’re still pretty sad about it. “Why?!”, we implore the heavens (and Ben Moore, who started the cafe four years ago, with wife Samantha Lafford). “I think it was mainly just a matter of timing…over the…
Supplement King
The first physical location of internet-based supplement provider Supplement King opened last November in Scotia Square. Just over a year later, the city is home to a whopping three Supplement King locations. (One opened a few months ago inside Anytime Fitness on Kearney Lake Road; the newest opened a month ago in the Bedford Place…
Nooks & Crannies
Nifty antique emporium Nooks & Crannies (2411 Agricola) is toast. The shop closed its doors on November 24. “It’s part of a long term plan. We had planned on being in town and having a store for 10 years,” says owner Michael Skinner. (Nooks & Crannies was open for 11.) But take heart, fans of…
Star Anise Vietnamese Noodles
Some happy news for those with a fear of vacant storefronts: the former home of The Med (1571 Barrington) didn’t stay empty for long. Starting this Sunday, a new restaurant, Star Anise Vietnamese Noodles, will be open for business in the former Med space. The new restaurant’s co-owned by chef Andy Mok, who was also…
Rammer
Toronto’s thrash lords Rammer are coming back to Halifax for two glorious shows on Saturday, December 8 at The Pavilion (6pm, $7) with Terratomb, Thy Flesh Consumed, Black Moor and Incarnation of Plagues, then at Gus’ Pub (10pm, $6) with Thy Flesh Consumed>, Talksick and Iron Fist. And they have an agenda. Put succinctly by…
Paul Anka
Rat Pack “junior associate” and ’50s pop superstar Paul Anka croons smoothly Tuesday, December 11 at the Halifax Metro Centre (7:30pm, $52-$92) and he’s probably the nicest guy you’ll ever meet. Waiting out a snowstorm in hometown Ottawa, he talked by phone about his upcoming book, fan letters and what it means to get real.…
Dog Day
I’m forgetting what Dog Day looks like and it’s making me melancholy. So it’s good news that they’re finally coming home after their epic tour through Europe and North America to play Pop in Sessions at Common Ground Studio on Saturday, December 8 (popinsessionsrsvp@yahoo.com, $8). The group gave me some tidbits from the road, answering…
Awake
The trailer for the thriller Awake tells you pretty much everything you need to know about the movie’s premise. Super-dramatic white-on-black text reads: “Every year 21 million people are put under anesthesia. One in 700 remain awake.” When he goes in for a heart transplant, brooding CEO Clay Beresford (Hayden Christensen) finds himself one of…
Princess Superstar
Princess SuperstarMy Machine(!K7)If Princess Superstar seemed uncharacteristically quiet since her 2001 breakthrough, “Bad Babysitter,” the fruits of her focus have arrived. As her handle betrays an obsession with fame, My Machine is an opera of self-indictment that envisions her own desire taken to science fiction extremes. Backed by an army of “duplicants,” Superstar corners the…
Liz Phair
Liz PhairSomebody’s MiracleColumbiaLiz Phair’s desperation to be loved, to be a sex symbol and to be a massive rock star can get a little irritating. But even when she sold her soul and sound over to the Matrix — on 2003’s oft-maligned self-titled pop experiment — it was her songs and her songwriting craft that…
Burden of Dreams
Burden of DreamsDirected by: Les BlankCriterion CollectionThe story behind Werner Herzog’s 1982 Fitzcarraldo is as stunning as the one on screen. To tell of an entrepreneur’s struggle to open an opera house in the Amazon, Herzog literally moved a massive luxury boat over a jungle hill. Add to this star Klaus Kinski’s diva outbursts and…
Richard Thompson
[image-2][image-3][image-4]Published August 18, 2005.Richard Thompson Front Parlour Ballads Cooking Vinyl/True North After the live 1,000 Years of Popular Music that featured all covers, Front Parlour Ballads is a full set of Thompson acoustic originals. This is certainly a cause for celebration among fans since it is his first entire disc of acoustic material since 1981’s…
Sexsmith & Kerr
Sexsmith & KerrDesti-nation Unknown WarnerRon Sexsmith has joined vocal forces with long-time collaborator/drummer/ex -Rheostatic Don Kerr and created a recording that spends a great deal of its time revelling in an opportunity to explore Beatlesque duets and harmonies. This combination of elements hints at great potential and does not disappoint. Sexsmith has used this collaboration…
The Juan MacLean
The Juan MacLeanLess Than Human(DFA/EMI)Juan MacLean is the former guitarist and keyboard player for mid-’90s Sub Pop space-alien cock-rockers Six Finger Satellite (their Double Deuce show remains a Halifax musical highlight). The recording is all dance robot, all the time. Sounding like some abandoned child of French electronica darlings AIR and Daft Punk, on Less…
P:ANO
P:ANOBrigadoon(Mint records)Mint Records is the little engine that could. More than 10 years in the game and still it continues to put out the sweetest of charm-infused pop. P:ano’s sound harks back to the Winnipeg label’s salad days of Cub and seven-inch singles. Brigadoon is the band’s third album but its first on Mint records.…
Darkest Hour
Darkest HourUndoing Ruin (Victory)Who would have thought that five guys from Washington, DC, would be better at making Swedish metal than basically every Swedish metal band? Armed with four solid releases under its belt, the quintet went to Vancouver to record the fifth and possibly greatest album of its 10-year career. Undoing Ruin, produced by…
The Crystal Method
The Crystal MethodCom-munity Service II(ultra)Ken Jordan and Scott Kirkland, America’s answer to The Chemical Brothers, are arguably the best electronic tag-team this side of the Atlantic. Community Service II, the long-awaited follow-up to TCM’s 2002 mixtape Community Service, is a fun-filled 75-minute-long instant rave. As on the first incarnation, the duo injects highly danceable beats…
Early Man
Early ManClosing In (Matador)The heavy-metal primitivism of Columbus, OH’s Early Man may seem like an odd choice for a Matador release. But it just goes to prove that America’s premiere indie-rock label is not too shy to put its stamp on something even if it doesn’t fit neatly within its expected paradigm. Replete with screaming…
Mount Eerie
Mount Eerie11 Old Songs of Mount Eerie(PW Elverum & Sun)Phil Elverum was The Microphones — the west coast embodiment of DIY, huge fan of Eric’s Trip — and one who eventually tired of his mostly obscure but critically acclaimed past. He left K records and started his own self-titled label. His newer music goes by…
Killradio
KillradioRaised On Whipped Cream(Columbia)Killradio’s lyrics may make them sound like another one of those angsty juvenile rock bands; a closer listen reveals something entirely different, clearing up any mis- conceptions about the Los Angeles-based politi-rockers. Raised On Whipped Cream is a sarcastic outlook towards the political indifference exerted by much of today’s youth; it also…
Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone AgeLullabies to Paralyze (Interscope)Queens of the Stone Age’s last album, Songs for the Deaf (2001), was a coming out party for a never-more deserving band. Alternative rock didn’t get any better, with lead singer/guitarist Josh Homme tearing up fuzzed-out party gems with a revolving who’s-who of music greats, including Gene Ween…
Matt Mays and El Torpedo
Matt Mays and El TorpedoS/T (Warner)The brand of road-weary rock Matt Mays and El Torpedo have become known for has earned the Dartmouth natives opening slots for both Sam Roberts and Blue Rodeo in the past two years. Tracks like “Travellin’,” “Cocaine Cowgirl” and “The Plan” are going to help solidify the quintet’s place on…
Ludacris
LudacrisThe Red Light District (Def Jam)Braggin’, boastin’ and seducin’ is what Ludacris is all about on his latest album The Red Light District. Luda has a touch of little man’s syndrome—he has to be the biggest, toughest pimp on the block, but on the harder tracks he comes off as a joke. On the more…
Rufus Wainwright
Rufus WainwrightWant Two(Dreamworks)Want Two is a direct continuation of Want One’s explorations of friendship, decadence and sexual identity, with even more classical musical references than before. Might be a too heavy on the cream for some, but a version of the disc contains an essential DVD of Wainwright live at the Fillmore, a spectacular concert…
Pearl Jam
Pearl JamRearviewmirror(Epic)Pearl Jam is one of the few bands to emerge from the ’90s unscathed. Even though they haven’t released a new album since ’02 (Riot Act), they’ve delivered a b-sides disc (Lost Dogs), a double live acoustic album (Live at Benroya Hall) and a great single in the form of “Man of the Hour.”…
Aselin Debison
Aselin DebisonBigger Than Me(SonyBMG)This is a strange disc, schizophrenic even. Upon first listen it sounds like Aselin is a fan of Liz Phair. It may be her voice, her style, the occasional spare guitar but more likely it is all of this mixed with simple songs tackling love, heartbreak, youth and surviving being a girl.…
The Museum Pieces
The Museum PiecesPhiladelphia(independent)Jeff Tweedy once said he started writing about the little things because in them he found the big things. On his first album as a member of The Museum Pieces, Tyler Messick has also made this important step. Using smaller pieces, both instrumentally and lyrically, he has paint- ed a bigger picture. It’s…
The Fiery Furnaces
The Fiery FurnacesEP(Rough Trade)EP must mean Extra Pleasure, because it contains 10 songs of invention and excitement that never stop rewarding interest. For a mix of new tunes with leftovers from 2004’s Blueberry Boat, the flow is remarkable. Strange shifts between tracks are often topped by controlled chaos within a song, bizarre keyboards landing like…
Clinic
ClinicWinchester Cathedral (Sony)With its 2002 disc, Walking with Thee, Liverpool’s Clinic firmly secured the title of the coolest band you never heard of. So why’s it so hard to get excited about this latest disc? The band hasn’t changed its formula, though the early Joy Division basslines, a pinch of Velvet Underground and more than…
Warren Zevon
Warren ZevonReconsider Me: The Love Songs(Artemis)The thing that made Warren Zevon a cult icon was not the fact that he was a great songwriter — although he was — it was the bitter, caustic wit that bled through his best work. A collection of Zevon’s love songs, then, lacks the wry critiques on modern life…
Little Wings
Little WingsMagic Wand (K)If you have a hankering for the downplayed, dulcet tones of a Palace Brothers-type musical arrangement then please immediately leave your safe place and go purchase the latest offering from Little Wings AKA Kyle Field. Field offers up falsetto vocals mixed with the echo of guitar plucking and snare drum rumbles, plus…
Blues Explosion
Blues ExplosionDamage(Sanctuary)There is a rumour that this Blues Explosion album is more of the same. Bullshit! The latest from Jon Spencer finds the band scraping the competition off the soles of its boots. The band’s focus and intensity has resurfaced after much self-indulgent material on the past few releases. This album is a gift to…
Tegan and Sara
Tegan and SaraSo Jealous(Superclose)When you’re young the world seems so fresh and innocent; as you get older the clouds roll in and it gets darker. Tegan and Sara’s So Jealous delves a little deeper into that darkness with tunes like “Walking With A Ghost” and “Wake Up Exhaust- ed.” The sweet melodies of If It…
Finn Brothers
Finn BrothersEveryone is Here (Nettwerk) It has been nine years since Tim and Neil Finn collaborated on a record. Just as their first post-Spit Endz pairing—Crowded House’s Woodface—was a cause to celebrate, so is this. Everyone is Here is a soothing record that contemplates the love and complexity of brotherhood and family. Although the heavy…
Mir
Mir7 Directions(AASH Records)The international appeal of this local, sophisticated pop trio is neatly mirrored in this, their third release. Self-recorded and produced by Asif and Shehab Illyas and Adam Dowling, this disc is an excellent example of artists fully in control of the creative process from start to finish. 7 Directions is a fully realized,…
John Stetch
John StetchExponentially Monk(Justin Time)To even tinker with a certified genius and purveyor of all that is holy to be-bop is a heavy burden for anyone, even if you are John Stetch. The arrangements are solid and the proof is in the pudding because chops don’t lie. Reworking some of Monk’s greatest pieces such as “Round…
Uncut
UncutThose Who Were Hung Hang Here (Paper Bag)Formed as a techno-punk duo in 2001, Toronto’s Uncut went off in a whole new direction when the band fell apart a year later. Guitarist Ian Worang picked up the pieces and started again, keeping the dance influence while surrounding himself with some steady players. The result is…
Matthew Good
Matthew GoodWhite Light Rock and Roll Review(Universal)From the opening riffs of “Put Out Your Lights,” Matthew Good’s short and sour second solo record rocks and bitches and questions and condemns for 40 minutes. Most songs are under four minutes, but Good can do a lot in that time—the record’s best track, “We’re So Heavy,” is…
John and the Sisters
John and the SistersS/T (NorthernBlues)Kevin Breit’s credentials are impressive. As a session and live accompanist for the likes of Norah Jones, k.d. lang and Celine Dion, he has seen his fair share of glitz and has likely been told too many times how the music should be played. This disc—a murky and at times extremely…
Jens Lekman
Jens LekmanRocky Dennis EP(Motown)There is an incredibly sad thread running through this EP—the second of an anticipated trilogy by this Scandinavian wunderkind—creating a forceful undercurrent beneath an otherwise glossy orchestral folk-pop sheen. The song titles alone (“Farewell Song to The Blind Girl,” “If You Ever Need a Stranger”) dig a pit of loss and loneliness.…
Andre Ethier, with Chris-topher Sandes feat.
Andre Ethier, with Chris-topher Sandes feat. Pick-les & Price(Sonic Unyon)If you can picture the cover of Bob Dylan’s The Basement Tapes (an unsubtle take on the cover of Thelonious Monk’s Under-ground) you’ll get a good idea of what to expect from Andre Ethier’s (Deadly Snakes) first solo disc. It is roughly hewn, ragged and full…
Young Gunz
Young GunzTough Luv (Roc-A-Fella)Under the moniker of the Young Gunz, Chris and Neef of Beenie Siegel’s State Property crew have dropped their debut Tough Luv. As the latest release from Jay-Z’s growing roster of young, slickly produced, talented and silver-tongued hip-hop artists, Young Gunz have put together an amazingly tight debut. Their flow is similar…
Crash
Crash Directed by: Paul Haggis (DEJ Productions)Paul Haggis, screenwriter of Clint Eastwood’s Million Dollar Baby, is Canadian, and has said his outsider’s viewpoint allowed him to make an objective film about racism in America. If that’s true, why does it feel so false and heavy-handed? An ensemble cast of actors including Matt Dillon, Don Cheadle…
Shalabi Effect
Shalabi EffectPink Abyss(Alien8 Recordings)Experimental music is all well and good, but keep in mind that most experiments fail many times before success. It’s quite possible that one is just not smart enough to understand what Shalabi Effect is trying to do. It could quite possibly be the most brilliant thing ever, but who can understand…
The Hurtin’ Unit
The Hurtin’ UnitCountry Soul(Independent)Country Soul is what you’d expect from The Hurtin’ Unit—a mix of country and bluegrass with a hint of the blues. The mandolin and fiddle playing is wonderful, and the use of trumpet and sax really compliments the arrangements beautifully. Lead singers Daniel Baugh and RJ have great vocal intuition with a…
Susie Arioli Band
Susie Arioli BandThat’s For Me(Justin Time)She may have dropped the Swing from the band’s name, but there’s no indication Susie Arioli is planning on doing anything differently. Ms. Arioli and her main accomplice, the superb guitarist Jordan Officer, continue to perfect their sophisticated and polite delivery of old school small-troupe swing. While sometimes the music…
Various
Published October 02, 2006. Various Classic Blues Vol. 2 (Smithsonian Folkways) The variety should dazzle any open set of ears. Even blues aficionados may discover a new fave. Most tracks were recorded in the ’40s and ’50s, a couple of exceptions being Lucinda Will-iams and the Chambers Bro- thers before they got famous. Roscoe Holcomb…
Two Hours Traffic
Two Hours TrafficThe April Storm(independent)Remarkably confident for a wee PEI quartet (they’re 19), The April Storm is six acoustic-based songs about girls and wide-eyed first loves (“You’re so far out of my league/ I can’t see why you’re here with me”). Singer Liam Corcoran has a pleasant, slightly fuzzy voice reminiscent of Johnny Rzeznik, and…
Pearl Jam
Published December 04, 2003. Pearl Jam Lost Dogs (Epic) This double disc of b-sides, Christmas singles and rarities is a must-have for all Pearl Jam fans. Nearly all 30 tracks are polished studio recordings—and for cast-offs, they’re amazingly good. Most rock bands would kill to cut tracks half as good as “Down,” “Alone” and “Dead…
Hatebreed
Published November 20, 2003. Hatebreed The Rise of Brutality (Universal) It’s hard to hate Hatebreed. Sure, the music is an overdone hybrid of old-school metal and punk. The violently empowering lyrics are ridiculous and juvenile. But if you can get past Rise of Brutality’s not-so-original sound and childish chants, there are some decent songs to…
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…
Bubba Sparxxx
Published October 16, 2003. Bubba Sparxxx Deliverance (Beatclub) Does the world need a white rapper from the deep South? Probably not, but that’s another hurdle for Bubba Sparxxx. He’s a stout disarmer, drawling charmer, throwing rhymes like seeds from a farmer. It is conceivable for hip-hop to invade the square dance, riding the harmonica on…
Matmos
Published October 02, 2003. Matmos Civil War (Matador) To follow up their acclaimed tribute to medical science, A Chance to Cut is a Chance to Heal, the duo that is Matmos decided to sample a more organic audio palette for Civil War. Mixing sounds as well as eras, Matmos creates a strangely cohesive album that…
My Morning Jacket
Published August 28, 2003. My Morning Jacket It Still Moves (ATO/BMG) No band really wants the label of “stoner rock.” It’s not derogatory so much as it implies that a listener with organically enhanced esthetic receptors will appreciate it more than an up- tight pop-monger. If you like lots of cymbal, echo, organ and a…
Jane’s Addiction
Published August 07, 2003. Jane’s Addiction Strays (Capitol) Jane’s Addiction’s return to the American music stage after 13 years will come as a mixed blessing to fans. There is nothing as essential as “Been Caught Stealing” or “Mountain Song,” songs created out of desperation that became iconic. But Strays reeks of the decadence Farrell and…
Kung Fu Hustle
Kung Fu HustleDirected by: Stephen Chow(Columbia)Stephen Chow is one of the biggest movie stars in Asia. Kung Fu Hustle is his second film to attract attention in the west, after Shaolin Soccer, and he is credited as writer, director and lead. Here he is Sing, a street thug in a1930s metropolis beset by the diabolical…
A Love Song for Bobby Long
A Love Song for Bobby LongDirected by: Shainee Gabel(Lion’s Gate Films)In this remarkably assured second film from director Shainee Gabel, the audience is treated to a long, lazy trip into the deliciously rotting side of New Orleans. Heavily romantic, in all the positive and negative connotations of that word, A Love Song for Bobby Long…
David Gilmour
David GilmourOn an Island(Columbia)The world has not seen much of David Gilmour since The Division Bell was released as a (wink) Pink Floyd album in 1994. So don’t feel bad if this solo release seems to have come out of nowhere. The disc that finds Gilmour writing better material than he demonstrated over the last…
Josh Ritter
Josh RitterThe Animal Years (V2)You may remember Josh Ritter as the man who nearly usurped Sarah Harmer at her own damn show at the Cohn in September of 2004, with his soaring voice and songs that played like short stories. The record he was touring then was the underrated folk-pop gem Hello Starling. The record…
Various
VariousSee You on the Moon: Songs for Kids of All Ages(Paper Bag)These tunes may not be annoying enough to win over the tots, but a stellar cast feels it’s worth a try; they mix in some excited young voices (Apostle of Hustle), act scary (Fembots), incorporate a music box (Mark Kozelek). Sufjan Stevens digs up…
Starlight Mints
Starlight MintsDrowaton(Barsuk)Not many bands sound so much like their name. Starlight Mints’ music is bright and sweet though it comes from a dark place. OK, it won’t freshen your breath. A seemingly ramshackle structure may raise memories of Pavement, before each song achieves a more hummable state. Strings of every thickness throb in concert with…
The Rakes
The RakesCapture/Release(V2)Those who know that a rake can be defined as a dissolute person as well as a garden tool are more likely to have the right idea about the Rakes. This rock defies you not to dance. “We are all love machines carrying various genes” from “We are All Animals” is a sample of…
Dazed and Confused
Dazed and ConfusedDirected by: Richard Linklater (Criterion)One of the best movies of the 1990s finally gets its rightful treatment. Set on the last day of school in suburban Texas in 1976, Dazed and Confused follows kids within two age ranges—Grade 8 and Grade 11—just before their lives merge in high school. The release of this…
Darling Arms
Darling ArmsAll the Ghosts(Blue Skies Turn Black)The female singer-songwriter has worn out her welcome on the national stage over the past few years, but that doesn’t stop the indies from putting out slabs of genius female folk. Darling Arms, or Christina Francis (formerly of Montreal’s One Candle Power), puts forth a disc of eloquent, sparse…
Anik Jean
Anik JeanLe Trashy Saloon(Tacca)A Quebec artist who has spent considerable time working up her English act, Jean sings in two languages and touches on umpteen genres, possibly inventing a few, like banshee bop (“Pense a Toi”) and country coo (“Le Trashy Saloon”). Quebec acts usually fail to register in the rest of Canada, due to…
Eugene Mirman
Eugene MirmanEn Garde Society! (Sub Pop)This New York-based comic will remind you of some guy you know who sits around playing with words and unravelling his thoughts. He gets on your nerves, but every five minutes he comes up with something. Mirman has a better laugh rate, as he dissects the peculiar phrases that culture,…
Die Fälschung (Circle of Deceit)
Die Fälschung (Circle of Deceit)Directed by: Volker Schlöndorff (Kino Video)With the recent events in Israel and Lebanon, Volker Schlöndorff’s 1981 film feels quite fitting. The great German actor Bruno Ganz (Downfall) plays a journalist who heads to Lebanon on assignment while his marriage dissolves back in Hamburg. Of course the film tries to connect the…
The Sadies
The SadiesIn Concert Volume One(Outside)One of Canada’s greatest live bands finally commits its show to tape. Taken from over two nights at Lee’s Palace in Toronto, these two discs are smoking! Helping the band are a slew of guests including The Good Brothers, Blue Rodeo, Neko Case, The Band’s Garth Hudson, Jayhawks’ Gary Louris and…
Chantal Kreviazuk
Chantal KreviazukGhost Stories(Sony BMG)Seeing that the latest Chantal Kreviazuk record was produced by her hubby Raine Maida, one might conclude that this would be all kinds of suck—Kreviazuk has unleashed some of the most overwrought pop drivel in recent memory. But thanks to the unexpectedly light touch of Mr. Maida, Kreviazuk’s vocals are allowed to…
The Ghost is Dancing
The Ghost is DancingThe Ghost is Dancing(Sonic Unyon)The Ghost is Dancing is one of the weakest orchestral rock and chamber pop bands to arise in the last 10 years. The music is fluid and players tight, but songs are underdeveloped and lack the soul of experienced songwriters. As well, they are treading into the territory…
The Black Keys
The Black KeysMagic Potion(Nonesuch)The riffs are large and meaty. Singer/guitarist Dan Auerbach has that ’70s-era vocal sound down pat (think Lynyrd Skynyrd). If you have an older sibling who played the likes of The Band, a tune from Magic Potion (“Good-bye Babylon”) will bring you back to your young and impressionable days. Similarly, “Just a…
Sparklehorse
SparklehorseDreamt for Light Years in the Belly of a Mountain(Capitol)Mark Linkous has never been the picture of mental health. After releasing Sparklehorse’s debut album, Vivadixiesubmarinetrans-missionplot, he overdosed on Valium and anti-depressants and fell unconscious with his legs pinned under himself. The incident nearly crippled him and began a lengthy recovery process. His next two albums,…
K-OS
K-OSAtlantis: Hymns to Disco(Virgin)Few hip-hop artists display less anger and more curiosity than K-OS, aka Kevin Brereton. This bird is turning over rocks on much of Atlantis and finding a meal every time. More than a pastiche, “The Rain” zings with real strings like it’s 1966. The song and performance bring to mind Jerry Butler…
Rose Cousins
Rose CousinsIf You Were for Me(Farm Pony)This is one from the heart. An honest and thoughtful musical statement, like one side of a deeply involved and very enjoyable conversation. You listen close and hear the songs clearly in your head. That’s a good sign, an indication you’ll be back many more times to consider all…
K-Os
K-OsAtlantis: Hymns for Disco(Virgin)By now, hip-hoppers should be convinced that versatility is not a pretense if you can pull it off. This nice guy from Toronto keeps on strafing the spine with beats and rhyme, even as he works up a classy soul side and fuses fraChuck Teedals of rock to his own ends and…OK,…
Regina Spektor
Regina SpektorBegin to Hope(Sire)Fuck anti-folk—Spektor is a pop superstar with the best wit and piano chops this side of Ben Folds. As “Fidelity” works its way into ubiquity scoring film trailers and Grey’s Anatomy previews, Spektor’s surprise dark side is waiting for you on “That Time” and the multi-language “Apres Moi.” Endlessly listenable.Tara Thornecategories: Best…
Caché (Hidden)
Caché (Hidden)Directed by: Michael Haneke(Columbia TriStar)This socio-political puzzler is in a rare genre: the movie as interesting to watch as hash over in a coffee shop—or living room—afterwards. Did you see the meeting of two supporting characters in the final scene? Which shots were supposed to be prerecorded video and which “reality?”Carsten KnoxCategories: Best of…
The Disappointment Artist
The Disappointment ArtistJonathan LethemIt’s hard for me to feel that I’ve said enough good stuff about Jonathan Lethem. If you haven’t read any of his novels, you should get on that. No, go, it’s okay, I’ll wait. Perhaps you prefer non-fiction, in which case, do yourself a favour and pick up The Disappointment Artist. It’s…
The Birth House
The Birth HouseAmi McKayKnoft CanadaJust like her plucky protagonist, the midwife-in-training Dora Rare, Ami McKay is one of those characters you root for—not that she needs your help. McKay’s first novel, set in rural World War I-era Scots Bay, Nova Scotia, planted itself firmly on all the bestseller lists this year, found UK and US…
Louis Riel: A Comic-Strip Biography
Louis Riel: A Comic-Strip BiographyChester BrownDrawn & QuarterlyLet’s face it, Canadian history is pretty dull. Once you take away the fur traders, Hudson’s Bay Company and the Plains of Abraham, what are you left with? Louis Riel, of course, our only real outlaw. Chester Brown revisits a familiar tale in simple six-panel, black & white…
The New World
The New WorldDirected by: Terrence Malick(New Line)Terrence Malick is a real filmmaker, but his fans used to drive me crazy. His pacifying compositions, I’d argue, are meaningless other than they’re the most beautiful of the 400 hours he shot. Whether that holds for past films, The New World can be enjoyed without weighty philosophical pretext.…
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre: Ultimate Edition
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre: Ultimate EditionDirected by: Tobe Hooper(Dark Sky)This is the true beginning and end of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (OK, I’ll grant you the first sequel if you insist). The world-gone-mad tension of Tobe Hooper’s original classic is in direct opposition to the gruesome Christian guilt of the new remakes, which…
Caribou
Published December 08, 2005. Caribou The Milk of Human Kindness (Leaf) Forced to change his name this year, the former Manitoba remained positive releasing some electronic pop that is fully flesh and blood. It moves from infectious beats to pop that would make Brian Wilson smile. Caribou even brings in some dirgy ’70s mullet-guitar rock…
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
Published December 08, 2005. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings Naturally (Daptone) Naturally is too authentic to be called “neo-soul,” too big a jolt to be labeled “purist.” Jones’s emergence from decades of obscurity, backed by smoky drums, horny horns and plucky strings, will restore faith in second chances. “Stranded in Your Love,” with Lee Fields,…
Bruce Springsteen
Published December 08, 2005. Bruce Springsteen Devils and Dust (SonyBMG) Forget The Rising?this is the Springsteen record fans have been waiting for since the mid-’80s. An equal mix of Nebraska and Tom Joad, Devils and Dust shows a reflective Springsteen dealing with his demons and creating the masterpiece fans knew he still had in him.…
The Bela Lugosi Collection
Published December 08, 2005. The Bela Lugosi Collection Directed by: Edgar G. Ulmer (Universal) All substance, no gristle. The Bela Lugosi Collection has a couple of trailers, but that’s it as far as extras go. What it offers is five movies for about $5 each. Three of them (Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Black…
Freaked
Published December 08, 2005. Freaked Directed by: Tom Stern, Alex Winter (Anchor Bay) Alex Winter (the Bill half of Bill and Ted) directed and starred in this 1993 oddity that also featured Keanu Reeves as Dog Boy and Mr. T as the Bearded Lady. Freaked was initially conceived as a showcase for The Butthole Surfers.…
My Summer of Love
Published December 08, 2005. My Summer of Love Directed by: Pawel Pawlikowski (Alliance) Two Yorkshire girls become friends and then lovers under the sun-dappled trees of the eternal summer afternoon. It’s not all pastoral bliss: teenaged boredom, betrayal and innocence are served up and cut down. The commentary by director Pawel Pawlikowski is essential. Carsten…
Gwen Stefani
Gwen StefaniThe Sweet Escape(Interscope)One gets the distinct impression Stefani’s sophomore solo effort is more a response to releases from Fergie and Paris than an album that is close to her heart. She claims this is a far more personal album than the severely overplayed and vapid Love. Angel. Music. Baby. But the depth of The…
Various
VariousBrats on the Beat(Go-Kart)Just when you thought the memory of the Ramones has been sold and spit upon enough, some other marketing genius finds a new way to disgrace it. This collection of pseudo and real punk vocalists with kids screaming along behind them to the choruses of Ramones songs is a travesty. The arrangements…
Dean & Britta
Dean & BrittaBack Numbers(Zoe)Dean Wareham’s music over the last 20 years—in the influential Galaxie 500 and the consistently pleasing Luna—has always maintained a certain level of understated brilliance. So it is no surprise that his first disc post-Luna continues weaving similar threads he has skillfully cultured before, albeit with a nod to sultrier, sweeter melodic…
Fall Out Boy
Fall Out BoyInfinity on High(Island/Fueled by Ramen)“All the boys who the dance floor didn’t love, all the girls whose lips couldn’t move fast enough: sing, until your lungs give out.” It’s a call and response, from the killer single “This Ain’t a Scene, It’s an Arms Race,” you’d love to see live, though you know…
Fast Food Nation
Fast Food NationDirected by: Richard Linklater(Fox Searchlight)When writer-director Linklater and co-writer Eric Schlosser set out to adapt Schlosser’s 2001 book Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal for the big screen, their goal was to translate the facts from Schlosser’s non-fiction tome into a character-driven film. In this, they’ve succeeded. Fast Food…
The Postmarks
The PostmarksThe Postmarks(Unfiltered)Miami offers up a pleasant surprise in this Florida trio’s debut album, which should be listened to wearing an oversized floppy sun hat and dark eyeliner. Far from a cheesy Horatio Caine quip, this album conjures up airy ’60s French pop—stick it on a soundtrack with Serge Gainsbourg, or even better, with his…
Kristin Hersh
Kristin HershLearn to Sing Like a Star(4AD)Kristin Hersh is the anti-star in today’s music world. Her reputation was built with bands Throwing Muses, 50FootWave and with her solo material. Learn To Sing is in contrast to the quiet tones on her previous release, The Grotto. There’s a full band sound with nice cello arrangements (such…
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Black Rebel Motorcycle ClubBaby 81(RCA)After the retread of its self-titled second album and the acoustic detour of Howl, BRMC returns to form with Baby 81. Although the band doesn’t move away from the sonic template it’s become known for, this San Francisco psych-rock three-piece proves once again why it is one of the underrated singles…
Rufus Wainwright
Rufus WainwrightRelease the Stars(Geffen)Rufus Wainwright is the only singer who can wear lederhosen or borrow melodies from Phantom of the Opera and make it work. Apparently when Wainwright travelled to Berlin to produce Release the Stars—hence the traditional German shorts—he intended to leave with a minimalist recording. Maybe it was the baroque opera houses and…
Grady
GradyA Cup of Cold(Warner)Big Sugar shredded speakers across this nation of ours with its blend of reggae-infused blues rock until 2004 when leader Gordie Johnson disbanded it. He went to Texas and formed Grady (with Ben Richardson and Billy Maddox) not long after. In 2005 Grady’s debut Y.U. So Shady? was released to minimal fanfare.…
Weeds: Season 2
Weeds: Season 2Directed by: Jenji Kohan(Showtime)The stellar season-one ender—with drug dealer Nancy Botwin (Mary-Louise Parker in an award-winning role) discovering the first man she’s dated since her husband’s death is a DEA agent—gets a bizarre solution as season two of Weeds unwinds: they get married. That way they can still date, and Peter (Martin Donovan)…
Flannel Pajamas
Flannel PajamasDirected by: Jeff Lipsky(WEA)This tiny, intimate, often squicky look into the arc of a relationship is so painfully personal, it’s the kind of thing that makes people wonder why it’s a movie at all. (We don’t like to see ourselves onscreen! Give us pirates! Give us robots! Give us Jigsaw!) Only in the land…
The Weakerthans
The WeakerthansReunion Tour Anti-Four damn years after Reconstruction Site, Winnipeg’s favourite sons return with their most robust effort since Fallow. Thank returning producer Ian Blurton for the crunch but credit Canada’s best lyricist, John K. Samson, for the spellbinding story-songs that have made this band so beloved. (Shove off, Hip!) In them Samson reveals tiny…
Better Friends than Lovers
Better Friends than LoversGreat LovesGlobal SymphonicVancouverite quintet Better Friends than Lovers play with Toronto’s Germans and The Got to Get Got on Saturday night at the Halifax Pop Explosion, which should be an energetic live show. On record, however, Great Loves sounds too much like other pop bands from the west coast—mainly Immaculate Machine. The…
Iron and Wine
Iron and WineThe Shepherd’s DogSubpopFans might not initially like Sam Beam’s full band arrangements on The Shepherd’s Dog, but the sound’s been emerging since the Woman King EP and Calexico collaboration revealed layers to Beam’s songwriting beyond his earliest stripped folk simplicity. Except for “White Tooth Man,” with cues from Tusk-era Fleetwood Mac, and “Peace…
Children of Men
Children of MenDirected by: Alfonso CuarónUniversalUnfairly ignored at Oscar time, Alfonso Cuarón’s (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) dystopic future vision evokes the post-apocalyptic classics of ’70s American cinema, depicting a frighteningly plausible plague-ridden society. Virtuoso camerawork demands a bigger screen than most TVs, but it’s essential hard sci-fi.Carsten KnoxCategories: Best of the year…
Justice League Unlimited: Season Two
Justice League Unlimited: Season TwoWarnerGranted, season one of superhero team-up extravaganza JLU—with its intricate, politically minded plot—was better than season two. But season one hit DVD last year, and season two’s a solid bow-out for this funny, smart cartoon—a Batman/Superman story for kids and nerds alike. Heads up to all the execs scurrying to throw…
Jenn Grant
Jenn GrantOrchestra for the MoonParis 1919This spring, the best voice in Halifax emerged from CBC’s Studio H in a hail of glitter and jubilation for her benchmark LP debut. The tragedy of Grant’s decade of extreme stage fright is obliterated by the experience gathered in that time, the confidence it gives her now and the…
Thurston Moore
Thurston MooreTrees Outside the AcademyEcstatic PeaceThurston Moore’s second solo record is a superb example of how great artists never cease to explore and take risks. And on this album, with acoustic guitar in hand and backing violin in tow, Moore reminds us that behind all of Sonic Youth’s usual feedback and chaos lies meticulously thought-out…
The White Stripes
The White StripesIcky ThumpWarnerAfter having driven the rest of the country into a tizzy with their surprise performances (Whitehorse! Iqaluit!), Jack and Meg White rode the success of Icky Thump into Halifax and obliterated the ear drums of the enthralled masses at the Cunard Centre with their brand of black, white and red blues. Trevor…
The Lives of Others
The Lives of OthersDirected by: Florian Henckel von DonnersmarckMongrel MediaAcademy Award winner in 2007 for best Foreign Language film, this beat out the healthiest field in years, including the fairy tale horror Pan’s Labyrinth. The story is of the final days of East Germany behind the Iron Curtain, and how a Stasi eavesdropper gets caught…
Twin Peaks – The Definitive Gold Box Edition
Twin Peaks – The Definitive Gold Box EditionParamount/Inland Empire, Absurda/RhinoEverything but the movie Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me gets thrown on the boxed set of David Lynch’s TV benchmark. From the pilot (first time on Region 1 DVD) to the astoundingly dark last episodes, Twin Peaks’s genius was that it lived at the very…
Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
Legend of Zelda: The Minish CapGame Boy AdvanceThe bird’s-eye perspective characteristic to all Zelda GBA games is just right for the kind of dungeon scavenging and problem solving required for The Minish Cap. There are six dungeons to explore as well as a complex home base, so your progress is relatively easy to measure. Although…
Wii Sports
Published December 07, 2006. Wii Sports Nintendo Wii Five things I can’t do in real life: Beat anyone, anywhere at tennis. Box anyone without getting the living shit kicked out of me. Hit a ball with a bat unless I throw the ball up in the air myself. Bowl more than one strike per string…
Death at a Funeral
The opening montage in Death at a Funeral shows us various interactions between the film’s main characters, as they head to the titular funeral in question. The montage is scored with zippy music that automatically lets the audience know that wacky going-ons are about to transpire. And transpire they do: nervous, uptight Simon (Alan Tudyk)…
Kanye West
Kanye WestLate Registration (Roc-a-fella)College Dropout was an album that set hip-hop on its head. It stood out from everything else inundating the market at the time (G-Unnnit!). It was hip-hop with a conscience, and the follow-up, Late Registration, is no different in that regard. Where most artists wouldn’t dare tamper with success, West boldly changes…
Martha Wainwright
Martha WainwrightI Will Internalize EPMapleI Will Internalize is the third release from the other Wainwright child this year. Following on the promise of the Bloody Motherfucking Asshole EP and her full-length eponymous debut, Internalize features more of Wain-wright’s quirky Joni Mitchell-meets- Tom Waits folk. The disc is rounded out by the title track “New York,…
Layer Cake
Published September 15, 2005.Layer CakeDirected by: Mathew Vaughn(Sony Pictures Classics)Matthew Vaughn produced all of Guy Richie’s films: he certainly knows his way around this new brand of British crime movie. He’s got the chiselled, unnamed lead (Daniel Craig), a businessman in a world of drug dealing, a guy who wants to make his money and…
Clone High
Clone HighKaboom EntertainmentStamos! From the demented minds still bringing you Scrubs comes one of the most brilliant animated series ever. Like the iconic Daria before it, the ridiculously clever, subversive Clone High began life on MTV in 2003 and ended up on Teletoon, the Canadian network that has released this disc. The premise is best…
Rick White
Rick WhiteThe Rick White Album Blue FogNews of a Rick White album should bring to mind early Elevator to Hell records — songs were recorded the day of conception on a four-track. But this isn’t that kind of record. Nor is it the sonic and psychedelic overload of Elevator. It fits somewhere in the middle…
Alanis Morissette
Alanis MorissetteJagged Little Pill Acoustic(Warner)One of the most important albums of the ’90s gets a re-working for its 10th anniversary. This is for fans, who will be happy to hear that Morissette’s voice has never sounded better. On the original, her nasal snarl was often buried under slick production. Here she stretches notes longer —…
Sufjan Stevens
Sufjan Stevens Illinoise (Asthmatic Kitty) So much research and original thought drips from this tone poem to the state of Illinois, just grasping it requires several listens. Through sympathy for serial killer John Wayne Gacy, dreamed pep talks from Carl Sandburg and a sense of the state’s loss of status, what sticks is soaring arrangements…
Skratch Bastid, John Smith & Pip Skid
Skratch Bastid, John Smith & Pip SkidTaking Care of Business(independent)After two mix tapes, two Scribble Jam titles and a second-place finish at the Canadian DMCs last year, Halifax-bred Skratch Bastid (AKA Paul Murphy) steps into the ring as a producer in his first original full-length, enlisting Canadian MCs Pip Skid and John Smith to throw…
Castle Project
Castle ProjectDiaries of a Broken Heart(White Whale)Ex-Spitfire member Ryan Ostiguy wrote this disc after the dissolution of his marriage. And while the title might lead you to believe that the songwriting will be trite — just another series of over-done love-gone-wrong songs — it’s everything but. Diaries, produced by Howard Redekopp (New Pornographers, 54-40), so…
Oldboy
OldboyDirected by: Chan-wook Park (Show East)Have you been feeling a deficiency of real thrills in your revenge thrillers? Perhaps a lack of imagination or a hesitancy of the director to take real risks? Check out Oldboy, the most heralded of a new wave of Korean films. Min-sik Choi is Dae-su Oh, a bit of a…
Hinder
HinderExtreme Behaviour (Universal)Is it wrong to consult the back of a CD, see a picture of the band and still not know what kind of music you’re about to listen to? This is the case with Hinder and their debut Extreme Behaviour. From the scantily clad groupie on the cover, poring over photos of the…
Sloan
SloanA Sides Win: Singles 1992-2005(Sony BMG)A Sides Win: Singles 1992 – 2005 is Sloan’s first foray into the realm of the greatest hits/singles compilation (on what grounds is a single considered to be a greatest hit?). After releasing seven studio albums (from Smeared to Action Pact), one EP (Peppermint) and a double live album (4…
The Evens
The EvensThe Evens(Dischord)If you have ever seen Fugazi in concert, you may have experienced lead singer Ian Mackaye catching (and holding) eye contact with you for more than just a brief moment during its set. It is that kind of intimacy that propels Mackaye and this debut from his new band The Evens. Formed with…
Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab for CutieThe John Byrd EP(Barsuk)This limited-edition, 37-minute, seven-track EP ($12 at barsuk.com) was recorded on Death Cab’s 2004 US tour (hello, Providence!) supporting Transatlanticism. The sound is pristine—you wouldn’t even know it was live if not for the “I love you Ben!”s and stage banter—and the tracks are a cross- section: three songs…
A Perfect Circle
A Perfect CircleaMotion(Virgin) Although their recent album of atrocious political covers was a complete flop, aMotion reaffirms A Perfect Circle as a creative powerhouse. The band places a heavy emphasis on the visual medium, with their videos and live show playing almost as important a role as the songs themselves, and their fusion of alt-…
Edgar Breau
Edgar BreauCanadian Primitive (Songhammer)The unearthing of 1970s Hamilton band Simply Saucer was one of the revelations of 2003. The album’s warm reception encouraged frontman Edgar Breau to offer up a dozen new songs. One grabber is “I Miss You My Nico,” featuring the line “You deconstructionists can all go straight to Hell” and a sweet…
Gwen Stefani
Gwen StefaniLove. Angel. Music. Baby. (Interscope)Gwen Stefani’s LAMB is inevitably going to disappoint No Doubt fans, but if you go in with an open mind, you might be surprised at what you find. Stefani steps away from the No Doubt shadow and emerges with an album best described as “Bubble Pop Electric” (an aptly titled…
Royal Wood
Royal WoodTall Tales (Sherpa)They’re in a class of their own, these one-man shows. Toronto-based Royal Wood is the latest in a line of guys, like Danny Michel, who do it all themselves. He’s got a voice a little higher on the register than Bryan Ferry and has a similar classed-up cabaret feel of debut-era Hawksley…
Elevator
ElevatorAugust(Blue Fog)Recorded between August 2003 and August 2004, the newest Elevator disc further solidifies this band as the pre-eminent psychedelic rock-out machine on the continent. Opening with the pulsating “Thickwall” and finishing with an equally expansive “Where is the End,” this disc will drop your shrooming ass off in a bad dream and pick you…
Kathleen Edwards
Kathleen EdwardsBack to Me(Maple)Kathleen Edwards almost called her stellar second LP Nostalgia. The theme permeates as she sings of old neighbourhoods, old boyfriends and old grudges, liberally sprinkling the word “memory” over Back to Me’s 11 tracks. (Best usage: the classic Edwardsian line “You say you like me in your memory/ you’ve got to be…
Damon & Naomi
Damon & NaomiThe Earth is Blue(Sonic Unyon)Damon Krukowski and Naomi Yang (two-thirds of Galaxie 500) have always tended to lean toward the sad side of sublime. But on The Earth is Blue, their sixth album, the music steers toward fluffier, sweeter territory. On songs like “Malibran” or “Araçá Azul” there is stillness that recalls the…
Dwight Yoakam
Dwight YoakamDwight’s Used Records(Koch)Few popular country music artists over the past 20 years have been as prolific and good as Dwight Yoakam. Dwight’s Used Records is primarily a collection of Yoakam tracks from various tributes and a couple of duets. But it is still a damn good record! As with Under the Covers, Yoakam proves…
Nathan Wiley
Nathan WileyHigh Low (Sonic)Nathan Wiley continues his progression from little-known PEI musician to Canadian songwriting staple on High Low, the follow-up to his acclaimed debut Bottom Dollar. Kicking in with the wonderfully melancholy title track and running through a veritable feast of songs—“Bride On Fire,” “Brag- gers” and “Sure That I Am Seen”—High Low shows…
Holly Cole
Holly ColeCollection Volume 1 (Alert Music)Holly Cole’s first (overdue) career retrospective is a tasteful, flattering look at her contributions to the Canadian jazz scene. Thankfully, it mainly focuses on her work as a jazz interpreter. There are a few full-blown band tunes from her later works, but the songs from Girls Talk, Don’t Smoke in…
Joss Stone
Joss StoneMind Body & Soul (S-Curve/EMI)The UK teen tops 2003’s The Soul Sessions by writing 10 of 14 songs and inspiring a reunion of veteran Miami players. When Timmy Thomas plays organ with Little Beaver on guitar, you’d like Stone to take a breath so you can hear the band. On this point, the producers…
The F-Ups
The F-UpsS/T (Capitol)The F-Ups are one of those pop-punk bands who preach the whole non-conformity thing, yet probably don’t know what conformity means. A listen to their disc and a scan of their website makes it seem as though their stick-it-to-the-man attitude and “bad-ass” moniker are part of a plan to appeal to the kids.…
The Marble Index
The Marble IndexThe Marble Index (Death of Records/Universal)Oh the thrill of the three-piece! Hailing from Hamilton, The Marble Index brings the joy of simplicity, pushing instruments to the limit. This band plays hard, from the big chords of opener “I Believe.” Ryan Tweedle twists and snakes his bass through and around each tune—do his fingers…
Shelly Campbell
Shelly Campbell Blue Ridge Reveille(Nettwerk)Campbell has crafted a delightful homespun masterpiece! Recorded in her home, the record is a soothing laidback trip through rural Americana. Touches of Victoria Williams, Son Volt, Kathleen Edwards and The Be Good Tanyas make this record a heads and shoulders release for best alt-country so far this year. Campbell is…
The Tragically Hip
The Tragically HipIn Between Evolution (Universal)`ip fans have been awaiting a true Hip album since Phantom Power; Music @ Work and In Violet Light both lacked the appeal of early material. On In Between Evolution, the Hip have finally found their way back. The depth of the material exposes itself slowly over the course of…
Hayden
HaydenElk Lake Serenade(Hardwood/Universal)Elk Lake Serenade is a more difficult listen than Skyscraper National Park, but that doesn’t mean there’s fewer great moments. In fact, once the confusion from the constant mood changes passes, a handful of tracks stand out as surefire classics. “Home By Saturday” features fabulous guitar and vocal interplay. A straight drum beat…
Ween
WeenLive in Chicago (Sanctuary)Ween manages to combine Guided by Voices, Foreigner and half-assed Hendrix impressions into a sound that’s always interesting. Here the band offers up a bizarre cross-section of tracks from their sprawling career. While “Voodoo Lady” and “Spinal Meningitis Got Me Down” are recognizable favourites, “The Grobe,” “Baby Bitch” and “Ocean Man” find…
Ben Kweller
Ben KwellerOn My Way(ATO/RCA)He’s the least talented of The Bens (preceded by Lee and Folds), but he’s not any less interesting. Draped over Kweller’s odd voice (sounding naturally strained from nights in large amphitheatres), On My Way is a catchy throwback to ’70s rock, but without any of the pretension and fuzzy vocals of the…
Orgy
OrgyPunk Statik Paranoia(D1)Dark, ominous and lurking somewhere between Korn and Marilyn Manson is Orgy, who have returned with the follow-up to 2001’s ill-received Vapor Transmission. Punk Statik Paranoia is sharper, more melodic and more focused on craft. Their brand of glammed-up industrial rock is sharp and biting without being excessive. Hopefully Punk Statik Paranoia will…
Alewives
AlewivesLive Alone/ I Might (independent)Andy Mcdaniel is one of Halifax’s (and Canada’s) best songwriters you don’t know about. Back in the ’90s he created sweet pop sounds with his band Leonard Conan. Alewives are named for a local fish and are attempting to release one CD single a month for the next year. So far…
Preston School of Industry
Preston School of IndustryMonsoon(Matador)While it should be easy for Spiral Stairs to make the break from Pavement’s shadow, there’s no indication it’s his intention. If anything, PSOI reaffirms that Pavement’s greatness was truly the sum of its parts. On Monsoon, touches in both songwriting and arrangements allude to the latter three Pave-ment records. It’s a…
Katy Rose
Katy RoseBecause I Can (V2)Katy Rose could be the new It girl, if the world ever drops its Avril fascination. She has the unconventional beauty of a Liz Phair, a voice both soft and forceful (sometimes reminiscent of Fiona Apple) and a seasoned co-writer/manager/father in ex-Poco keyboardist Kim Bullard. While the songs on this debut…
Northern State
Northern StateDying in Stereo(Startime)The rumours were big: they were going to turn NY uptown hip-hop on its ass, getting props in music mags and Vanity Fair. The concept: three women with a minimal beats, early- Beastie Boys approach to hip-hop. But the rhymes could use work and the minimal production is just boring production, not…
No Doubt
No Doubt The Singles 1993-2003 (Interscope)When you throw aside the filler that often bogs down their discs, No Doubt is one of the best pop bands around. From the breakthrough single “Just a Girl” to their previously un-issued cover of Talk Talk’s “It’s My Life,” The Singles is a fine collection. The disc shows their…
Amp Fiddler
Amp FiddlerWaltz of a Ghetto Fly(PIAS/Beggars)If Sly Stone were to emerge from his fog with some of the songs here, people would gasp in delight. Al Green may want to investigate singing a few others. Miles Davis atmospherics get goosed by a bassline that Prince might dream up. Aside from anointing such elements as his…
Boy
Published September 25, 2003. Boy Boy (Bumpstead) The debut from Boy, AKA Stephen Kozmeniuk, is ambitious and grandiose. Although he doesn’t always reach the heights he shoots for, you can’t blame him for trying. Boy is from the Yukon, but sounds like he’s toured as an international rock star. These Blur, Kinks and New York…
Various
VariousChristmas for Lovers (Verve)Verve has released many Christmas compilations with hardly any repetition. This one, included in the label’s “for Lovers” series, is no exception. Along with heart-warming classics by Mel Torme and Ella Fitzgerald, there are some great, lesser-known recordings from guitarist Kenny Burrell, singer Billy Eckstine and the indisputable king of sax Gerry…
Guided by Voices
Published December 04, 2003. Guided by Voices Human Amusement at Hourly Rates (Matador) Thirty-two songs! What other band could dish up 32 songs on a single CD collection and still leave you wanting more? Considering Bob Pollard’s prolific output over the years, die-hard fans will surely create lists of misguided omissions. But Human Amusement at…
Pink
Published November 20, 2003. Pink Try This (Arista) Pink and Tim Armstrong? Pink and Peaches? These may seem like a pair of unlikely duos, but those who’ve had a chance to listen to Pink’s latest album know this isn’t the case. “Oh My God” is a duet on which a toned-down Peaches appears, resulting in…
The Rapture
Published October 30, 2003. The Rapture Echoes (Universal) On Echoes, The Rapture turn in an album of great music with excellent influences. Play it for any self-important record snob and watch as a single tear crosses their usual demeanour of irony and poor hygiene at the band’s subtle peppering of Gang of Four, Television and…
The Darkness
Published October 16, 2003. The Darkness Permission to Land (Atlantic) Watching The Darkness play its London, England hometown, you get the joke (if it’s a joke) immediately. Lead singer/guitarist Justin Hawkins struts and screams in a pair of shaggy mukluks, begging comparisons from Frampton to David Lee Roth, and when he is carried mid-song into…
Billy Talent
Published October 02, 2003. Billy Talent S/T (Atlantic) To paraphrase Chartattack.com, if the mall-punk kids embrace Billy Talent it’ll be a welcome improvement. Upon first listen, the record appears to be akin to the pointless screamo Alexison-fire has ridden to popularity. Billy Talent avoids that pitfall by taking melody and aggression and fusing them together…
Sass Jordan
Published August 28, 2003. Sass Jordan Best of Sass (DKD) Sitting around with friends listening to The Best of Sass, one remarked, “This isn’t Melissa Etheridge?” Without CanCon regulations or Canadian Idol putting her back into the public eye, would there even be a need for a career retrospective from Ms. Jordan? Just because radio…
Various
Published August 07, 2003. Various Masked & Anonymous OST What draws Bob Dylan to movies? His are always bombs, from Renaldo and Clara to Gods and Generals. Word is this one, in which he stars as past-his-prime rock star Jack Fate, stinks. No matter, the soundtrack is a gem. It features 14 Dylan cuts, including…
Drive Well, Sleep Carefully
Drive Well, Sleep CarefullyDirected by: Justin Mitchell (Plexifilm)The popularity of rock docs has brought with it an expectation of excess — We Sold Our Souls for Rock ‘n’ Roll, Dig!, Some Kind of Monster and Festival Express all featured rock stars indulging in the typical booze, drugs, sex and hijinks. You can forget about all…
Spanglish
Spanglish Directed by: James L. Brooks(Columbia Tri-Star)Writer-director James L. Brooks’ first film since 1997’s double Oscar-winner As Good as it Gets features, as that film did, an inherently unlikable central character. But Tea Leoni is not Jack Nicholson—she doesn’t have decades of caricature to fall back on, no built-in audience affection. And so her Deborah…
Cowboy Mouth
Cowboy MouthVoodoo Shoppe(Eleven Thirty)The album kicks off with arguably the sharpest tribute song since Stevie Wonder’s “Sir Duke.” Besides referring to various Clash songs and rocking nonstop, “Joe Strummer” asserts that being cute is, by itself, not enough. Very big in New Orleans, this quartet has been going for a decade. Hurricane Katrina is addressed…
The Arrogant Worms
The Arrogant WormsBeige(Independent)Have we really arrived at songs about irritable bowel syndrome (“IBS”), hernias (“Hernia Belt”) and testicular cancer (“Brian’s Balls”)? If you have the affliction, it is hoped the Worms are laughing with you, not at you. The healthy listener may prefer the manly gadget worship of “Pressure Washer,” a Freudian deconstruction of the…
Marjoe
Marjoe Directed by: Sarah Kernochan and Howard Smith(Docurama)Winner of the 1972 Academy Award for Best Feature Documentary, Marjoe finally makes it to DVD. It tells the story of Marjoe Gortner, who became the youngest ordained minister ever at the age of four. His parents were tent-revival evangelists who trained Marjoe to be a money machine…
Separate Lies
Separate Lies Directed by: Julian Fellowes (Fox Searchlight)The first feature by the Academy Award-winning writer of Gosford Park is an odd little affair, and brief, clocking in at a little over 80 minutes. Upper crust London solicitor James (Tom Wilkinson) and his young wife, Anne (Emily Watson) live well at their country house. A neighbour,…
Gigi
GigiGold and Wax(Palm Pictures)Gold and Wax shows an Ethiopian singer sure enough to sing in her native tongue (love those ululates!) over tracks that take rhythms, arrangements and tempos from elsewhere in Africa, the Caribbean, North America and India. “Ambasale,” built on an awesome Afro-Funk foundation stands out. The one English track, “Utopia,” could’ve been…
Anti-Flag
Anti-FlagFor Blood and Empire(RCA)Pittsburgh hardcore stalwart Anti-Flag has been the standard-bearer of the political punk movement since the mid-’90s, and its seventh record finds it near the top of its game. While established punk bands signing to majors in the past few years have met with decidedly mixed results , Anti-Flag has made few concessions…
Johnny Cash
Johnny CashAmerican V: A Hundred Highways(Universal)Goosebumps appear while listening to the first track, “Help Me,” and don’t vanish until the last note of Cash’s final album, recorded while Cash was nearing his death and published posthumously. As producer Rick Rubin points out, you can hear the uneven strength of Cash’s voice—feel his good days and…
AFI
AFIDecemberUnderground (Columbia)After toiling away in the California punk underground for years (and five studio releases), 2003 was the year AFI broke into the mainstream with its smash Sing the Sorrow, which showcased its burgeoning genre of gothic new-wave punk. It might seem odd to release an album entitled DecemberUnder-ground in early summer, but don’t let…
Regina Spektor
Regina SpektorBegin to Hope(Sire)For bandwagon-fleeing Tori fans bitching that Myra Ellen has gotten soft with motherhood (wrong), here’s Russian-born, New York-bred Regina Spektor to satisfy your piano cravings and keep your hipster cred in the black. Following 2004’s stellar Soviet Kitsch, which helped put Spektor on the indie map near, but thankfully not of, the…
Tom Petty
Tom PettyHighway Companion(Warner)Folks might be surprised to learn Tom Petty has released just three solo records over his incredible 30-year career. Even more astounding is the fact that Petty has never reinvented himself or his folk-rock sound to remain relevant. After the controversial Wildflowers and Petty’s lacklustre reunion with the Heartbreakers on Last DJ, Highway…
Jim Cuddy
Jim CuddyThe Light That Guides You Home(Warner)Sounds of birds chirping are the sweet greeting to Jim Cuddy’s new solo album, his first in eight years. Even the damn birds want to work with one of Canada’s best-known songwriters: Sarah Harmer appeared on his first solo album, All in Time, and this time around Cuddy swings…
Kasey Chambers
Kasey ChambersCarnival(Warner)The spunk that made Chambers so captivating on her first couple of releases has morphed into an intense humility that could be faith. When she sings “Praise the Lord” on “Sign on the Door,” it feels more like general elation than shout-outs upstairs. It’s either a metaphor for personal devotion, or Chambers is being…
Mike Trask & Mudhill
Mike Trask & MudhillThe Show(Independent)For months there was a buzz surrounding the countless industry showcases that featured scintillating sets by Mike Trask & Mudhill, not to mention his raucous shows in Porter’s Lake. And between gigs at Junofest and the Halifax Harbour Festival, Trask & Mudhill were biding their time in the studio prepping their…
Lindsey Buckingham
Lindsey BuckinghamUnder the Skin(Reprise)This American x-factor, who helped transform Fleetwood Mac from an interesting British blues band into a monster, plays and sings 98 percent of this album. The influence of Brian Wilson on Buckingham’s multitracked harmonies is ever present, and most effective on “It Was You.” His voice fits many shapes and keys, though…
Sean Lennon
Sean LennonFriendly Fire(Capitol)Proving that real life, even among the New York It kids, can be more tragic and beautiful than anything Hollywood conjures up, Sean Lennon’s second CD Friendly Fire is a richly orchestrated autobiographical poem dedicated to his best friend Max Leroy, who died in a car crash. He and Leroy were involved in…
Amelia Curran
Amelia CurranWar Brides(independent)War Brides is the ideal companion for lazy summer days, sweeping verandas and fresh lemonade. Comforting but never stale, Curran’s strong voice, tender lyrics and instrumental arrangements come with a stiff shot of experience. Gorgeous compositions on horns and strings, this one will remain a favourite well past New Year’s Eve.Sue Carter Flinncategories:…
Ladyhawk
LadyhawkLadyhawk(Jagjaguwar)Ladyhawk’s self-titled debut is the musical equivalent of sitting around with old friends and talking about the good old times. The themes aren’t always cohesive, but the feeling is. For rock geeks, it’s like a slide show of favourite musical moments of the past 40 years.Matt Charltoncategories: Best of the year (2006)
The Thermals
The ThermalsThe Body The Blood The Machine(Sub Pop)For its third album, Portland, Oregon’s Thermals released a sharply executed, prophetic tale of what America would look like as an ultra-right wing religious state governed by a president that assumes his power comes directly from God as wages war for oil and the masses follow as blindly…
Dave Chappelle’s Block Party
Dave Chappelle’s Block PartyDirected by: Michel Gondry(Universal)By going behind the scenes, the extras on Block Party—which is a behind the scenes documentary to start with—play as an extended dimension of the movie. Michel Gondry’s film about the staging of an outdoor Brooklyn rap concert takes a fresh approach to concert films—focusing on communal experience over…
A Great Feast of Light
A Great Feast of LightJohn DoylePeople who think television is a waste of time have probably never read John Doyle’s excellent column on the subject in The Globe and Mail. I feel a little sorry for those people, because they’ll probably also never read his memoir of growing up in Ireland at the dawning of…
Carry Me Down
Carry Me DownMJ HylandHarperCollinsMJ Hyland’s shortlisted Booker Prize novel avoids being shelved in the overpopulated “poor, poor Irish family” category, thanks to its narrator. Set in 1970s rural Ireland, 11-year-old John Egan has a special problem: He almost tips six-feet-tall, which upsets his mother terribly and results in many concerned trips to the doctor and…
Pride of Baghdad
Pride of BaghdadBrian K. VaughanDC/VertigoWriter Brian K. Vaughan is a fan favourite, and his ongoing West Wing-with-superhero story Ex Machina has been making these kinds of lists since its debut a couple of years ago. This hardcover original with art from Nino Henrichon takes its inspiration from actual events: In April 2003, a pride of…
Pandora’s Box
Pandora’s BoxDirected by: Georg Wilhelm Pabst(Criterion)Louise Brooks became a star with her role as a showgirl whose promiscuity shatters the world around her. A dated concept? Perhaps. But Georg Wilhelm Pabst’s silent classic (restored in a comprehensive DVD package) finds desire competing with the threat of modernity.Mark PalermoCategories: Best of the year (2006)
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada(Columbia TriStar)In this modern-day western, actor-director Tommy Lee Jones delivers one of the year’s most unexpected and moving dramas. The fragmented first reel introduces a large ensemble cast that quickly closes in to just a few: Texas ranch worker (Jones) brings the body of his friend into Mexico while kidnapping…
Castle Project
Published December 08, 2005. Castle Project Diaries of a Broken Heart (White Whale) Culled from diary entries written after his wife left him, Diaries of a Broken Heart is anything but your typical collection of love-gone-wrong songs?it is the ultimate I-am-shattered break-up album. Its ache and despair is so palpable that Diaries is almost too…
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…
Sufjan Stevens
Published December 08, 2005. Sufjan Stevens Illinoise (Asthmatic Kitty) Illinoise is not an album to be listened to in pieces. It’s an historical document, revealing a state that’s more than the Sears Tower, wind and the Cubs. Almost ridiculously lush?start counting instruments now?and gorgeously performed, the young Stevens could be the next great hope, or…
The Bird with the Crystal Plumage
Published December 08, 2005. The Bird with the Crystal Plumage Directed by: Dario Argento (Paradox/Blue Underground) Dario Argento’s film debut is more restrained in its gore and storytelling than later ventures. But it’s one of the key thrillers of the ’70s. The director’s gift for building scares and intrigue is already unmistakable, as is his…
The Girl in the Café
Published December 08, 2005. The Girl in the Café Directed by: David Yates (HBO) Writer Richard Curtis (Love, Actually) pens this little love story set against the world of international aid and a G-8 summit in Iceland. Though a little naïve in its political ambitions, the love story between odd couple Bill Nighy and Kelly…
Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind
Published December 08, 2005. Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki (Buena Vista) Hayao Miyazaki’s early epic is almost a blueprint for his later Princess Mononoke, but stands high on its own. There’s majesty and conviction in its telling of a young girl’s stand as warring kingdoms succumb to environmental destruction. Nausicaa…
Idlewild
IdlewildDirected by: Bryan Barber (HBO Films)Idlewild opens self-importantly with a quote cribbed from Shakespeare. “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances,” shy mortician/ piano-player Percival (Andre 3000, half of OutKast) narrates. He then finishes the quote with a new ending: “All with…
The Clipse
The ClipseHell Hath No Fury(Zomba)Hell Hath No Fury is about all the Clipse could have done to get out from under Pharrell’s shadow. The Neptunes co-founder took the group under his wing early on, and while in hip-hop this kind of union has led to some disastrous results, in this case, the Clipse has proven…
Yoko Ono
Yoko OnoYes I’m a Witch(Astralwerks)Ever since she rose to prominence as a factor in John Lennon’s dissatisfaction with The Beatles, their fans have hated her. So it comes as no surprise that she has finally accepted that fate, calling this collaborative project Yes, I’m a Witch. Love or hate her, Ono was always great at…
Abernethy
AbernethyCollege Grove(Spinning Gold)This is one of those left-field records. You stumble upon it and the abstracted landscape catches your eye. So you bring it home and man, the music! Think of the baritone of Neil Osborne (54.40) crossed with hints of David Gahan or Hidden Cameras’ Joel Gibb over some fine strands of chamber-pop. College…
The Holmes Brothers
The Holmes BrothersState of Grace(Alligator)Aging gracefully proves a clever path for these soulful veterans, who haven’t always been well served by the sound of their records. On State of Grace, organ replaces sax and blues shout gives way to scraggly warmth. Many a pop song has gospel in it, given the right tempo and feel.…
Joanna Newsom
Joanna NewsomJoanna Newsom and the Ys Street Band(Drag City)New psych-folk tends to humble its fans like a grateful church mass. Newsom, one of its strongest figureheads, has, after the great success of November’s Ys, handed out another bit for us to chew on. The EP has new versions of “Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie” and “Cosmia,”…
Deliver Us from Evil
Deliver Us from EvilDirected by: Amy Berg(Lionsgate)Father Oliver O’Grady talks with a pleasing Irish lilt, but it’s an uncomfortable experience to hear him speak. “I don’t always do the right things, obviously not,” he says. O’Grady is referring to his past as a pedophile. The priest spent over two decades preying on children in various…
Various Artists
Various ArtistsDig Your Roots: Creative Jazz(Corus)The Dig Your Roots series is a project of campus radio stations across the country. Three of the 15 acts here hail from Atlantic Canada, and they represent mightily. On “Acting on the Assumption,” Halifax’s TFC builds a rhythmic dialogue between guitar and drums, using what they may have learned…
Come Early Morning
Come Early MorningDirected by: Joey Lauren Adams(Alliance Atlantis)Come Early Morning is the kind of indie movie that makes people hate them—it’s slow-moving with no discernible plot, all character and no action. But that’s life, and most hard-drinkin’, hard-kissin’ small-town women wouldn’t have a problem being portrayed by Ashley Judd. Before Hilary Swank got her career,…
Carolyn Mark
Carolyn MarkNothing is Free(Mint)Those who come for a honky-tonk hootenanny will be disappointed with Carolyn Mark’s latest release: Nothing is Free is quietly introspective—more appropriate for bringing on the tears than kicking up the heels. That’s not a put-down, this is the wise-cracker’s most mature album to date, showcasing an attractive voice and sly, witty…
They Shoot Horses Don’t They?
They Shoot Horses Don’t They?Pick Up Sticks(Kill Rock Stars)Rarely is a band—one that can be broken down into its individual influences so easily—so damn interesting-sounding and so much fun. But Vancouver’s They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? are the exception. Part Liars. Part Modest Mouse. Equal blasts of Morphine and John Zorn (in the confident way…
Factory Girl
Factory GirlDirected by: George Hickenlooper(The Weinstein Company)When Edie Sedgwick (Sienna Miller) first meets Andy Warhol (Guy Pearce) in the biopic Factory Girl, Warhol asks the socialite to appear in one of his movies. Sedgwick tells him to contact her friend to arrange the appearance. “You’re the boss, applesauce,” he replies. The same line’s used again…
Away from Her
Away from Her Directed by: Sarah PolleyMongrel MediaNear the end of Away from Her, straightforward Marian (Olympia Dukakis) calls Grant (Gordon Pinsent) to ask him out on a semi-date. “I wanted to say, I know you’re not single and I don’t mean it that way. I’m not, either. But it doesn’t hurt to get out…
Puddle of Mudd
Puddle of MuddFamousGeffenAfter witnessing the resurgence enjoyed by Buckcherry and their massive single “Crazy Bitch,” Puddle of Mudd went straight into the studio with hopes of returning to the spotlight they enjoyed while Blurry was riding high on rock radio. At first listen it would be easy to write the band off, but the big…
Chinatown: Special Collector’s Edition
Chinatown: Special Collector’s EditionDirected by: Roman PolanskiParamountRe-released at the same time as the underrated 1990 sequel, The Two Jakes, there’s a disappointing lack of extras on the single disc. Still, I’d take any chance to see more of Chinatown, a genre thriller set in the ’30s, yet so evocative of the mid-’70s, with its story…
Sweet Mud (Israeli title: Adama Meshuga’at)
Sweet Mud (Israeli title: Adama Meshuga’at)Directed by: Dror ShaulMongrel MediaIn the year leading up to his bar mitzvah, young Dvir (Tomer Steinhof) accidentally watches a man get intimate with a cow, tells a girl he loves her, steals some popsicles and surreptitiously smokes. As a general rule: becoming a man + encountering messed-up adult sexuality…
Jerry Granelli V-16
Jerry Granelli V-16The Sonic TempleSonglinesHave you ever just paused and thought how friggin’ cool it is that Jerry Granelli lives and works in Halifax? Every year ’round Atlantic Jazz Festival time, he brings friends and amazing players to this city. One of those occasions resulted in this two-CD set of brilliant arrangements and execution. Sean…
Museum Pieces
Published November 29, 2007. Museum Pieces City of Brotherly Love indie Tyler Messick can basically spin gold no matter what he attempts—no truer than when he turns Museum Pieces into an indie-rock outfit as he did this year. Although the band’s focus is more on the guitar-drum rhythmic interplay (especially when the band is stripped…
Wilco
WilcoBlue Sky BlueNonesuchLove him or hate him, Jeff Tweedy is one hell of a hell of a songwriter. After alienating many fans with his avant-garde-fused masterpieces, he switches currents again, writing an album of straight-ahead 1970s singer-songwriter rock. Avoiding the hippie granola of the ’70s LA mellow-mafia, BSB’s rock/pop should make them superstars. Trevor McLarencategories:…
The Lookout
Published November 29, 2007. The Lookout Directed by: Scott Frank Miramax Before brain-damaged former hockey star Chris Pratt (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) gets duped into abetting a bank robbery, The Lookout (Out of Sight scripter Scott Frank’s first go at directing) shows Chris living a quiet life with blind buddy Lewis (Jeff Daniels)—coming to terms with the…
Veronica Mars – The Complete Third Season
Veronica Mars – The Complete Third SeasonWarnerA very good show that’s frustrating because it seems like it should be great. And that makes the somewhat undercooked third season a compulsive watch. Veronica’s freshman college year is host to more noir mystery, which the series keeps funny and poignant. The tricky success of the recently cancelled…
CD reviews
Something old and something new with Ween, Taken By Trees, Jay-Z, Ryan Bingham and Gorillaz & searchable archives.
The Brown Bunny
The Brown Bunny Directed by: Vincent GalloKinetiqueThe most infamous film in recent years is finally available to see on DVD. As with most over-hyped vanity projects, it’s neither as awful or shocking as the ink would lead one to believe. The first 70 minutes of the film detail Bud Clay (writer – director – producer…
Mark Gardener
Mark GardenerThese Beautiful GhostsUfoThe former frontman of Ride, Mark Gardener is now regarded as a kind of fallen hero. The band created a wealth of influential music on its first two records before dry-heaving up two more and falling apart in the process. Still, its music has developed a lasting fan base among people who…
Kiss Me Deadly
Kiss Me DeadlyMistly MedleyAlien8 RecordingsYet another Montreal band heavily indebted to post-punk, Kiss Me Deadly is noisier than rival The Arcade Fire. Unfortunately, they lack a single as good or catchy as Fire’s “Rebellion,” but that doesn’t mean they suck. Quite the opposite: Misty Medley is a college radio classic in the making. There is…
Dane Cook
Dane CookRetaliationComedy CentralDane Cook is single-handedly revitalizing stand-up comedy. The Massachusetts-born, California-based comedian is burning up the Billboard charts with the two-disc Retaliation, which debuted at number four (the highest comedy chart position since Steve Martin’s 1978 classic Wild and Crazy Guy) and has been certified gold. Cultivating his massive audience through constant touring and…
Rock School
Rock School Directed by: Don ArgottA&E FilmsPaul Green is a Philadelphia-based former musician and current capo di tutti capi of Rock School, a music camp of the sort Jack Black founds in the conclusion of the Richard Linklater comedy School of Rock. Green is irrepressible, the kind of guy whose mouth is in gear way…
Tom Wilson/Bob Lanois
Tom Wilson/Bob LanoisThe Shack Recordings Volume 1(Shack)From the opening shimmer of acoustic guitar and deep, moody cello on “That’s How I Walk,” you are absolutely transfixed and moved by this album. Spare and simple, it’s songs in their most basic and beautiful form: stories set to music. “Fennell Square” is a great example for its…
Buried Inside
Buried InsideChronoclast(Relapse)Using the genre “drone metal” to describe a band might sound negative, but in the case of Buried Inside’s latest album, Chronoclast, it isn’t. Buried Inside has written and performed an album comparable to genre-leading bands such as Isis and Pelican, but has remained unique in the process. Buried Inside has distinct metal and…
Bob Mould
Bob MouldBody of Song(Yep Roc)Two years ago Bob Mould declared his loud guitar days over. After Modulate, he was only going to DJ or play solo acoustic shows. Well, best throw that out the window. Body of Song is a full band effort (featuring Brendan Canty of Fugazi on drums and ex-Sugar bassist David Barbe)…
The Bees
The BeesFree the Bees(Virgin/EMI)The Bees are the new hype from across the pond, just coming in to save the day before Franz Ferdinand once again becomes a slain prince. Free the Bees, released to typical acclaim last year in England, takes sounds — that are all too familiar, really — from 1968, but manages to…
Black Label Society
Black Label SocietyKings of Damnation(Spitfire)Shortly after recording 1995’s Ozzmosis album with Ozzy Osbourne, guitarist Zakk Wylde parted ways with his mentor and went out on his own. Seven albums later, including solo endeavours and his frontman duty with both metal-laced Black Label Society and southern-fried Pride & Glory, he’s amassed a slew of memorable cuts.…
Floetry
FloetryFlo’ology(Universal)At its best, Flo’ology is nothing special. At its worst, it is so tedious you’ll wonder if the major labels laid off everybody in quality control. A stinker escaped. The two British gals, now based stateside, rate a cameo here by Common (on “SupaStar”) and did manage to shine when they were included on the…
Hustle and Flow
Hustle and FlowDirected by: Craig Brewer (MTV FIlms)Terrence Howard had what they call in professional sports a “career year.” After a long stretch in the character-actor trenches, he shone in Crash, Four Brothers and Get Rich or Die Tryin’, but no more so than as DJay, the Memphis pimp who wants to change his life…
Kate Maki
Kate MakiThe Sun Will Find Us (Independent) Sudbury native Kate Maki graced Halifax with her presence in 2002, living here for a short time while kick-starting her solo career. A tiny, blonde ball of fire, Maki wears her heart on her sleeve and sweat on her brow during her ferocious live performances. Her first solo…
Brian Borcherdt
Brian BorcherdtThe Remains of Volume 2 (Dependent)The Remains of Brian Borcherdt was one of 2004’s best albums, a lush, expansive explosion of the talent the gifted Borcherdt’s been honing for years in various hardcore and experimental incarnations. Its songs varied in theme and scope. On Volume 2, Borcherdt (home in Yarmouth now) writes mostly about…
Air Traffic Control
Air Traffic ControlS/T(independent)In a fair world, Lunenburg-based Air Traffic Control would have a contract, tour everywhere and be all over the radio. Yet the Comstock brothers (frontman Kirk and drummer Jordi) continue to make great and ignored records. Here they have help from cousin Luke on bass and multi-instrumentalist Philip Clark. Deliciously darker than their…
New York Dolls
Published February 10, 2005. New York Dolls Live from the Royal Festival Hall (BMG) The New York Dolls may be one of the most cited influences for bands that would later become bigger and better known—The Ramones, The Clash, The Boomtown Rats, to name a few. This reunion gig, recorded at London’s Royal Festival Hall…
The Exies
The ExiesHead for the Door(Columbia)As rock progresses further down the line, up-and-coming bands will begin to adopt an “I can do that too” mentality. Case in point: The Exies and their latest release Head for the Door. There isn’t a great deal of originality here—at some point the Exies had the desire (for some reason)…
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…
Various
Bluegrass interpretations of the Moody Blues? Pickers tackling the pretentious Brit cloud-gazers is conceivable, it just wasn’t begging to be done. Mandolin player/producer David Harvey persuaded an impressive number of colleagues to touch their inner hippies. “Your Wildest Dreams,” as sung by Harley Allen and Jan Harvey, is the one song brilliantly reborn. On the…
50 Cent
50 CentThe Massacre(G-Unit/Aftermath)Nelly, Luda, Rule, listen up! The Massacre is a lesson in how to make an album that will tear up the clubs without pimping yourself to the hip-pop crowd. 50 Cent’s major label debut Get Rich or Die Tryin’ may have benefited from Fiddy’s street cred but The Massacre is stronger because it…
Super Furry Animals
Super Furry AnimalsSongbook Volume 1(Beggars XL)This collection of upbeat, eccentric indie pop from Wales doesn’t capture all of the Furries’ best music—they have too much great output. But Songbook is a perfect starter, with all the singles from the band’s six albums, plus two non-LP tracks. Highlights include the drug-love anthem “Something 4 the Weekend,”…
Taking Back Sunday
Taking Back SundayWhere You Want to Be (Victory)Pop-punk-emo bands are a dime a dozen—take a look at Warped Tour, they practically are a dime a dozen. Luckily, Taking Back Sunday are worth far more than that. It’s not hard to see why their fans are so loyal—TBS can just as easily whip their crowds into…
Eminem
EminemEncore(Shady/ Aftermath)Even with a release date that was bumped up in an effort to circumvent internet piracy, Eminem’s fifth studio release spread across the web like wildfire. Then came the theory that it was a planned leak, an album so bad that people would rush to pick up the “real” Encore. But it’s the same…
Blanche
BlancheIf We Can’t Trust the Doctors… (V2)When Blanche’s Dan John Miller and Tracee Lee Miller trade lines, it’s a revival of a great old country music device, although when Tracee Lee coos “and I will fuck you until you die” on “Jack on Fire,” intriguing new territory beckons. This Detroit twang emits a gothic aroma,…
Twilight Singers
Twilight SingersShe Loves You(One Little Indian)When he was in Afghan Whigs, it was no secret that Greg Dulli was a big fan of cover songs. With She Loves You, Dulli presents an album full of his favourite classics, from Fleetwood Mac’s “What Makes You Think You’re the One” to Björk’s “Hyperballad.” The acts he covers—from…
The Faint
The FaintWet From Birth(Saddle Creek)The band that kicked out Conor Oberst drops another instantly danceable electroclash gem, in this, their fourth release. Fans of local MIDI scientist A/V will find a certain familiarity in these sordid tales of debauch, laid over retro-cool synths and live instruments. Although less consistent in terms of danceability than its…
Bruce Hornsby
Bruce HornsbyHalcyon Days (Columbia)There was a time when a few tunes on Halcyon Days would have ruled the radio. Hornsby plays chameleon, oozing with aroma of Moby, Randy Newman and Little Feat. He frames cameos by Elton John, Sting and Eric Clapton in his strongest tunes. “Dreamland,” written for one of Hornsby’s sons, works both…
The Golden Virgins
The Golden VirginsSongs of Praise (XL)Northern England’s The Golden Virgins offer up as fresh a debut set as you’ll hear this year. Influences are as diverse as Joe Jackson, Shane McGowan and medieval madrigals, yet it rocks. Singer Lucas Penney leaves you concerned about his mental and physical well-being. Keyboardist David Younger commands a broad…
Delays
DelaysFaded Seaside Glamour (Rough Trade)Delays are one of the few bands you could listen to your whole life and never realize the singer is not a female. Greg Gilbert sounds like Melissa Etheridge’s pitch shifted up a register, and that’s a good thing. His castrato-inspired vocals define the band’s serotonin-driven, ethereal pop music. Like Elbow…
Beastie Boys
Beastie BoysTo the 5 Boroughs(Capitol)The Beastie Boys are pushing the big 4-0, and a lot of people are hesitant to embrace To The 5 Boroughs because of it. If this were an album of bling and bitches, that would be easy to understand. But instead of trying to keep up, Ad-Rock, Mike D and MCA…
Tangiers
TangiersNever Bring You Pleasure (Sonic Unyon)The Toronto duo serves up their second dose of melodious power-pop. Tangiers mixes ’70s glam, ’80s new wave and ’90s indie influences into sparse but upbeat numbers. “Ro Ro Ro-land,” driven by a Fisher Price synth-beat, is minimal pop that captures the innocence and beauty of a twisted nursery rhyme.…
Prince
PrinceMusicology (Sony)It isn’t as catchy or as groundbreaking as his classic works (1999, Purple Rain), but Musicology showcases why Prince is one of the most revered and influential musicians from the 1980s. The artist formerly known as a weird symbol is near the top of his game on this disc, fusing funk, jazz and straight-up…
Cypress Hill
Cypress HillTill Death Do Us Part(Sony)Gangster rap is hitting a wall. While thug life is a reality for some up-and-coming artists, many of the old mainstays who started the movement now come off as exploitative and insincere when they try and revisit the days of their youth. The majority of Till Death Do Us Part…
The Winnerys
The Winnerysand…The Winnerys(Rainbow Quartz)Moments on the Winnerys’ first full-length rekindle the excitement of early Beatles like noth- ing since the Knickerbockers or the Rutles. The quartet from Barcelona serves up 16 songs that burst with the taut energy, Mersey chords and limited subject matter (girls, love) of 1964’s Fab Four. The vocals, however, come up…
Indigo Girls
Indigo GirlsAll That We Let In (Sony)After returning to prominence with 2002’s Become You, the great duo of Emily Saliers and Amy Ray release another great close-to-the-roots folk-rock disc. Where most duos rely on one genius songwriter (Simon and Garfunkel), the Indigo Girls come from different musical ideologies that have made them a leading force…
Elliot Brood
Elliot BroodElliot Brood(Electro Photo)Elliot Brood is a great find that gets better with each listen. The EP has a solid foundation in old time country-blues, with a great contemporary style. Over six songs in just 17 minutes, Brood displays a genuine songwriting gift and a knack for mixing ’80s pop-punk with old time music. It…
Stereolab
StereolabMargerine Eclipse(Elektra)Though the death of member Mary Hansen left the band’s future in doubt, Stereolab has emerged from a dark period. Margerine Eclipse is one of group’s happiest and most melodic albums in years, filled with interesting quirks and bouncy basslines. Stereolab once had a reputation as innovators, but this doesn’t stray from their usual…
Cyndi Lauper
Cyndi LauperAt Last (Epic)Girls just wanna keep having fun. If you wipe the ’80s punk Lauper image from your mind and try to forget the original melody of these tunes, then you’ll be impressed with the voice coming from your stereo. Lauper’s lively spirit pops out in the songs, especially her classic track “Stay,” “On…
Keb’ Mo’
Keb’ Mo’Keep it Simple(Epic/Sony)Keb’ Mo’ has been keepin’ it simple for about the last 20 years, fusing old country-blues with touches of folk and soul while moanin’ the blues on contemporary issues. Keb has always had a modern take on delta blues masters Robert Johnson and Son House (Keb plays a National steel as well)…
A Perfect Circle
Published September 25, 2003. A Perfect Circle Thirteenth Step (Virgin) Thirteenth Step will surprise those expecting a loudly aggressive album in the wake of Twiggy Ramirez and James Iha joining APC’s star-studded line-up. Instead it relies on haunting melodies, and is far more brooding and introspective than the group’s debut, Mer De Noms. Thirteenth Step…
Various
VariousChristmas Remixed (Six Degrees)Christmas Remixed features such classics as Andy Williams’ “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” Dean Martin doing “Jingle Bells” and Louis Arm- strong and Velma Middleton with “Baby, it’s Cold Outside,” remixed as the title suggests. The idea is interesting and it sometimes works, but it soon becomes boring and…
Various
Published December 04, 2003. Various MuchDance 2004 (BMG/Sony/Universal) It’s a sad day when the compilation series formerly known as X-tendamix has become more interesting than its tired counterpart Big Shiny Tunes. BST continues to assault and bore with whiny nu-metal songs by almost all male artists (half a dozen girls in eight runs, people), but…
Sheryl Crow
Published November 20, 2003. Sheryl Crow The Very Best of (A&M/Universal) It’s career year 10 for rock-country innovator Sheryl Crow. This 17-song collection of Crow’s top 40 hits doesn’t come with many frills. It does, however, include her new cover of Cat Stevens’s “The First Cut is The Deepest” done typical Crow style, and the…
Isobel Campbell
Published October 30, 2003. Isobel Campbell Amorino (Instinct) Former Belle and Sebastian member Isobel Campbell has created a disc of lush, gorgeous and staggeringly brilliant music. Campbell utilizes the basic ideas laid out by B&S and adds a light, trippy feel that flows from speakers like a summer breeze. Included are songs that capture the…
Elbow
Published October 16, 2003. Elbow Cast of Thousands (V2) What may initially strike you as screwing around soon becomes music that nestles into your cerebellum. The Manchester quintet is madly original, yet merits favourable comparison to everyone from Doves to Procul Harum. “Grace Under Pressure” enlists a gospel choir and the crowd at the Glastonbury…
David Usher
Published October 02, 2003. David Usher Hallucinations (EMI) Can we just forget Moist ever happened? David Usher is much more palatable as a solo artist than as frontman for the only-in-Canada megagroup that’s not quite as bad as the Tea Party but worse than Our Lady Peace. Hallucinations completes a trio of trippy, acoustic solo…
Dashboard Confessional
Published August 28, 2003. Dashboard Confessional A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar (Vagrant) The painfully titled third Dashboard Confessional record proper is Chris Carrabba’s most collaborative effort yet. Yet its full band sound surprisingly does nothing to diminish the superlative lyrical stream of rock’s most sensitive former schoolteacher. (Did you think it was…
Belle & Sebastian
Belle & SebastianThe Life Pursuit(Matador)Since its debut, Tiger Milk, launched in 1996, Scottish darlings Belle & Sebastian have had unwavering critical acclaim that has paralleled its rise to cult superhero status. And B&S influences abound — be they directly in other artists’ work (Swedish crooner Jens Lekman, for one, sound like he pines for Scotland)…
The complete Thin Man Collection
The complete Thin Man Collection(Warner Home Video)When critics grouse about how modern movies miss the art of repartee, when they whinge about an absence of chemistry between the leads and bemoan a lack of intelligence in the script, this is the film series they’ll most likely point to as having the best combination of those…
Primer
Primer Directed by: Shane Carruth(Thinkfilm) Primer is a dark, demanding film that explores the dream of science, to stumble across something that changes everything. It sits comfortably in the company of grim fantasy cinema such as Pi and Donnie Darko, a genre that can track tonal antecedents back to George Lucas’ THX 1138 and the…
Stabilo
StabiloHappiness and Disaster(EMI) Chalk this one up as nothing more than a guilty pleasure. Stabilo’s major label debut Happiness and Disaster hits the same stumbling blocks as its predecessor, the 2004 EP Cupid. Happiness and Disaster is overall a better album than Cupid, but that’s not saying much—the catchier, more hook-laden tracks are enjoyable, but…
The Cardigans
The CardigansSuper Extra Gravity(Stockholm)This album continues the sultry, melodic and melancholic mood The Cardigans first explored on Gran Turismo. No band strikes the musical and lyrical balance between broken down and brilliant like this quartet. “Little Black Cloud” epitomizes how they walk the line between beauty and despair. Many of these songs—including “Godspell,” “Drip Drop…
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili PeppersStadium Arcadium (Warner)With the one-two punch of Californication and By the Way, the Chili Peppers proved that they are more than just a drug-fueled party machine. Instead of moving ahead one step at a time, for Stadium Arcadium the Chili Peppers had visions of grandeur floating in their heads. Initially intended to…
Idle Sons
Idle SonsSixteen Seasons(Virgin)For every Our Lady Peace or Nickelback, there are 10 bands like Idle Sons waiting in the wings to strike it big. Unfortun- ately for those Sixteen Seasons in which their debut album was being prepped, it was not time well wasted—it was just wasted. There is no imprint left once the album…
Fists in the Pocket
Fists in the PocketDirected by: Marco Bellocchio(Criterion)The always dependable Criterion Collection finally releases Italian cult favourite Fists in the Pocket. The debut from Marco Bellocchio was—and remains—a dark foray into the dysfunctions—and physical afflictions—of a formerly upper class Italian family. Set in a small provincial town, the film follows anti-hero Alessandro (Lou Castel), who sees…
Billy Talent
Billy TalentII(Warner)With the amount of time spent recording its sophomore album, aptly titled II, one would think that Billy Talent were going to come up with a new wheel. Unfortunately one of the more hotly anticipated albums of 2006 is burdened by the old adage if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. There is no…
Dr. Octagon
Dr. OctagonThe Return of Dr. Octagon(OCD)There no point skirting around the fact that The Return of Dr. Octagon is pretty fucking weak. Seeing that Doctor himself (Kool Keith) had almost nothing to do with the disc’s creation, it seems a little more understandable, if not any more listenable. The Return is apparently a collection of…
Apocalypse Now: The Complete Dossier
Apocalypse Now: The Complete Dossier Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola(Paramount)“Terminate…with extreme prejudice.” Right from the beginning, the ominous opening credits backed by The Doors’ “The End,” Apocalypse Now is one of the most powerful films from Francis Ford Coppola’s 1970s maverick period. It features seminal performances from Marlon Brando and Martin Sheen as well as…
Strangers With Candy: The Complete Series
Strangers With Candy: The Complete Series Directed by: Stephen Colbert, Paul Dinello, Amy Sedaris and Mitch Rouse(Comedy Central)One of the truly strangest and best shows to have come from Comedy Central, Strangers with Candy tells the story of former teenage runaway, drug addict and prostitute Jerri Blank (Amy Sedaris), who returns to high school at…
Beck
BeckThe Information(Interscope)Leave it to Mr. Hansen to turn a commercial product into a scrappy DIY project, perhaps inspired by his grandfather, a well-known Fluxus artist. But peel back those make-it-sweet stickers for the blank cover and under all the cell-phone blips and beeps you’ll find some pretty dark stuff. Beck’s distinctive sing-talk is still there,…
Down in the Valley
Down in the ValleyDirected by: David Jacobson (Thinkfilm)Harlan (Edward Norton) is a cowboy in a gas station, and Tobe (Evan Rachel Wood) the teenage “valley” girl he sets his hat towards, though not if her gun-lovin’ daddy Wade (David Morse) has anything to say in the matter. The story doesn’t get much more complex than…
Amelia Curran
Amelia CurranWar Brides(Gunner)“Scattered and Small,” “You Won’t Find Me” and “All the Ladies” are just about the best trio of songs you’re going to hear. This album has a thematic sway between life on one’s own or with another, even if it’s hoping and waiting for distances to be crossed. The mood follows from carefree…
Lady Sovereign
Lady SovereignPublic Warning(Island/Def Jam)Young, small and ferocious Lady Sovereign justifies the hype as much with her ease among the beats as with what rolls out of her mouth. Fashion trash-talk lights up “Tango,” where a fake tan makes you a pumpkin and black hair dye risks comparison to “the Vicar of Dibley, what, on crack.”…
Tanya Davis
Tanya DavisMake a List(independent)The best local release in recent memory, Make a List’s charm lies in Davis’ brilliant lyrical delivery. A mix of fragile melodies and solid spoken word, Davis effortlessly draws the listener into each song, where they are rewarded with tasteful musicianship and inspired poetry.Chuck Teedcategories: Local artist,Canadian artist,Best of the year (2006)
Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins
Jenny Lewis with the Watson TwinsRabbit Fur Coat(Team Love)Indie goddess Lewis takes a turn back in time with this masterful solo debut, crafting gorgeous country-pop songs about fearing god (the awe-inspiring “Born Secular”), war (the stomper “The Big Guns”) and herself (“You Are What You Love”). Her genuis move was hiring the Watson Twins—who released…
Todd Snider
Todd SniderThe Devil You Know(New Door/Universal)Snider creates the illusion of disengagement, that he might inhabit the life of the loser he no longer is. If you haven’t had to hang drywall for a tyrant or don’t see the relevance of President Bush’s frat-boy past—well, Snider has and does. His path to rock is through humour…
Dazed and Confused
Dazed and ConfusedDirected by: Richard Linklater(Criterion)Throughout the ’90s, Richard Linklater’s ode to youth was the ultimate party- and ’70s throwback-movie. Today, it plays more like grunge-era nostalgia. But the slow burn impact Dazed had on ’90s teens was that it rejected the dramatics of the John Hughes template for something more direct—the meaningless satisfaction of…
Map of Glass
Map of GlassJane UrquhartLaced with fanciful images, like a hotel entirely and literally lost to the sands of time, a glass ballroom floor, three-dimensional maps made of fabric and bits of nature, and a dead man encased in ice floating down a river, Map of Glass is certainly Jane Urquhart’s finest book, and there’s a…
De Niro’s Game
De Niro’s GameRawi HageAnansiBefore the Giller Prize announcement, a lot of hullabaloo was made out of the fact that this shortlisted book and the prizewinner, Vincent Lam’s Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures, were riddled with copyediting errors. Usually that’s enough for me to put a book down, but De Niro’s Game was such a compelling read,…
Scott Pilgrim & the Infinite Sadness
Scott Pilgrim & the Infinite SadnessBryan Lee O’MalleyOni PressSomewhere near Mount Uniacke, Bryan Lee O’Malley is constructing the ongoing tale of the titular 23-year-old Toronto musician and his complicated love life, mashing manga-influenced art with indie rock, pop cults, video games and destroying Hogtown landmarks—good-byeeee Honest Ed’s, you monolithic eyesore—with glee. Though Scott is supposed…
The Passenger
The PassengerDirected by: Michelangelo Antonioni(Sony)A lazily-paced drama set in Saharan Africa starring Jack Nicholson as a journalist who takes over the identity of an arms dealer. Directed by Michaelango Antonioni, this quintessentially ’70s film is all about gradually insinuating mood and environment.Carsten KnoxCategories: Best of the year (2006)
U2: ZooTV Live from Sydney
U2: ZooTV Live from Sydney(Island)The Irish rock band U2 will never be ambitious or outrageous as they were during this early ’90s tour, a concert as post-modern performance art extravaganza with costumes, characters and mixed media that includes performances of songs from their best recordings. Not since David Bowie has a rock act in the…
Code Pie
Published December 08, 2005. Code Pie This Habit (Flagless) Unsung Montreal band. Sure you’ve heard of the meteoric Arcade Fire and the fast-on-their-heels Wolf Parade but what of Code Pie? Anthemic pop muddle rock that warms the heart. Code Pie bathes us in that same Montreal everything-and-the-kitchen-sink sound that has swept the nation but features…
Ben Lee
Published December 08, 2005. Ben Lee Awake is the New Sleep (New West) You would think that after Claire Danes left him, Aussie boy-wonder Ben Lee would return with an angst-ridden tearjerker full of songs like “How to Mend a Broken Heart.” But he found Zen Buddhism instead. And his inner peace and acceptance is…
Susie Arioli Band featuring Jordan Officer
Published December 08, 2005. Susie Arioli Band featuring Jordan Officer Learn to Smile Again (Justin Time) With the rising success of the Susie Arioli Band, it is refreshing to see this Montreal jazz combo has not succumbed to the temptation to be pop stars. Instead, for their fourth and finest release yet?Ariloi’s voice and Officer’s…
Birth
Published December 08, 2005. Birth Directed by: Jonathan Glazer (Alliance) Director Jonathan Glazer (Sexy Beast) pays tribute to both Kubrick and Polanski in this atmospheric drama. The story of a 10-year-old who claims to be the resurrected husband of Nicole Kidman’s widow takes some strange, illogical twists, but will stay with you long past the…
The Hammer Horror Series
Published December 08, 2005. The Hammer Horror Series Directed by: Terence Fisher (Universal) The movies from the British studio are all examples of horror films that excel through encroaching atmosphere before shock effects. They’re nicely transferred on disc, but here’s the main selling point: You get eight of them, for the price of a single…
Omagh
Published December 08, 2005. Omagh Directed by: Pete Travis (Sundance) A dramatization of the events during and following the August 15th bombing of the Northern Ireland town of Omagh, the story is told largely on the shoulders of one man and his family, a soft-spoken mechanic who gets involved in pursuing the bombers. The authenticity…
Ben Folds
Ben FoldsSupersunnyspeedgraphic(SonyBMG)Back in 2003/04, Ben Folds released three internet- and show-only EPs (Super D, Sunny 16 and Speed Graphic) with the promise of an official store release in the future. That time has finally arrived. Folds considers this album his rightful second full-length recording, between Silverman and his great Rockin’ the Suburbs. While this kind…
Idiocracy
IdiocracyDirected by: Mike Judge (Twentieth Century Fox)In Idiocracy’s dystopian future, a movie called Ass becomes a blockbuster. The appropriately titled film features a naked posterior farting for 90 minutes—the logical offspring of Rob Schneider’s entire oeuvre. The year is 2505, and when slacker Joe Bowers (Luke Wilson) awakens after the military leaves him cryogenically frozen…
Trailer Park Boys: The Movie
Trailer Park Boys: The MovieDirected by: Mike Clattenburg(Alliance)In Trailer Park Boys: The Movie, series regulars (and Nova Scotian heroes) Ricky (Robb Wells) and Julian (John Paul Tremblay) are fresh out of jail and wrongfully accused of not paying their park fees. The boys and their constant companion Bubbles (Mike Smith) agree to try to pull…
Loney, Dear
Loney, DearLoney, Noir(Sub Pop)If you’ve had your fill of Sufjan Stevens, but are still addicted to smart, catchy alterna-pop, get this new disc by Swedish wunderkid Emil Svanangen, another talented multi-instrumentalist. Loney, Noir has all the brilliance and wonder of early Belle and Sebastian EPs combined with the dexterous arrangements reminiscent of Stevens and the…
Mogwai
MogwaiZidane OST(PIAS)For even non-soccer fans, Zidane became a household name last summer after his head-butt in the dying minutes of the World Cup final virtually ended France’s hopes for victory. But the experimental film that bears his name has nothing to do with this soccer god’s career or the world’s response to his actions. Instead…
Joel Plaskett Emergency
Joel Plaskett EmergencyAshtray Rock(Maple)It’s about being in love with music. It’s about the best friends in the band and their friendship that gets wrecked over a girl. In a brisk 40-minutes-and-change, Ashtray Rock is a concept album that dances circles around the pretensions of its gatefold-sleeved ancestors. Anthemic and bittersweet at the same time, the…
The Good German
The Good GermanDirected by: Steven Soderbergh(Warner Bros.)The Good German is populated by character-types anyone who’s seen a 1940s Hollywood movie will recognize: the noble, weary hero (George Clooney); the woman-with-a-secret (Cate Blanchett); the corrupt official (Beau Bridges). To further this nostalgic feel, director Steven Soderbergh (Ocean’s Eleven) filmed the movie in black-and- white and tried…
The Stooges
The StoogesThe Weirdness(Virgin)The Stooges, man! Fucking legends! Right? If so, The Weirdness doesn’t really show it. The (New) Stooges don’t offer anything new or exciting to the band’s old formula of out-from-under-a-rock post-punk style it helped define decades ago. And it begs the question: “Why bother?” Back in the day this shit was raw and…
Little Britain Live
Little Britain LiveDirected by: Geoff Posner and Jeremy Sams(BBC Video)Little Britain Live was filmed during a tour undertaken by the cast of BBC’s popular sketch comedy show Little Britain; since the tour featured mostly new material, this disc offers fans of the show who missed it a chance to see its sketches. But Little Britain…
Paul McCartney
Paul McCartneyMemory Almost Full(MPL)McCartney, possibly the wealthiest entertainer in history, has been reticent about using the events that put him there as fodder. He loosens up a bit on Memory Almost Full, and it gives proceedings a sense of connection and warmth. The four songs that run from “Vintage Clothes” through “House of Wax” flow…
Crowded House
Crowded HouseTime on Earth(ATO/Maple)Neil Finn is one of the most underrated artists in modern pop. So often the talk about him—the appreciation of him—relates to the surface sound: rich and sunny melodies, hummable tunes, playful and heartfelt songs. There is all that, but oh, there’s so much more dwelling beneath on this album by a…
Matthew Good
Matthew GoodHospital Music(Universal)The infamously contentious Matthew Good was markedly affable upon the release of White Light Rock and Roll Review in 2004, looking as if he loved to play shows again. Then he fell apart. Diagnosed as bipolar, he also got divorced and OD’d in his parents’ shower. He wrote the aptly titled Hospital Music…
The Donnas
The DonnasBitchin’Red EyeThis saucy, somewhat malevolent foursome is up to album number seven, so the jailbait years are over. Call the music formulaic, derivative even, but don’t sell it short on hooks or ideas. Clearly, suggestions to be more ladylike have not been heeded. The songs on Bitchin’ move past the lust and aggression of…
Musem Pieces
Musem PiecesCity of Brotherly LoveYouth ClubRecorded locally, there’s a whole lotta of love—musical camaraderie at least—coming from Museum Pieces’ six-song EP. Performing as a duo, with Christian Simmons, Virgil Muir and Jason Burns, Pieces’ Tyler Messick and Andy March build a lyrical, slow folk-rock narrative as fulfilling as a full-length. This City’s architecture is structurally…
The Comedians of Comedy: Live at the Troubadour
The Comedians of Comedy: Live at the TroubadourDirected by: Michael BliedenImageFor the last few years, comedians Patton Oswalt, Brian Posehn, Maria Bamford and Zach Galifianakis (AKA The Comedians of Comedy) have been crafting ridiculously hilarious pieces of comedy gold, then performing them in an anti-comedy-club tour of rock venues. Tragically, their show will never come…
Andre 3000
Andre 3000Whole FoodsThink DifferentlyThis album smells like a pile of fragments and retreads until Andre’s Outkast cohort Big Boi joins him near the disc’s conclusion. The eight-minute “Liberation,” also featuring Cee-lo and Erykah Badu, builds like a spiritual, with cascading harmonies and moody piano. The catchiest meld of rapping and singing is “Long Way to…
Great Plains
Great PlainsHome of the New TotemOut of TouchSean MacGillivray made his name as a Sean-of-all-trades—he played drums in Burdocks, backs up Jenn Grant on bass, has guested in too many bands to list and is a go-to sound guy. How lovely to see his own terrific songs and voice—especially the soaring “Unnatural”—finally get a showcase.…
Laura Peek and the Winning Hearts
Laura Peek and the Winning HeartsFrom the PhotographsJust FriendsKittens dancing with perfect choreography. Dance hall promenades. Tea parties serving cake with thick pink icing. Old people with juicy secrets. That’s what I think of when I listen to Laura Peek’s first full-length release. First-time producer Mike O’Neill shows his sensitive side, allowing all of Peek’s…
Wintersleep
WintersleepWelcome to the Night SkyLabworkThrow away the misleading stompalong of “Weighty Ghost” and you have nine of the most epic, evocative songs ever produced in this town. Tim D’Eon comes roaring to the front, layering intricate, beautiful guitar lines deep into “Drunk on Aluminum” and “Miasmal Smoke & The Yellow Bellied Freaks,” while Paul Murphy…
Masters of Horror: Season One Box Set
Masters of Horror: Season One Box SetAnchor BayAn anthology TV series with episodes by renowned horror filmmakers sounds irresistible to genre fans. Shot in Vancouver, with cinematographers imposed upon the directors, the episodes look more like TV than stand alone films. But the storytelling can really take off. In the first season, Dario Argento, Joe…
Volver
VolverDirected by: Pedro AlmodovarSonyFrom the get-go, director Pedro Almodovar wants us to suspend our disbelief while watching Volver—to buy into its high-emotion chaos and its friendly maternal “ghost.” But the tale Almodovar has to tell is simpler than it first appears—it’s a story about female bonding and resilience, and healing long-festering wounds. The film is…
Woman of steel
Brace yourself for Sontiago. The Portland, Maine, resident recently released her sophomore full-length Steel Yourself on Endemik Music. Sonya Tomlinson, AKA Sontiago, the lyrical MC, finds herself Halifax-bound with her wordy playmate Dilly Dilly on December 8 for a gig with Ghettosocks at Hell’s Kitchen. “Performing together is really fun,” says Tomlinson, calling from her…
Dog Day
Dog DayThank You (Out of touch)When Burdocks frontman Seth Smith created Hi Firey, a side project to serve as an outlet for his folkier tunes, he likely didn’t expect the endeavour to turn out like this. Now, combining half of the scrappy Burdocks with half of the street punks The Hold, Dog Day has evolved…
Last Days
Last Days Directed by: Directed by Gus Van Sant HBO FilmsLike Van Sant’s recent film Gerry, Last Days is leisurely with narrative and dialogue. With long, meandering takes and quiet mundane scenes, it’s more concerned with tone, where the form and structure are as important as the content. This can make for a strongly felt…
You Say Party! We Say Die!
You Say Party! We Say Die! Hit the Floor! Sound DocumentCut from the same cloth as England’s Chumbawamba or Gang of Four, Vancouver’s five-piece You Say Party! We Say Die! gets its politics across using the virulent infection of beat. Hit the Floor! begins with a slowly building choral overture, an aural sorbet that quickly…
Nashville Pussy
Nashville PussyGet Some!SpitfireThough they perfected their sleazy hard-pounding sound on High as Hell, Get Some proves Nashville Pussy has grown, somewhat, as a band. Which means they have moved from the juvenile antics of a 13-year-old to a 14-year-old. They no longer just sound like Mötorhead mixed with Lynyrd Skynyrd — they’ve slowed it down…
My Morning Jacket
My Morning JacketZATOEvery band comes to a point in its career where making the music that earned it renown, acclaim and adoration becomes boring. It’s at this stage that they either just write “more songs” — like The Ramones, AC/DC or Motorhead — or transform, in the vein of Radiohead or Wilco, and risk everything…
Beanie Siegel
Beanie SiegelThe B. Coming(Roc-A-Fella)Over the last three years, Roc-A-Fella has released definitive albums about three distinct mindsets in modern hip-hop. In 2003 there was Jay-Z’s Black Album, an upper-class, spoils-of-the-game record with a conscience. In 2004 came Kanye West’s College Dropout, giving mainstream validity to backpack rap. Now the label has turned out Beanie Siegel’s…
Buck 65
Buck 65Secret House Against the World(Warner)Try to look past the fact he cancelled his hometown record release and take Secret House for what it is: a solid step in the evolution of Richard Terfry’s musical journey. To understand Buck 65, one must know that he’s prone to sudden changes in direction from record to record.…
Paul Anka
Paul AnkaRock Swings(Verve)Could this be anything other than a pathetic novelty record, like Pat Boone’s In a Metal Mood? Ottawa’s favourite son channels the spirit of Ol’ Blue Eyes, while Anka’s arranger recalls the moods and sounds of Sinatra’s great arranger Nelson Riddle. The end product is Frank’s Capitol era mixed with rock, alternative and…
Weezer
WeezerMake Believe (dgc)Make Believe is something of an anomaly in the world of Weezer: it appears that Rivers Cuomo might have actually enjoyed the time spent in the studio this go-round. It’s somewhat of an event when Weezer drops a new record — the highly enigmatic and reclusive Mr. Cuomo, Weezer’s frontman and primary songwriter,…
Various
VariousSearching for Soul(Luv ‘n’ Haight/Ubiquity)The majority of these deep funk and soul tracks from 1968 to 1980 reveal the harsh realities of life in the Motor City. Manual B. Holcolm’s “I Stayed Away Too Long” includes this disheartening line: “When I got your last letter, I knew something was wrong/ I was layin’ in a…
Bruce Cockburn
Published January 05, 2006. Bruce Cockburn Speechless (True north) Bruce Cockburn is one of this country’s finest songwriters. And nearly every album from his two-decade-plus career has featured at least one instrumental track. But most of the time, these pieces have taken a backseat to his political activism and devout lyricism. Speechless is a CD…
A Northern Chorus
A Northern ChorusBitter Hands Resign(Sonic Unyon)Known as a hotbed for quality underground acts, Hamilton is arguably the home of some of the finest musicians in the country. A Northern Chorus, staples in the steel city scene, are renowned as one of the most underrated Canadian bands, but their new album should bring some attention to…
Caribou
CaribouThe Milk of Human Kindness(Domino)Just so you know, Caribou is Manitoba’s new name. It seems that the very lame frontman for punk band The Dictators, Handsome Dick Manitoba, sued Dan Snaith (formerly Manitoba) for trademark infringement. This is Snaith’s first full-length recording under the new alias and it does not disappoint; sweet beats, tweets, twinkles,…
Bloc Party
Bloc PartySilent Alarm (Vice/Dim Mak)Bloc Party isn’t as much about its influences as its execution. While the band has been accused of drawing influence from just about every British group that has ever written in a minor key, it’s ultimately the songwriting that makes them worthwhile. Matching aggressive melodies, manic drumming and geometrical guitar work,…
Greg Keelor
Greg KeelorSeven Songs for Jim(Warner)This is not Greg Keelor’s admission of love to Jim Cuddy—it is far a more intimate album than that. This album deals with Keelor’s grief over the loss of his father, especially hard when you’ve developed a bond as adults. Tender and heartfelt, Keelor has poured any remaining emotion into these…
Various
VariousCoach Carter OST(Capitol)When the movie revolves around a basketball coach who pushes his team to strive for bigger things than being the kings of the court, why does the soundtrack rely on the same derivative hip-hop and R&B? As with most OSTs, the line-up looks great on paper, but is forgettable upon hearing it. There…
The Nein
The NeinNein EP(Sonic Unyon)Bridging some forgotten gap between Bauhaus and Fugazi, The Nein make pop music for goth dance parties in the Czech Republic. Smothering hollowed-out disco beats, tinny guitars and spacey atmospherics with a sour mood, the band has created something unique within an over-populated genre. The overall effect is like Franz Ferdinand’s angry,…
Alan Benjamin
Alan BenjaminConstellations(independent)South shore trio Alan Benjamin sounds like it’s struggling to find an identity. Is it an indie band with a penchant for big-rock vocal posing? Or closet Puddle of Mudd fans with limited recording devices that lead to a lo-fi aesthetic? If you read the lyrics (references to decay, parasites and isolation) you’d think…
Tony Joe White
Published November 25, 2004. Tony Joe White Heroines (Sanctuary) Best known for his 1969 smash “Polk Salad Annie,” White sounds pretty much the same as ever, except for an A-list of duet partners: Lucinda Williams, Emmylou Harris and Shelby Lynne. The mix of Louisiana drawl, wiry guitar and purring organ transports you to a lazy…
Hood
HoodOutside Closer(Domino)Coming off the icy tones of Cold House, it’s surprising how warm of a record Hood has made now. Not to say that the band has pushed all of their trademark wallowing in a pit of lo-fi sadness sound to the side—they’ve just surrounded it with plusher production. This change is also aided by…
Justin Rutledge and the Junction Forty
Justin Rutledge and the Junction FortyNo Never Alone (Six Shooter)Batten down the hatches, pour yourself a drink and turn your stereos up because this feller could be the reincarnation of Gram Parsons. Not since Ron Sexsmith’s debut has anyone offered up such heartfelt lyrics, so prominently placed on sleeve. It’s fully entrenched in the traditions…
Gordie Sampson
Gordie SampsonSunburn(Maple)As key as Cape Bretoner Samp- son has been to east coast music in his six years between albums, Sunburn could easily be from an Ontario or California artist. It’s free of fiddle and hometown homilies and packed with sonic sophistication and high-art metaphors. “Paris” uses the city to woo and is destined to…
Elliott Smith
Elliott SmithFrom a Basement on the Hill (Anti)Given the tragic ending to Elliott Smith’s troubled life, this “final” album will surely be picked apart and over-analyzed. Songs like “The Last Hour” and “Memory Lane” are horribly telling in hindsight. When he sings “it is raining in my heart,” only the coldest heart could ignore its…
Frank Black Francis
Frank Black FrancisS/T(Sonic Unyon)This two-disc set from frank black francis is timely considering the Pixies reunion is one of the hottest acts of the year. Disc one features the very first solo demos of songs destined for Come on Pilgrim and Surfer Rosa. Disc two will raise a few eyebrows. Last year FBF went into…
Sum 41
Sum 41Chuck(Aquarius)Sum 41 has finally dislodged that tongue from their cheek. No longer mired in the juvenile mall-punk antics that made them stars, on Chuck—the follow up to Does This Look Infected?—a matured Sum 41 emerges. They’ve seriously incorporated metal, previously spoofed on “Pain for Pleasure,” into the mix. Their violent visit to the Congo…
Interpol
InterpolAntics(Matador)With their second record, New York’s moodiest band moves away from the Joy Division-aping dirges of Turn On the Bright Lights and begins to find a distinctive Interpol sound. There are even sure-fire singles such as “Evil‚” with its quiet-loud dynamics, and the layered wall of sound “Slow Hands.” Most impressive is lead singer Paul…
Various
VariousGarden State OST(Sony)North America’s new boyfriend Zach Braff has created a lovely mix tape to go along with the film he wrote, directed and stars in, making his list of hyphenates grow to almost pretentious proportions. Featuring songs by Coldplay (“Don’t Panic,” also used to similar hopeful effect in Igby Goes Down), Zero 7, The…
Jadakiss
JadakissKiss of Death(Ruff Ryders/Interscope)Innovators (Outkast, Kanye West, Eminem) make hip-hop an interesting genre to invest time into. Then you have the imitators, like Jada, who don’t bring anything new—they simply want to linger in the nostalgia of their idols (Biggie Smalls). The guest list for Kiss of Death is extensive: Snoop, Nate Dogg, Mariah, Kanye…
Various
Various Poor Boy: Songs of Nick Drake (Songlines)Nick Drake’s music, riding a peak of popularity 25 years after his death, is long overdue for a tribute album. But this recording loses focus by its over- intellectualization of the music, losing sight of the true essence of his songs. Even without being verbatim cover versions, Veda…
PJ Harvey
PJ HarveyUh Huh Her(Island)After Harvey’s most commercial sounding record Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea, she is back with a vengeance. Uh Huh Her is a yin and yang of the raw lo-fi aggression unleashed on Rid of Me, coupled with the subtle beauty of songs such as “Water” from Dry. This is…
Various
VariousThe Grass is Always Bluer (Nettwerk)The Grass is Always Bluer is a cornucopia of Americana with proceeds going to the Sweet Relief charity. Packed with some of the genre’s finest and fleshed out with some new players, the disc isn’t nearly as strong as it should be. Choosing weak cuts from Americana goddess Gillian Welch…
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…
Johnny Cash
Johnny CashCash Unearthed(American)Rick Rubin did an incredible thing by pulling Johnny Cash out from under his ’70s Love Boat guest spots and putting him back in the studio. This is a collection of outtakes, spirituals, greatest hits and collabora- tions. These five CDs are a document of 10 years of the unlike- ly pairing of…
David Byrne
David ByrneGrown Backwards(Nonesuch)While it is difficult to fault David Byrne for his aspirations—he covers both Bizet and Lambchop on this album—he should be held accountable for not knowing what doesn’t work for him. “Glass Concrete & Stone” or “Tiny Apocalypse” succeed because they explore rhythmic textures that suit his strained vocal style. But smooth crooning…
Greg MacPherson
Greg MacPhersonMaintenance(G7 Welcoming Committee)This EP from Winnipeg-based MacPherson is a raw recording of acoustic material, including a cover of the Clash’s “Bank Robber.” Sonically sparse and tastefully under-produced, the songs are infused with a sense of urgency as MacPherson’s raspy, stoic voice reverberates off the room’s walls. The Strathspey feel of “Company Store” harkens back…
Norah Jones
Norah JonesFeels Like Home(EMI)Norah Jones has tried to squelch the hype as best she could with the release of Feels Like Home, but it is still running overtime. With good reason: Her sophomore release embraces fans of the multi-platinum Come Away With Me and onlookers alike as if they were old friends, treating them to…
Ativin
AtivinNight Mute (Secretly Canadian)Fans of Mogwai, Come and Codeine will find plenty to enjoy in Ativin’s latest. Beyond the obvious comparisons—layered guitars, minor key melo- dies and a slow purposeful momentum—there is also the despair and hopelessness that dominates what they call “an intentional homage to the world of horror literature and film.” Apart from…
The Unintended
The UnintendedS/T (Blue Fog)The Unintended’s debut disc sounds like snippets from a six-day jam, which is both a blessing and a curse. The self-titled album works best when the Canadian super group—featuring members of Elevator, The Sadies and Blue Rodeo—adds bong-fuelled psychedelia to simply crafted songs such as “Stay Calm” and “The Truth.” The band…
The Vines
The VinesWinning Days (Capitol)The perpetually stoned Craig Nicholls leads his band of Aussies through more of the same on Winning Days. There are flashes of brilliance here: The opener “Ride With Me” is a gloriously brash call-to-arms. “TV Pro” is the pissed-off child of the Paisley Underground and UK punk, while “Fuck the World” channels…
Peaches
Published September 25, 2003. Peaches Fatherfucker (Kitty-Yo/XL) If someone were to take the punk grind of industrial pioneers Suicide and throw in some guitars and techno beats, they would have Peaches. Pushing the sexual politics laid out by Wayne/Jayne County in the ’70s/’80s NYC punk scene, Peaches twists androgyny into a vulgar camp ideal. Fatherfucker…
Various
VariousA Very Special Acoustic Christmas (Lost Highway)Country is as country does. And when country does Christmas, it does it well. With a mix of Alison Krauss, Norah Jones and Alan Jackson, these seasonal tunes will have you snuggling into a cozy plaid shirt, clutching a spicy eggnog. Sam Bush’s upbeat “Let It Snow!” instrumental reminds…
Ryan Adams
Published December 04, 2003. Ryan Adams Love is Hell Part 1 (Lost Highway) Ryan Adams is great. Although his albums can be nauseatingly pretentious, he has written some truly great songs since his solo debut in 2000. This trend continues with Love Is Hell. Far outdoing the album it was bumped by to follow up…
Belle & Sebastian
Published November 13, 2003. Belle & Sebastian Dear Catastrophe Waitress (Rough Trade) Belle & Sebastian have been so consistent over four albums, a soundtrack and endless EPs, it’s almost unsettling to hear Dear Catastrophe Waitress. There are a few tracks (“Asleep on a Sun-beam,” “Wrapped Up in My Books”) that are close to the expected,…
Lederhosen Lucil
Published October 30, 2003. Lederhosen Lucil Tales from the Pantry (Hypo) A recent dazzler at Ladyfest, Lederhosen Lucil gives eccentricity a good name, deftly massaging vintage keyboards while singing about lumps on her skin (“Doin’ the Ganglia”) and diet concerns (“Semi-Sweet”). Her topics are those of an outsider artist, yet she sings in three languages,…
Priya Thomas
Published October 16, 2003. Priya Thomas Songs for Car Commercials (Boiling Point) Songs for Car Commercials is an interesting collection of well-orchestrated pop that stretches out into some new and interesting realms. Thomas has the amazing ability to sample Nick Drake, Indian folk and Bruce Springsteen all on one record, plus the intellect to make…
The Dandy Warhols
Published August 21, 2003. The Dandy Warhols Welcome to the Monkey House (Capitol) Gone are the acoustic, alt-country leanings of Thirteen Tales of Urban Bohemia, replaced by synthesized soundscapes. Producer Nick Rhodes (of Duran Duran) helps to direct the transformation. As always, The Dandys come up with a lot of style and some killer tunes,…
April Verch
April VerchTake Me Back(Rounder)As a child, the Ottawa Valley native won enough fiddling trophies to fill a garage. Her command is in evidence on the instrumentals, as is what separates Upper Canada and Cape Breton. Verch sets toes to tapping, but is less likely than Natalie or Ashley to inspire rhythmic convulsions. On her originals,…
In the Realms of the Unreal: The Mystery of Henry Darger
In the Realms of the Unreal: The Mystery of Henry Darger Directed by: Jessica Yu(Diorama Films)Henry Darger was a Chicago janitor. Unable to relate to people, he lived alone. Upon his death in 1973 at the age of 81, his landlady discovered his life’s work, hidden in his room. Darger, now considered a giant of…
The Ladies
The LadiesThey Mean Us (Temporary Residence)Pinback is a band that’s never quite as breathtaking as it should be. But over three albums, especially 2004’s superb Summer in Abandon, the band has surely found its steadfast following. For some reason other bands of similar ilk (Death Cab, for one) have enjoyed much greater attention. Maybe someday…
Brokeback Mountain
Brokeback MountainDirected by: Directed by Ang Lee(Focus Features)The peak of Brokeback Mountain-mania came back in January, and the slow backlash that followed probably accounted for it not winning Best Picture at the Oscars in March. In a season where so many films with socio-political edge made an impact, Crash will be remembered as the most…
Elvis Costello with The Metropole Orkest
Elvis Costello with The Metropole OrkestMy Flame Burns Blue(Universal)This disc continues in the vein of Piano Jazz, but My Flame Burns Blue isn’t a throwaway, fans-only release. Instead, it’s a genius work recorded live in 2004 with jazz and string orchestra Metropole Orkest. Costello gets to rework much of his back catalogue with new arrangements…
Roxanne Potvin
Roxanne PotvinThe Way it Feels(Alert)The album is not her debut, but it feels like a coming out party for the Gatineau gal, what with the guest cameos and the busiest guitarist/producer around, Colin Linden. John Hiatt harmonizes on the snappiest of her compositions, “A Love That’s Simple.” Daniel Lanois turns up on the ballad “La…
Various Artists
Various ArtistsThe Kings of Jazz (BBE)The Kings series is less definitive than its name might imply. Still, each arbitrary assortment has unearthed some beauties. Veteran jazz fans may find The Present, compiled by Jazzanova, a techy mellow soup of less interest than the sweaty brilliance on The History (Gilles Peterson). From the titles, you might…
Scott Walker
Scott WalkerThe Drift(4AD)From 1967 to 1970, Scott Walker released four records that intersected grand baroque arrangements with morbid undertones, sung in a voice that was a cross between Jacques Brel and Frank Sinatra. These post-Walker Brothers records laid the cult iconography and genius reputation of Walker. By the mid-’70s he entered an exile that lasted…
Rihanna
RihannaA Girl Like Me(Def Jam)Signed to Jay-Z’s Def Jam roster after winning talent competitions in her native Barbados, teenage R&B siren Rihanna made a modest debut last year with the dancehall-inflected Music of the Sun. Few would have predicted her quick ascent into pop’s upper echelon, but that’s exactly what she and executive producer the…
Eric Bachmann
Eric BachmannTo the Races(Saddle Creek)This is Eric Bachmann’s best disc ever. That may seem like a far-reaching statement given his track record—a series of stellar, lo-fi indie rock albums as Archers of Loaf followed by an equally prolific output as Crooked Fingers—but this latest is something else. It oozes soul from every nook and cranny…
Yo La Tengo
Yo La TengoI Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass (Matador)Brilliant. That is the word that keeps coming to mind over and over again while listening to the latest from New Jersey’s beloved noise-pop trio, Yo La Tengo. And it is really exciting to be able to say that again. After…
The Album Leaf
The Album LeafInto the Blue Again(Sub Pop)No surprises from the fourth record by The Album Leaf, basically Californian singer and multi-instrumentalist Jimmy LaValle. The compositions here tip to the experimental, post-rock realm. Not surprisingly, LaValle has recently toured with Sigur Ros. LaValle cleans up the many tracks that go into a single song. This is…
Masters of Horror: Imprint
Masters of Horror: ImprintDirected by: Takashi Miike(Anchor Bay)Extremely violent Asian films have had a significant impact among many horror fans in the west. Japanese director Takashi Miike (Audition) is practically synonymous with the genre. When Showtime began its Masters of Horror series—an anthology where a different director would be brought in for every episode—it made…
Various
VariousMarie Antoinette OST(Verve)The union of new wave and royal courts fits like a pair of worn-in Chuck Taylors. Turns out that the 1980s were as vapid and vain, but just as much decadent fun, as Versailles, thanks to the candy-sweet soundtrack to Sofia Coppola’s movie Marie Antoinette. Wisely dodging familiar retro night material, the songs…
John Legend
John LegendOnce Again(Good Music/Sony Urban)Even if it didn’t have Kanye West listed as executive producer, Once Again would be a substantial record. The showcase here remains John Legend’s vocals, which often sound like labelmate Jarvis Church or Gerald Eaton of the Philsopher Kings. Throughout Once Again Legend reanimates the R&B tradition laid down in the…
The Derek Trucks Band
The Derek Trucks BandSonglines(Columbia)Trucks was raised in Southern rock, married the blues and is still finding roots. The fluid, multi-ethnic band drops some Rahsaan Roland Kirk and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan among his own numbers. Trucks’ dazzling fretwork leaves space for his crew to get subtly seismic. He’s a most agreeable virtuoso.Doug Taylorcategories: Best of…
Magnolia Electric Company
Magnolia Electric CompanyFading Trails(Secretly Canadian)Jason Molina has never been one of those prolific writers who wastes your time trying to offer a bit of everything. He knows what he’s good at and he sticks to it. Fading Trails finds him working under the Magnolia Electric Company moniker again, delivering country soul that haunts the footsteps…
TV on the Radio
TV on the RadioReturn to Cookie Mountain(4AD)Sometimes something comes along that will affect everything that comes after it. No one who heard the fragile brilliance of TV on the Radio’s Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes thought it was merely a glance into a promising band’s potential. Somehow though, it was. Return to Cookie Mountain is…
Double Indemnity: Special Edition
Double Indemnity: Special EditionDirected by: Billy Wilder(MCA Home Video)The original Let’s Kill the Hubby and Fuck Off With the Insurance Money story, this 1944 noir features Fred MacMurray playing against type as the immoral insurance agent, on the hook with Barbara Stanwyck’s murderous wife, letting fly with classic zingers like “Do I laugh now, or…
Miss Elva
Miss ElvaStephens Gerard MaloneStephens Gerard Malone wrote this novel years ago, couldn’t find a publisher for it and tucked it away in a cedar chest in the basement. It finally saw the light of day this year, and a good thing, too. It’s an unsentimental story based loosely on the life of Maud Lewis, that…
Gargoyles
GargoylesBill GastonAnansiSome people believe that short stories don’t have enough meat. Well, pull up to the buffet and fill up on Bill Gaston’s Gargoyles—some of the best short stories I’ve read in years. As Gaston wrote each of these gems, mostly centered on the subtle undercurrents of family relationships, he sketched out a gargoyle, perhaps…
The Fox and the Hound: 25th Anniversary Edition
The Fox and the Hound: 25th Anniversary EditionDirected by: Ted Berman, Richard Rich(Disney)It’s the narrative simplicity of this Disney treatment—made in the frequently neglected Dark Era between Walt’s death and The Little Mermaid—that makes it stand out against today’s self-aware, joke-a-minute feature animations. What’s set up as nice story between friends is then unfairly torn…
Pirates
PiratesDirected by: Joone(Digital Playground)Ray Harryhausen-style effects are incorporated into this adventure film, a cash-in on Pirates of the Caribbean mania. Except it’s also a porno. Does it work as a “real movie”? Its story is amusing, though the production values veer closely to an episode of The Adventures of Sinbad. Director Joone’s thing for tall…
United 93
United 93Directed by: Paul Greengrass(Universal Pictures)Whatever the motivations for making a film about what happened on the doomed 9/11 flight, there’s no denying Paul Greengrass’s thriller is suspense filmmaking of the first order, his docudrama style a real-time recreation of both midair and on-the-ground events in grim, startlingly realized detail.Carsten KnoxCategories: Best of the year…
Contrived
Published December 08, 2005. Contrived Dead Air Verbatim (Dependent) Contrived has always been pretty handy with the monster riff, but the band never had a recording that captured its intense energy until now. Dead Air Verbatim showcases the quartet at its most creative musically and sonically, with ferocious performances and a batch of songs as…
Magnolia Electric Company
Published December 08, 2005. Magnolia Electric Company What Comes After the Blues (Secretly Canadian) Magnolia Electric Company is the heartfelt piece of Americana that has been eluding Ryan Adams since the promise of his Heartbreaker album was washed away in a wave of hype, hair products and alcohol. Revealing a true understanding of the Americana…
System of a Down
Published December 08, 2005. System of a Down Mezmerize/Hypnotize (America) Easily their most ambitious project to date, SOAD decided to pull a Tarantino and sever their two-disc set into Mezmerize and Hypnotize, released six months apart. The ferocity contained within these two discs simmers with social and political commentary, as seductive as it is savage.…
Born Into Brothels
Published December 08, 2005. Born Into Brothels Directed by: Zana Briski, Ross Kauffman (Thinkfilm) This year’s Academy Award winner for best documentary, Born Into Brothels reveals the lives of children of prostitutes living in North Calcutta. It’s a film both grim and joyful, and gives a sense of the children’s potential beyond their circumstances, without…
Harakiri
Published December 08, 2005. Harakiri Directed by: Masaki Kobayashi (Paradox/Criterion) Masaki Kobayashi’s 1962 moral drama avoids (even criticizes) the epic scale inherent in samurai films. Yet it’s thrilling and involving in ways that few straight genre films accomplish. Harakiri?the Japanese term for ritual suicide?has a scene of extended violence of such sobriety it really succeeded…
PS
Published December 08, 2005. PS Directed by: Dylan Kidd (Columbia Tri Star) Laura Linney is a university admissions officer who meets a man half her age who she believes may be the reincarnation of her long-dead high school sweetheart. Not so much a supernatural romance, more a comedy and drama of regret and romance between…
The Tyde
The TydeThree’s Co.(Rough Trade)Hundreds of records come out every year under the broad moniker “indie pop.” While some fans relish in the sameness that 95 percent of the releases share, most people will only pay any real attention to the few albums that attempt to take their sound into a realm beyond the usual mixtures…
Young Jeezy
Young JeezyThe Inspiration: Thug Motivation(Universal)The Inspiration: Thug Motivation is another record depicting the urban hustler and the effects of slinging that rock. Thick, imposing beats highlight Jeezy’s robust southern drawl and the impressive guest list. Fans of 50 Cent and G-Unit will feel right at home here—Jeezy’s shtick is so recycled and cliched at this…
Tom Waits
Tom WaitsOrphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards (Anti)Since his rebirth on the Anti label, Tom Waits has been pretty damn amazing. Orphans is without an ounce of doubt his finest release since Mule Variations, a varied dish that is a beautiful way to start off 2007. Three discs packed in a Cibachrome-tinted box contain 56 tracks,…
The Besnard Lakes
The Besnard LakesThe Besnard Lakes are the Dark Horse (Jagjaguwar)Where the Besnard Lakes’ 2003 debut began like some lethal gas brewing in your pipes, this one opens brightly: “Baby, I’ve got some words for you.” OK, the song is “Disaster,” but a change of pace is afoot. Dark Horse puts greater emphasis on structure and…
Aqueduct
AqueductOr Give Me Death(Barsuk)The second full release from Seattle, Washington-based Aqueduct (AKA one-man-band David Terry) shows the influence of piano-driven ’60s pop with an ’80s synthesiser sound. It’s Brian Wilson wrapped in dry wit, resulting in satisfying tunes. A good example is the opening track “Lying in the Bed I’ve Made‚” where Terry sings “Sorry…
How William Shatner Changed the World
How William Shatner Changed the WorldDirected by: Julian Jones(Discovery Channel Canada)Fans of William Shatner may be disappointed to learn that this documentary’s true subject is not reflected in its name. While the former Captain Kirk does narrate the film (originally made for TV’s Discovery Channel), the movie’s less about Shatner’s global impact, more about the…
The Cliks
The CliksSnakehouse(Warner)Snakehouse tries to take rock to a more primitive time. Lots of crunch and pulsating beats that recall the days before every rock band began to sound like either shitty metal (Nickelback) or punk-pop (Green Day). The sound owes a lot to Chrissie Hynde and the classic first two Pretenders records. But it’s a…
Snow Cake
Snow CakeDirected by: Directed by Marc Evans(Alliance)At one point in Snow Cake, morose Alex (Alan Rickman) and high-functioning autistic Linda (Sigourney Weaver) engage in a game of Linda’s creation—”comic book word” Scrabble. Players can create any word, as long as they provide an example of their word’s comic-book-related use. It’s whimsical without being annoying. Snow…
Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova
Glen Hansard and Marketa IrglovaOnce OST(Summit)This is how dope the songs from the terrific film Once are: they’re number one in soundtracks at iTunes, besting even Hannah Montana and High School Musical. Though some of the tracks are available rock-like on The Cost, the latest from Hansard’s band The Frames, and in delicate piano form…
Rilo Kiley
Rilo KileyUnder the Blacklight(Warner)After two years off for Jenny Lewis and Blake Sennett to pursue their solo projects, Rilo Kiley returns with this catchy-ass disappointment. Sex is a key theme, but lines like “I was smokin’ him in bed” do not provide enough edge to hide the irony-dipped Casio lines and easy-listening arrangements. Opener “Silver…
Andre Ethier
Andre EthierOn Blue Fog(Blue Fog/Sonic Unyon)The former head Deadly Snake serves up some roomy compositions. A couple of solos, by saxophonist Ohad Benchetrit of Do Make Say Think and guitarist Chad Ross, arrive in the most offhand way to elevate and utterly justify the lengths of “On Lies” and “Pride of Egypt,” respectively. At key…
Kanye West
Kanye WestGraduationRoc-A-FellaThere is no one who loves Kanye West more than Kanye West. But the Louis Vuitton Don is one of the few artists who can actually back the boasting; here, he enlists an all-star supporting cast—-Chris Martin, T-Pain, Mos Def and Lil’ Wayne—who add to the proceedings, rather than taking away the spotlight. From…
Buck 65
Buck 65SituationWEAIt’s been nearly 10 years since Skratch Bastid (Paul Murphy) went head to head with Buck 65 (Rich Terfry) at the DJ Olympics. It was a much talked about turntable battle with a classic “old guard versus new” fable. That was 1999. And now in 2007, the two have come together for an album…
Crazy Love
Crazy LoveDirected by: Dan Klores and Fisher StevensMongrelWatching Burt Pugach and Linda Riss’s implausible “love” story unfold for the first time in this fascinating documentary, one assumes that the love part of the story ends at the movie’s midpoint, when Burt hires a thug to throw acid at Linda’s face. But it doesn’t. And clever…
Blue Rodeo
Blue RodeoSmall MiraclesUniversalWhen it comes to the success or failure of a Blue Rodeo album, it all comes down, arguably, to Greg Keelor. When he’s sounding all down on his luck, so does the band. That’s what happened on the group’s last outing, Are You Ready? But Keelor’s up and at it on the new…
Grinderman
GrindermanGrinderman Anti-Listener beware: at the end of this disc (and “No Pussy Blues” in particular) it will feel like your chest has exploded. So watch out. It has been a while since Nick Cave has sounded this desperate, this vicious, like his pants were alit with hellfire. Essentially giving the middle finger to aging rockers…
The Rentals
The RentalsLast Little LifeBoompaIn just four tracks, The Rentals reaffirm why they matter in 2007. Like brainchild Matt Sharp’s former band Weezer, the band proved that a lengthy hiatus between records only increases your stature as, and influence on, today’s indie-rock elite. One of the best-kept secrets of the year. Ian Gormelycategories: Best of the…
After The Wedding
After The WeddingDirected by: Susanne BierIFCDanish director Susanne Bier (Brothers) delivers a dynamite melodrama about an ex-pat (Mads Mikkelsen, Le Chiffre in Casino Royale) returning to Copenhagen to raise money for an orphanage in India and discovering the legacy of his youth in a daughter he’s never known.Carsten KnoxCategories: Best of the year (2007)
A Mighty Heart
A Mighty HeartDirected by: Michael Winterbottom Paramount VantageHollywood has spent the last couple of years being critical of American foreign policy in the Middle East, but this is one of the only pictures that accurately captures both the culture and the whiff of western hubris. Directed by Michael Winterbottom (Road to Guantanamo), it gives Angelina…
WKRP in Cincinnati: The Complete First Season
WKRP in Cincinnati: The Complete First Season20th Century FoxListen up, babies: after years of being mired in music-rights-related DVD-release limbo, Dr. Johnny Fever is finally in the house. Many of those rights issues weren’t resolved, so 1970s radio sitcom WKRP’s first season has hit DVD with much of its original music replaced and some scenes…
Ninja Gaiden Black
Ninja Gaiden BlackMicrosoft XboxWhether you’re a real ninja or not, you’ll agree that Ninja Gaiden Black is the best fighting game for any console. You’d be hard pressed to improve on the frantic action and precision required to succeed. For these reasons, NGB is also arguably the most difficult game to master. The controls are…
O, Christmas Tree
It’s holiday season column time, so I’m tempted to go off on an anti-consumption rant, dis excessive light displays and bitch about holiday travel—Ho, Ho, Ho! Thankfully, I’ve got a more upbeat story to share—and if you’re into the consumption thing, have I got some suggestions for you. This story starts with the Ecology Action…
The Tragically Hip
The Tragically HipHipeponymous UniversalThe Tragically Hip is a national treasure. For the better part of two decades, trends have come and gone but the lineup and sound of the Hip have remained intact. After 10 studio albums and a single live album, this Kingston five-piece has bestowed upon us its cleverly titled greatest hits package…
Shemekia Copeland
Shemekia CopelandThe Soul TruthAlligatorOn her fourth album, the late Johnny Copeland’s girl stirs up a soul stew with horns, funk and, most importantly, guitarist-producer Steve Cropper. The old Blues Brother and MG harnesses Copeland’s raw Texas fury into a Memphis groove. Occasionally she slips away. A few moments are more Ethel Merman than Etta James,…
Broken Social Scene
Broken Social SceneS/TArts & Crafts On Broken Social Scene’s fourth album the motto is Go Big or Go Home. Everything here is big — big production, big sound, big guitars, big choruses. It is as if they took the liveliest and grandest moments from You Forgot it in People and exploded them into the cosmos.…
Fiona Apple
Fiona AppleExtraordinary MachineSonyBMGSix years after the critically acclaimed When the Pawn . . ., and after a long, drawn-out recording process (including a change of producers mid-stream), Extraordinary Machine finds Fiona Apple essentially where she left off. Most of the pro-gress is in the vocal department, where Apple explores her higher range and delivers rapid-fire…
Gomez
GomezOut West (ATO)From the rise and fall of Britpop stars Oasis and Blur through the recent surge of nu-New Wave acts like Bloc Party and onto the wuss rock of Coldplay (and lesser Coldplays Keane and Snow Patrol), everybody forgot about Gomez. A terrific British five-piece with three singers and a name like a Mexican…
Mae
Mae The Everglow (Tooth & Nail) Out with its sophomore release The Everglow, this Virginia Beach quintet has also taken a stab at its first concept album. The theme could be described as an old-style children’s book on tape — the accompanying booklet comes complete with lyrics and illustrated pictures. The music could simply and…
Maria Taylor
Maria Taylor11:11(Saddle Creek)Maria Taylor’s first solo outing does nothing to dull the shine on Saddle Creek, the Omaha label reaching early-’90s Sub Pop proportions. On a break from her day job as half of Azure Ray, Taylor offers 10 pretty, electronic-brushed pop songs perfect for scoring daydreams. She never does better than lead track “Leap…
The Dissociatives
The DissociativesThe Dissociatives(virgin)Ex-Silverchair whiner Daniel Johns has finally moved away from the angsty grunge and has teamed up with Australian techno phenom Paul Mac to assemble The Dissociatives. The leadoff track “We’re Much Preferred Customers” resembles a pompous knock-off of Radiohead’s Kid A, but is not at all representative of the album. The remainder of…
John Mayer Trio
John Mayer TrioTry!(Sony)John Mayer Trio, John Mayer is best known for his sappy, romantic brand of pop-rock. It’s relatively unknown that Mayer is also a talented blues guitarist. Try! brings together Mayer, Steve Jordan (his resume includes a laundry list of some of the biggest names in music including James Brown, Eric Clapton and The…
Beck
BeckGuerolito(Interscope)It’s hard to understand why Beck, a genuine creative machine, needs Scientology. Although he’s not jumping over couches (yet), L Ron really isn’t helping out Beck in the music ingenuity department either. Guerolito, a remix of Guero, is just fine, perhaps more a goodie bag for hardcore fans that doesn’t push any boundaries. All of…
Belle & Sebastian
Belle & SebastianPush Barman to Open Old Wounds(Matador)When Belle & Sebastian first ignited the Glasgow music scene in 1997, the band drew many comparisons to the Smiths — for its preference for lonesome, monochromatic portraits adorning its record covers, for its sophisticated lyrical and musical savvy and for releasing scads of EPs. This latest disc…
DJ Cheb I Sabbah
DJ Cheb I SabbahLa Kahena(Six Degrees)La Kahena is San Francisco-based, Algerian-born DJ Cheb I Sabbah’s latest musical journey, which took place through sessions in San Francisco, New York, New Delhi and Marrakesh. While his best known records, like Sri Durga, reflect immersion in traditional Indian music, this new album delves into North African music–Moroccan, Yemeni…
Andy Stochansky
Andy Stochansky100(Maple)With Five Star Hotel, Stochansky displayed a knack for small pop gems that were both clever and catchy. With no ambition to reinvent the wheel, his songs resembled a sturdy chair you could relax in for a spell. However, with Johnny “Goo Goo Doll” Rzeznik producing, Stochansky now sounds a little uncomfortable with the…
LCD Soundsystem
LCD SoundsystemLCD Soundsystem(DFA)Critics have claimed that LCD Soundsystem is a revolution in the electro world, a record that infuses a heart and soul into the cold mechanics of the genre. While this may be the end result, it would be a mistake to see James Murphy’s music as a calculated stylistic step. It’s about the…
Cerys Matthews
Cerys MatthewsCockahoop(Rough Trade)Catatonia spent most of its ca-reer being equally out of touch with both the mainstream and the underground. It is with no great anticipation that the band’s singer, Cerys Matthews, releases her solo debut. Despite the low expectations from her previous band (and the tragic title of this album) Cockahoop is excellent. It’s…
Mos Def
Mos DefThe New Danger (Geffen)Mos Def isn’t your typical hip-hop artist—he transcends the genre barriers with a brand of socially aware hip-hop that’s eluded the mainstream thus far. His style of music incorporates a variety of different genres, which makes The New Danger a disappointing outing—it’s far too disjointed to hold down a steady groove.…
Staggered Crossing
Staggered CrossingBurgundy & Blue(Bent Penny)Back in 2001, Staggered Crossing had two major hits. Despite this, the band was dropped by its label, and the independent follow-up was mediocre at best. Fortunately, the band has found its way back into a groove and return with the stellar Burgundy & Blue. The disc features the stylish “Grow”…
U2
Published November 25, 2004. U2 How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (Interscope) How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb is being heralded as U2’s return to their rock roots. Press play and you’re launched into “Vertigo,” the misleading single from Bono and Co— it’s a rock-leaning track, but after Atomic Bomb really gets going, it never…
Lori McKenna
Lori McKennaBittertown(True North)It’s one thing to sing about hard lives. What’s art is to make them a thing of beauty. Massa-chusetts resident McKenna was already a wife and mother when her music began to blossom. Descriptions of married life depict love alongside a raging at its boundaries. The line “’Cause I’m all you have” in…
Esthero
EstheroWe R in Need of a Musical Revolution(Warner/Reprise)It’s been a while since Esthero has been in the spotlight, and if her new EP We R In Need of a Musical Revolution is any indication, she’s not coming back any time soon. Her sound fuses the feistiness of Pink with the eccentricity of Björk, but the…
Tanya Donelly
Tanya DonellyWhiskey Tango Ghosts (4AD)Rumour has it Tanya Donelly has been listening to a lot of Lucinda Williams, Emmylou Harris and Neko Case lately. You don’t have to venture too far into Whiskey Tango Ghosts to find confirmation. This latest album is sparsely arranged, folkier and more grounded than what we usually expect from Donelly.…
Various
VariousMusic from The OC: Mix 2 (Warner)Perhaps a year spent with The OC’s characters makes this more affecting than the solid first mix, or perhaps the songs are just better. A balance between sensitive boy fare (Super Furry Animals’ “Hello Sunshine,” Nada Surf’s cover of “If You Leave,” Death Cab for Cutie’s “A Lack of…
Neko Case
Neko CaseThe Tigers Have Spoken(Mint)The pairing of Neko Case with her pals The Sadies is pure genius. While The Tigers Have Spoken only whets our appetites for a new disc from Ms. Case (tentatively scheduled for the spring of ’05), it certainly satisfies. This 12-track compilation of live tracks was culled from seven shows in…
The Dears
Published October 21, 2004. The Dears Thank You Good Night Sold Out (Maple) While Montreal’s The Dears feed buzz with a world tour, Canada gets a live album. The band’s studio sets may be lusher, but there is extra oomph here in the guitars and singing. Fans yelling “Woo!” have a way of deflating those…
Rilo Kiley
Rilo KileyMore Advent-urous(Brute/Beaute)Just try and pick out the best moment on this LA pop quartet’s third long-player. There’s the “shoo-bop shoo-bop my baby” on “It’s A Hit.” There’s the whole of the heartbreaking “Does He Love You?” There’s Jenny Lewis’s on-beat panting on the sex jam “Portions of Foxes.” (We’re only three songs in.) Maybe…
Jay Bennett and Edward Burch
Jay Bennett and Edward BurchThe Palace at 4 A.M. (Bent Penny)When Jay Bennett said goodbye to Jeff Tweedy, Wilco fans were worried. But Tweedy proved himself; Bennett came out on the losing end. Though the multi-instrumentalist left a void in Wilco, The Palace at 4 A.M. isn’t close to the calibre of any Wilco project.…
Howie Beck
Howie BeckHowie Beck (True North)“Don’t be afraid if you’re all fucked up,” advises Howie Beck a third of the way through his lovely new record, his first in five years. The Toronto songwriter is a melancholy sensitive boy with a voice that’s just short of breathy, perfect accompaniment for the shimmering cymbals, horns and la-la…
Antibalas
AntibalasWho is this America?(Ropeadope)As alarm grows over US foreign policy, culture reflects this. It certainly fires up Antibalas, the Brooklyn-based band devoted to the Afrobeat sound of the late Fela Kuti, right down to rhythmic rants, lumbering horns and freaky organ from the planet Sun Ra. For visual backup, it’s hard the beat the running…
Iain Archer
Iain ArcherFlood the Tanks (Bright Star)Iain Archer already has plenty of cred to his name as guitarist for the supergroup Reindeer Section and Snow Patrol. But if this album gets its due, he may be poised to become one of indie rock’s newest shining stars along the lines of Sparklehorse’s Mark Linkous. Flood the Tanks…
AC Newman
AC NewmanThe Slow Wonder(Blue Curtain)You may not always agree with Spin magazine, but it sure as hell hit the nail on the head when it said that New Porno-grapher AC Newman should release an album every month. He is a brilliant songwriter with stunning arrangements. While that can get him into trouble with overly exaggerated…
The Real Tuesday Weld
The Real Tuesday WeldI, Lucifer(Six Degrees)Once you get past the lengthy handle, the Real Tuesday Weld conveys languid London cabaret cool, finding fertile ground in the breakup. A Glen Duncan novel serves as inspiration for Stephen Coates’ breezy tunes. In his world, honesty trumps romance through titles like “(Still) Terminally Ambivalent Over You.” With its…
Franz Ferdinand
Franz FerdinandS/T(Dominio)Travis’s Fran Healy said it best: America defines the music, Britain refines the music. Franz Ferdinand takes the best aspects of NYC garage rock and infuses it with an upbeat, bass-driven pulse. These Scottish lads make music that forces you to shake your ass. UK hit “Take Me Out” starts with a Strokes riff…
Junior Jack
Junior JackTrust It(Noise/PIAS)By the time Junior Jack’s album hits track four, you’re going to be hooked. He’s not a household name, but Trust It is making waves on the electronic dance scene. Junior Jack’s ability to let the beat slowly build (in either volume or clarity) really adds to the pulsating tracks he lays down.…
Brent Randall and his Pinecones
Brent Randall and his PineconesQuite Precisely(Just Friends)Best known as Mark Bragg’s bass player, Brent Randall steps out in a major way. An ambitious and skillfully written effort, Quite Precisely is driven by Randall’s knack for melody and tasteful piano-playing. “Television and Treasure” conjures the spirit of Mott the Hoople while “In Horsedrawn Delight” marches and…
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…
Various
Published February 05, 2004. Various Oh! From the Girls (Nettwerk) One look and you’ll think it’s some cheap MuchMusic compilation of hits. Except the culprit is that fine western Canadian label Nettwerk and its intentions are more altruistic. Part of the proceeds go to the Sarah McLachlan Music Outreach, which offers free music education to…
The Beatles
The BeatlesLet it Be… Naked(EMI)With this release Beatles collectors are confronted with three versions of Let it Be: The mediocre Spector mix, the legendary bootleg of Glyn John’s original mix—known as Get Back—and now McCartney’s approved mix. The sound and stripped down feel they strived for is here, but Let it Be… Naked lacks the…
Wil
WilBoth Hands(EMI)You cannot deny the talent of Wil—he is a gifted songwriter and musician—but those elements alone do not make a hit pop album. Without the charisma or style to leave an impression on an audience, your technical background means nothing. This is the case with Wil’s debut Both Hands: It’s a bland, unimpressive start…
Warren Zevon
Published September 25, 2003. Warren Zevon The Wind (Artemis) While his recent death is liable to make any praise look like lip service, in his last work Warren Zevon truly delivers one of his greatest albums. The Wind poses interesting similarities to George Harrison’s posthumously released Brainwashed. Both albums are loose in style, with an…
Harry Connick Jr.
Harry Connick Jr.Harry for the Holidays(Sony)Connick’s 1993 album When My Heart Finds Christmas was geared for quiet family nights sitting around the tree in front of a roaring fire, but his latest is for those that like their Christ- mas music with a jazzy edge. Maybe he feels the kids are 10 years older—and have…
Me’Shell Ndegeocello
Published December 04, 2003. Me’Shell Ndegeocello Comfort Woman (Maverick) Simply fucking brilliant! Incorporating all the best aspects of R&B, soul and Prince’s contemporary funk with a kick in the ass from George Clinton and Funkadelic, the disc is a rousing surprise in the world of contemporary R&B. While the public gets flooded with industry-remodelled moneybags,…
Stereolab
Published November 13, 2003. Stereolab Instant O in the Universe EP (Warner) The first record after the death of founding member Mary Hansen follows the group’s signature French-electronica sound while heightening a pop sensibility, making this the most accessible Stereolab work since the mid-’90s. Gone are the minimal beats of Dots and Loops in favour…
From Autumn to Ashes
Published October 30, 2003. From Autumn to Ashes The Fiction We Live (Vagrant) This band wants you to believe it is unique among the tangled mass of testosterone-driven angry guitar bands. But it is not. FATA is loud, aggressive and mixes its pile-driving rhythmic assault with a melodic underscoring. Big deal—so do a shitload of…
Spokane
Published October 16, 2003. Spokane Measurement (Jagjaguwar) If you have ever sat stoned watching the grass grow, you might have a sense of what Spokane wants to achieve with its brand of slo-core. If you think you would enjoy such time distortion, Measurement is for you. So devoid of momentum and aim, the experience of…
Kate Markowitz
Published September 11, 2003. Kate Markowitz Map of the World (Compass) In-demand backup and harmony singer secretly builds a stash of songs for her own solo breakout: It worked for Sheryl Crow. The start of the story is the same for Kate Markowitz. The result is less sun-drenched California pop than the droning moan that…
The Misfits
Published August 21, 2003. The Misfits Project 1950 (Misfits Records/Ryko) With yet another personnel change and Jerry Only (the only original member) taking over vocal duties, Project 1950 is a sad rip-off of what Glenn Danzig’s Misfits were. These covers of ’50s rock ‘n’ roll are more or less a solo project by Only. While…
Young and Sexy
Young and SexyPanic When You Find It(Mint)The Victoria group, which pivots on the duo Paul Pittman and Lucy Brain, have delivered a passionate, urgent and sophisticated pop record in Panic When you Find It. Indeed, one experiences passion and urgency in youth. The band seems to not only understand that, but harness the energy as…
Bride and Prejudice
Bride and PrejudiceDirected by: Gurinder Chadha(Pathé/Miramax)Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is transformed into a Bollywood musical by the British-raised director of Bend it Like Beckham with absolutely delightful results. The Bennets become the Bakshis, a middle-class Indian family living in Punjab whose matriarch is eager to marry off the eldest of four daughters as quickly…
Starsailor
StarsailorOn the Outside(EMI) Remember Travis? Starsailor sure does. That’s whom critics compared the British band to when they released their debut Love is Here behind the strength of the still-gorgeous “Good Souls” in 2001. Five years and a forgotten second album (Silence is Easy from 2004) later, Starsailor returns with On the Outside, a good…
Ciccone Youth
Ciccone YouthThe Whitey Album (Remastered) (Geffen)Even 20 years after its original release, Sonic Youth’s one-off “side project” is still a confusing enigma. It was recorded in 1988, the same year as the seminal album Daydream Nation, but it shares nothing with that release. The title refers to the band’s desire to put out its own…
Jens Lekman
Jens LekmanOh You’re So Silent Jens(Secretly Canadian)It is a wonder Jens Lekman hasn’t just packed up and moved to Scotland. Over three EPs and one full-length, Lekman has demonstrated a keen devotion to the same melodic tapestry worshipped by Belle & Sebastian and a host of other chamber-pop stalwarts. Albeit with a certain twist—despite its…
Pearl Jam
Pearl JamPearl Jam(J)After tearing the roof off of the Metro Center last September, Pearl Jam headed back into the studio to complete work on its self-titled eighth album. During the considerable downtime between studio releases, Pearl Jam continued to satisfy fans with a b-sides compilation, a greatest hits package and an acoustic live album (not…
Neil Young
Neil YoungLiving with War(Reprise)Minutes after hearing the National Guard had opened fire on a student-organized anti-war protest at Kent State, Neil Young wrote the stirring classic “Ohio.” Forty years later, the venom in his voice is just as toxic on the brilliant anti-war opus Living With War. While the album has already been weighed down…
Nelly Furtado
Nelly FurtadoLoose(Geffen)You might be wondering what Nelly is attempting to tell us with an album called Loose and a single called “Promiscuous”—but this is not an artist you can call easy. After the resounding success of her debut Whoa, Nelly! turned into backlash against her sophomore release Folklore, Furtado had to re-evaluate her place in…
Punishment Park
Punishment Park Directed by: Peter Watkins (New Yorker Video)Punishment Park is a chilling and haunting pseudo-documentary about how the American government decides to deal with “traitors” and “dissidents.” An opening voiceover explains how Nixon uses the 1950 McCarran Internal Security Act—the right to collapse the traditional justice system and detain anyone who is “a risk…
Paul Weller
Paul WellerCatch-Flame(YepRoc)Worshipped by Britons but hardly more than a cult favourite on this side of the Atlantic, Paul Weller’s career longevity and capacity for reinvention have made him a hero to the likes of Blur and Oasis. This blistering double live album, recorded at London’s Alexandra Palace, finds the Modfather and band in a rootsy,…
Kelly Joe Phelps
Kelly Joe PhelpsTunesmith Retrofit(Rounder)Soft-spoken, light-fingered Phelps leaves an intricately bare-bones imprint on Tunesmith Retrofit. It may take multiple listens to get past the craft to the emotions. Three Canadians—Chris Gestrin, Jesse Zubot and Steve Dawson—help flesh out the Oregonian’s subtle backing. “The sensible word that hovers and shakes like a hummingbird,” from “Tight to the…
John Mayer
John MayerContinuum(Sony)After his massive success with sap singles “Your Body is a Wonderland” and “Daughters,” it would be hard not to see John Mayer as anything more than just another pop artist. But the formation of the John Mayer Trio helped Mayer scratch the creative itch that he felt was being neglected. Upon returning to…
The Killing of a Chinese Bookie
The Killing of a Chinese BookieDirected by: John Cassavetes (Criterion Collection)John Cassavetes was one of the first actors (The Dirty Dozen, Rosemary’s Baby) to move away from the Hollywood mainstream and direct his own self-financed independent features. With his debut Shadows he helped to build the foundation of underground cinema, and in 1974 A Woman…
The Rapture
The RapturePieces of the People We Love(Universal)Safe to say the world didn’t expect much from the Rapture when the Echoes LP came out in 2003. Slowly, however, the band started catching breaks. Along with its DFA label and co-founder James Murphy’s LCD Soundsystem, the group became synonymous with the indie-dance craze (see “House of Jealous…
The Tragically Hip
The Tragically HipWorld Container(Universal)Since its release on October 17, World Container has been pouring out of speakers from coast to coast. This is the first Hip release in quite some time to truly resonate with that trademark Hip sound. World Container finds itself firmly embedded in classic Hip territory from the opening strains of the…
Kid Koala
Kid KoalaYour Mom’s Favorite DJ(Ninja Tune)Your Mom’s Favorite DJ is a challenging listen as it does not rely on a traditional track list—instead there are three tracks for 30-plus minutes of material. Recorded as a mix-tape, it forces the listener to sit down and experience the turntable stylings as you might with a piece of…
Dixie Chicks
Dixie ChicksTaking the Long Way(Columbia)The blistering “Not Ready to Make Nice” still hits hard after months of airplay, as Natalie Maines wonders incredulously, “How in the world could the words that I said/send somebody so over the edge/that they’d write me a letter saying that I better/shut up and sing/or my life would be over?”…
Mastodon
MastodonBlood Mountain(Warner)Mastodon’s fourth album isn’t the band’s best (that award goes to Leviathan), but it’s still better than most heavy albums released in the last year. Vocalists Brent Hinds and Troy Sanders channel the spirit of classic Black Sabbath this time around, while the band dishes out some of the best riffage this side of…
Chad Van Gaalen
Chad Van GaalenSkelliconnection (Sub Pop)Calgary’s CVG has quickly become one of Canada’s most treasured musical secrets. And for this sophomore offering he digs even deeper into his bizarre fantasy world—albeit with a measure of optimism and a wider sonic palette—for an album that is a playfully idiosyncratic mixture of catchy indie-pop, traveling blues, ’80s electro-pop…
Dune: Extended Edition
Dune: Extended EditionDirected by: David Lynch(Universal)David Lynch turned down Return of the Jedi for this adaptation of Frank Herbert’s sci-fi classic. Herbert’s novel proved too dense for two-and-a-half hours, and critics in 1984 were as offended by idiosyncratic commercial films as they are now (note Dune’s film school faux pas of multiple narrators). But the…
Waiting…
Waiting…Directed by: Rob McKittrick(Lions Gate)Character-driven comedies rarely attract big audiences in theatres. In Waiting…’s case, it didn’t get critical support either. Audiences young enough to know better should have no trouble identifying with Rob McKittrick’s debut about a very long work day for low-paid restaurant employees. Loaded with more extras than anyone who didn’t work…
Race Against Time
Race Against TimeStephen LewisIt’s not good in the way a novel is good, in that it takes you away from your real life. Race Against Time does that, but it takes you to a place you’d probably rather not go; a place you’re lucky you don’t have to visit, let alone inhabit. Still, it’s a…
I like you: Hospitality Under the Influence
I like you: Hospitality Under the InfluenceAmy SedarisWarner BooksIf you’ve ever wondered what a cold-cut meat cake would look like, look no further. Best known as Strangers with Candy boozer, user and loser Jerri Blank, in real life, Amy Sedaris also sells cheeseballs and cupcakes. Really. Now you can too. Chock full of legit recipes,…
Grandma’s Boy: Unrated Edition
Grandma’s Boy: Unrated EditionDirected by: Nicholaus Goossen(Fox)First, Adam Sandler repeated kindergarten. Then Rob Schneider experienced life as a gigolo. Now, Allen Covert is a 30-something video game tester who has to live with his grandma. Wait a second…What?? Grandma’s Boy achieves the impossible feat of making the idiot-comedy subgenre less pretentious by giving it a…
Point Break: Pure Adrenaline Edition
Point Break: Pure Adrenaline EditionDirected by: Kathryn Bigelow(Fox)So many titles have now hit DVD that 2006 has been more notable as a year for rereleases with new features. It also gives you a second chance to pick up Point Break. Kathryn Bigelow, one of the best action directors of the ’80s and ’90s, gives this…
The Venture Bros. Season One
The Venture Bros. Season OneDirected by: Christopher McCulloch(Turner Home)A canny spoof on ’60s and ’70s adventure animation, playing off Johnny Quest, Spider-Man and pretty much every campy cartoon of a certain era on American TV. The—once live-action—Tick, Patrick Warburton, voices the uber-tough Brock Samson, bodyguard to the titular dunderheaded siblings and their mad-scientist father, Dr.…
Dane Cook
Published December 08, 2005. Dane Cook Retaliation (Comedy Central) Set in front of a rowdy, appreciative audience, Dane Cook’s double disc is the Frampton Comes Alive of comedy albums. Cook’s young, everyman style of performance is infectious, and the laughs he generates with his sophomoric storytelling and observational humour are huge. The end result is…
Lori McKenna
Published December 08, 2005. Lori McKenna Bittertown (True North) Could this be New England’s answer to Lucinda Williams? If family life delayed McKenna’s blossoming, a willingness to lay it all out seriously stokes her songs. Pinched old-timey vocals give her battles and worries an eternal quality. With such a crack band, tales of small-town decay…
Two Hours Traffic
Published December 08, 2005. Two Hours Traffic Two Hours Traffic (Independent) The youthful Prince Edward Island quartet drops more hooks than a pirate party, using guitars as percussion you might hum, not unlike the La’s. Producer Joel Plaskett keeps things crisp and throws in a scorching break on “Girl Up the Stairs.” Girl problems once…
Bride & Prejudice
Published December 08, 2005. Bride & Prejudice Directed by: Gurinder Chadha (Alliance) Jane Austen by way of Bollywood. The Edwardian class struggle source material fits perfectly with the blokes-in-frocks bawdiness and the over-the-top conventions of Indian musicals, full of colour, gesture and romantic melodrama. Carsten Knox Categories: Best of the year (2005)
Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle
Published December 08, 2005. Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle Directed by: Danny Leiner (New Line) The college sex comedy meets the buddy road movie, handled with a mounting insanity that’s a step away from being a horror film. Danny Leiner’s one-night adventure of Chinese and East Indian best buds on a trek for…
Primer
Published December 08, 2005. Primer Directed by: Shane Carruth (Columbia Tri Star) Director-writer-star Shane Carruth twists the pretzel logic of time travel for his own purposes in his ambitious first film. Like all great science fiction, it uses a fantastic premise to explore broader moral dilemmas while budgetary constraints become its strength: Special effect flash…
Robert Randolph & the Family Band
Robert Randolph & the Family BandColorblind(Warner)The phenomenon of cranked and spanked steel guitar spills over from gospel to this powerhouse New Jersey outfit, who look to leap from local hero status with Colorblind. A black group with such dense guitar presence not playing pure blues is rare. The Randophs are more rock than the Isley…
I Am a Sex Addict
I Am a Sex AddictDirected by: Caveh Zahedi(IFC Films) The main character of writer/director Caveh Zahedi’s I Am a Sex Addict is exquisitely annoying—for most of the movie, the titular coitus enthusiast is self-absorbed and whiny; he uses his honesty as a weapon, assuming forthrightness about his actions frees him from responsibility for their results.…
Stars Of Track And Field
Stars Of Track And FieldCenturies Before Love And War(Wind-Up)The first major label long form release from the two guitar/drum trio from Portland, Oregon consists of seven new tunes plus three from the 2005 EP You Came Here For Sunset Last Year. Songs such as “Movies Of Antarctica,” “Real Time” and “Say Hello” show the influence…
The Bird & The Bee
The Bird & The BeeThe Bird & The Bee(Blue Note)Given lead singer Inara George’s coy Hepburnish looks and their home on Blue Note Records, it would be easy to mistake this LA duo as an innocent sunshine jazz outfit. That is, until you hear their electronica cover of Peaches’ “Fucking Boyfriend.” A mix of Burt…
For Your Consideration
For Your ConsiderationDirected by: Christopher Guest(Warner Independent)Writer-director Christopher Guest has spent the last decade turning out hilarious mockumentaries about idiosyncratic topics. In Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show and A Mighty Wind, Guest and his stable of collaborators (including Catherine O’Hara, Fred Willard, Michael McKean and Parker Posey) explored the worlds of community theatre, dog…
Andy Palacio and the Garifuna Collective
Andy Palacio and the Garifuna CollectiveWátina(Cumbancha)Andy Palacio hails from Belize and specializes in garifuna, a mix of Central American and African sounds traced back to slaves brought to the Central American Caribbean coast. Throughout Wátina the African influence is apparent—most often it’s Malian musical influences, but Mali isn’t the only nation drawn on here. One…
Timbaland
TimbalandShock Value(Interscope)Having made a name for himself as Missy Elliott’s right-hand man, Timbaland has emerged as one of the premiere producers in the music industry. He’s helmed Nelly Furtado’s Loose and Justin Timberlake’s Future Sex/Love Sounds and his fingerprints can be found on albums by the Pussycat Dolls, Redman and Jay-Z. Timbaland moves back to…
The History Boys
The History BoysDirected by: Nicholas Hytner(Fox Searchlight)The History Boys is set in an ever-so-British world, in which preparing for the entrance examinations to Oxford and Cambridge is worth attending an extra semester of school. The film follows several boys who set about doing just that. But the movie isn’t as much about this preparation process…
Gypsophilia
GypsophiliaMinor Hope(Independent)Local jazz fans have been raving about Gypsophilia since its inception and Minor Hope shows why—packed end-to-end with stellar chops and arrangements whose execution is nothing short of genius. The disc is a cornucopia of jazz blasts, baroque bridges and blues-funk groove that all roam over a foundation in French gypsy jazz. Rounded out…
Various
VariousStax 50th Anniversary Celebration(Concord)Any soul fan worth his grits will have a dozen of these 50 tracks from the heyday of Memphis’ Stax label. That still leaves room for some thrilling discoveries and happy memory-stoking. The span of 1961 to 1974 closely parallels the rise of Motown, but Stax is just a bit more Southern.…
Brian Auger’s Oblivion Express
Brian Auger’s Oblivion ExpressLooking in the Eye of the World(True North)Auger made his name 35 years ago. One could easily be unaware he is still touring and recording, groundbreaking chops intact. He played keyboards on notable numbers from the Yardbirds’ “For Your Love” to the Absolutely Fabulous theme, “Wheels on Fire.” Daughter Savannah sings now,…
The Parkas
The ParkasPut Your Head in the Lion’s Mouth(Saved by Radio)Understandably, the Parkas sound a bit tired on this—their third—release. The London, Ontario-based guitar-pop quartet almost broke up two years ago. The 2006 EP and documentary DVD A Life of Crime and the Scars to Prove It offered new music—following 2004’s Now This is Fighting—and a…
hey rosetta!
hey rosetta!Plan Your Escape EP(Sonic/Warner)This Newfoundland lush-rock outfit nabbed an ECMA nomination for the LP version, which caught the attention of Sonic Records (Matt Mays, Nathan Wiley), which signed the band up for a remix and release in this shorter form. If you missed the independently produced original, this record is a worthy choice. They’ve…
Devendra Banhart
Devendra BanhartSmokey Rolls Down Thunder CanyonXLThe effect of Devendra Banhart’s full-time band on the nu-folk singer-songwriter’s music is like steroids on Barry Bonds’ swing. On Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon Banhart tackles a Zappa list of genre eccentricities and orchestration. One highlight is the delightful doo-wop tune “Shaboom Shalom.” But the quintessential track is “Seahorse”:…
Ox
OxAmerican Lo Fi weeworkFans of Vancouver alt-country band Ox will be pleasantly surprised by this sophomore effort. The typical-country acoustic guitar and quaint vocals are replaced with minimalist, reverb-rich distorted electric guitar and gritty vocals. “Sugar Cane” is heartbreakingly melancholic thanks to this change—reminiscent of “Wavering” from Dust Bowl Revival. Inspired by life on the…
Days of Glory
Days of Glory Directed by: Rachid BoucharebIFCA great war movie. Based on a true story, it features four North African men fighting to free France from the Nazis in WWII. Despite their courage and conviction, they suffer discrimination, echoed through the decades. A dark companion-piece to Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan, and nearly as powerful.Carsten KnoxCategories:…
Christine Fellows
Christine FellowsNeverthelessSix ShooterSometimes you hear an artist and just know that if you met, you’d become friends. I like to think that of Winnipeg’s Christine Fellows, one of the most artistic and literary musicians working. There are references to poems by Marianne Moore and Yeats, and she pays homage to Tim Findley. Many of the…
Gypsophilia
GypsophiliaMinor HopeindieGypsophilia creates a cornucopia of jazz blasts, baroque bridges and blues-funk groove that all roam over a foundation in French gypsy jazz. Even without their unique vision, the chops and arrangements are killer. Minor Hope is a stunning debut from one of Halifax’s most eclectic ensembles. Trevor McLarencategories: Best of the year (2007)
The Sadies
The SadiesNew SeasonsYep Roc/OutsideThe Canadian kings of surf country add more psychedelic vibes to their 13th Elevators meets Buck Owens sound. Drops of old-school country mixed with trippy jams make old Grateful Dead records obsolete. New Seasons is not only one of The Sadies’ best it is quintessential listening for the future of alt-country.Trevor McLarencategories:…
Apocalypto
ApocalyptoDirected by: Mel GibsonBuena VistaAn historically inaccurate, gratuitously violent movie about the end of Mayan civilization made by a documented racist—all of which led to the rash dismissal and misunderstanding of Apocalypto. But this film is great by virtue that it’s made by a madman. Mel Gibson isn’t aspiring to textbook history, but an abstraction…
Night on Earth
Night on EarthDirected by: Jim JarmuschCriterionThe most unfairly neglected of Jim Jarmusch’s films, it hasn’t the indie cache of his early stuff (Stranger than Paradise, Down by Law) or the aging-hipster appeal of later works (Ghost Dog, Broken Flowers). This series of taxi encounters around the planet ranges from haunted (Paris) to zany (Rome) to…
Zodiac
ZodiacDirected by: David FincherParamountThis barebones disc will soon be rendered obsolete for collectors—a two-disc director’s cut hits stores in early January. But David Fincher’s nifty film about California’s Zodiac killer is so good, we’ll overlook this release’s sad lack of special features. A cinematic throwback in all the right ways (often compared to All the…
Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil 4Nintendo GamecubeResident Evil 4 transcends the horror action genre with its cinematic approach. Considering your number-one kill tactic is a bullet to the brainpan, this game is not for the weak of heart. There are some human (not always zombie) targets, so it takes a little mental rewiring to get comfortable. The game…
DVD Reviews
Bob & Doug MacKenzie’s Two-Four Anniversary, directed by Henry Sarwer-Foner & searchable archives.
City of Angels
Reportedly, Halifax mayor Peter Kelly first met Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa in the studios of radio station WABC in New York City, where Sliwa hosts a talk show. Neither Kelly nor Sliwa returned repeated calls for comment, so there’s no telling what the mayor thought of the radio show. But if shows broadcast live…
Elliott Brood
Elliott BroodAmbassadorSix ShooterContrary to what they would like you to believe, Elliott Brood did not ride into town with a six-shooter and a flask of whisky for company. Yet after listening to this record, you’ll swear you’re wiping prairie dust from your face. The Toronto trio classifies its music as “death country,” and the title…
Alive & Living
Alive & LivingPLOIndependent Evolved from his 1999 solo record, Time Between Failures, former Chore frontman Chris Bell has devised a new melodic, folky, master plan. Those in search of another Chore record need not apply — PLO (as in Please Leave On) is drastically different than anything his distorted former ensemble ever released. Accompanied by…
Corb Lund
Corb LundHair in My Eyes Like a Highland Steer Stony PlainThere’s something reassuring about a country singer who came of age in a punk band (The Smalls). If he reverts to instinct, it could get interesting. Corb Lund doesn’t scare the animals too often, and his amiable openness and rural sense are impossible to fake.…
Controller.Controller
Controller.ControllerX-AmountsPaper BagIt’s unfortunate that you can’t bottle singer Nirmala Basnayake’s energy, but Toronto’s Controller.Controller’s first full-length is filled with all the icy riffs and murderous intent that make the dance-punk band’s shows memorable. Comparisons to Debbie Harry or Siouxsie Sioux are unavoidable, but here’s betting that Patti Smith has hit Basnayake’s turntable a few times.…
Todd Snider
Todd Snider That Was Me 1994 – 1998(Hip-o)Snider is a Nashville smartass and charmer whose early work is due for a re-airing. This set picks the cream from the first three of his seven albums and will be a delight to recent converts. Comparisons to John Prine and Jerry Jeff Walker are apt, for both…
Kinski
KinskiAlpine Static(Sub Pop)Take the slow, purposeful momentum of slowcore, add the mercuric plodding of Sabbath-era metal with just a dash of European psych rock and you kinda get the idea of Seattle’s Kinski. Sound familiar? Perhaps, but Kinski is worlds apart from Mudhoney, or the whole grunge scene. Mudhoney never allowed one note to repeat…
The Clumsy Lovers
The Clumsy LoversSmart Kid(Nettwerk)Mainstays of the Vancouver folk scene for a decade, the Clumsy Lovers plop onto the national radar with their seventh album. Fiddle and banjo are granted power to rock in the proper hands, driving uplifting songs (where clumsy love rates extra value for being honest). If the aim is to sound live…
Two Hours Traffic
Two Hours TrafficTwo Hours Traffic(maple)The Charlottetown foursome wastes little time establishing its signature: twin guitars, imaginatively tuned, at a healthy volume (without beating the listener into a vegetative state), garnishing songs that run three minutes or less. If snappy top-40 ever comes back, Two Hours Traffic is fluent in that language. The sure hand of…
Loudon Wainwright III
Loudon Wainwright IIIHere Come the Choppers!(sovereign artists)Wainwright appears to be adjusting well to suddenly being known as the father of Rufus and Martha. His 21st album features perhaps the best band he’s ever had, including guitarist Bill Frisell and drummer Jim Keltner. That’s just as well, because the songs run more to bittersweet recollection than…
Shakira
ShakiraOral Fixation Volume 2(Epic)Perhaps the most classically beautiful woman to sing this well since Lena Horne, the Colombian siren Shakira presents the Anglo sequel to Fijacion Oral, with just a couple of songs in common. Latin flourishes are held in check to the extent that it’s a relief when they are embraced on “Animal World.”…
Augustana
AugustanaAll the Stars and Bouelvards(Epic)Yet another band that subscribes to the Coldplay form of impassioned singalong. We must’ve reached critical mass for this kind of music by now, considering just the imports from the UK — Keane, Doves, Snow Patrol and so on. There’s very little to distinguish Augustana from the Brit lot, even though…
Brendan Benson
Brendan BensonThe Alternative to Love(v2)Brendan Benson’s debut One Mississippi was one of the greatest records of the ’90s. Yet on record number three he is still an underground cult figure. The Alternative to Love’s blissfully raunchy pop will hopefully change this. The disc is a no-holds-barred rip through the foundation of power-pop. Taking bits directly…
The Soundtrack of Our Lives
The Soundtrack of Our LivesOrigin Vol. 1(Telegram)The Soundtrack of Our Lives has spent the last seven years releasing some of the best rock music of our time. While long adored by everyone from Oasis to Brad Pitt, it wasn’t until 2001 that the band made their stateside debut with Behind The Music. The album showed…
Hot Hot Heat
Hot Hot Heat Elevator (Sire)Victoria’s Hot Hot Heat has released the hotly anticipated follow-up to 2002’s Make Up the Breakdown, Elevator. What made that debut so fantastic was that it had a slew of tracks so insanely catchy (“Bandages,” “Talk to Me, Dance with Me,” “No, Not Now”) that they’d lodge themselves deep inside your…
Louis XIV
Louis XIVIllegal Tender(Atlantic)Illegal Tender is one fantastic debut EP. Mixing Some Girls-era Stones with the panache of glam-rockers T-Rex and Bowie, Louis XIV keeps it interesting without resorting to cliches. And the result is a nasty romp through the excesses and politically incorrect world of rock and roll, where the sex is as dirty as…
Bright Eyes
Bright EyesI’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning (Saddle Creek)Conor Oberst is never going to stop those Voice of a Generation proclamations if he keeps pulling stunts like this. The first of two simultaneously released albums, I’m Wide Awake finds the same folky sad boy displayed so beautifully on 2002’s Lifted. Since leaving Omaha for NYC, he’s…
The Fever
The FeverRed Bedroom(Kemado)With an approach reminiscent of post-punk revivalists !!!, The Fever tackles you head on with sharp anthems punctuated by bursts of organ and guitar fire. Its sound owes as much to the Talking Heads and Dead Or Alive as it does to Hot Hot Heat. Be it the industrial disco of “Scorpio,” the…
Bright Eyes
Bright EyesLua”/“Take it Easy (Love Nothing)(Saddle Creek/Outside) On January 25, 2005, Bright Eyes will release two full-length albums. I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning will showcase the familiar side of the band, the one that’s rooted in acoustic guitars and heartbreak. Digital Ash in a Digital Urn will reveal a new side to the project, one…
Tony Joe White
Published November 25, 2004. Tony Joe White Heroines (Sanctuary) As the dust settles on the UK- fuelled “New Rock Revolution,” it’s become apparent that few of the world’s Greatest New Bands lived up to the legacy of the groups they modelled themselves after. For over-mimicked and under-purchased California outfit Fu Manchu, this is an old…
Jack Johnson
Jack JohnsonIn Between Dreams(Brushfire)Putting on a Jack Johnson album is like sitting down around a campfire with an old friend. Warm and inviting, Johnson’s In Between Dreams is an album where you hit play and let the music wash over you. Fans of On and On might be put off by the mellow vibe here—it’s…
[image-2][image-3][image-4]Published February 17, 2005.<…And You Will Know Us By the Trail of DeadWorlds Apart(Interscope)This is a truly exciting record, for those of you interested in rock music actually moving forward. All at once you hear Death Cab, the Cons, the Arcade Fire and the Norts. It succeeds where many other progressive rock records fail, in…
Mase
MaseWelcome Back (Bad Boy)It’s sad when someone has to throw their own welcome back party but Mase doesn’t seem to mind. Whether talking about it in his songs or just yelling in public earshot, Mase seems absolutely thrilled to be seeing more of Mase again. As for his music (not that that ever really is…
Josh Rouse
Josh RouseThe Smooth Sounds of(Ryko)Josh Rouse has been more or less an ignored talent who has put out a solid collection of acoustic roots pop. With 1972, he walked into the league of Elliot Smith, sculpting a folk-pop masterpiece. The Smooth Sounds of is a compilation of rarities and demos that comes with an exquisite…
The Aristocrats
The AristocratsDirected by: Paul Provenza (ThinkFilm)A man and a woman walk into their living room to watch The Aristocrats. Soon the man is laughing along as dozens of comedians give their take on “The Aristocrats,” the comedy world’s filthy in-joke. He casts a nervous glance at the woman, who has been largely silent through convoluted…
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang ClanThe Legend of Wu-Tang(BMG)The old maxim still holds: Wu- Tang Clan truly ain’t nothing to fuck with. While most of the group’s members are now focusing on either screen work or a crack addiction, this collection takes a balanced look back. With a cast of characters no fiction writer could match, Wu- Tang made…
Magenta Lane
Published October 14, 2004. Magenta Lane The Constant Lover (Paper Bag) Magneta Lane’s debut EP is a (mostly) solid six-song effort with catchy tunes, highlighted by Lexi Valentine’s attention-grabbing sultry voice and simple yet fun guitar riffs. Unfortunately, producer Jon Drew, who drums for Toronto rockers Uncut, really should have helped Magneta Lane out in…
Peter Elkas
Peter Elkas Party of One(Maple)The strengths Peter Elkas demonstrated as principle songwriter for the Local Rabbits— catchy, strong, extended melodic lines—continue on his debut solo LP. But instead of the Springsteen comparisons of old, it sounds as if he has been spinning some 30-year-old white man soul albums while discussing the merits of minor-key ballads…
Björk
BjörkMedulla (Elektra)The Icelandic pixie with the big voice returns with her sparsest record to date, a collection based almost entirely on vocal tracks. Only a piano or drum accentuates the mesmerizing words and incantations of Björk and guests such as Mike Patton and the Roots’ awesome beatboxer Rahzel. Some fans may complain that Björk has…
The Hidden Cameras
The Hidden CamerasMississauga Goddamn (Outside)The band’s debut, Smell of our Own, was a charming and intelligent display of shimmering pop brilliance that was shocking in its explicit glorification of homosexual pleasure. Thank-fully little has changed. Joel Gibb’s lyrical pursuits have be-come more playful—“That’s When the Ceremony Starts” and “In the Union of Wine” will tease…
Dan Reeder
Dan ReederS/T(Oh Boy)Dan Reeder’s debut is a great find of lo-fi folk that can stand easily beside Ani DiFranco, Will Oldham and Greg Brown. This disc comes from Reeder’s cassette demos, which found their way into the hands of John Prine, who released them on his own Oh Boy label. Packed end to end with…
Felix da Housecat
Felix da HousecatDevin Dazzle and the Neon Fever(Emperor Norton/Ryko)Felix scores points with house-haters by employing musicians alongside his gizmos. But fans of Gary Numan and Kraftwerk will find more to embrace than those fierce for funk. The most compelling songs are written from the perspective of a female sexual predator, sung by the girl group…
Beta Band
Beta BandHeroes to Zeros (Astralwerks)Kicking off with the anthemic “Assessment,” Heroes to Zeros is the opposite of its title, proving again why the Beta Band is one of the best bands in the world, and one of the most underrated. They inspire a Dave Matthews-like following in their native UK but are way cooler, morphing…
Armand Van Helden
Armand Van HeldenNew York: A Mix Odyssey (Southern Fried)On his latest release New York: A Mix Odyssey, native DJ Armand Van Helden guides us through an aural road map of late night NYC. With a soundtrack like this, it’s no wonder the city never sleeps. Highlighted by groups such as Blondie (“Call Me”), Ram Jam…
Blonde Redhead
Blonde Redhead Misery is a Butterfly(Touch and Go)In a progression similar to Mercury Rev, Blonde Redhead has abandoned its early Sonic Youth leanings for a more subdued and symphonic sound. Misery is a Butterfly is steeped in darkness and longing. The staccato hits at the base of many of the songs infuse each track with…
Cooper Temple Clause
Cooper Temple ClauseKick Up the Fire and Let the Flames Break Loose (RCA)This album is filled with great songs, the highlight of which is opener “The Same Mistakes,” which melds all of CTC’s peaks from See This Through & Leave into a smouldering and beautiful exhibit of prog rock. The problem is that the band…
Controller
ControllerController, History(Paper Bag)If Blondie and Television had some lurid affair in the alley of CBGBs back in the day then Controller.Controller would be their illegitimate daughter, now grown up and living in Toronto. The EP History has bite and wall-to-wall late ’70s/early ’80s (pre-The Edge) twanging twin new wave guitar. Each song throbs, driven by…
Karminsky Experience Inc.
Karminsky Experience Inc.The Power of Suggestion (Caroline)For those still longing to recapture that fateful day you first heard Air’s Moon Safari, introducing Karminsky Experience Inc. Martin Dingle and James Munns are the UK DJ duo behind this project unleashed to North America seven years after their first British release. The Power of Suggestion is their…
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…
Ryan Malcolm
Ryan MalcolmHome (BMG)While there is little to rave about our Canadian Idol’s debut, there is little to criticize either. It doesn’t feel like Malcolm really cares about these tunes, as he never really sinks his teeth in like he did during the competition. But at least he isn’t being pounded like a square peg into…
Madvillain
MadvillainMadvillainy(Stone’s Throw)Madvillainy is fucking awesome. A collaboration between Madlib and MF Doom, the disc splices Saturday morning cartoons, late night movies and inspired beats with a surgeon’s accuracy. There is not one misstep. While much hip-hop has been weighed down by ego, Madvillain shows an absolute dedication to the art. Most MCs in Doom’s shoes…
The Weakerthans
Published September 25, 2003. The Weakerthans Recon-struction Site (Epitaph) The Weakerthans make some of the best music in this country. Reconstruction Site offers more of the same intricate arrangements (though less delicate, more pop-py here than on Left and Leav- ing), underlying political statements and mostly, especially, John K. Samson’s observant lyrics, which form 14…
Various
VariousMaybe This Christmas Too (Nettwerk)The first installment included Ben Folds, Bright Eyes, Jimmy Eat World and Phantom Planet. This one’s got Coldplay tourmates Eisley (“The Winter Song”), Rufus Wainwright (“Spotlight on Christmas”), Rilo Kiley (“XMas Cake”), Dave Matthews Band’s lovely “Christmas Song” and the Flaming Lips’ take on “White Christmas.” There’s stupid stuff (Guster’s “Donde…
Mandy Moore
Published December 04, 2003. Mandy Moore Coverage (Epic) Mandy Moore’s goals are noble. On Coverage, she attempts to connect her generation with the AM hits of the ’70s. Unfortunately, she can’t sing. While this has meant virtually nothing to the other performers in her genre, the songs Moore has chosen feel lacking under her country…
Sarah McLachlan
Published November 13, 2003. Sarah McLachlan Afterglow (Nettwerk) Afterglow is an intimate walk through the last six years of Sarah McLachlan’s life. The safe direction of producer Pierre Marchand partnered with McLachlan’s familiar, haunting vocals reveal the decision to remain on the Surfacing plateau. There are similar bursts of creativity here, like the transient guitar…
Mary J. Blige
Published October 23, 2003. Mary J. Blige Love & Life (Geffen) A variety show feel dominates the early part of this album. A couple of winners emerge in the deluge of rappers preening in cameo: “Not Today” with Eve and “Love at First Sight” with Method Man. Blige’s unique sense of combining old grit and…
Pretty Girls Make Graves
Published October 09, 2003. Pretty Girls Make Graves The New Romance (Matador) Seattle’s Pretty Girls Make Graves became critic’s darlings with the amazing full-length debut Good Health, but their sophomore record is all the better. The New Romance is track after track of emotional punch that serves both the power of the music and the…
Oh Susanna
Published September 11, 2003. Oh Susanna S/T (Nettwerk) While there are moments that really rock with full band backing (“Carrie Lee,” “Cain is Rising”) on this follow-up to Sleepy Little Sailor, fans will still find plenty of the lonesome, wandering moments (“Zoe,” “Billy”) that have forever characterized Suzie Ungerleider’s uniqueness. The album finds the right…
STUN
Published August 21, 2003. STUN Evolution of Energy (Geffen) First impressions can be deceiving. STUN appears to straddle the line between cute punk-pop outfits like Sum 41 and Rage Against the Machine wannabes. The band’s calls for revolution and social change sound at first like juvenile ramblings. But there is something deeper working, a purity…
Steve Wynn & The Miracle 3
Steve Wynn & The Miracle 3Tick…tick…tick (Redeye) Steve Wynn returns to LA’s Paisley Underground, where in the ’80s his band Dream Syndicate had created what was probably the scene’s finest moment, The Days of Wine and Roses and its single “Tell Me When it’s Over.” Though he goes back in time some 20 years ago…
Dear Frankie
Dear FrankieDirected by: Shona Auerbach(Pathée Pictures)Scottish single mum Lizzie (Emily Mortimer) and nine-year-old Frankie (Jack McElhone) are perpetually on the move, as we are informed by Frankie’s voiceover. Frankie is deaf, so the VO is pretty much the only time we hear his voice. It crops up when he writes letters to his father, who…
The Artic Monkeys
The Artic MonkeysWhatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not(Domino)In the UK, The Arctic Monkeys are the latest “It” band to hit the scene. The band’s rise to instant stardom started a few months back after someone leaked demos. As the demos got around and the ether-buzz grew, the Arctic Monkeys got tagged as…
Sam Roberts
Sam RobertsChemical City(Universal)After the monumental success of his debut album We Were Born in a Flame and years of straight touring, Sam Roberts was presented with the daunting task of creating a highly anticipated follow-up. Two years passed. The time off allowed Roberts to recharge in Australia and produce an album that effortlessly transcends the…
C.R.A.Z.Y.
C.R.A.Z.Y.Directed by: Jean-Marc Vallée (TVA)The 10-time Genie-winning Quebec sensation C.R.A.Z.Y.—you could practically hear the uproar from here when it didn’t get an Oscar nomination for best foreign film—gets a DVD release on April 4. The sharp surrealist dramedy stars Marc-André Grondin as Zach, a sexually confused teen growing up the middle of five boys in…
Cities
CitiesCities(Yep Roc)Cities hails from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, a place named, briefly, “the next Seattle” in the early to mid-’90s. It never happened for Chapel Hill, but Cities plays as if they’re vying for the crown of the city’s scene, should pop culture media and big business come knocking again. Cities is full of sincere,…
Snow Patrol
Snow PatrolEyes Open (Polydor) Yes, it’s another of those British bands that make sensitive, epic ballads that pack an emotional punch. Smartly, Snow Patrol doesn’t stray from the formula it followed to stardom on the 2004 hit debut Final Straw. The group wins with vibrant guitar rhythms and pulsating keyboards, and only falters when it…
Various
VariousClassic Labor Songs(Smithsonian Folkways)Paul Robeson starts with “Joe Hill,” both the ultimate appetizer and a chance to check your bass component. “We Shall Not Be Moved,” “Bread and Roses” and “Solidarity Forever” are among the songs people are more likely to have heard in person than on record. They all have a story and, as…
Tsotsi
TsotsiDirected by: Gavin Hood(Miramax)“Every man has a name,” says one of Tsotsi’s henchman. “A name given to him by his mother.” But Tsotsi, or simply “Thug,” won’t give his real name, and beats the shit out of his friend for challenging him. This is the story of a young man and his buddies in the…
Tapes N’ Tapes
Tapes N’ TapesThe Loon(XL)The first of the blog-rock superstars, Tapes N’ Tapes is just as noteworthy for its gradual build into the public’s conscious as its infectious music. Starting as a bedroom-based operation, the band found a rabid following through constant coverage on several key MP3 blogs. The resulting hype has propelled its debut album,…
Alexisonfire
AlexisonfireCrisis(Vagrant)Screamo isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. But if you can manage to get past George Petit’s screaming and sink your teeth into the instrumentation and/or Dallas “City and Colour” Green’s vocals, it’s easy to see why Alexisonfire is so beloved. Though previous release Watch Out helped to raise the band’s mainstream profile, they are not…
Vienna Teng
Vienna TengDreaming Through the Noise(Zoë/Rounder)Vienna Teng works in folk-pop, but could fall into the dream-pop category as well. Dreaming Through the Noise is a beautifully constructed work with lush arrangements produced by Larry Klein. An accomplished pianist, there are dabs of Tori Amos, Rufus Wainwright and Ben Folds in her sound. The genius arrangement of…
Jars of Clay
Jars of ClayGood Monsters(SonyBMG)When is a Christian band so good that religiophobes can no longer dismiss it? When the devil might bob his head to it, not necessarily writhing in agony. Aside from the lyric “the light on Jesus’ face,” still a shock to hear over screaming guitar, in “All My Tears,” there’s not much…
When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts
When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four ActsDirected by: Spike Lee(HBO Home Video)Spike Lee is primarily known for his groundbreaking work dealing with racial and social issues in the US. With a great deal of visionary films to his credit, his work as a documentary filmmaker is often overlooked. Like the haunting and disturbing…
Eels with Strings
Eels with StringsLive at Town Hall(Vagrant)The esteemed E and company offer a magical, stirring set of 22 songs that draw from every previous chapter of the band’s brilliant melodic pop and E’s bent but compassionate world view. Strings have always played a part, along with organ, in Eels music so they’re far from an add-on…
Matisyahu
MatisyahuYouth(Sony)If you took Matisyahu at face value, you more than likely wouldn’t be reaching for the play button anytime soon. However those who pressed play and gave the album a chance would be quickly rewarded by its infectiously mellow Judaic-infused reggae vibe.Trevor Savorycategories: Best of the year (2006)
We Are Scientists
We Are ScientistsWith Love and Squalor(Virgin)Although some critics complained the Brooklyn trio relied too heavily on the songs-about-girls-and-boozing formula, that’s a small criticism when fewer indie rock records sounded as consistently fun in 2006. Backed by a collection of excellent singles (“The Scene Is Dead,” “Nobody Move, Nobody Gets Hurt” and “It’s a Hit”), We…
Entourage: The Complete Second Season
Entourage: The Complete Second Season(HBO)Movie star Vincent Chase and his buddies make millions off his getting the lead in the Hollywood blockbuster Aquaman. This show is Sex and the City for men, serving up decadence, lifestyle wish-fulfillment, celebrity cameos and great characters with the snappiest dialogue on TV.Carsten KnoxCategories: Best of the year (2006)
Ice Haven
Ice HavenDaniel ClowesPantheonAn experiment in format, Daniel Clowes’ (Ghost World, Eightball) Ice Haven is a collection of short strips done in the styles of familiar comic strips from the 20th century. Each one tells a story about the inhabitants of the town of Ice Haven. Framed by the story of a child’s kidnapping, the larger…
The Secret Mulroney Tapes
The Secret Mulroney TapesPeter C. NewmanWhatever you might think of Peter C. Newman’s journalistic methods (or understanding of friendship, for that matter), his juicy expose of the man Canadians love to hate (in Mulroney’s own words, even better) is solid entertainment. Relive the arrogance of the Mulroney years at a safe distance, and get worked…
I Still Love You
I Still Love You Daniel MacIvorPlaywrights Canada PressWinner of the 2006 Governor General’s literary award for drama, I Still Love You is a collection of five of Daniel MacIvor’s best plays, covering a 15-year span from 1991 to 2006, all produced through his acclaimed and soon-to-be deceased theatre company, da da camera. In many ways…
Humphrey Bogart: The Signature Collection Volumes 1 & 2
Humphrey Bogart: The Signature Collection Volumes 1 & 2(Warner Home Video)If you ever wondered how this short guy named Humphrey got to be the biggest movie star in Hollywood, it’s all here in these two box sets. Get the first for the two-disc editions of Casablanca and The Treasure of Sierra Madre, and the second…
Pretty in Pink: Everything’s Duckie Edition/Some Kind of Wonderful Special Collector’s Edition
Pretty in Pink: Everything’s Duckie Edition/Some Kind of Wonderful Special Collector’s EditionDirected by: Howard Deutch(Paramount)They’re both thought of as quintessential John Hughes films (Hughes only wrote them; Howard Deutch directed), largely because of their respectful vindication of high school kids. Pretty in Pink has Molly Ringwald as the poor girl who falls for the rich…
Veronica Mars: The Complete Second Season
Veronica Mars: The Complete Second Season(Warner Home Video)With the exception of 24, the single best example of TV for the DVD age. Veronica Mars would be next to incomprehensible broadcast weekly, especially if you missed an episode—and it does struggle in the ratings—but is enormously rewarding devoured on DVD. Season two expands on the adventures…
Corb Lund Band
Published December 08, 2005. Corb Lund Band Hair in My Eyes Like a Highland Steer (Stony Plain) Embodying rural life in myriad of tempos and attitudes, Lund enriches country music at every turn. Marauding cougars, the joy of cards, folk wisdom: His touch with a broad range of topics is disarming. You’ll wish you were…
Mercury Rev
Published December 08, 2005. Mercury Rev The Secret Migration (V2) Always playing the Megadeth to The Flaming Lips’ Metallica, Mercury Rev has never truly gotten the respect it deserves. This has never proved more unfortunate than on The Secret Migration. The album’s swirling intensity grows out of a lush sonic backdrop that is anchored by…
Martha Wainwright
Published December 08, 2005. Martha Wainwright Martha Wainwright (Zoe) The other Wainwright child?sister of Rufus, daughter of Loudon III and Kate “The McGarrigles” McGarrigle, if you’re counting?comes forth and gives a spiritually bare and brash folk record that recalls Joni Mitchell crossed with early Tom Waits. Definitely not cut from the cloth of Rufus’s baroque…
Code 46
Published December 08, 2005. Code 46 Directed by: Michael Winterbottom (MGM) Tim Robbins and Samantha Morton make an unlikely couple in Michael Winterbottom’s little-seen film, but their forbidden love carries through chilly science fiction plot twists out of a William Gibson novel. Minor moments are strangely poetic: Mick Jones sings Clash karaoke and Anne of…
High Tension: Unrated Version
Published December 08, 2005. High Tension: Unrated Version Directed by: Alexandre Aja (Lions Gate) For completists, you get in one package both the original French cut and the watered down English dub version. Lost amid complaints of the (admittedly) terrible ending, is the most relentless, imaginatively shot and sustainedly suspenseful straight horror film of 2005.…
The Thin Man Collection
Published December 08, 2005. The Thin Man Collection Directed by: W.S. Van Dyke (Warner) When critics grouse about how modern movies miss the art of repartee, when they whine about an absence of chemistry between the leads, this is the film series they’ll most likely point to as having the best combination of those elements.…
Jay-Z
Jay-ZKingdom Come(Roc-a-fella)Back in 2003 Jay-Z announced his retirement prior to dropping his alleged swan song The Black Album. There was no heir to the Roca throne, so Hova opted to head back to the game and resume his reign with Kingdom Come. Kingdom Come is a welcome return. Blasting off with the smokin’ “Show Me…
The Long Blondes
The Long BlondesSomeone To Drive You Home (Rough Trade)A stylized band from Sheffield, England, The Long Blondes make it big, plying kitchen-sink drama and bringing a charity-shop romanticism to their tales of youth, sex and outsiders. This sounds an awful lot like the tale of Pulp, the best group from the mid-’90s Brit-pop era. Just…
Royal Wood
Royal WoodA Good Enough Day(Dead Daisy)This Toronto-based former child piano prodigy hasn’t squandered his natural talent or sweet tenor voice—A Good Enough Day is a pop delight, an old-fashioned train-car stocked with alternating riffs on love and heartache. Squeaky clean, but not overproduced, fans of Ron Sexsmith and Hawksley Workman—who plays drums on one track—will…
Half Nelson
Half NelsonDirected by: Ryan Fleck(ThinkFilm)In Half Nelson, teacher Dan Dunne (Ryan Gosling) forgoes the standard curriculum to teach the kids in his grade eight history class about dialectic and change. Most of Dunne’s students are black and their school isn’t that nice; it seems initially that Dunne is being set up, like many noble movie-made…
Lucinda Williams
Lucinda WilliamsWest(Lost Highway)West is unlike any record that Lucinda Williams has ever released. It has a jazzy vibe with a touch of Memphis soul. Taking four years between studio albums, West is all the better for it. Although it’s dark, primarily dealing with the desolation of lost love and heartbreak, it is an inviting record…
Low
LowDrums and Guns(Sub Pop)In the world of slowcore, Low has almost always taken the approach of emphasizing beauty over bleak, melody over dissonance and the idea that music should be satisfying. But that all changed a few years ago with The Great Destroyer, which was a dramatic shift away from the tranquil land of Codeine…
Maria Taylor
Maria TaylorLynn Teeter Flower(Saddle Creek)Maria Taylor is a lesser-known contributor to the Omaha music consortium that includes Conor Oberst, Mike Mogis and M. Ward. Her 11:11 was a sturdy if unfocused debut, unsure whether it wanted to be folk or the Postal Service. She’s toned down the synth for Lynn Teeter Flower, the just-this-side-of-glorious follow-up.…
Peter Elkas
Peter ElkasWall of Fire(Maple)This is your garden-variety blue-eyed soul-rock that doesn’t manage to set itself apart from predecessors such as Ron Sexsmith, who has a uniquely tender voice and deep sense for the world to match. On Wall of Fire Elkas steps forward with no standout quality. From the opener “Fall Apart Again” through the…
Metric
MetricGrow Up & Blow Away(Last Gang)There’s no slowing down Emily Haines. After Metric’s debut album Old World Underground, Where Are You Now?, the follow-up Live it Out broke through and put Metric on the indie rock map. Opting to ride the wave further, Haines put forth her solo debut this spring, Knives Don’t Have Your…
Iraq in Fragments
Iraq in FragmentsDirected by: James Longley(Mongrel Media)The title of the documentary Iraq in Fragments describes both the film’s form and its content. The movie—pieced together from hundreds of hours of footage that director James Longley shot in Iraq following the 2003 US invasion—unfolds in three separate acts. The first tells the story of Mohammed, an…
Kim Mitchell
Kim MitchellAin’t Life Amazing(Alert/Koch)He may not be particularly cool or extraordinary, but one thing is for sure—Kim Mitchell has been a staple of Canadian rock radio for nearly 30 years. His brand of cheesy, over-produced rock has earned him a soft spot with tracks such as “Patio Lanterns,” “Go For a Soda” and “I Am…
Smashing Pumpkins
Smashing PumpkinsZeitgeist(Martha’s Music/Reprise)After the debacle of Machina, a lot of Smashing Pumpkins fans were left with a sour taste in their mouths—it was considered to be the final Pumpkins album; that is, until Zeitgeist was announced. For this album, Corgan rounded up Jimmy Chamberlain and headed back into the studio and while it may not…
Wax Poetic
Wax PoeticBrasil(NuBlu)Turkish-born and New York-based arranger/producer Ilhan Ersahin, working under the name Wax Poetic, presents a scattershot of styles on Brasil. The only consistency throughout: the big-ass kick drum that dominates every track and ends up distracting the listener. (Wax Poetic’s roots are in trip-hop, a low-end, heavy-footed genre, after all.) The beats don’t vary…
The Go! Team
The Go! TeamProof of YouthSecret CityIf there were 12 apostles of hustle to be named, you’d have to include The Go! Team at the table. No doubt they would bring Proof of Youth to share with the others. From the get-go, this album gets up and goes. A good thing for the first handful of…
Share
SharePedestrianForward Music GroupShare, who played on Wednesday, had me at “Dance Dance Retribution,” one of my favourite Pop Explosion song titles. Moving from acoustic folk into a more electronic and experimental sound, New Brunswick-born Andrew Sisk, along with A.A. Wallace, Kyle Cunjak and Nick Cobham keep things interesting by not sticking to one formula. Instead,…
Days of Heaven
Days of HeavenDirected by: Terrence MalickCriterionHis films are brilliant and rare and Terrence Malick’s 1978 drama is the best example of what he does best: exquisitely shot landscapes, where the human drama is but a part of the world depicted. In this case, a love triangle between early 20th-century itinerant workers (Richard Gere, Brooke Adams)…
Cuff the Duke
Cuff the DukeSidelines of the CityHardwood RecordsAre the fellas in Cuff the Duke heartthrobs yet? They should be, based on the sound of Sidelines of the City alone. These are sensitive songs, and not in that pejorative sense, either. “Remember the Good Times” pays homage to a lost friend: “still can’t believe that you passed…
Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova
Glen Hansard and Marketa IrglovaOnce OSTSonyBMGThe scene of the year belongs to Hansard and Irglova in the Irish film Once, during which they play a guitar-piano duet and sing “Falling Slowly,” the first and best of nine heart-wrenching, gorgeously sung Hansard compositions that provide the soundtrack to 2007’s most affecting love story. This audio companion…
Shotgun Jimmie
Shotgun JimmieThe OnlysDelorean RecordingsIt’s hard to keep it simple—to take away excess, the extraneous material, until only the strongest stuff remains. Clearly Jim Kilpatrick stuck to the rule. The simplicity evident here makes for smart and sophisticated songs. Though under 40 minutes, you will not reach an end to the discoveries with repeated listens.Sean Flinncategories:…
Away from Her
Away from HerDirected by: Sarah PolleyMongrelSarah Polley’s lovely directorial debut is a movie made up of quiet moments—like Grant’s (Gordon Pinsent) embarrassed zipping of his fly at the Alzheimer’s hospital, after he makes love with ailing wife Fiona (Julie Christie) for the last time. The film takes a warts-and-all approach to the couple’s marriage, portraying…
The Office: Season Three
The Office: Season ThreeUniversal StudiosLike the season two set before it, this boxed set is packed with deleted scenes aplenty—almost all of them worth checking out. Pick up this collection and relive the season when Pam found courage, doormat HR-rep Toby got his robe stolen and the creative team behind TV’s best sitcom stopped yanking…
Bob & Doug MacKenzie’s Two-Four Anniversary
Bob & Doug MacKenzie’s Two-Four AnniversaryDirected by: Henry Sarwer-FonerVivendiBob and Doug MacKenzie shot out of the SCTV womb 24 years ago as a middle-finger to CBC’s demand for two more minutes of “Canadian” content. Fine, you’ll get your toques and your beer and your back-bacon, and a Hinterland-inspired intro “Koo-loo-kookoo-koo-loo-kookoo,” too. And so two hosers…
WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2006
WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2006Sony PlayStation 2Wrestling fans are like the NDP: You have to throw them a bone every once a while to keep them pacified or they’ll take it to the streets. Finally, there’s a wrestling game that mimics the TV production values of the wrestling environment. The entrance, the lights, the glitz,…
Smoke break
A Bug and a Bag of Weed, a good-hearted, raucous drugs-and-dudes movie, played to a sold-out audience at the 2006 Atlantic Film Festival. It represented a dream-pursuit move cross-country, five years of form-filling, fundraising and industry navigation, a 15-day shoot and almost $500,000. It was the rarest of rarities—not just a Canadian feature film, but…
Private schools
Let’s role-play: it’s September and you’re a second-year education student specializing in English at Mount Saint Vincent University. You’ve got to find a practice teaching placement in a few months. But by the time you start your practicum, students from Presque Isle and Fort Kent in Maine have snatched up the positions you wanted—they grabbed…
J-Live
J-LiveThe Hear After Penalty/RykoWith impeccable timing, the respected Brooklyn rapper makes a record with enough in the grooves to help one ignore the antics of the game’s feuding millionaires. On The Hear After, the music boasts a bounce likely to linger long after you’ve gleaned what the fellow is on about. Like he says: “I…
Rodney Crowell
Rodney CrowellThe Outsider Columbia At 55, Rodney Crowell is acting like an elder. He’s cranky and no longer cares to hide it. Known mostly as a country songwriter, he delivers 10 new ones and a Dylan cover with rockin’ authority. There are times Crowell sounds more like his ex- brother-in-law (in the Cash-Carter clan) Nick…
Matthew Good
Matthew GoodIn a Coma: 1995 – 2005 UniversalSkip the for-casual-fans-only single- disc hits package and cough up for the deluxe. Disc two of a staggering three-part package is the literal and musical centrepiece. Before a reissue of the limited edition Loser Anthems EP and some b-sides is Rooms, an acoustic thematic re-arrangement of nine songs…
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Black Rebel Motorcycle ClubHowlVirginIn the wake of Scorsese’s Dylan documentary No Direction Home, where more than three hours was spent letting us know just how the man was booed and booed when he chose to go electric-iconoclast, we have BRMC’s Howl. These three musicians will probably not be remembered with quite the same fervor for…
Neil Diamond
Neil Diamond12 Songs (Columbia/American)Rick Rubin is a genius. He took on the dead-end career of Johnny Cash, reignited it and was instrumental in the production of some of the best music Cash ever sang. Rubin’s latest project is Neil Diamond, former Brill Building songwriter, superstar crooner: three parts chugga-chugga, one part smooth-ass voice. Famous for…
Various
VariousSearching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus OST (V2)Herein lies the ambience for the film where the Southern states get a freak show treatment, not entirely undeserved. Florida singer Jim White, central in the film, is on three tracks, with the remainder stoking the exotic angle. Johnny Dowd will make you think kindly on gun control with…
Billy Corgan
Billy CorganThe Future Embrace(Warner)Billy Corgan is no stranger to the spotlight, as frontman for The Smashing Pumpkins and then later as the outspoken leader of Zwan. Corgan has always managed to push the envelope (ambitious two-disc albums, the Pumpkins’ Machina, Zwan) but The Future Embrace might be the end of all of that. Prior to…
R. Kelly Trapped in the Closet Chapters 1-12
R. Kelly Trapped in the Closet Chapters 1-12 (Jive)Ten years from now when MuchMusic does a 2005 retrospective, R. Kelly’s hip-hopera Trapped in the Closet will make the clip show. Michael Jackson could learn a lesson from Kelly about diversion tactics: Trapped is so over-the-top, so questionable in intent, you almost forget the dude’s been…
City and Colour
City and ColourSometimes(Bedlam society/Dine Alone)We’ve all dreamt of being rock stars: the proverbial sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll. But few bother to dream of the work that is required of a band to get to that point. Alexisonfire has toured relentlessly in pursuit of getting its brand of screamo heard by the masses. When…
Various
VariousThe Aristocrats OST(V2)Although there is very little true “action” in comedy doc The Aristocrats, something is nonetheless lost in the translation to CD. The clips are lifted directly from the film without any re-editing, so you get tracks that jump from audio-bite to audio-bite, from comedian to comedian and you can get lost easily. Maybe…
The Island
The IslandDirected by: Michael Bay (Dreamworks/Warner Bros.)Cremated by critics and ignored by the cinema-going masses, one of this summer’s biggest bombs is now available to be seen on DVD. Surprise, surprise — this Michael Bay (Armageddon, Pearl Harbour) blockbuster is a great escape on video. Lincoln Six Echo (Ewan McGregor) and Jordan Two Delta (Scarlett…
Robert Plant and the Strange Sensations
Robert Plant and the Strange SensationsMighty Rearranger(Sanctuary)Robert Plant will long be remembered as the charismatic front man of the legendary rock outfit Led Zepplin, but in that mighty shadow Robert Plant, the solo artist, resides. Mighty Rearranger (his second outing with The Strange Sensation, comprised of members of Portishead and Massive Attack) Plant has taken…
Dr. dFunkt
Dr. dFunktnüerotik (independent)Kamran Abdi—formerly of P.F. Station and Dr. Yellow Fever—has a new project (with longtime friend and collaborator Chuk Wha?) that he calls Dr. dFunkt. While the Dr. has played around town for a while now, this is the first disc and it was nearly three years in the making. Followers of Abdi’s previous…
Billy Idol
Billy IdolDevil’s Playground(Sanctuary)It’s a nice day to start again as Billy Idol returns after a decade of trying to play down his early-’90s Cyberpunk image. Surprisingly, the results aren’t all that bad. That’s mostly because Billy’s sucked it up and brought excellent glamster guitarist Steve Stevens back to the fold. Idol still has his bad-…
The Greenhornes
While everything that Detroit songman Brendan Benson writes may turn to gold, the notion is not extended to all that he touches. As the recorder and producer of the latest EP by Cincinnati’s The Greenhornes, he’s unable to unleash the magic. Then again, he didn’t have much to work with. Another passe band blatantly trying…
Bright Eyes
Bright EyesDigital Ash in a Digital Urn (Saddle Creek)Digital Ash feels like the kind of record Oberst might have put out under a psudonym if he hadn’t decided to release two records at once. If I’m Wide Awake is the singer-songwriter opus that cements his status, Digital Urn showcases lyrically similar songs covered in excess:…
The Radio Dept.
The Radio Dept. Lesser Matters(XL/Labrador)With bits of electro, noise rock and shoegazer, The Radio Dept. meets all the requirements to be the next great band no one pays attention to. The group has an ability to float My Bloody Valentine-esque melo-dies atop pits of white noise. As laidback vocals drift over buzzing soundscapes, the result…
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Celebrates A Gospel Christmas(UrbanWorks) This DVD concert features a performance by Ray Charles, but it is anything but a Ray Charles DVD. Instead, it should be titled The Voices Of Jubilation Cash in on Ray Charles Before it’s Too Late. Far from a Christmas disc, it features poor audio mixing, unflattering angles and…
Fatboy Slim
Published November 25, 2004. Fatboy Slim Palookaville (Virgin) This album will probably not go down as Fatboy Slim’s finest hour. There are too many expectations upon FBS for him to rock the beat and shake the house down with his trademark digital manipulations for a slow, contemplative effort like this to take hold. Palookaville is…
Robin Black
Robin BlackInstant Classic (EMI)Instant Classic is the latest, so-so release from the outspoken Robin (Fucking) Black. His androgynous cock-rock evokes a love/hate response from anyone subjected to it. The flamboyant confidence of Black and his band allows them to put their own spin on the influences they so proudly wear on their sleeves. If you…
Limb Titcomb
Limb TitcombS/T(Sony)Liam Titcomb has makings of being either a big star or a semi-obscure, highly respected musician. It is his choice. He is devilishly good-looking and can lay down a pop hook or two, which means that he could easily pump up the hit machine and be a more talented David Usher. But there also…
Memphis
MemphisI Dreamed We Fell Apart (Paper Bag)You would think that Stars frontman Torquil Campbell would be satisfied that his band pretty much owns the lush-pop throne in this country. But no. He has to dive into Euro-dance-pop with Memphis, a band he formed in 2002 with multi-instrumentalist Chris Dumont. Think Pet Shop Boys on tranquilizers…
Eugene Ripper
Eugene RipperThe Ballad of Black(Divine Industries)Eugene Ripper, former member of The Fleshtones, imports the bashing fist and gnashing teeth of punk to his folk, but he ruins it with forays into noir, thriller narratives. So you get two great tunes off the top in “Thought I Saw Her” and “Lines,” but then you’ve got to…
Stars
StarsSet Yourself on Fire(Arts and Crafts)After their album of sappy art school love songs, Heart, Stars has returned with Set Yourself on Fire. It’s apparent from the first listen that the disc is more mature, developed and pretentious (which, with The Dears’ Murray Lightburn involved, is a bit of a given). These characteristics suit the…
Jimmy Eat World
Jimmy Eat WorldFutures(Interscope)Coming a long three years after 2001’s terrific Bleed American, Futures is more of the same straight-up rock and slightly over-earnest ballads that comprised the last record (re-titled Jimmy Eat World in the US in the touchy days after 9/11). It goes down catchy and easy (save a few political statements), which is…
Elvis Costello and the Impostors
Elvis Costello and the ImpostorsThe Delivery Man(Lost Highway)While Elvis Costello is still dabbling in “serious” music- making—writing for Diana Krall and the symphony—it’s good to see he hasn’t forgotten how to kick a lick around. Here Costello is in top form, firing off rollicking blues and country-tinged jams. “Button My Lip” and “Bedlam” are exactly…
Extra Virgin
Extra VirginNude Combinations (Dependent)By Divine Right frontman Jose Contreras takes an advisable step into offbeat music. Though Nude Variations finds common ground between a subdued Sigur Ros and the low moments of Aphex Twin, the disc’s cerebral soundscapes are far from derivative. Instead, Nude Variations travels with a slow and dizzy momentum, showing off a…
Guided by Voices
Guided by VoicesHalf Smiles of the Decomposed(Matador)Robert Pollard’s rise from teacher to middle-aged alt-god has kept the rock star fantasy alive in us all. Though he will continue his prolific output in other guises, it is sad to see the final pages turn on GBV. Any of the last four albums could’ve served as a…
Mono
MonoWalking Cloud and Deep Red Sky, Flag Fluttered and the Sun Shined (Virgin)There will be a point when the tiny-to-huge instrumental rock formula that is being exploited both by patrons of Zoloft and most of the inhabitants of Montreal will grow tired, but it hasn’t happened yet. Fitting into the scene somewhere between Explosions in…
The Cure
The CureS/T (Geffen)After the missteps of Wild Mood Swings and Bloodflowers, Robert Smith and company return with their best disc in over a decade. As usual, there’s plenty of despair but things aren’t all that bad, with Smith drawing from the best eras of The Cure catalogue. “The End of the World” recalls the romanticism…
Brian Borcherdt
Brian BorcherdtThe Remains of(Dependent)Yarmouth native Borcherdt’s terrific 2002 Moth EP was but a glimpse of what his first proper solo full-length offers. The epic “1000x” is the best representation of the experimental Borcherdt’s ability to pull a song all over the place and still keep you locked in place for every second. Switching off between…
Juliana Hatfield
Juliana HatfieldIn Exile Deo(Rounder)After 2000’s gorgeous Beautiful Creature and last year’s downright peppy side project Some Girls, Juliana Hatfield has returned to her Boston-honed indie rock roots. Like Joni Mitchell’s, Hatfield’s high girly voice has deepened with time, so it’s easier to accept lines like “I know I’m a fairweather fuck.” Featuring some of her…
Michael Kaeshammer
Michael KaeshammerStrut(ALMA)Strut, like its predecessor (2000’s No Strings Attached) showcases Kaeshammer’s love of jazz, blues, ragtime and boogie- woogie. It also furthers his reputation for tackling the serious aspects of the music without forgetting that it should also be fun. Like a cross between Mose Allison and Frank McKenna, he tackles the piano like it’s…
Seachange
SeachangeLay of the Land (Matador)Seachange’s debut for the influential Matador Records finds the Nottingham, UK sextet mixing wall-of-sound guitars, searing violin and an enigmatic lyric-spitting vocalist, Dan Eastop, in an erratic display of songwriting. If Lay of the Land maintained the level of intensity exhibited in the tracks “Superfuck,” “Forty Nights” and “Do It Again,”…
Knub
KnubS/T(independent)This is not an easy listen, but those who commit will hear some of the best improvisational jazz in the province. Led by St.FX grads John McLaggan (sax) and Owen Stewart-Robertson (guitar), Knub combines traditional jazz arrangements with modern improv to create some inspired works. “Teenage Burnout” features a hypnotic bassline and superb chasing melodies.…
David Sylvian
David SylvianBrilliant Trees (Virgin)Brilliant Trees was David Sylvian’s first solo album after he disbanded Japan. While not far removed from previous work, this was the beginning of a fruitful kinship with ex-CAN bassist Holger Czukay and avant-garde composer Ryuichi Sakamoto. Their influences are felt most in “Red Guitar” and “Backwater” where the subtle jazz and…
Various
VariousBig Fish OST(Sony)If you were diligent enough to stick around during the final credits of Tim Burton’s recent film Big Fish, you heard Pearl Jam’s latest single, “Man of the Hour.” For fans of the more mellow, contemplative Pearl Jam, this track could be considered among their finest work. On its own “Man of the…
Various
Published February 05, 2004. Various Zed: Live Off the Floor (CBC) Zed being CBC-TV’s late-night stab at being edgy, it’s surprising how tedious and solipsistic an impression this leaves. Most artists are obscure, though Sam Roberts and The Weakerthans are here. Boy, from the Yukon, injects crisp Arctic air into orch-pop. Calgary’s Kris Demeanor shows…
Ryan Adams
Published January 15, 2004. Ryan Adams Love is Hell, Part 2 (Lost Highway) Adams’ second installment in his Love is Hell series finds him on more or less the same page as Part 1. The songs are sparse and accomplished enough to make his whining about how rough it is to be a wealthy scenester…
Sarah Harmer
Sarah HarmerAll of Our Names (Cold Snap)It’s been over two years since her solo debut charmed everyone, and with All of Our Names Sarah Harmer has returned with nary a stutter step. Tracks like “Dandelions in Bullet Holes” and “Tether” see her dreamy voice and intimate arrangements (cello and muted horns) dance like fall leaves…
Hawksley Workman
Published September 25, 2003. Hawksley Workman Lover/Fighter (Universal) This is an album for anyone who has had their heart broken. It’s about the flip-flopping of emotions, fighting to remain composed and unaffected while trying to cope with the pain, or attempting to win back that someone with late-night phone calls while invested in a whiskey…
The Blind Boys of Alabama
The Blind Boys of AlabamaGo Tell it on the Mountain(EMI)Wanna feel the spirit this Christmas? Go for the Blind Boys, who groove with the heaviest gospel sounds. They’ve been around since the 1940s, but have become world music stars of late thanks to Peter Gabriel’s Real World label. A flurry of guest stars join them…
Brothers in Stereo
Published December 04, 2003. Brothers in Stereo S/T (independent) Newfoundlanders Andrew and Chris LeDrew display solid chops and amiable songs to make a good first impression. The Brothers flash influences with ease: a borrowed Wilco riff here, Squeeze-esque harmonies there. Twelve-string guitar on the Tom Petty-like “January” is a particular treat. Like a painter working…
Basement Jaxx
Published November 13, 2003. Basement Jaxx Kish Kash (XL) How many elements can be crammed into a dance track before clutter impedes its booty-rattling capabilities? If Basement Jaxx is doing the cramming, many. Sonic density and guest stars (Dizzee Rascal, Siouxsie Sioux) define the third album. Lisa Kekuala of the Bellrays steps up on “Good…
Elvis Costello
Published October 23, 2003. Elvis Costello North (Universal) When I Was Cruel saw Elvis not only return to his angry young self, it was his strongest release since King of America. North ventures back to the material that graced his records with Burt Bacharach and Anne Sofie Von Otter. It’s a beautiful record filled with…
Limpbizkit
Published October 09, 2003. Limpbizkit Results May Vary (Interscope/Flip) Finally, a band that lives up to its name: Limpbizkit’s new album is as hard as Viagra withdrawal. After Wes Borland left Limp in search of credibility and Fred Durst “dated” Britney and couldn’t let it go (see “Eat You Alive”), Durst attempted a Dave Matthews-like…
Glasseater
Published September 11, 2003. Glasseater Everything is Beautiful When you don’t Look Down (Victory) Combining the blood-curdling growls of traditional Victory hardcore like Strife with the melodic SoCal punk of Ten Foot Pole, Glasseater is as much of a melting pot of rock genres as it is of ethnicity (members are of Columbian, Cuban, Chinese,…
Blackout ’77
Published August 14, 2003. Blackout ’77 Superfan (Independent) Halifax’s Blackout ’77, known for their stage antics and gimmicks, have released their second EP, packed with pure hard rock and metal aggression. The short-but-sweet disc establishes that, all tomfoolery aside, the quartet forms one hell of a band and plays some seriously rockin’ tunes. Recorded by…
In-Flight Safety
In-Flight SafetyThe Coast is Clear(Dead Daisy)Take U2 and Coldplay’s melodic sensibility, Doves’ uplifting drive, the atmosphere of Stars and you have The Coast is Clear, the long-awaited follow-up to their critically acclaimed Vacation Land EP and a record that should catapult In-Flight Safety past its east coast stomping grounds and into national consciousness. One thing…
American Psycho: Special Edition
American Psycho: Special EditionDirected by: Mary Harron(Lions Gate)This adaptation of the infamous Bret Easton Ellis novel, shot in Toronto, was at one time going to be Leonardo DiCaprio’s follow-up to Titanic, something to scare away all his newfound teen fans. It’s hard to imagine him in the part, and anyway, Harron put her foot down…
The Buttless Chaps
The Buttless ChapsWhere Night Holds Light(Mint)This British Columbia four became five with the addition of “Great Aunt” Ida Nilsen. Her keyboards and harmony vocals with David Gowans make his meandering compositions a touch more compelling. If Joy Division had moved to Lotus Land and dealt with their demons less urgently, a record like this might…
Roots Manuva
Roots ManuvaAlternately Deep(Banana Klan/Big Dada)On Alternately Deep Brit rapper Roots Manuva offers remixes of tracks from his excellent 2005 release Awfully Deep. He amazes the listener with his ability to squeeze such newness out of pre-existing tracks. The single off the original record, “Colossal Insight,” sounds vastly different here, going from stoned-soul to jittery, synaptic,…
The Flaming Lips
The Flaming LipsAt War with the Mystics (Warner)It’s hard to believe when the realization hits you, but it becomes more apparent with every successive play: “Holy shit, the Flaming Lips have made a funk/soul album.” From the inspired grind of “Free Radicals” to the smooth keys of “Ambulance Driver,” At War with the Mystic is…
Parts & Labor
Parts & LaborStay Afraid(Jagjaguwar)From the opening bars of Stay Afraid, it is evident that this Brooklyn trio has studied the first cardinal rule for assaulting the senses: if you can write a catchy melody then you can do whatever the fuck else you want. Explosive feedback, macerating rhythms and senseless noise teetering on the brink…
The Raconteurs
The RaconteursBroken Boy Soldiers(V2)This quartet would rate attention for its sweetness and fury even if it didn’t include Jack White and Brendan Benson. A stumble and a feint before the main melody is the Raconteurs’ signature. White’s intensity has a way of selling a tune that might ultimately be forgettable. A listener hip to these…
Danny Michel
Danny MichelValhalla(Maple)There’s really nothing new under Danny Michel’s sun on Valhalla, but then, why mess with a good thing? The guy’s got plenty of ideas. On the first three tracks alone he goes from wee-hours acoustic ballad (“It’s Not the End of the World”) to a peppy country-and-westernized tune (“White Lightning”) to a radio-ready pop…
Candi Staton
Candi StatonHis Hands(EMI)Appreciation for Candi spiked recently with the reissue of her ’70s country soul sides. A bout with alcohol and spousal abuse drove her to gospel and ministry. On her first secular recording in 20 years, the 63-year-old Staton’s voice conveys pain and devotion as clearly as ever. By avoiding extremes of tone, she…
Down with the Butterfly
Down with the ButterflyRise(From Here to There)This is an accomplished album for a young, emerging band that plays with confidence and sonic verve—some fine production by Andrew Watt and gorgeous packaging complete the presentation. Too often, though, you think to yourself: oh, that sounds like Dinosaur Jr. (“Two Stories”), this one’s a Talking Heads-styled tune…
Harlan County USA
Harlan County USADirected by: Barbara Kopple (Criterion)Harlan County USA is one of the finest American documentaries ever. The picture chronicles a coal miner’s strike in a small Kentucky town, capturing the pain of overworked, under-paid labourers struggling to keep what’s theirs while fighting with strikebreakers, police and company-hired henchmen. Documenting the 13 months of the…
Zero 7
Zero 7The Garden(Atlantic)A few notable things are happening on the third album from British outfit Zero 7, led by producer/composers Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker. First, the group has picked up the pace. The Garden is full of uptempo pop tunes. The band moves into Morcheeba’s territory, marrying the sweet soul and R&B of the…
Dr. Dfunkt
Dr. DfunktRunning Hot(Independent)Formerly of Dr. Yellow Fever, Kamran Abdi expands his musical palate on Running Hot, a collection of tunes made to get dance floors moving everywhere. Recalling elements of Jamiroquai, Prince and Stevie Wonder, Dr. Dfunkt is like nothing else being produced on the east coast. Members of local stalwarts Jimmy Swift Band and…
Sidekick
SidekickDirected by: Blake Van de Graaf (Maple)An indie spin on the superhero genre, Sidekick explores its themes through conversation. The action is subdued; Victor (David Ingram), the film’s hero-in-training, uses his telekinetic abilities for the mundane —protecting coffee mugs from shattering, levitating liquor bottles and kicking serious butt at softball. This quiet approach is welcome—one…
Eux Autres
Eux AutresHell is Eux Autres(Grenadine)Another brother and sister guitar/drum duo, but they manage a brilliant mix of lo-fi icons Billy Childish and Pavement with ’60s pop-rocker Françoise Hardy. Every track is killer pop and deserves to make your White Stripes records obsolete. Even when they sing in French these Portland, Oregon brats make listeners cheer…
Matt Mays
Matt Mays…When the Angels Make Contact(Sonic/Warner)Mays has established himself as a younger Neil Young-esque roots rocker but …When the Angels Make Contact proves that he’s much more than a one-trick pony. This album showcases an edgy and eclectic rocker—Beck-ish, if you will—spreading his wings and giving his band the night off.Trevor Savorycategories: Local artist,Canadian artist,Best…
Thom Yorke
Thom YorkeThe Eraser(XL)Light on instrumentation and heavy on world-weary vocals, Thom Yorke paints a dreary yet inviting musical landscape on his solo debut. The Radiohead fronTrevor MacLarenan manages to keep the pity party moving using little more than his voice, and underscores the proceedings with droning electronics and manufactured beats.Chuck Teedcategories: Best of the year…
The Fifth Cord
The Fifth CordDirected by: Luigi Bazzoni(Blue Underground)Director Luigi Bazzoni can’t quite equal Dario Argento in his take on the Giallo genre of Italian crime films. Yet this twisted, absorbing murder tale finds a uniquely pitiless, violent style. Franco Nero sports a great ’70s moustache as he seeks a killer to prove his own innocence. Scored…
Project: Superior
Project: SuperiorVarious ArtistsAdHouse BooksThey say that inside every indie comic artist there is a superhero fan-boy waiting to get out. AdHouse’s latest comic anthology gives those inner fan-boys an outlet. Ranging from touching tribute to absurdist parody, today’s hottest alternative superstars, such as Bryan Lee O’Malley, Dean Haspiel, Scott Morse, Tara McPherson and Brian Wood,…
Talk to the Hand
Talk to the HandLynne TrussThe author of one of last year’s best books (Eats, Shoots and Leaves, an outraged treatise on this culture’s appalling grammar) delivers an outraged treatise on this culture’s appalling manners. I know it doesn’t sound like much fun, but oh, oh, oh, fun is exactly what it is. Especially if you’re…
Inside
InsideKenneth J. HarveyRandom HouseIt occurs to me that this list is slightly harsh for a holiday book roundup but life ain’t all Lindt balls and turkey dinners. It’s tragic too. Myrden is released from jail, 14 years into his sentence, after DNA evidence proves his innocence. Armed with a million dollar settlement, Myrden returns to…
Hustle and Flow
Hustle and FlowDirected by: Craig Brewer(Paramount)A caustic urban drama, the picture gave everyone in it the best roles of their careers and made a star out of Terrence Howard as DJay, the Memphis pimp who becomes a rapper to get off the streets. As music industry ironies abound, the grit in the story won’t wipe…
The Proposition
The PropositionDirected by: John Hillcoat(First Look Pictures)Set in the sizzling outlaw outback of Australia, screenwriter Nick Cave (yep, that Nick Cave) delivers what you might expect: a dusty, bloody tale of familial bonds stretched to breaking and death by hot lead, told through sterling performances by Guy Pearce, Danny Huston, Ray Winstone and Emily Watson.…
Danger Doom
Published December 08, 2005. Danger Doom The Mouse and the Mask (Epitaph) In a genre where sex, money and violence are prevalent topics, MF Doom and Danger Mouse have convened to make an album that features a talking milkshake and a song about piss so good it would make The Hidden Cameras jealous. The Mouse…
Metric
Published December 08, 2005. Metric Live it Out (Last Gang) Old World Underground, Where Are You Now? may have had catchier singles, but Live it Out might be the best record produced this year by any of the Broken Social Scene family. Emily Haines and company nail their synth-rock sound with punchier guitars, brighter keyboard…
Kanye West
Published December 08, 2005. Kanye West Late Registration (Universal) In 2005, Kanye managed to avoid the sophomore slump, releasing a great follow-up to 2004’s College Dropout while proving his mouth was as big as his ego. He caused controversy during a live Hurricane Katrina relief concert?”George Bush doesn’t care about black people” is one of…
The Corporation
Published December 08, 2005. The Corporation Directed by: Mark Achbar, Jennifer Abbott (Mongrel Media) A primer for anti-globalization, this long but fascinating Canadian-made documentary touches upon economic greed in many, many forms by comparing the corporate model with a psychopathic personality. More even-handed than Michael Moore, it’s essential viewing as part of the new wave…
The Incredibles
Published December 08, 2005. The Incredibles Directed by: Brad Bird (Walt Disney) Pixar makes the best-quality cinematic family entertainment you can get. The Incredibles’ superhero adventure continues the streak started with Toy Story through Monsters Inc. and Finding Nemo, and the DVD is a deluxe package for anyone wanting to get into the animation details.…
Three War Films: The Andrzej Wajda Collection
Published December 08, 2005. Three War Films: The Andrzej Wajda Collection Directed by: Andrzej Wajda (Paradox/Criterion) Collected in a boxed set, the movies A Generation (1955), Kanal (1957) and Ashes and Diamonds (1958) tell of Poland’s role in WWII. It’s the middle film that’s the toughest, following some members of the Warsaw Uprising as they…
El Perro Del Mar
El Perro Del MarEl Perro Del Mar(Control Group)El Perro del Mar has a song called “Coming Down the Hill,” calling up Kate Bush’s classic song, “Running Up that Hill.” In fact, the Bush influence seeps into this entire album. Swede Sarah Assbring (the one-woman-show that is El Perro Del Mar) favours Bush-isms, especially in the…
Jessica Rhaye
Jessica RhayeShort Stories(Independent)Six years is a long time to go between albums, but New Brunswick’s Jessica Rhaye made the most of her musical sabbatical. Short Stories is a marked improvement over Rhaye’s self-titled debut, with a poise and polish that holds its own against the folk-pop heavyweights on the radio today. Producer Ed Woodsworth pulls…
Bob Egan
Bob EganThe Glorious Decline(Fontana North/ Universal)The Glorious Decline portrays a darker, contemplative interior life to Egan, best known for his pedal and lap steel and guitar work in bands like Blue Rodeo and, earlier, Wilco and Freakwater. These are, by turns, sad and melancholic tunes. “Spalding’s Lament,” marks the emotional low point, but it’s a…
Arcade Fire
Arcade FireNeon Bible(Merge)Some times are so good that you have to wonder how you’re going to ever recapture them again. It’s the dark cloud that lies just beyond every silver lining. Any artistic achievement that breaks ground and wins acclaim—or hearts—will eventually have to be followed up. In pop culture there have been two prime…
Amy Winehouse
Amy WinehouseBack to Black(Island)Talk about fast introductions! The first line, first breath is “They tried to make me go to rehab, I said no no no.” Ten seconds in, you know more about this tattooed Brit siren than most of your acquaintances. Further in, on “Me & Mr. Jones,” she demands “What kind of fuckery…
Shortbus
ShortbusDirected by: John Cameron Mitchell(THINKFilm)Within the first five minutes of writer-director John Cameron Mitchell’s Shortbus, a man performs autofellatio and Sook-Yin Lee has sex in a variety of positions. The titular Shortbus is a club that encourages sexual self-expression. The film follows several lonely New Yorkers who frequent Shortbus and documents the connections they attempt…
The Papercuts
The PapercutsCan’t Go Back(GNOMONSONG)The Papercuts’ latest defies its title with a resurrection of the jangling backdrops to early Bob Dylan tracks or Neil Young’s complacent country moments. The overall construction, though, is more complex, cleaner and clearly modern. Jason Quever’s voice plunks into the centre of each song but drifts in and out with a…
Holy Fuck
Holy FuckHoly Fuck(Independent)Is there anything that Brian Borcherdt can’t do well? Between the Remains Of Brian Borcherdt discs and his Holy Fuck output, this guy is getting the reputation of being some sort of supergenius. And this new EP is no different, proving that the success of the first album is neither hoax nor fluke.…
Travis
TravisThe Boy With No Name(Sony)At one time, with producer Nigel Godrich (OK Computer) on board, Travis was on its way to being the biggest band on the planet. Then its audience grew up (or got younger) and as soon as one could say The Man Who, the Glasgewian nice-guys were out of style. This is…
Kelly Clarkson
Kelly ClarksonMy December(SonyBMG)Draw a line in your mind. Write “Alanis Morissette” at the top and “Kelly Clarkson” at the bottom. From the top, add these titles: Alanis (1991). Now is the Time (1992). Jagged Little Pill (1995). Thankful (2003). Breakaway (2004). My December (2007). See the picture? Though Morissette’s trajectory—she fled to LA and found…
Josh Ritter
Josh RitterThe Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter(Sony/BMG)Josh Ritter’s The Animal Years only came out a year ago. That he’s followed up with something just as rich and deep that sounds nothing like it is a terrific feat. Where Animal rolled out its war laments via lush, pretty melodies, The Historical Conquests is a raucous but…
Richard Thompson
Richard ThompsonSweet Warrior(Shout Factory)On this release Thompson sets his sights on the political front. Several tunes focus on the Iraq war. Whether it’s the soldiers’ daily life (“Dad’s Gonna Kill Me”), the military family (“Johnny’s Far Away”) or Bush/right wing politics (“Mr.Stupid, I’ll Never Give Up”), Thompson aims with a sharp tongue and a pen…
Animal Collective
Animal CollectiveStrawberry Jam(Domino)If there is a common element in all of Animal Collective’s records it’s a child’s disposition. The band doesn’t rationalize the world and then decide to radicalize it or destroy it like punk, it’s more that they never tried to understand it in the first place. It’s extreme idealism—the only world that ever…
Wintersleep
WintersleepWelcome to the Night SkyLabworkPaul Murphy has always been about the big picture. There are songs of love (“Listen, Listen”), lust (“Avalanche”) and politics (“Orca”) in Wintersleep’s catalogue, but Murphy’s lyrics usually address larger life issues. A theme of the band’s 2003 debut was normalcy—“Calibre” and “Assembly Line” questioned what life was supposed to be…
Construction and Deconstruction
Construction and DeconstructionHomebodiesIndependentIt’s helpful to keep the idea of construction and deconstruction in mind when listening to Homebodies. The “songwriting band-team (!)” of David Trenaman and Colleen Collins’s debut album is 15 simple, lightly instrumented, beautifully catchy pop songs about the quirky thoughts that come from living in rural Nova Scotia. That’s the construction part.…
Deadwood: The Complete Seasons 1-3
Deadwood: The Complete Seasons 1-3Directed by: David MilchHBOAlthough three brief seasons hardly seem like enough, this is the full package: the gritty, profane historical drama all in one place. In years to come, people will look back and call The Sopranos, Six Feet Under and Deadwood, all series produced by HBO, the best TV of…
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss
Robert Plant and Alison KraussRaising SandRounderThere have been some novelty pop pairings recently, most of them heinous—Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow, Tim McGraw and Nelly. In the pairing of Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, we have something in the vein of the Emmylou Harris and Bright Eyes collaboration–logic wouldn’t have matched them up, but hearing…
PJ Harvey
PJ HarveyWhite ChalkIsland/UniversalWhite Chalk is a dark, sparse record that brings a whole new sound to Harvey’s catalogue. Without any distortion and featuring PJ’s vocals in a higher register, the disc is truly beautiful and haunting. White Chalk is the mature acoustic answer to her breakthrough alt-classic Rid of Me. Trevor McLarencategories: Best of the…
Slowcoaster
SlowcoasterFuture RadioindieSlowcoaster may hail from Cape Breton, however it’s the west coast influence that adds the sizzle to Future Radio. This album contains more hooks than a tackle box. Fire up tracks “Eurotrash” or “Distance & Time” to see why these Cape Breton lads are indeed the future of radio.Trevor Savorycategories: Best of the year…
Paris, je t’aime
Paris, je t’aimeDirected by: MultipleVictoires InternationalA sterling collection of short films with the loose theme of life in Paris, it draws great work from a spectacular stable of international directors, including Alfonso Cuarón, Alexander Payne, Walter Salles, Gus Van Sant and Tom Tykwer. My favourite: the Coen Brothers assault Steve Buscemi in the Metro. Carsten…
SOCOM U.S. Navy Seals Fireteam Bravo
SOCOM U.S. Navy Seals Fireteam BravoSony PlayStation portableSOCOM is the first legit shooter for a handheld unit. The widescreen really helps, but it’s the approach to the shooter genre that clicks. The controls are 100 percent intuitive and despite a “lock-on” targeting feature, aiming and connecting are anything but a sure thing. In single-player mode,…
Life free and DIY hard
Kyla Francis Picture Kyla Francis wandering in and out of secondhand stores “like a junkie looking for a fix,” she says. “I love looking for treasure and then finding a fun way to add my own inspiration to it.” She took excess stackable white cups from the Delta Barrington (found on the Agricola Army Navy…
David Murray 4tet
David Murray 4tetWaltz Again Justin TimeOn the follow up to the big band release Gwotet, composer/arranger/ saxophonist David Murray outdoes himself on Waltz Again. Here he doesn’t just compose genius jazz pieces, but also the string arrangements that outline the tracks. The disc is an absolute masterpiece that begins with a 26-minute-plus seven- part composition…
The Free Design
The Free DesignThe Now Sound RevisitedLight in the atticFalling somewhere between tribute and blender, this album features an astounding array of artists exulting in the legacy of a band you likely never heard of. The Free Design (basically the Dedrick family band) played sophisticated breezy pop 35 years ago a la Beach Boys or Spanky…
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…
David Gray
David GrayLife in Slow MotionBMGGray took the world somewhat by surprise five years ago. Among the pop elite of today, Gray is more kinetic than Rufus Wainwright, less mired in bombast than Coldplay, seeming naked as a stray cat on a symphony stage. Slow Motion is an apt description of how the spacious arrangements hypnotize,…
Various
VariousThis Bird has Flown(Razor & Tie)Cover albums are a tough sell. This 40th anniversary tribute to The Beatles’ Rubber Soul is not without its charm and a great line-up of indie rock types, but the soul quotient is low. The Donnas play it straight for “Drive My Car” — cutesy and boring. The Fiery Furnaces…
K’Naan
K’NaanThe Dusty Foot Philosopher (SonyBMG)K’Naan, the Dusty Foot Philosopher, spits rhymes with that same pinched, sleeplessly agitated register as late ’90s-era Eminem (think back to “My Name Is…”). This vocal register works for K’Naan’s tales of life on the war-torn Mogadishu streets and finding his way in his adopted homeland of Toronto. Working with producers…
The White Stripes
The White Stripes Get Behind Me Satan (V2) After five kick-ass albums, The White Stripes have finally released something less than compelling. It may forever be known as Jack White’s piano and marimba experiment. There are some worthy tunes here (especially the lingering “White Moon” and the minimalist guitar hiccups of “Instinct Blues”) but too…
Al Franken and guests
Al Franken and guestsThe Al Franken Show Party Album(Artemis) Once very commonplace and popular, comedy albums — save for the meteoric rise of Dane Cook’s Retaliation — are a rare breed nowadays. So it’s a welcome sight to see political humourist and now liberal radio host Al Franken release The Al Franken Party Show Album.…
Ray Davies
Ray DaviesThanksgiving Day EP(V2)Four songs plus one alternate mix are a teaser for Davies’ first full post-Kinks album in February. The Yanks’ Thanksgiving is a feast of ideas for Davies, always a lover of traditions and shrewd portrayer of inner lives. On the title cut, the longings of a widower and spinster lead to a…
Guided by Voices – The Electrifying Conclusion
Guided by Voices – The Electrifying Conclusion(Sonic Unyon)Perhaps only the serious Guided by Voices fan could sit through this more than once. Clocking in at over four hours, The Electrifying Conclusion is much more than just a bunch of songs to keep the night going. Sure, 63 songs from a 21-year career would be more…
Clearlake
ClearlakeAmber(Domino)Clearlake is among the brilliant new guitar bands out of the UK, including British Sea Power and Idlewind. They have come to save a world trapped under the bloated corpses of warhorses like Oasis. Hailing from the English sea town of Hove, Clearlake follows in the steps of Blur and Pulp, but is far more…
Various
VariousThe Kings of Hip-Hop(Outside)The Kings of compilation series scores again. DJ Premier of Gang Starr takes this theme less literally than you’d expect, selecting vintage soul tunes. Some are more essential than rare, like Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ “I Put a Spell on You.” Others will be a revelation, like “Men Are Getting Scarce,” a lost…
Ben Folds
Ben FoldsSongs for Silverman(Epic)Ben Folds has travelled under the proverbial radar for 15 years and a half-dozen records; like the best character actors, he’s never been big enough to be a star or a cult artist. Those who adore him do it with slobbering devotion, the rest sing along to “Brick” when it comes on…
Daft Punk
Daft PunkAfter All(Virgin)Daft Punk have once again spun together an album of electronic sounds from their limited palette. And from thrust-your fist-in-the-air power chords to massive drums, this duo is bananas for all that is great about ’70s cock rock. It is as if two kids from another solar system intercepted the KISS catalogue and…
The Violet Archers
The Violet ArchersEnd of Part One (Northern Electric)Tim Vesely remains the unsung hero of Rheostatics. He writes the strongest pop songs in the band’s oeuvre. Vesely side project The Violet Archers allows him to set loose the pop master within, offering memorable melodies in “Co-ordinates,” “Time to Kill” and more, a lovely little acoustic ballad…
Kings of Leon
Kings of LeonAha Shake Heartbreak(RCA/BMG)Kings of Leon vocalist Caleb Followill said that Aha Shake Heartbreak contains songs about incidents that he’s ashamed of. This sentiment is passed on to listeners, who will feel the same way about wasting their time. The weakest sophomore effort (or lack thereof) since the Strokes’ Room on Fire, the band…
Jobriath
JobriathLonely Planet Boy(Attack)When such a huge 1970s flop turns up, you know the re-releasers were digging deep. Jobriath was an American knockoff of Ziggy Stardust-period Bowie, so gay it was part of the hype. (Morrissey, a fan, contributes the liner notes.) Jobriath’s singing can be described as caterwauling, but his songs and piano have a…
Various
VariousHave a Very Merry Chrismukkah(Warner)On the simulatenously released OC Mix 2, you can find Nada Surf covering lame ’80s tune “If You Leave,” most famous for underscoring Molly Ringwald’s angst in Pretty in Pink. A similar tactic is employed on this collection—a clever, ultimately half-baked idea—by Jimmy Eat World, who present a tinny take on…
Chevelle
Published November 25, 2004. Chevelle This Type of Thinking Could Do Us In (Epic) Former nü-metallers Chevelle sound strangely familiar, but it might be difficult to put your finger on it at first. Haunting vocals and melodies: check. Big guitars: check. Dynamic range: check. Around “Another Know It All,” you’ll probably clue in—Chevelle is an…
Jess Klein
Jess KleinStrawberry Lover(Ryko)Fans of Jess Klein’s critically acclaimed debut Draw Them Near will find this a suitable follow-up, with confident strides forward as a songwriter. Her voice, straddling the bitter resolve of Lucinda Williams and the sweetness of Tanya Donelly, stands out most beautifully on the slower, starker numbers like “Bombs Are Falling” and the…
Various, XXX
Various, XXXMusic from Thinking XXX (Ryko)Photographer Timothy Greenfield-Sanders’ portraits of porn stars (both naked and clothed) were deemed worthy of a documentary. This is the soundtrack to the documentary, mostly a clinical throbbing trying to pass itself off as hot. There are a few robotically rousing dance numbers by Felix da Housecat, Xlover, Ladytron and…
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Genius Loves Company (Concord)Ray Charles was one of those rare artists who could transcend and leave his mark on any musical genre he touched. The posthumous release of his final (and aptly named) recording features Ray performing with such heavyweights as BB King, Van Morrison, Gladys Knight and Elton John. It’s on each…
Carina Round
Carina RoundThe Disconnection (Interscope)On her debut The Disconnection, Carina Round is heavy petting with being good, but never goes all the way. It ranges in sound from Holly McNarland’s great early work to recent PJ Harvey, but it never feels like the commitment was offered to make these songs more than just mock-ups. The dark…
Le Tigre
Le TigreThis Island(Universal)This Island marks the third studio release from electro-pop- punk trio Le Tigre. The excitement of the initial spin of this disc quickly dissipates, as the sickly sweet vocals (a higher pitched B-52’s) and the aggravating electronic backdrop begin to grate relentlessly. When they pick up the pace and lunge into punk mode,…
Bush Speak
Bush SpeakThe Curious Wit & Wisdom of George W. Bush (Shout Factory)George W. Bush’s mangled English is nothing new to most, so this collection of quotes set to patriotic American music is not exactly enlightening. But listening to nearly 10 minutes of butchered Bush quotes does raise two important questions: How was this man—obviously over…
Dizzee Rascal
Dizzee RascalShowtime (XL)Seeing that prior attempts at street culture have included Westlife and Bradley from S Club 7, it’s amazing that two of the most exciting voices in modern hip-hop come from England. While The Streets has had more success with an indie-rock crowd, Dizzee Rascal has fallen in with the actual hip-hop community. On…
The George W. Bush Singers
The George W. Bush SingersSongs in the Key Of W.(True Believer)Right down to the “Grammatical Advisory” sticker on the cover, Songs in the Key Of W. is meant to be totally kitsch, completely farcical and a laugh riot. What it isn’t, however, is politically poignant or even slightly funny. Hey, we all know Bush-isms are…
K-os
K-osJoyful Rebellion(Astralwerks)K-os is international, a sound not out of one specific neighbourhood. It’s a sound inspired by hip-hop; samples and beats are joined by flamenco guitar, sitar, organ. More Fugees than 50 Cent, Joyful Rebellion is just that, rebellious against the tired sound of hip-hop. This sophomore effort is more mature, complex and fun than…
Jonathan Richman
Jonathan Richman Not So Much to Be Loved as to Love (Sanctuary/Vapor)Openness and innocence are what distinguish Richman, along with an engagingly flat vocal style. “Vincent Van Gogh” is brought back, to be joined by “Salvador Dali,” praised for being Richman’s “guide to the dream world.” Two tunes each in Spanish and French are a…
Seether
SeetherDisclaimer II(Sony)With the new-found popularity of the Seether/Amy Lee duet “Broken,” Seether decided to capitalize on this renewed 15 minutes of fame by releasing Disclaimer II, a reworking of 2002’s lacklustre Disclaimer. Not much has changed, other than the length; the first was 12 tracks but here it’s been stretched to 20 tracks of wanna-be…
Velvet Revolver
Velvet RevolverContraband(RCA/BMG)There will be countless comparisons to Guns N’ Roses and Stone Temple Pilots based solely on Velvet Revolver’s lineup (Slash, Duff and Matt Sorum, plus Scott Weiland). And on Contraband you can hear echoes of the past, but tied into a new direction. “Slither,” “Head-space” and “Dirty Little Thing” show Velvet Revolver has the…
Los Amigos Invisibles
Los Amigos InvisiblesThe Venezuelan Zing Son(Luakabop)For a Latin American band to register with Anglos, it needs to be 75 years old or indulge in some gringo tricks. You throw a record like this on to get the floor throbbing and the women into a tropical reverie of movement and clothes-removal. “Gerundio” sets up a theremin-like…
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…
Nas
NasIllmatic (Sony)Two thousand four marks the 10th anniversary of Nas’s debut album Illmatic. Nas quietly emerged in 1994 alongside Bad Boy records (featuring the debuts of both Notorious BIG and Puff Daddy). While Biggie and Puffy did their thing big, Illmatic became an instant classic, without the same fanfare. Nas is undeniably more talented than…
Tom Russell
Tom RussellIndians Cowboys Horses Dogs (Hightone)With a dozen songs evenly balanced between originals and well-chosen covers, Russell evokes vivid Wild West images: Barfights, hangings and ornery bulls make for rich stories. Rough-hewn characters are thick, whether in Linda Thompson’s gorgeous “No Telling,” Bob Dylan’s “Seven Curses” or Russell’s own salute to the late environmental warrior…
JC Chasez
JC ChasezSchizophrenic (Jive)JC Chasez’s Schizophrenic is nothing like the Pharrell-infused JT debut, or the boy- band sound of *NSync. There are moments that hark back to the dark days of “If You Were My Girl,” but Chasez makes up for that with a couple tracks that are sure to tear up clubs: “All Day Long…
The Evaporators
The EvaporatorsRipple Rock (Mint)Sounding like Joel Plaskett pushing his voice to the limits of whine while singing campy Canadiana punk, The Evapor-ators are… interesting. The pet project of MuchMusic’s Nardwuar, here he drops his alternately witty/annoying persona to sing about cheese, poop and testicles. The results would be mediocre from a Clearasil-soaked teen; Nardwuar is…
The Holmes Brothers
Published February 05, 2004. The Holmes Brothers Simple Truths (Alligator) The Holmes Brothers are a talented soul-blues group; Simple Truths is a collection of covers in the vein of Johnny Cash’s American Recordings. Though the Brothers turn in solid performances, peaking with Gillian Welch’s “Everything is Free,” the album suffers from lack of a Rick…
Elvis Presley
Published January 15, 2004. Elvis Presley 2nd to None (BMG) Elvis’s number one collection from 2002 felt weak because a lot of Big E classics never reached number one. 2nd to None, as a companion piece, fills in a lot of the holes. Containing Presley essentials such as his first Sun single “That’s All Right…
Sondre Lerche
Sondre LercheTwo Way Monologue(Virgin)The Norwegian wunderkind has much to live up to on his second full-length—like Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst, he’s been saddled with saving his generation. Good luck. Kids are much more content crying along to Oberst’s wordy, folky heartbreakers than Lerche’s pop poems. Lerche—a Heavy Blinkers fan—is rooted in the kind of sound…
David Bowie
Published September 18, 2003. David Bowie Reality (ISO) Reality finds Bowie in the comfort zone of recalling his past. He works his way through his old catalogue with vigour, taking chunks from here and there. Heathen was Bowie’s best work in 20 years, while Hours was little gems buried in mediocrity. Reality suffers from that…
Various
Published December 25, 2003. Various Christmas at the Khyber (independent) With over 20 Christmas songs (original and traditional) by some of Halifax’s best artists, Christmas at the Khyber is a great bang for your buck. There are a quite a few surreal tracks that’ll win over the eclectic crowd—Mos Huntslers’ “IJ’s Home for Christmas,” Jack…
Emmylou Harris
Published November 27, 2003. Emmylou Harris Stumble Into Grace (Nonesuch) Emmylou Harris is many things to American music. She began as torchbearer for Gram Parsons’s Cosmic American Music, helped revive the traditionalist movement and in- spired the roots and alt-country genres. Since Wrecking Ball she has become one of the most eclectic voices of the…
Lyle Lovett
Published November 13, 2003. Lyle Lovett My Baby Don’t Tolerate (Lost Highway) In the ’80s, when Garth Brooks turned Nashville into a distopian redneck version of Motown, fringe singer-songwriters made the records that mattered. My Baby Don’t Tolerate proves Lyle Lovett is making music that’s as original and invigorating as his debut. Overloaded with corny…
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…
Jim Bryson
Published October 09, 2003. Jim Bryson The North Side Benches (Orange) He may look like a high school gym teacher, but Jim Bryson is a gifted songwriter. If he’d spent his youth holed up in his basement learning Replacement songs and drinking chamomile tea instead of batting a ball around it would not be a…
Pete Francis
Published September 11, 2003. Pete Francis Untold (Hollywood) The sun has begun to pack its bags in preparation for the annual abandonment of us. So we’re going to need an album that will leave us feeling warm and sexy during those cool autumn nights. Pete Francis’s debut is that album. Francis’s roots-rock is warm and…
Danny Michel
Published August 14, 2003. Danny Michel Tales from the Invisible Man (Maple) “Nobody move, this is perfect,” Danny Michel warns in the opener of Tales from the Invisible Man. He’s talking about a girl, but his deft pop-folk record comes close too. Some songs, with their layered vocals, sound overproduced but only because Michel’s ballads…
Mirrormask
Mirrormask Directed by: Dave McKean (Jim Henson Productions)McKean’s work will be familiar to anyone who has wandered into a comic store in the past 20 years. His inimitable collaborations with writer Neil Gaiman on the Vertigo series Sandman and children’s books such as The Wolves in the Walls is continued here in their first film…
A Dirty Shame
A Dirty ShameDirected by: John Waters (Fine Line Features)Do you like the word “cooter?” Do you wish there was more feltching or sploshing in movies? Have you been searching for the ideal euphemism for cunnilingus? How about “sneezing in the cabbage?” A Dirty Shame will satisfy. With this movie, American B-movie legend Waters locates his…
Danko Jones
Danko JonesSleep is the Enemy(Bad Taste)To paraphrase Occam’s Razor, the simplest answer to a problem is most likely to be the right one. Not that Sleep is The Enemy is a problem. It is, however, a straight-ahead no-frills rock record, brimming with testosterone-laden confidence. Even as far back as their indie EPs, Danko Jones’ primary…
Pilate
PilateSell Control for Life’s Speed (Maple)Pilate’s debut was a lovely, melodic slice of Britpop cut against the ’70s-infused scrap rock popular in 2003. On Sell Control for Life’s Speed the Toronto quartet takes a bite out of the Coldplay apple with big, bombastic, arena-ready songs. The best example is the nearly nine-minute “Don’t Stare,” which…
Wilderness
WildernessVessel States(Jagjaguwar)Wilderness’ self-titled debut came out last year and generated a mini-buzz in a sector of critics who love to point out “albums of the year” that no one else heard. The sophomore Vessel States continues in the same vein. Vocalist James Johnson is distinctive, a tone-deaf Robert Smith with lonesome yowls that sound like…
The Short Films of David Lynch / Dumbland
The Short Films of David Lynch / DumblandDirected by: David Lynch(Paradox)The David Lynch DVD releases of The Short Films of David Lynch and Dumbland (previously available at high prices on Lynch’s website, now affordable at retail outlets) are essential next stops for anyone who has exhausted the director’s output. The Short Films disc is the…
Ron Sexsmith
Ron SexsmithTime Being(Warner)It’s a testament to Sexsmith’s artistry that he can lyrically delve into humanity-sized issues without relying on cliches or tripping into self-indulgent muck. Time Being explores mortality and death—Sexsmith admits to being affected by the loss of two childhood friends—in his trademark sincere style. Still, this is not gloom and doom: “Jazz at…
Gomez
GomezHow We Operate(ATO)Underappreciated Brit quintet Gomez is more familiar to you than you think. If you watched the finale of Grey’s Anatomy, you heard the band’s aptly named title track underscoring the dual operations of Burke and Denny. How We Operate begins quietly with a lament from smooth Ian Ball, followed by Ben Ottewell’s lovely…
Damone
DamoneOut Here All Night(Island)Wow, talk about bait and switch! From the cover art, color scheme and the website, you’re led to believe that you’re in for a loud aggressive onslaught of gritty punk rock. Unfortunately, from the moment you press play those notions are tossed directly out the window. Damone is nothing more than the…
Ed Harcourt
Ed HarcourtThe Beautiful Lie(EMI)The lusher the track on this album, the more one might imagine it as an instrumental, reflecting a greater shortage of gorgeous melodies than sensitive songs by young men. Harcourt does not let down those familiar with his special brand of ornate seething. “You Only Call Me When You’re Drunk” addresses the…
Bubble
BubbleDirected by: Steven Soderbergh(Magnolia Pictures/2929 Entertainment)You may have heard about the controversy around Bubble—that it was an experiment, of sorts, released on DVD and in theatres on the same day. The merits of messing with movie distribution aside, what’s curious is they chose to do it with a project that will attract at best a…
Jenny Whiteley
Jenny WhiteleyDear(Black Hen Music)The danger in doing a boffo cover version of an obscure number (“Heart of Gold”) by an esteemed songwriter (Ray Davies) is if it outshines your own material. It happens with Jenny Whiteley’s take on the old Kinks tune, but only enough to add nuance to a solid set of songs. She’s…
Bright Eyes
Bright EyesNoise Floor (Rarities: 1998-2005)(Saddle Creek)Conor Oberst is such a prolific talent and insightful poet, it’s surprising that he doesn’t just put out an exhaustive box-set of all these little masterpieces. But maybe it’s a good thing he has more restraint. Paring tracks down to one essential CD of material keeps fingers off the skip…
Arctic Monkeys
Arctic MonkeysWhatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not(Domino)The UK buzz band of the year did what few bands could: they lived up to the hype. The best debut since the Libertines Up the Bracket, the young band from Sheffield shows songwriting talent beyond its collective years. The Monkeys recall the best of British…
Final Fantasy
Final FantasyHe Poos Clouds(BlocksBlocksBlocks)Violinist, Arcade Fire arranger and Dungeons and Dragons fan Owen Pallett creates a concept album full of puns, poetry and pirouettes. It’s a cerebral pop treat on a scale with Sufjan Stevens’ Illinoise. He Poos Clouds arrived with the smack of novelty and endures as insurgent classical punChuck Teeduated by inseChuck Teed…
Jon McKiel
Published November 30, 2006. Jon McKiel Jon McKiel (independent) Now that more than a decade has passed, the Dependent Music collective’s impact on the local community is starting to reveal itself in artists like McKiel, whose enchanting debut matches the lyrical sensitivity (and delivery) of Brian Borcherdt with Wintersleep’s more contemplative moments. Tara Thorne categories:…
Pete Yorn
Pete YornNightcrawler(Red Ink)It’s aggravating the attention given to “artists” such as Paris Hilton or Kevin Federline while actual artists like Pete Yorn are out there making incredible folk-rock. It’s hard to explain why Yorn has gone largely unnoticed—Nightcrawler will be the best album of 2006 that no one heard.Trevor Savorycategories: Best of the year (2006)
Scott Pilgrim Vol. 2: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Scott Pilgrim Vol. 2: Scott Pilgrim vs. the WorldBryan Lee O’MalleyOni PressWith Scott Pilgrim, O’Malley has taken all the fun things about growing up after 1980 and combined them in his series of original graphic novels. There’s videogame action with a rock ‘n’ roll soundtrack, characters you can’t help but love, and pop culture references…
The Wreckage
The WreckageMichael CrummeyThe Wreckage is a gorgeous novel set sometimes in a Newfoundland outport, sometimes in the city, and sometimes in a World War Two prisoner-of-war camp in Japan. Michael Crummey writes beautiful sentences of the sort that make other writers wonder why they bother. The book is loosely based on bits of Crummey’s family…
JPod
Published December 07, 2006. JPod Douglas Coupland Random House I’ll admit this isn’t my favourite Coupland book—it lacks the intensity and ingenuity of Hey Nostradamus. More like Microserfs: The Return. I felt slightly overconsumed by Coupland’s overplayed themes of techno-commercialization. But maybe that’s the point. That said, I still laughed out loud at this story…
James Bond The Ultimate Collection Volumes 1 & 2
James Bond The Ultimate Collection Volumes 1 & 2Directed by: Guy Hamilton(Fox Video)For the completist, the deluxe DVD editions of 10 of the 007 movies, five per set. It’s an arbitrary grouping, so there’s no skipping on, say, the Dalton entries, but there’s plenty to enjoy in all the extras, crammed on one bonus disc…
Reds
RedsDirected by: Warren Beatty(Paramount)A grand, large-scale look at the Russian revolution framed by a love story between an American political journalist John Reed (Warren Beatty, also writer-director) and writer Louise Bryant (Diane Keaton), with Eugene O’Neil (Jack Nicholson) waiting in the wings. Both epic and intimate, extras in the two-disc edition finally see the notoriously…
Death Cab for Cutie
Published December 08, 2005. Death Cab for Cutie Plans (Atlantic) Death Cab releases its first album for an evil, corporate major label and nothing happens! Except a top 10 record! Nice fear-mongering, indie tools! Sonically nothing has changed, lyrically Ben Gibbard appears to be exploring his spirituality. Beautiful songs abound as always, especially the epic…
The New Pornographers
Published December 08, 2005. The New Pornographers Twin Cinema (Mint) The genius and craft of songwriting that has been gifted to Carl Newman remains fully intact on this latest release by supergroup The New Pornographers. It is with shock and awe that we have yet to hear this troupe fully take the charts by storm.…
The White Stripes
Published December 08, 2005. The White Stripes Get Behind Me Satan (V2) While starting out as the most unlikely crossover success since Trio, The White Stripes have fallen into the role of being saviours of the mainstream. Get Behind Me Satan sees the group explore their commitment to minimalism with an inspired new focus on…
Deadwood: Season 1
Published December 08, 2005. Deadwood: Season 1 Directed by: Michael Almereyda, Davis Guggenheim (HBO) HBO scores again with another unusual dramatic series. This is a western set in a town in South Dakota incorporating actual historical characters such as Wild Bill Hickok. Some of the frequently flung expletives may be a little too contemporary, but…
The Jerk
Published December 08, 2005. The Jerk Directed by: Carl Reiner (Universal) Before Steve Martin was consciously smart, he was in this deceptively stupid comedy about a nomad who was born black and is afraid of cans, then gets rich enough to afford a bathtub shaped like a clam. For a 20th Anniversary Edition, the quantity…
The Tragically Hip: That Night In Toronto
Published December 08, 2005. The Tragically Hip: That Night In Toronto (Universal) In a year where live music on DVD has exploded onto the market, this show packaged as part of the band’s retrospective Hipeponymous box set is notable. It should remind fans that despite uneven albums, 20 years on the road makes for a…
Wordplay
WordplayDirected by: Patrick Creadon (IFC Films) One montage in Wordplay shows various celebrities—including the Indigo Girls, Jon Stewart, Bill Clinton and documentarian Ken Burns—hunkered down over the New York Times crossword. Burns breaks into a delighted smile as he notices a hidden pun. “They’re playing with us here,” he says. “That’s wonderful.” That delight’s really…
Bob Mould
Bob MouldBody of Song (Deluxe Edition)(Yep Roc)The deluxe version of Bob Mould’s latest CD finds Mr. Mould returning to what has kept him on the alternative scene for more than 20 years; but this is not an artist mining past glories. Body of Song shows the right mix of electronic and guitar tones. “(Shine Your)…
Catherine MacLellan
Catherine MacLellanChurch Bell Blues(Independent)So intimate are these songs as a group, they float in from an era of slow and stark acoustic music. Many could have been composed during a bout of mid-winter cabin fever. The daughter of the late PEI bard Gene MacLellan, Catherine is less a story-teller than a confessor. Her way of…
Norah Jones
Norah JonesNot Too Late(EMI)Though not shy about cutting loose in side projects, Jones’s languorous, vaguely jazzy music is a franchise. It sells millions more than any other artist who employs cello, trombone, B3 organ and pedal steel. Bassist/producer Lee Alexander also co-writes the numbers most likely to stick in the brain. “Sinkin’ Soon” works a…
Various
VariousHeartworn Highways OST(Hacktone)In 1976, for those who didn’t fit into the Nashville country scene, it was called “outlaw country.” Now it’s alt-country or Americana. This is a sound recording of a documentary about this breed of singer-songwriter. It features artists such as Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt and David Allen Coe along with (then) unknowns…
Volver
VolverDirected by: Pedro Almodovar(Sony)Pedro Almodovar writes the best roles in his films for women. The much-loved, flamboyant director is like a Spanish Woody Allen without the self-obsessive angst, plus a touch of Hitchcock, exploring communities and relationships from a feminine point of view. Volver tells the story of two sisters, Raimunda (Penelope Cruz) and Soledad…
Marah
MarahSooner or Later in Spain(Yep Roc)Marah can’t get a break. Despite heavyweight fans in Bruce Springsteen and Steve Earle, their Replacements-inspired rock has never made the band anything more than a cult favourite (though Matt Mays opened for them in New York last year). This live EP isn’t going to remedy this situation, but that…
Nathan Wiley
Nathan WileyThe City Destroyed Me(Sonic records)The third album from the mop-haired music man from PEI could very well have been subtitled The Trials of a Young Man Who Lost His Way. Temptation, indulgence, elation, euphoria, clarity, crash, despair, escape (though with permanent scars) and redemption: it’s all here. Visually, the cover art shows a drooping…
Ohbijou
OhbijouSwift Feet for Troubling Feet(Independent)The silent star in Sarah Polley’s touching Away from Her was southwestern Ontario’s gorgeous wintry scenery, so it’s no surprise that Ohbijou, an orch-pop band born in nearby Brantford, might also find inspiration in similar surroundings. Started by singer Casey Mecija, whose ethereal voice anchors these ghostly songs, Ohbijou is now…
Hayseed Dixie
Hayseed DixieWeapons of Grass Destruction(Cooking Vinyl)songs can be a treat, especially if chosen well and performed as if born for banjo and mandolin. Hayseed Dixie makes some curious selections (“Strawberry Fields Forever,” “Holidays in the Sun”) and some terrific ones. “Devil Woman,” a forgotten Cliff Richard hit from 1976, has new life breathed into it.…
Hot Fuzz
Hot FuzzDirected by: Edgar Wright(Universal Studios)The final half-hour of action-comedy Hot Fuzz is, essentially, one big action sequence. If someone started watching Hot Fuzz here, they’d initially be unable to differentiate the film from any other machismo-dripping action flick. Then, a goose wanders into the middle of the road. The movie’s a neat blend of…
Heavy Trash
Heavy TrashGoing Way Out(Yep Roc)Heavy Trash is Blues Explosion frontman Jon Spencer and Matt Verta-Ray of Speedball Baby. And Heavy Trash will kick your ass. Not necessarily in a raunchy, Blues Explosion-crazy-fucked-up-shit deconstructionist kinda way. But it will kick your ass nonetheless with its mess of roots-fired rockabilly that is an ode to tube amps,…
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
Perfume: The Story of a MurdererDirected by: Tom TykwerConstantin FilmJean-Baptiste Grenouille (Ben Whishaw) is born into the filth and fish markets of pre-revolutionary Paris with the gift of superhuman olfactory abilities: His sense of smell is one in a million. Becoming an apprentice to a perfumer (a distracting Dustin Hoffman) Grenouille learns what goes into…
Be Bad
Be BadVision CorrectionDivorce RecordsThis collection of eight songs includes: one chant-along chorus hook; one pop hit (relatively speaking); one 10-minute, improvised drone/trance; one half-second killer guitar solo and one half-hour of the tornado of negativity Be Bad has become in its short existence. A striking, slightly unsettling visual effort thanks to Nicholas MacMillan’s cosmic artwork,…
Vennt
VenntVenntDivorceVennt make music that would be a perfect soundtrack to the scariest movie you’ve never seen. With Darcy Spidle (founder of Divorce Records) on drums, Sandy Saunders (of Torso, also on Divorce) on electronics and vocals, and Jordan Hines on bass, their self-titled EP comprises four tracks (each clocking in at five minutes and change)…
Dirty Dancing: 20th Anniversary Edition
Dirty Dancing: 20th Anniversary EditionDirected by: Emile ArdolinoMaple PicturesLet’s face it: this ’80s-made ode to 1960s against-all-odds love and coming of age in the Catskills is painfully lame…and terribly fun to watch. For those who can’t wait until the next TBS screening to watch true-blue dance expert Johnny (Patrick Swayze) let Baby (Jennifer Grey) out…
Waitress
WaitressDirected by: Adrienne Shelly20th Century FoxMany of the lines characters in Waitress spout at each other are tiny pieces of only-in-movies poetry. Crusty diner patron/owner Old Joe (Andy Griffith) describes pregnant waitress Jenna (Keri Russell)’s pie passionately, “Then you’re flooded with chocolate, dark and bittersweet, like an old love affair… strawberry: the way strawberry was…
Hot Springs
Hot SpringsVolcanoAquariusGiselle Claudia Webber is one crazy lady. A witchy woman. Thankfully she’s putting her powers to good and not evil. This is ass-kicking rock that reminds of why you bought those Veruca Salt and Breeders albums in the ’90s, but it also tells you that it can get better, much better. Sean Flinncategories: Best…
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce SpringsteenMagicSonyMagic may not be the rock comeback everyone hoped for. But an older and more embittered Springsteen not only proves he can still write great rockers, he proves he can do it while writing protest songs. The Boss isn’t the angst-ridden youth of 30 years ago, but Magic shows his skills are still as…
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
Perfume: The Story of a MurdererDirected by: Tom TykwerDreamworksThe Patrick Süskind novel was called “unfilmable,” but German director Tom Tykwer (Run Lola Run) has done wonders using stylish cinematic techniques to evoke the olfactory sense. And it’s his storytelling mastery that allows us to see innocence and artistry in the passion of a serial killer.Carsten…
Excite Truck
Excite TruckNintendo WiiWe went out at 7am and bought Wii the day it came out. Thing is, it’s a birthday gift from my girlfriend’s mom and her birthday isn’t until December 20. What we were supposed to do was bring it home, play it for a few days, box it back up, and give it…
Share the bacon…
A Dan! I can’t believe you wrote that response to Hawt And Royally Depressed! He wrote because his wife of 10 years had “let herself go.” Men and women were hitting on him and he had to resort to stoning before he could be with her. And you told this asshole to “be honest with…
Eat, drink and be eco-friendly
Ah, Christmas: “tis the season for conspicuous consumption. Environmental principals begone—let’s go shopping! But baby Jesus wasn’t born so you could make a mess of the planet! From bird-strangling tinsel to garbage bags filled with shiny paper and plastic bows, does waste really need to be a prerequisite for the holidays? Your annual holiday party…
Various
VariousThe OC Mix 5 WarnerThe OC is a better record store than television show, breaking bands as viewership dies of boredom. The third Mix was a nine-song cash grab and the fourth was mediocre, but number five resurrects the series’ worth. LCD Soundsystem boasts through the clapalong “Daft Punk is Playing at My House,” Rogue…
Cowboy Junkies
Cowboy JunkiesEarly 21st Century BluesLatentThe Cowboy Junkies have always been a great cover band — able to completely recraft a song to its own image without losing the song’s original intent. Not since Trinity Session have Timmins and company dedicated a whole album to other people’s material. Early 21st Century Blues features songs of love,…
Ryan Adams & the Cardinals
Ryan Adams & the CardinalsJacksonville City NightsLost HighwayFans of Whiskeytown and Ryan Adams’ early albums can start rejoicing. Jacksonville City Nights is Adams in full-on, capital-C Country regalia. You will be able to tell from the opening slide guitar and Adams’ quivering near-falsetto on “A Kiss Before I Go,” or the Willie Nelson-influenced “The End”…
Rize
RizeDirected by: David LaChapelleMaplePhotographer David LaChapelle extends his own 2004 short film, Krumped, with this feature-length look into the dance phenomenon of clown/krump, which you can find in most hip-hop videos near you. First witnessed by LaChapelle on the set of Christina Aguilera’s “Drrty” video, he traced the dance back to its origins in South…
Mysterious Skin
Mysterious SkinDirected by: Directed by Gregg Araki(Tartan)This brutal, dread-infused, well-made movie from Gregg Araki (The Doom Generation) has been touted as his most mature film yet, which is debatable, but it’s certainly his most assured and deliberately photographed. It stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Brady Corbett as Neil and Brian, respectively, who were Little League teammates…
The Hurt Process
The Hurt Process A Heartbeat Behind (Victory) The latest offering from this UK quintet is disappointing, to say the least. Sounding like a poor mixture of Thursday and Killswitch Engage, The Hurt Process is yet another less-than-mediocre emocore outfit. Its biography announces it has “brutal breakdowns and killer pop hooks,” which appears to be the…
Emiliana Torrini
Emiliana TorriniFisherman’s Woman(rough trade)Filled with a lush and dreamy voice that was made for trip-hop, just as Beth Gibbons was. Fisherman’s Woman is a stripped-down affair from her trippy debut Love in the Time of Science. Taking cues from British folk hero Nick Drake, the disc is soft and beautifully laid out with awe-inspiring arrangements…
Lennie Gallant
Lennie GallantWhen We Get There(Maple)The wait for a new English studio album by Lennie Gallant ends sweetly for all concerned. His rugged Acadian ramble has polished some edges in an effort to reach ears beyond Atlantic Canada. Boats and fiddles are absent, though violins turn up at a key moment. This time, domestic abuse meets…
Marah
MarahA Christmas Kind of Town(Yep Roc)At first this record seems like a joke, especially standing beside Marah’s new masterpiece If You Didn’t Laugh You’d Cry. But they really are serious about this venture. Marah mixes some standards like “Silver Bells,” “Holly Jolly Christmas”‰and “Baby, It’s Cold Outside”‰alongside originals such as “New York is a Christmas…
Blink-182
Blink-182Greatest Hits (Geffen)On this collection, you can trace the San Diego trio’s snotty, relatively thin sound of “Carousel” (1995) grow into the undeniable “What’s My Age Again?” (1999), then become almost too sophisticated to be called punk. A progression out of adolescent selfishness through remorse to sharp insight into the lives of others accompanies the…
Jessica Holmes
Jessica Holmes25 Laughs to the Gallon(Independent)Holmes could yet be known as the woman who saved Air Farce (or at least made it watchable again). To make comedy, you have to break a few legs. Holmes lays into hillbillies, humanists and, mercilessly, celebrities who do a good job of being ridiculous already. Liza Minnelli is rendered…
Junebug
Junebug Directed by: Phil Morrison (Epoch Films)Madeleine (Embeth Davidtz) is an art dealer in Chicago, recently married to southerner George (Alessandro Nivola), who is some years her junior. Her pursuit of work by a North Carolina outsider artist allows the new couple to visit the rural in-laws from whom George has been emotionally and geographically…
Mr. Something Something
Mr. Something SomethingMr. Something Something(World)Mr. Something Something aims to light up every floor with shaking hips and feet of fire, once the brains have been jabbed with a minute or two of exotic stew. Such fluid Afrobeat enters the body stealthily, well before one can note that these are five white guys from Ontario. The…
Lou Barlow
Lou BarlowEMOH (Merge)With the release of his first solo disc, Lou Barlow has made himself relevant again. Through his work with Sebadoh and the Folk Implosion, he practically drafted the blueprint for heart-wrenching bedroom recordings and became the spiritual father of artists like Conor Oberst. But for a few years, he got off track. EMOH…
Eminem
EminemCurtain Call (Shady/Interscope/Aftermath)It was the sociopath satirist Slim Shady who introduced Eminem to the world of hip-hop. The imagery in his lyrics was so comically exaggerated we knew he was simply pushing buttons, but fans ate it up. Shady helped Eminem/Marshall Mathers line his pockets with gold, but with the release of his greatest hits…
Jimmy Chamberlin Complex
Jimmy Chamberlin ComplexLife Begins Again(Sanctuary)Jimmy Chamberlin was the drummer for the Smashing Pumpkins in their heyday, until he was kicked out for an uncontrollable drug habit. Nearly a decade later, he resurfaces with the somewhat trite Life Begins Again—an odd mix of tunes that combine elements of heavy rock, new age etherialism and jazz fusion…
The Jimmy Swift Band
The Jimmy Swift BandThe Re- birth of Hooch (Below Me)Rebirth of Hooch was recorded during a two-night Jimmy Swift Band stint at The Attic in the summer of ’04. The majority of this live offering is instrumental, allowing fans to experience the essence and unpredictability of a typical JSB show, which is very much akin…
Various
VariousIt’s A Team Mint Christmas: Volume 2(Mint)For those who find Christmas cheer too sweet to stomach, here comes Team Mint with songs that will have you cheering for the underdog. There is a tearful lament to an insufficient alcohol supply (“Daddy’s Drinking Up Our Christmas”), a song making Santa a Republican fatcat (“Santa Claus Likes…
Reckless Kelly
Reckless KellyWicked Twisted Road(Sugar Hill)On its fifth album, the Austin quintet displays some range. “Seven Nights in Eire” jigs convincingly, with just a trace of pedal steel. The beat propelling “Broken Heart” has a perfection that merits more stomping replays than your neighbours might bear. The slow numbers are trite enough not to scare off…
The Mars Volta
The Mars VoltaFrances the Mute(Universal)There are bad albums, but not many have voyaged into the pretentious regions of superfluous fodder that make up Frances the Mute. The Mars Volta have gone beyond disappointing fans to giving them a cold, hard slap in the nuts. Want a hook? Try and find it amidst what feels like…
Rick White
Rick WhiteLive Acoustic at the Paramount Lounge (Great Beyond) If you have somehow forgotten how great Rick White can be with an acoustic guitar in an intimate setting—which was the original premise of Elevator to Hell—surf right over to www.elevator.ca/gb.htm and order a copy of this solo set. On it you will find a couple…
The Libertines
The LibertinesThe Libertines (Rough Trade)The Libertines’ debut was so shambolically beautiful that it felt like it was in constant danger of falling into pieces. That’s pretty much what happens on this sophomore effort. The band has turned in a 14-track effort of which only five or six are up to their usual standard of crumbling…
King Cobb Steelie
King Cobb SteelieDestroy All Codes(Outside)OK, you blew your chance to herald the band’s new, tighter and more economic phase of dub-funk-jazz-rock that started with the woefully ignored 2000 release, Mayday. Here’s your chance to rectify the situation. On Destroy All Codes, KCS’s dual visionaries, bassist Kevin Lynn and guitarist Kevan Byrne electrify with rhythmic adventures.…
Zeke
ZekeTil The Living End(Relapse) In the world where punk and metal collide in an apocalyptic square-dance, there are two acts that rule the roost: The Ramones and Motorhead. Zeke, hitting Stage Nine on November 19, has done its fair share to honour them both over the years, and Til the Living End is no exception.…
Bowling for Soup
Bowling for SoupA Hang-over You Don’t Deserve (Jive)Just like your average teen film soundtrack, Bowling For Soup’s effort is full of bubblegum pop- punk and juvenile lyrics, and your mind might turn to mush if you listen to it on repeat. But it’s a surprisingly decent listen. Overplayed lead single “1985” has been known to…
Green Day
Green Day American Idiot(Warner)Since Dookie in 1994, Green Day has never quite duplicated its early success. Sure, “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” brought moderate airplay, but it was nothing like what American Idiot is poised to do for the So-Cal trio. The title track blisters with the same passion and energy that Dookie burned…
Los Lonely Boys
Los Lonely BoysLos Lonely Boys(Epic)Having learned their chops in Dad’s band, the Garza brothers storm out of the starting gate polished, poignant and pumped. Guitarist Henry reveals some time spent at the school of Stevie Ray Vaughn and Carlos Santana while clearly strutting his own style. Similar in some ways to alphabetic rack-mates Los Lobos,…
Polyphonic Spree
Polyphonic SpreeTogether We’re Heavy (Hollywood)While their hyperbolic bursts of optimism made the Poly-phonic Spree’s debut sound like a collection of epic opening songs, Together We’re Heavy sounds like a collection of great closing tracks. It’s like the difference between puppy love and a serious relationship. The band has honed its joy into a more succinct…
Motörhead
MotörheadInferno (EMI)If in fact metal is making a comeback and it is now perfectly clear that Ozzy and his custom-tailored Depends are in no condition to keep the kids in line, then make way for Lemmy, Philip and Mikkey: always ready, willing and able to kick the ass of rock. There is no room for…
The Killers
The KillersHot Fuss(Island)The Killers are bound to have one guy in every group who just loves them. He first heard Franz Ferdinand on Regis and Kelly and discovered the White Stripes when they played the MTV Video Awards. A buzz band for the almost-in-crowd, every song on Hot Fuss sounds remotely like something else that…
Patti Smith
Patti SmithTrampin ’(Columbia)The high priestess of New York has once again unleashed her poetry upon us. Smith, with collaborators Lenny Kay and Jay Dee Daugherty, has stayed the course; this album is classic, full of anger, yearning and passion. Reminiscent of some of the greatest moments on Horses and Radio Ethiopia, Trampin’ treads a fine…
Minibar
MinibarFly Below the Radar(Distro III)LA-based UK roots popsters Minibar play interesting mix of So-Cal folk rock that recalls latter-day Byrds with a light sprinkling of Britpop. The record has some solid moments of roots-rock that could pass for a mediocre Tom Petty record, but their reinventing the wheel can’t compete with bands like Counting Crows.…
The Icarus Line
The Icarus LinePenance Soiree (V2)If you’ve ever wondered how to snarl properly, look no further than The Icarus Line’s Penance Soiree. After cutting their teeth with a handful of EPs, Penance Soiree marks Icarus Line’s first full-length release. Their relentless hardcore sound is what you would get if you took Marilyn Manson, The White Stripes…
World Saxophone Quartet
World Saxophone QuartetExperience(Justin Time)David Murray of the WSQ holds that deep down, Jimi Hendrix was also a jazzman. A couple of Hendrix numbers are barely recognizable here, but all are as wild as a guitar on fire. Trombone, violin and didgeridoo step up at any moment drifting toward old-school bebop. The best track at recapturing…
Nellie McKay
Nellie McKayGet Away From Me(Columbia)Introducing Nellie McKay, a jazz-influenced rock and roll cabaret folk singer. Equal parts blog, coffee shop, poetry slam, basement jam and Broadway show, Get Away From Me is 18 surprise-laden songs. While busy records often indicate lack of conviction, direction or talent, McKay—who sounds a bit like Norah Jones, but interesting,…
The Minus 5
The Minus 5 The Gun Album (Yep Roc)The Minus 5 is not really a band, per se. It is the brainchild of Fresh Young Fellows’ Scott McCaughey and usually features such luminaries as Jeff Tweedy (with and without Wilco), Peter Buck (with and without Mike Mills), Jon Auer of The Posies, Ken Stringfellow and scores…
Courtney Love
Courtney LoveAmerica’s Sweetheart(Virgin)Media-whore prototype Courtney Love has crawled out of the gutter long enough to unleash her egocentrically titled solo debut America’s Sweetheart on the world. Though not the expected train wreck, it is a schizophrenic album, attempting to be everything to every- one. It attempts to regain the glory of Hole while trying to go…
Various
Published February 05, 2004. Various Gimme Skelter (Buddyhead/Nettwerk) Compiled by the LA scenesters (in)famous for their online ant-ics (hit buddyhead.com), this is a smorgasboard of indie cool. Made up of b-sides, live tracks and remixes, there is some good stuff from Primal Scream, Wee-zer, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Le Tigre. Some tracks are mediocre…
The Crystal Method
Published January 15, 2004. The Crystal Method Legion of Boom (V2) While peers like Underworld and Chemical Brothers have released their career retrospectives already, The Crystal Method is busy with new material. As with previous releases, TCM is not content being just a techno band. They are musicians first, and their rock ‘n’ roll-styled techno…
Godsmack
GodsmackThe Other Side(Republic/Universal)In an ironic twist, Godsmack—whose name was rumoured to have come from an Alice In Chains song (“God Smack”)—follow in AIC’s footsteps by releasing an entirely acoustic album similar to the 1994 AIC EP Jar Of Flies. Where Jar of Flies was entirely new material, here Godsmack has included just three new tracks…
Pilate
Published September 18, 2003. Pilate Caught By The Window (Maple) Pilate has quickly made a name for itself as one of the premiere Brit-mock bands in the country. Their debut has been released on MapleMusic, the video and single for “Into Your Hideout” will see an impressive amount of airplay and Caught By The Window…
Jane Siberry
Published December 11, 2003. Jane Siberry Shushan the Palace (Hymns of Earth) (Sheeba) Jane Siberry’s talent is her lyrics: She mines the human heart and uses diamonds, fool’s gold and coal to make jewels of songs about happiness’s height, loss’s abyss and the conditions in between. Here she has only arranged hymns by Handel, Bach,…
Marty Ehrlich
Published November 27, 2003. Marty Ehrlich The Long View (Enja/Justin Time) New York-based jazzman and multi-instrumentalist Marty Ehrlich has released a colossal album. The Long View is a piece in six movements, with each section composed for ensembles of various sizes, from string quartet to large jazz. It might sound daunting—and at times it frankly…
Plastikman
Published November 13, 2003. Plastikman Closer (PaperBag) On Closer, Plastikman (AKA Richie Hawtin) produces a score for schizophrenia that’s about as accessible as a Cassavettes reference. His blips and bleeps make for some genuinely eerie moments, but ultimately the album goes too far inward. Hawtin leaves the listener to assign worth to Closer’s depth instead…
Jet
Published October 23, 2003. Jet Get Born (Elektra) Jet’s debut, released in the band’s native Australia four years ago, might have fallen on more fertile ground had it come stateside then. But a horde of garage bands have been flooding the market; is there room for one more? Yes, if the material is strong enough—a…
The Besnard Lakes
Published October 09, 2003. The Besnard Lakes Volume 1 (Breakglass) Springing from Godspeed City, formerly known as Montréal, The Besnard Lakes do their best to defy description. The husband-wife team of Olga and Jace Lasek creates sonic space as still as a nightcrawler at noon, then plop clangy guitar, stumbling rhythm and stuff that squeaks…
Neil Young and Crazy House
Published September 04, 2003. Neil Young and Crazy House Greendale (Reprise) While his contemporaries have lined up for liver transplants, joined the casino circuit or fallen prey to the allure of Disney soundtrack paycheques, Neil Young continues to be relevant to his own generation and to music fans a third of his age. Why? Because…
Sloan
Published August 14, 2003. Sloan Action Pact (BMG) Pretty Together (2001) introduced a newly matured Sloan, a band who went from being downright cheeky to slightly subtle and then much more serious. Together dealt with forbidden romance (“The Other Man”, “If It Feels Good Do It”, “Who You Talkin’ To”). The new Action Pact deals…
Neko Case
Neko CaseFox Confessor Brings the Flood(Mint)Just how Neko Case does it is anyone’s guess. She works with one of the most exciting bands to come along in awhile, The New Pornographers, and she keeps putting out these solid records of her own. The latest — the provocatively, if not obscurely, titled Fox Confessor Brings the…
Imaginary Heroes
Imaginary HeroesDirected by: Dan Harris(Signature Films)At 25, Dan Harris has already carved out a niche for himself in Hollywood as a writer of fantasy movies, with X2 behind him and Superman Returns, Ender’s Game and Logan’s Run ahead. Imaginary Heroes is a very different sort of film and, one suspects, a more personal one. The…
Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room
Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room Directed by: Alex Gibney(HDNet Films)Of the five documentaries nominated at this year’s Academy Awards, this look at the financial scandal that bankrupted the massive American corporation Enron is one of three available now on DVD, along with March of the Penguins and Murderball. All are worthy, though this…
Pony Up
Pony UpMake Love to the Judges with Your Eyes(Dim Mak)The legend of Pony Up goes like this: in spring 2003, the girls attended a show by Australian wunderkind Ben Lee, who was visiting Montreal for the first time and who had been robbed earlier that day. They took him out after the show, took him…
The Derek Trucks Band
The Derek Trucks BandSonglines(Columbia)Trucks continues to grow as a guitarist and bandleader, and so do the contributions of his bandmates. As the son of Allman Brothers drummer Butch Trucks, Derek has dutifully shown his blues pedigree. On Songlines, it’s the local fare on an exotic menu. A 10-minute treatment of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan melodies…
Rhett Miller
Rhett MillerThe Believer(Verve Forecast)If your music collection feels stale and stagnant and it’s time to try something new, this release might be for you. Rhett Miller is an artist whose name has surfaced time and again in interviews and articles but who, until recently, has gone largely unnoticed. The frontman for the Old 97’s has…
Giant Drag
Giant DragHearts and Unicorns(Kickball)Indie rock outfit Giant Drag is Annie Hardy and Micah Calabrese. Annie sings and plays guitar (and the odd bassline). Micah drums and plays synth (and the odd riff). As girl-boy duos go, they’re more serious than Morningwood, less self-important than the White Stripes and more accessibly clever than Mates of State.…
Charlatans UK
Charlatans UKSimpatico(Sanctuary)The Charlatans UK is pretty much the only entity that remains from the late ’80s Manchester surge. This band has had a storied career: aside from the drugs and mayhem, they released some friggin’ stellar material over several great albums, peaking on 1999’s Us and Us Only. Even when they weren’t top notch, they…
Weeds: Season One
Weeds: Season OneDirected by: Jenji Kohan(Lionsgate/Maple)The DVD presentation of this wonderful and complex Showtime series does it a disservice by placing its cast inside a dime bag on the cover and exhaling smoke across its menu screens. But Weeds—about upper-class California housewife Nancy Botwin (Mary-Louise Parker), who turns to dealing in the burbs when her…
Various
VariousJamaica to Toronto: Soul Funk and Reggae 1967 to 1974Offerings such as Jamaica to Toronto: Soul Funk and Reggae 1967 to 1974 provide evidence of some of the good that’s come Canada’s way from the island of Jamaica. It ain’t just guns and gangsters, despite what news media repeats over and over. A wave of…
Mat Kearney
Mat KearneyNothing Left to Lose(Aware)When did Chris Martin go solo? On Nothing Left to Lose, Mat Kearney takes his one-man Coldplay sound to the masses. The generic DoppleMartin tracks are decent but the album tanks when Kearney opts to channel Everlast and his folk-based hip-hop sound. “Undeniable” and “Bullet” shimmer with the promise of something…
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…
Pete Yorn
Pete YornNightcrawler(Columbia)Pete Yorn’s music is the antithesis of all the pop garbage the Nick Lacheys and Ushers of the world have bestowed upon us. He is a singer-songwriter in the vein of fellow Jersey boy Bruce Springsteen and has been working to establish himself as an artist with a longevity that is not often found…
It’s Not Fun, Don’t Do It! starring: Tegan and Sara
It’s Not Fun, Don’t Do It! starring: Tegan and Sara (Universal)Part of the appeal of this indie pop duo is the twins’ bratty sibling banter, so the doc portions of this performance/video collection/behind-the-scenes DVD are the funniest and most illuminating. Each sister is armed with a camera, and like siblings will, each uses it to…
Pernice Brothers
Pernice BrothersLive a Little(Ashmont Records)With each record, the arrangements, playing and Joe Pernice’s voice (singing and writing) have filled out, making Pernice Brothers such an engaging band. With Live a Little, Pernice shows once again the lasting power of pop to tell stories and share life lessons. “Automaton” starts the record with a contemplation of…
Jill Barber
Jill BarberFor All Time(Dependent/Baudelaire)At times Barber evokes a cabaret style while keeping rooted in folk, a sound that is hard to categorize. One thing is for sure—-Barber’s music is all heart, whether on her sleeve or breaking in two. Glorious melodies and soul-felt songs don’t get any better than this.Trevor MacLarencategories: Local artist,Canadian artist,Best of…
Flaming Lips
Flaming LipsAt War With the Mystics(Warner)What makes the Flaming Lips so damn good is their adventurous nature to try new sounds. AWM is an absolute mesmerizing trip with the punk-prog-rock of the last two records with a ’70s/’80s funk vibe. It is playful yet sometimes dark, but a whole lot of fun from the last…
Ruth Minnikin
Ruth MinnikinFolk Art(Independent)Not a moment out of place, nor a note missing, on this album of less than 30 minutes. You feel caught up in a dreamy place, listening to lullabies for grown-ups or scores to whimsical short films that never existed, where you meet memorable characters like “The Admirable Admiral.”Sean Flinncategories: Local artist,Canadian artist,Best…
Young and Sexy
Young and SexyPanic When you Find It(Mint)This is a savvy and sophisticated sounding band, based on, mainly, the musical partnership of Paul Pittrevor MacLarenan and Lucy Brain. They sing songs together about becoming adults, entering the adult world of work, fading friendships and other transitions. The closing tune “Satellite” is a gem among many, many…
Teenagers from Mars
Teenagers from MarsRick Spears and Rob GGigantic Graphic NovelsThe independent comic series and cult favourite that launched the careers of Rick Spears and Rob G is collected in one volume. Set in the uptight suburban town of Mars, amateur comic artist Macon finds himself fighting for his freedom and his art alongside his punk girlfriend…
A Year of Magical Thinking
A Year of Magical ThinkingJoan DidionJoan Didion had an annus horribilis to rival Queen Elizabeth’s that time. First, a few days before Christmas, her only child, 33-year-old Quintana fell seriously ill, was hospitalized and put into an induced coma. Then, the night before New Year’s Eve, her husband died of a massive heart attack while…
The Weather Makers
The Weather MakersTim FlanneryHarper CollinsNothing puts a downer on holiday festivities like a good ol’ climate crisis. But as Tim Flannery points out in what’s probably the best-written and accessible book on the subject, the earth is in terrible danger. Over 13,000,000,000 tonnes of carbon are released into the atmosphere annually. That’s us, folks. With…
Junebug
JunebugDirected by: Phil Morrison(Columbia TriStar)The best film of 2005 not be released in local theatres, Junebug is a gem. A North Carolina-born man brings his beautiful bride, a Chicago outsider art dealer, home to meet the family. Cue clashes of value, unexpected tenderness, moments of genuine cinematic grace.Carsten KnoxCategories: Best of the year (2006)
Road to Guantanamo
Road to GuantanamoDirected by: Michael Winterbottom, Mat Whitecross(Alliance)A powerful docudrama telling the stories of three Pakistani Brits detained in Afghanistan by coalition forces, sent to the American base in Guantanamo, Cuba and held without charge for two years. Director Michael Winterbottom provides a scathing account of human rights abuses and international law contraventions. Carsten KnoxCategories:…
Tori Amos
Published December 08, 2005. Tori Amos The Beekeeper (Epic) Amos’s first album of original material since 2002’s epic Scarlet’s Walk is a return to the ballad-based times of Under the Pink, with a gospel choir and Damien Rice thrown in for new colour. A political bent pokes its way through the (overlong) narrative, most bizarrely…
Dog Day
Published December 08, 2005. Dog Day Thank You (Out of Touch) Pop-rock hasn’t been this hot in years. Almost unbearably captivating, Thank You’s 20 minutes contain a handful of addictively simple, straightforward gems. Completely lo-fi and unfortunately short, this debut by the half-Burdocks, half-Hold hybrid is, hands down, the best local album of the year.…
Nine Inch Nails
Published December 08, 2005. Nine Inch Nails With Teeth (Nothing/Interscope) Uh oh, Trent’s pissed off again. Granted, when our little tortured soul is unhappy, it means we’re in for a kickass piece of industrial metal. With his angry rhetorical lyrics and raging, blistering beats, With Teeth is definitely Reznor’s best material since NIN’s breakthrough classic,…
Wintersleep
Published December 08, 2005. Wintersleep Wintersleep (Dependent) Not to be confused with their eponymous debut. This album, which helped these local lads land the opening slot on Pearl Jam’s Newfoundland date, is as much an evolution from their debut as it is the same. Think Arcade Fire, only more alt-rock. Trevor Savory categories: Local artist,Canadian…
Dear Frankie
Published December 08, 2005. Dear Frankie Directed by: Shona Auerbach (Alliance) The feel-good British provincial romance of the year, it tells the story of a young mother trying to protect her son from the truth of his father’s absence by forging letters from him. Though the set-up is contrived, everything else is right on, particularly…
Kagemusha
Published December 08, 2005. Kagemusha Directed by: Akira Kurosawa (Paradox/Criterion) Available on DVD in the (first time in North America) 20-minute longer version, the added length doesn’t make Kagemusha more tedious. Denser and more exhilarating, it restores Akira Kurosawa’s masterpiece. Text on the DVD box calls Kagemusha “a play between illusion and reality.” It’s really…
Tropical Malady
Published December 08, 2005. Tropical Malady (Strand) It was booed at Cannes?evidence that the stargazers who populate film festivals are even bigger philistines than most American critics. Whether or not you understand this Thai import (it certainly doesn’t make literal sense), there should be no doubting its sensory excitement. Through endless jungles and mythical tigers,…
A Scanner Darkly
A Scanner DarklyDirected by: Richard Linklater (Warner Independent)In A Scanner Darkly, a patch of flowers, a swirling glass of Merlot and Keanu Reeves’ shoe all become captivating. The film’s shots draw the eye to background objects. If the movie were your typical conspiracy thriller/drug addiction saga, this would be surprising. But A Scanner Darkly is…
Kevin Devine
Kevin DevinePut Your Ghosts To Rest(Capitol)Marking Kevin Devine’s major label debut after several indie releases on his own and as part of Miracle 86, Put Your Ghosts To Rest is made of the kind of mild- mannered pop-rock with which majors have forged a solid history of absolute incompetence. The hope here is obviously to…
SherryBaby
SherryBabyDirected by: Laurie Collyer (IFC Films)Partway through SherryBaby, Sherry Swanson stands up at a family dinner and starts belting out “Eternal Flame,” by the Bangles. Her singing’s only moderately good, everyone’s eating and nobody asked her to sing. The moment is awkward, inappropriate and a little pathetic— but also endearing. So is Sherry. The character’s…
Peter Bjorn & John
Peter Bjorn & JohnWriter’s Block(V2)Fans of The Concretes will recognize lead singer Victoria Bergsman’s voice on the single “Young Folks.” A guaranteed party-maker, it’s also the catchiest combo of whistling, maraca and bongo beats around. Although this album confirms Stockholm’s place as the epicentre of European malaise pop, PB&J’s sound is obviously influenced by British…
Andrew Rodriguez
Andrew RodriguezHere Comes the Light(Baudelaire)This is a record in search of an identity. Rodriguez nods to so many styles and singers—Sean Lennon, solo John Lennon, some Neil Young, orchestral motifs. What results is a blur. One song, “What I Done,” contains the lines: “Here comes another haunting memory/Leading us nowhere/Nowhere but home.” You could say…
Jim Bryson
Jim BrysonWhere the Bungalows Roam(Kelp)If you lament the loss of the rock-out side of Jim Bryson, you’re not alone. On his 2000 solo debut The Occasionals and on parts of his second record, 2003’s North Side Benches, the music often had the muscle to push the singer-guitarist, particularly his voice, to a frayed, ragged glory.…
Panda Bear
Panda BearPerson Pitch(Pawtracks)In early April, Panda Bear (AKA Noah Lennox) posted the lyrics to his latest album Person Pitch on his MySpace. Lucky for finicky listeners his bubbly wash of sun-soaked, insouciant melodies drowns out the words, but still buoys the Brian Wilson-lilt of his voice. A quarter of Animal Collective, Panda Bear is at…
The Memories Attack
The Memories AttackThe Memories Attack(Little Mafia)The CD The Memories Attack is the debut self-titled release on an Oklahoma label from a lo-fi duo with roots in a Moncton, New Brunswick Cub Scout troupe. The band The Memories Attack consists of members Chris Thompson (of Eric’s Trip and Moon Socket) and Ron Bates (of Orange Glass…
Lavender Diamond
Lavender DiamondImagine Our Love(Matador)A few elements give LA-based Lavender Diamond a quick first step into your heart. The classically trained voice of Becky Stark has the purity and openness of a sweet virtuoso. Steve Gregoropoulos’s arranging delivers an aroma of parlour music, his authoritative piano saving the tunes from drifting into hippie-dippie land. A handy…
Interpol
InterpolOur Love to Admire(Capitol)If you listen to Our Love to Admire ignorant of Interpol’s former discography, you might think, “not bad.” However, for followers of Turn on the Bright Lights and Antics, the new release will feel like a flat-out mistake—an album that simply exhausts what the band of 2002 had left. Besides a few…
The Hylozoists
The HylozoistsLa Nouvelle Gauche(Boompa)Though The Hylozoists has changed its lineup (Halifax bassist Lukas Pearse no longer works with the band) and it’s toured frequently (including an Atlantic Jazz Festival gig this year) in support of its second album Fin du Monde, this is the better record. The band’s third release, La Nouvelle Gauche is tougher,…
Disturbia
DisturbiaDirected by: DJ Caruso(Dreamworks/Universal)The high-school suspense thriller Disturbia (a modernization of Hitchcock classic Rear Window) opens with a touching fishing trip between protagonist Kale (Shia LaBeouf) and his father. In movie shorthand, this means that the father’s subsequent death in a car accident is pretty much inevitable. A year later, Kale punches his Spanish teacher…
Turbonegro
TurbonegroRetox(Cooking Vinyl)Concerns over what is “punk” or “metal” wash away with each power stroke from these Norwegians. Retox will remind you of Iggy and the Stooges before they were informed of their importance. That English is Turbonegro’s second language allows for some delightful song titles like “Hell Toupee,” “Alpha Male” and “Hot and Filthy.” There…
The TV Set
The TV SetDirected by: Jake Kasdan20th Century FoxIn The TV Set, writer Mike (a bearded David Duchovny) is one of the poor sods lucky enough to have his pilot produced during pilot season, the turbulent time in TV-Land when network suits set about turning the more promising scripts they’ve received into one-time episodes. For Mike,…
Basia Bulat
Basia BulatOh, My DarlingHardwood RecordsThis is a musical tour with stops at the sounds of diverse forebears and peers, from Joan Baez (vocal vibrato) to Amelia Curran and Jill Barber (moods and motifs of both) and Royal Wood (arrangements). Hailing from London, Ontario, Basia Bulat has talents and skills without question, but stands a bit…
Erin Costelo
Erin CosteloThe Trouble and the TruthIndependentThere is a maturity in Costelo’s voice and approach that is disarming in a debut. When she extends the “I” in “Pale Moon” into three and four notes, it has the heartiness of someone delighting in finally getting her song out there. Costelo is an alto who can reach higher…
Everything’s Gone Green
Everything’s Gone Green Directed by: Paul FoxAstralAnother quality Canadian picture that somehow missed a run in local theatres. This one arrives on DVD with a notable pedigree: a charming and witty script by Douglas Coupland. It’s a comedy about selling out your principles in cookie-cutter culture, set in a startlingly beautiful and rain-free Vancouver.Carsten KnoxCategories:…
Common
CommonFinding ForeverGood/GeffenChicago’s finest should be appreciated far more than he is. That aside, this is another showcase of the smoothest—in a good sense, like Rakim or Q-Tip long ago—rapper working today. Kanye West, who produces this and collaborates well, may get all the attention, but our true love should go to Common. Sean Flinncategories: Best…
Iron and Wine
Iron and WineThe Shepherd’s DogSub PopThe full-band arrangements might take a bit to get used to but at its core, The Shepherd’s Dog is still the same Iron and Wine we all love—with plenty of instantly memorable melodies and exquisite, tender lyrics that bridge the secular and the sacred—all wrapped in the familiar warmth of…
The Superfantastics
The SuperfantasticsPop-Up BookindieAn album that’s both incredibly naive and wise beyond its years. The overwhelming sense of loneliness that haunts this album is incredible. Just listen to the line, “It’s supposed to be the happiest time of year” in “Tonight Tonite” and your heart will sink and melt at the same time. Ian Gormelycategories: Best…
Planet Earth: The Complete Series
Planet Earth: The Complete SeriesBBCIt’s been called the greatest nature documentary series ever, and for sheer visual grandeur, that’s hard to refute. With 40 camera crews shooting over five years, for both the macro and the micro, this series will remind you of both the beauty (mating dances of jungle birds) and horror (parasitic spores…
Guitar Hero 2
Guitar Hero 2Sony PlayStation 2Man, I’ve come so far since last year. In 2005 I was playing crappy dive bars and doing Franz Ferdinand covers. This year I’m doing Danzig and Suicidal Tendencies songs on the freaking Vans Warped Tour! How sweet is that? Used to be that people couldn’t get out of the club…
Alternative astrology
Spend quality time in your personal hell, Cancer, says Rob Brezsny.
No purchase necessary
The fictional day that the Grinch’s heart grew three sizes is one of the most unforgettable fictional days of all—right up there with the day Doc and Marty hopped in the DeLorean, and the day that mayor Peter Kelly sent us all home-baked pie in the mail. After all, that day, our curmudgeonly buddy Mr.…
Killing Joke, XXV: The Band That Stays Together Preys Together
Killing Joke, XXV: The Band That Stays Together Preys Together RedIt seems like ’80s band reunion tours are a dime a dozen nowadays — from the supremely relevant (Pixies, Dinosaur Jr.) to the ‘who gives a rat’s ass’ tours by the likes of Concrete Blonde. So in terms of relevance, Killing Joke’s decision to re-ignite…
The Mark Inside
The Mark InsideStatic/ CrashMapleIn an age when bands are constantly, instantly pegged to specific genres, The Mark Inside defies all generalizations, straying from formulaic rock and taking a walk down an eclectic avenue. From the garage-rock anthem “Sweet Little Sister” to the highly danceable “Coming Back Under Attack,” the deep, bluesy “Dead Already” to the…
Vailhalen
VailhalenPop ViolenceSaved by RadioThe seven members of Vailhalen had free reign over a high school band room and instruments for its first full-length. The results are rawly monochromatic. Being neither a dog’s breakfast nor a symphony, Pop Violence has an early-’80s ramshackle jumpiness not unlike XTC or War-vintage U2. Two keyboards enrich the flow and…
Nada Surf
Nada SurfThe Weight is a GiftBarsukFew bands have rebounded from one-hit-wonder novelty status the way the intelligent pop trio Nada Surf has. And “Popular,” the anti-high school speak-sing jam that was a hit in 1999 — you totally know it: “I’m head of the class/(I’m popular)/ I’m a quarterback/(I’m popular)” — was off their fourth…
Scout Niblett
Published August 25, 2005. Scout Niblett Kidnapped By Napped by Neptune (Too Pure) Comparisons to Cat Power and PJ Harvey dotted the critical landscape of her first two albums, which only helped Nottingham, England’s Scout Niblett become somewhat of a darling in the eyes of critics and indie fans. With her quiet, pixie-like voice that…
Shout Out Louds
Shout Out LoudsHowl Howl Gaff Gaff(Capitol)With their album released by Capitol Records, Shout Out Louds has been put in the undesirable position of being delivered as the next, next big thing. The bet is that with North America crushing harder on The Arcade Fire than a 11- year-old girl on Corey Haim in 1988, the…
Four Tet
Four TetEverything Ecstatic(Domino)Initial reaction to Four Tet will ride on how you feel about machines. UK laptop maestro Kieran Hebden cleverly fuses mechanical and seemingly random elements to snare even the ear that associates beeps and buzzes with the call to drudgery. His achievement is showing how far it can go. The frenzied machine beats…
Nirvana
NirvanaSliver: The Best of the Box (Geffen)Shameless cash grab. A CD with the sole intent of satisfying a corporate desire to make even more money off the corpse of a dead icon. For those who already have last year’s awesome box set, With the Lights Out, this is redundant. Almost all the artwork and tracks…
Diana Krall
Diana KrallChristmas Songs(Verve)All jazz musicians take their turn at Christmas standards. Some just toss them off. But the greats treat the material no differently than any jazz or American songbook standard, making it a showcase for their talent. Diana Krall has recorded a few seasonal numbers over the years , but this is her first…
The Elected
The ElectedSun, Sun, Sun(Sub Pop)The trend toward more constructed and tightly arranged songwriting continues on The Elected’s sophomore disc Sun, Sun, Sun, so immersed in sunny Californian textures it’s easy to miss the tales of broken homes and broken hearts that line its interiors. Along the lines of The Thrills or Sufjan Stevens’ Illinois album,…
Eels
EelsBlinking Lights and Other Revelations (Vagrant/Universal)Kids of all ages: this pure listening pleasure is brought to you by the letter E. That’s E for Everett, as in Mark Oliver Everett. He produces some of the leading indie-pop today. If you think, “oh Eels, right, aren’t they the band that sounds exactly like Beck?” you have…
Roots Manuva
Roots ManuvaAwfully Deep(Banana Klan)Two albums ago, on Run Come Save Me, Roots Manuva laid down the British MC styles that spawned the sounds of UK hip-hop phenoms The Streets and Dizzee Rascal. His third album, Awfully Deep, reaffirms that Roots Manuva remains a forward-moving and current artist. He speaks a seemingly arhythmic rap that tips…
Beck
BeckGuero (Geffen)Odelay was like a really good knock-knock joke—as great as it may have been, there was no point in hearing it more than once. An expertly crafted style collision, it brought Run-DMC, Woody Guthrie and The Talking Heads together in songs so densely perfect that they left no room for the listener. Guero remedies…
Off the Map
Off the Map Directed by: Campbell Scott (Columbia Tri-Star)Made in 2003, Off the Map was not released until 2005. It caps a formidable year for the formidable Joan Allen, who stars in this beguiling indie as the matriarch of a family living “off the map” without electricity or money in New Mexico. Arlene Groden —…
Rammstein
RammsteinReise, Reise(Universal)German industrial rockers Rammstein are one of the few non-English speaking bands that have made a dent in the North American market. Perhaps it’s because they experiment with different languages —the bulk of Reise, Reise is in German, but they take a stab at English with “Amerika,” and Russian in “Moskau.” Known for both…
Q and Not U
Q and Not UPower(Dischord)On Power, Q and not U sound like an art-punk band coming to terms with the realization that they like Prince more than Fugazi. While it would be easy to say the band is throwing their hats in the dance-punk arena just when it is paying off, Power is more than that.…
Various
VariousA Winter’s Night (Nettwerk)The songs selected for most holiday albums are generally overplayed and grate relentlessly on our already frazzled nerves. Luckily on this Nettwerk compilation the songs aren’t necessarily traditional tunes or artists. The prerequisites are bound to show (Jack Johnson’s “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” or Avril’s “O Holy Night”) but there are also…
Geoff Berner
Geoff BernerWhiskey Rabbi (Black Hen)Victoria, BC’s nouveau-klezmer troubadour continues his unrelenting campaign against boredom and his own liver on this, his third release. He slurs through the opening title track, setting the mood for the whiskey-filled romp to come. Berner’s dark humour is punctuated by his trademark drunk- en accordion button-mashing in the rollicking “Drunk…
The Tuesdays
The Tuesdays45 Strings(Sandbar)Charlottetown’s The Tuesdays got their name from a weekly Tuesday night country music jam that started in 2001. The get-togethers eventually led to a bunch of like-minded musicians putting some darn good country ideas down on tape. This six-piece band is all twang, a country barn dance, a little rough around the edges…
The New Breed
The New Breed Off the Beaten Path (Thorpe) It’s risky business to lead off your album with a song called “Sounds Like Shit.” Fortunately, The New Breed’s third full-length release actually sounds pretty good. Oi punk with obvious Nova Scotian roots and seething political commentary, Off the Beaten Path is a slice of blue-collar life…
Sarah Slean
Sarah SleanDay One (Warner)Sarah Slean’s sophomore major-label offering is a much more diverse picture of her sweeping, eclectic palate. The piano takes a back seat, and Slean adopts a grittier, guitar and drum machine-based production aesthetic, but still maintains the rollicking cabaret feel of Night Bugs. Despite occasional forays into darker subject matter, this is…
Travis
Published November 25, 2004. Travis Singles (Epic) Although Coldplay largely stole the wind from Travis’s sails, this compilation serves as a reminder that this Glaswegian band floats on its own merit. From the smouldering first single “All I Wanna Do is Rock,” to the irresistible “Why Does it Always Rain on Me,” Travis exhibits an…
Jon Epworth
Published November 18, 2004. Jon Epworth Two Sessions (tiktoktiktokmusic) With an intentionally random collection of songs, the man they call Horseface delivers a resume of his range on Two Sessions. Appropriately, the album divides into two pieces, one from each of the aforementioned sessions. Session one ranges in mood from straight-up rock to an organic…
Lowest of the Low
Published October 28, 2004. Lowest of the Low Sordid Fiction (Maple) They’re back, doing some of what they do best. The Lowest of the Low always mixed power ballads and jangly pop masterfully, like they do here on “Everywhere and Nowhere.” It’s a tune to match “City Full of Cowards” from the long-ago Hallucigenia. When…
The Danny Mainstreet Band
The Danny Mainstreet Band Bulletproof & Ignorant (independent)It’s uncanny that the Halifax music scene always seems to get it right the first time. The Danny Mainstreet Band’s debut full-length took two years to put together, and the wait was worth it: This potent 10-song rock album uncommonly captures the sheer heat the band bring to…
Atreyu
Atreyu The Curse(Victory)With melodic choruses, disturbingly dark screamy verses and shredding guitar solos, Atreyu claims to be at the top of the retro-metal-emo-core game. The mighty Orange County-based quintet with the Neverending Story-themed name have attempted to bypass the negative constraints associated with the nü-metal, rap-rock and straight-up emo genres, and with The Curse, they…
Stiff Little Fingers
Stiff Little FingersGuitar and Drum(Kung Fu)While Stiff Little Fingers have put records out for the last 15 years, this is the first disc to really equal what the band was doing in its heyday (1981-82). SLF’s brand of punk is many shades poppier than the Clash or Husker Du, but it always contained an edginess…
The Chickens
The ChickensBring it On(Rubber Road)Toronto-based quintet The Chickens may be poised for some heavy-duty US exposure after making it to the finals of Little Steven’s Underground Garage battle of the band competition this month. Producer Ian Blurton likely gave them more than a few pointers on how to blow away an audience or two. For…
The Tragedies
The TragediesAre Made of People (Just Friends)This lo-fi offering by The Tragedies resembles the recent release by fellow SuperCitizens The Fantods. Both are arty, folky, funky albums by merry bands of misfits with a live-from-the-floor feel; the main differences are that The Tragedies have a more polished sound, and a snazzy new wave-style keyboard. “Projection”…
The Thermals
The ThermalsFuckin A (Sub Pop)The second disc from The Thermals is outstanding. No need to find a fancy esoteric way to put it—the music doesn’t deserve it. It’s just great straight-up, high-energy punk rock with a surging momentum and immediacy that cannot be denied. This is not pop-punk Sum 41 crap. This is Pistols, wrapped…
The Hiss
The HissPanic Movement (Sanctuary)This Atlanta garage rock quartet delivers pretty much exactly what you would expect on this debut, plundering the riches of everything from ’70s rock (Led Zep, Neil Young) to the Stone Roses. Solid tracks like the rawkous “Clever Kicks” or the heroin-languid dirge of “Ghost’s Gold” might find favour with college radio,…
Royce Da 5’9”
Royce Da 5’9”Death is Certain(Koch)Royce Da 5’9” has a delivered a solid album of subdued but impassioned hip-hop, taking the high (and likely less profitable) road of not using his feud with Eminem. Focusing on philosophy and the state of the hip-hop scene, Royce avoids the self-important waste many people would have created in his…
Minus Story
Minus StoryThe Captain Is Dead Let the Drum Corpse Begin (Jagjagwuar)With little chance of a new Neutral Milk Hotel album (frontman Jeff Mangum is on a Syd Barrett-inspired hiatus), it is good to see some musicians keen on picking up the NMH mantle. And Minus Story does it more than convincingly well. Slide whistles, recorders,…
The Gurus
The GurusThe Gurus(Rainbow Quartz)The Gurus are well-versed in 1960s-era psychedelic pop, owing much to the ’66-’68 period of The Beatles with a little of the San Francisco scene thrown in. Bands with this sound have flooded the market since its birth, so it is easy to blow them off. But The Gurus’ songs are catchy…
Simon Joyner
Simon JoynerLost with the Lights On (Jagjagwuar)Simon Joyner’s world is not to be entered half-heartedly. Lost with the Lights On finds Joyner once again lurking around dark corners and deep crevasses. While he mopes with the best mopers (Elliott Smith and Nick Drake) he has a highly literate style of singing prose and a unique…
Kate Rusby
Kate RusbyUnderneath the Stars (Compass)Kate Rusby is a brilliant singer-songwriter who evokes the various traditional British folk styles, a UK equal to Gillian Welch. Armed with the greatest voice and phrasing since Fairport Convention goddess Sandy Denny, Rusby takes on the path set out by the Convention. Underneath the Stars continues her brilliant take on…
The Frank Popp Ensemble
Published January 15, 2004. The Frank Popp Ensemble Ride On (Unique) With a strange blend of ’60s white soul (a la Nancy Sinatra) and shameless sugar-coated pop, Frank Popp wants to be hip and super-stylish right down to his extra p. Funnily enough, though, Popp (the alter ego of an unnamed German DJ) succeeds without…
Guns N’ Roses
Guns N’ RosesGreatest Hits (Geffen)No wonder Axl Rose tried to block the release of Greatest Hits. First of all, it’s missing the vital singles “Night Train” and “Estranged.” Secondly, over a third of the songs featured are covers (“Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door, “Since I Don’t Have You”). And most importantly, many of Guns N’ Roses…
Buck 65
Published September 18, 2003. Buck 65 Talkin’ Honky Blues (Warner) Buck is back, that salty rural philosopher. Rappin’s an act, right? But you gotta sing what you know, and Buck is a wry observer. He positions himself as a cranky old small-town guy, cruising highways in a beat-up car (“Wicked And Weird”). That car’s got…
Explosions in the Sky
Published December 11, 2003. Explosions in the Sky The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place (Temporary Residence) Discovered after members of American Analog Set pushed their demo to a label rep saying it “totally fucking destroys,” Explosions in the Sky is a fantastic instrumental rock band in the vein of Mogwai and Sigur Ros.…
Michael Jackson
Published November 27, 2003. Michael Jackson Number Ones (Epic) It’s a terrible shame that Michael Jackson the pop phenomenon is being overshadowed by Michael Jackson the confirmed weirdo/alleged pervert, because he wrote some brilliant music. Number Ones is pure, un-adulterated joy, with nearly every track sounding as vital and catchy today as they did upon…
Margaret Cho
Published November 06, 2003. Margaret Cho Revolution (Nettwerk) It’s been nearly a decade since Margaret Cho starred in the short-lived sitcom All-American Girl. She’s weirder and scarier than network television could ever do justice. Each listen to her stand-up comedy on Revolution eases the shock and draws you into her world. When speaking normally, Cho’s…
Howie Day
Published October 23, 2003. Howie Day Stop All the World Now (Epic) Howie Day took a break at the wrong time, riding his 2000 debut just long enough for John Mayer to take over the breathy-voiced, sensitive singer- songwriter spot. Too bad, because Day does not inspire the gag reflex of Mayer’s earnest/creepy lyrics and…
Thursday
Published October 09, 2003. Thursday War All the Time (Island) Mall-punk—like grunge and girl power in the past—is quickly being pushed aside by the newest trend: emo. Thursday is being hailed as the next big thing. It has taken emo from being all about heartbreak and anger and have incorporated a grungy Rage Against the…
Rock City
Published September 04, 2003. Rock City S/T (Lucky Seven) Before Alex Chilton joined forces with Chris Bell for Big Star’s #1 Record, Bell and Big Star bandmate Jody Stephens were in Rock City. This CD displays the framework that Bell would bring to Big Star’s powerhouse sound. With the still ongoing debate over who was…
Various
Published August 14, 2003. Various Yes New York (Wolfgang Morden) Yes New York sets out to prove that there is more to the current New York scene than The Strokes; strangely enough the disc opens with a live version of “New York City Cops”. After being enticed by this previously unreleased Strokes track, the compilation…
We Are Scientists
We Are ScientistsWith Love and Squalor(EMI/Virgin)It’s never going to be said that With Love and Squalor was a pivotal point in any movement. We Are Scientists’ sound is an ultra-hip patchwork of well-placed tips of the hat which, on the whole, create a charming overview of the current state of indie-rock. While this leaves them…
The Agronomist
The AgronomistDirected by: Jonathan Demme(ThinkFilm)Hollywood auteur and periodic documentarian Jonathan Demme (The Silence of the Lambs, the Talking Heads doc Stop Making Sense) tells the story of Jean Dominique, a Haitian journalist and human rights activist who got his start working on farms in the Caribbean nation. Dominique and his wife Michaele Montas are compelling…
Morningwood
MorningwoodMorningwood(Capitol)This New York punk-pop quartet with the dirty name (get it?) looks like a raunchy Mini Pops reunion. The cover, thanks to singer Chantal Claret’s voluptuous pout and drummer Alfredo Ortiz’s Angus Young-inspired jersey, screams novelty. A scan through the song titles (“Babysitter,” “Everybody Rules,” “Take off Your Clothes”) might not win over any serious…
Various
VariousStart Your Own Country(Loose Music)Loose Music’s compilation has a great cross-section of Americana. The artists here put the label in the same league as Yep Roc and Eleven Thirty. Some of the highlights include San Francisco’s Two Gallants, sounding a lot like Bright Eyes, as well as Steve Ketchen and The Kingston Hillbillies covering The…
Little Fish
Little Fish Directed by: Rowan Woods (First Look)Cate Blanchett is Tracy, a recovering drug addict holding down a job at a video store in a working class suburb of Sydney, Australia. She has the slumped-shouldered look of a malnourished mare, which suits the character perfectly. Her family is a mess: a depressed mother, drug-dealing brother,…
Loose Fur
Loose FurBorn Again in the USA(Drag City)Loose Fur began as a side project for Jim O’Rourke, Jeff Tweedy and Glenn Kotche of Wilco to stretch out the avant-garde ideologies that began on Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Their debut was an interesting gem of experimental post-rock styles. Born Again in the USA is more straightforward and poppier…
Ron Hynes
Ron HynesRon Hynes(Borealis)Even for an artist whose main turf is disappointment and fear, Hynes seems to be on a downer. Hearing the word “detox” as a lyric in “Dry” drops you into the shoes of an alcoholic with minimal relief from the bare-bones music. More uplifting, just as strong, is the anthemic “Dirt Poor,” recorded…
Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey
Metal: A Headbanger’s JourneyDirected by: Sam Dunn, Scot McFadyen, Jessica Joy Wise (Banger Productions)Sam Dunn is a lanky, long-haired heavy metal fan and anthropologist from Victoria, BC, who in this well thought-out doc takes a serious look into the culture of that most abhorred subgenre of rock music. It’s a slick, well-made, VH1-ready analysis of…
Some Girls
Some GirlsCrushing Love (Koch)After Juliana Hatfield released the grimy, purposefully uncatchy Made in China last year, Crushing Love, the second effort from her indie-pop trio Some Girls, feels like a fall breeze in muggy August. She’s still dating drug addicts—guess what the gorgeous, atmospheric ballad “He’s On Drugs Again” is about?—and taking no shit, slapping…
Sarah Silverman: Jesus is Magic
Sarah Silverman: Jesus is MagicDirected by: Liam Lynch (IDP Films)Warning: if you find jokes about rape, AIDS and the Holocaust offensive, you might want to pass on the lovely Sarah Silverman. With her disproportionately long limbs, twinkling eyes and shiny hair that you’re just dying to brush, Silverman looks like she should be slotted into…
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…
Christina Aguilera
Christina AguileraBack to Basics(RCA)After the backlash Christina Aguilera experienced over her single “Dirrrty,” she’s been sure not to expose herself as dramatically again. The subsequent years have brought a marriage and a new outlook on life—the cocoon of Xtina gave way to a poised, confident woman ready to return to the spotlight. Aguilera can sing,…
Catfish Haven
Catfish HavenTell Me(Secretly Canadian)Catfish Haven is comprised of three shaggy-haired fellas based in Chicago. (The Windy City’s soul-blues sound comes through explicitly on “Down by Your Fire.”) George Hunter, singer/ acoustic guitarist, took the band name from the trailer he lived in for part of his life in Missouri. Hunter and cohorts—Miguel Castillo, bass, and…
Justin Timberlake
Justin TimberlakeFutureSex/LoveSounds (Sony/BMG)This album isn’t about the final step in Justin Timberlake’s move away from his boy-band past. It’s not about a pop idol returning to reclaim his throne. It’s not a statement of sexual liberation or a collection of smartly written songs. FutureSex/LoveSounds is about nothing more than hormones and killer grooves, and that’s…
Lily Allen
Lily AllenAlright, Still (EMI)An artist for the peer-to-peer generation, Lily Allen exploded on the UK scene earlier this year, her first single “Smile” rocketing to the top of the singles chart and becoming the hit of the summer across the pond. Set to a reggae-tinged backdrop, “Smile”—one woman’s vengeful thoughts towards her ex in the…
The Be Good Tanyas
The Be Good TanyasHello Love(Nettwerk)One of the greatest Americana revivalists to come from Canada, the Be Good Tanyas offer the anticipated Hello Love. The sound is much the same as the last two yet the ladies have taken a fresh approach. Widening the trio’s sound with help from the Old Crow Medicine Show put forth…
Gnarls Barkley
Gnarls BarkleySt. Elsewhere(Downtown)Few could escape the charms of Gnarls Barkley this year after the release of “Crazy,” easily the crossover single of the year. The following LP, St. Elsewhere, had it all—the talented soul vocals of Goodie Mob veteran Cee Lo, the indie cred of über-DJ/producer Danger Mouse and trippy videos. Soon, people with a…
My Chemical Romance
My Chemical RomanceThe Black Parade(Reprise)Considering Gerard Way’s background as a comic book artist, it is easy to see how the follow-up to the breakthrough Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge came to be a concept album. The Black Parade overcomes all expectations, sure to become an emo classic.Trevor Savorycategories: Best of the year (2006)
A Boy Named Charlie Brown/Snoopy, Come Home/This is America, Charlie Brown
A Boy Named Charlie Brown/Snoopy, Come Home/This is America, Charlie BrownDirected by: Evert Brown, Bill Melendez(Paramount)The two first Peanuts theatricals, A Boy Named Charlie Brown and Snoopy, Come Home, are still impressive for their forays into experimental imagery over dialogue exposition. This is America, Charlie Brown is an eight-part educational miniseries on American history. All…
The Goon: Fancy Pants Edition
The Goon: Fancy Pants EditionEric PowellDark Horse ComicsEric Powell’s beautifully crafted horror-comedy stories about a thug named Goon get the treatment they deserve in this Fancy Pants hardcover edition. The Goon is not your everyday thug: Not only does he have to worry about collecting for his protection racket, he’s also the first line of…
An Evening with Kevin Smith 2: Evening Harder
An Evening with Kevin Smith 2: Evening HarderDirected by: JM Kenny(Sony Pictures) Fans of 2002’s An Evening with Kevin Smith will find its sequel fits like a pair of well-worn slippers—it feels like Smith has taken a quick bathroom break and returned refreshed and ready to resume the same conversation. Writer-director Smith (Clerks II, Jersey…
Absolute DC: The New Frontier
Absolute DC: The New FrontierDarwyn CookeDCToronto-born, Nova Scotia-residing Darwyn Cooke’s limited series is given the deluxe treatment in a huge DC Absolute edition. It’s a look back at an era of DC heroes—Batman, Wonder Woman, Superman, Green Lantern—with only the slightest of nods to the gods of continuity, and tells the story of a moment…
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Kiss Kiss Bang BangDirected by: Shane Black(Warner Home Video)Lethal Weapon screenwriter Shane Black returns with a strangely twisted throwback to the buddy comedies of the ’80s, but with a self-referential edge and a swimming pool full of laughs. The plot is ridiculously farcical and convoluted, but see it for Robert Downey Jr. in typically frantic…
Roll Bounce
Roll BounceDirected by: Malcolm D. Lee(Fox)Watching the deleted scenes on this disc, it’s easy to see how Roll Bounce could have been re-edited into a Boogie Nights-style epic. I prefer the leaner finished cut, an unfortunate theatrical bomb that turns the world of roller disco into good time adolescent funk. Malcolm D. Lee’s panoramic ’70s…
Lou Barlow
Published December 08, 2005. Lou Barlow EMOH (Merge) With the success and attention rightly given to artists like Conor Oberst, it was serendipitous timing for Barlow to release the solo album of his career. Although EMOH could be considered somewhat of a comeback (the last few Sebadoh and Folk Implosion albums pale in comparison), this…
Editors
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…
P:ano
Published December 08, 2005. P:ano Brigadoon (Mint) Like the right and left brain of some twee-pop genius, Brigadoon is a circus freak-like gem of a CD. Strange, uncomfortable, self-conscious and joyous, this release is above all else honest, which is what makes it truly great. This is a discovery to be cherished and slowly explored,…
Wolf Parade
Published December 08, 2005. Wolf Parade Apologies to the Queen Mary (Sub Pop) Wolf Parade spent 2005 being the indie darling of critics worldwide. The full-length finally dropped and the buzz grew into a deafening roar. Fans of Modest Mouse will feel right at home thanks to producer Issac Brock. No apologies needed here. Trevor…
The Devil’s Rejects
Published December 08, 2005. The Devil’s Rejects Directed by: Rob Zombie (Lion’s Gate) Already a much bigger hit on video than in theatres?evidently people feel safer watching this stuff at home?Rob Zombie’s semi-sequel to House of 1,000 Corpses is really a vicious Western. Breaking the record for F-words uttered in a legitimately recognized film, its…
Kinsey
Published December 08, 2005. Kinsey Directed by: Bill Condon (20th Century Fox) The best biopic of 2004 (Ray wasn’t even close) is of the infamous sex researcher (Liam Neeson) and the unorthodox experiments he conducted with the help of his wife and colleagues. Laura Linney and Peter Sarsgaard soar in their roles, and the making-of…
Very crudely yours, John Waters
Published December 08, 2005. Very crudely yours, John Waters Directed by: John Waters (Alliance/New Line) John Waters never lost it, although his most recent film A Dirty Shame runs out of steam after 30 minutes. This very pink box collects Waters’ New Line releases, from gutter punk nasties like Pink Flamingos and Female Trouble to…
Julie Doiron
Julie DoironWoke Myself Up(Endearing)Great art comes from the extremes of emotional experience. Julie Doiron has always been able to channel those passionate depths, having mastered, over the last 20 years, a style of first-person narratives derived from defining moments in her life. But nothing you have heard from her will prepare you for her latest.…
Birdman & Lil’Wayne
Birdman & Lil’WayneLike Father, Like Son(Cash Money/Universal)“Stuntin’ Like My Daddy” was the lead single to be released from Like Father, Like Son. The expectations have never been high for any previous Cash Money releases, which was also the case with this album, but it turned out to be one of the biggest surprises of 2006.…
Of Montreal
Of MontrealHissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?(Polyvinyl)Following the release of the Inbreds’ brilliant Winning Hearts there was a review of the work in which the writer waxed on about how, for a music fan, there is nothing better than finding a pop songwriter when they hit their “moment.” It’s that time when an artist seems…
Households
HouseholdsBullrushes Will Grow(Burnt Oak)Environmentalists first and musicians second, Households has released its second album in casing that was “salvaged from a brewery dumpster” and with liner notes that appeared to be glued on with a glue stick. They also like to play “by candlelight.” With Bullrushes, this small eco-band from Guelph has enough political stands…
Mika
MikaLife in Cartoon Motion(Island)Mercury on the single “Grace Kelly” has made strong first impressions for this flamboyant native of Lebanon, now based in Europe. An elastic falsetto and variety of characters could register initially as Teletubbies for adults. Further attention reveals sophistication. The cellos of “Any Other Day” inject substance into a twee ballad, with…
Hunter Valentine
Hunter ValentineThe Impatient Romantic(True North)There are albums that have you reaching for the stop button before track three has finished, and there are albums that weld themselves into your portable music device. The debut LP from Hunter Valentine is one of the latter. Kiyomi’s sultry vocals smoulder while Laura’s forceful drum assault and Adrienne’s bassline…
The Last King of Scotland
The Last King of ScotlandDirected by: Kevin MacDonald(Fox Searchlight)In The Last King of Scotland, the vain young doctor Nicholas Garrigan (James McAvoy) heads to Uganda on a whim. He spins a globe and points randomly, then leaves his home in Scotland to launch himself into a country he hasn’t learned about. It’s 1971 and famed…
Breach
BreachDirected by: Directed by Billy Ray(Universal)Director Billy Ray appears to be carving out a strange niche for himself—both the films that he’s directed have been semi-decent dramas about real-life liars. The first of these, 2003’s Shattered Glass, showcased Stephen Glass, a journalist who made up many of his best articles. That movie was sometimes hard…
Elizabeth Shepherd
Elizabeth ShepherdBesides(Do Right Music)In the wake of a breathtaking debut, Shepherd delivers a set of surplus for those who can’t get enough, and remixes for hipsters who found the first album’s jazz too old-school. The four new songs show no dip in quality. The only choice is to be amazed at how well her bluesy…
Battles
BattlesMirrored(Warp)Featuring ex-members of Helmet and Don Caballero, skull-crushing grooves could be expected to make up a large portion of Battles’ debut LP. But unexpected are the number of hooks that ride those grooves and propel Mirrored from just a pretty cool instrumental record to one of the best albums of the year. Unlike the two…
Fionn Regan
Fionn ReganThe End of History(Lost Highway)So many new artists get touted as the next Dylan or Drake that such comparisons get diluted to the point where they have no substance. So what do you do when The End of History comes along? How can you convey its brilliance or potential without everyone thinking “I’ve heard…
Ben Lee
Ben LeeNew Wave(ben-lee.com)Australian troubadour Ben Lee has covered Against Me’s New Wave and made it available for free. “As heavy and gnarly as it sounds at times, it is unmistakably a pop masterpiece,” Lee writes on the blog entry accompanying the download. “I wondered to myself how these songs would sound acoustically.” By taking away…
Kate Nash
Kate NashMade of BricksFictionAlthough Kate Nash’s thick- accented singing style is always compared to fellow Brit Lily Allen, on her debut album Made of Bricks, Nash sounds more like Regina Spektor’s tweemo younger sister. After the jingly single “Foundations” became an online phenom, the fun pop album was released early—a mish-mash of styles that play…
Deborah Harry
Deborah HarryNecessary10H StreetAt 62, Harry can still coo, yowl and soar like she did 30 years ago with Blondie. Necessary Evil could be improved by cutting about five of the 17 songs. A surprise power ballad, “If I Had You”, makes the best use of her emotional range and the sound smorgasbord of Super Buddha,…
Acorn
AcornGlory Hope MountainPaper BagIf you took Ottawa band The Acorn and Glory Hope Mountain and planted them right here in Halifax soil, you’d have a tall tree to blend in with some of this city’s best artists. A more countrified or folksy Mike O’Neill, Joel Plaskett or Brent Randall, with some of Matt Mays’ dramatic…
Extras: The Complete First Season
Extras: The Complete First Season HBONo, Extras’ writing team Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant’s follow-up to the BBC The Office isn’t as good. But this still-funny first-season set features game cameos by Patrick Stewart, Kate Winslet, Sam Jackson and others (all theoretically playing themselves). Plus, hearing Stewart delightedly describe his lecherous screenplay (“I’ve seen everything!”)…
Dog Day
Dog DayNight GroupTomlabGuitarist/singer Seth Smith and drummer Corey Spidle stand apart as songwriters, but one can’t separate the bass/harmonies of Nancy Urich and the melodic lines drawn by Cristal Thili on keys from the overall gorgeous sound. A complete effort and complete joy, from the heavy downbeat that opens the album onward. Sean Flinncategories: Best…
Joel Plaskett Emergency
Joel Plaskett EmergencyAshtray RockMapleMusicA story of love, loss and friendship set in Clayton Park. The fact that Plaskett was able to construct a narrative around growing up in the Halifax suburbs deserves accolades on its own considering that most of it is parkless, particle-board hell. That the record is teeming with pop-hooks and a worldly…
Tegan and Sara
Tegan and SaraThe ConVapor/Sire/SupercloseTegan and Sara aren’t tricksters as their fifth release The Con suggests. Flip-flopping lyrically from anxiety to elation, the album is as Gemini-like as the twins themselves. Each track is a portrait of pop-infused brilliant neurosis. Borderline personalities aside, the dense instrumentation, drum beats and seamless production are thanks to producer Chris…
Ratatouille
RatatouilleDirected by: Brad Bird and Jan PinkavaPixarAny movie directed by Iron Giant/The Incredibles helmer Brad Bird, made by Pixar, and featuring comedian Patton Oswalt as a culinarily gifted rat earns its way into my good books by virtue of pedigree alone. But it’s Ratatouille’s weird ending that makes the film great: a surreal sequence that…
New Super Mario Bros.
New Super Mario Bros.Nintendo DSI had some friends visit from “The Big City” recently, and when they weren’t eating or getting drunk, they were hanging out in my living room playing this game. At first I didn’t get it—you’re on vacation, why are you just chilling and playing Mario? Then I took a look and…
Bye buy
It was Christmas in July. No, seriously. The lights weren’t up but I had started racking my brain about who I had to get gifts for, who I had to mail gifts to early and who I had to think extra hard about because they are the most impossible people to buy gifts for in…
Blackalicious
BlackaliciousThe Craft(Anti-)From beat and word one of this record, you know something special is going on. No time is wasted on an intro or skit. No, “World of Vibrations” steps out with a big kick drum and thick piano chords to propel Gift of Gab’s message that, yes, something special is happening here. The impact…
Tony Yayo
Tony YayoThoughts of a Predicate FelonInterscope 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks and Young Buck have all released solo albums recently, not to mention the G-Unit album. Now we’re presented with Thoughts of a Predicate Felon from one of the original, formerly jailed G-Unit crew. Expectations are high. But unfortunately for Tony Yayo, it’s the tracks on…
Neil Young
Neil YoungPrairie WindRepriseNeil Young has always worked best in broad strokes. Emotional songs like “Tell Me Why,” “Motion Pictures” and “Don’t Be Denied” all have an elusive quality that allows each listener to create their own ties to the music. Young’s audience has had to accept his recent work on much different terms. Following Greendale’s…
Ladytron
LadytronThe Witching HourRykodiscLadytron is what DJs would play for roller skaters in an abandoned Eastern European factory. It’s retro, stylized, with pounding yet danceable beats that are as icy-sweet as the mint chocolates found in Christmas stockings. This UK-based four-piece made its name with the breakout Light and Magic, one of the best records, in…
Wolf Parade
Published August 25, 2005. Wolf Parade EP (Sub Pop) Holy Arcade Fire, Batman! Does everything that comes out of Montreal have to be this good? Wolf Parade is the latest buzz band from the city, and its similarities to AF and Franz Ferdinand will not be lost on even the most casual listener. The band…
The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed PeasMonkey Business(A & M)When Elephunk broke through huge into the mainstream, it was a breath of fresh air. Fast-forward two years, and Monkey Business is the awaited follow-up. The lead single “Don’t Phunk With My Heart” (“phunk” (funk) is on par with Chingy’s “hurr” (here) for annoyance) has become the musical equivalent…
The High Dials
The High DialsWar of the Wakening Phantoms(rainbow quartz)Montreal’s High Dials return in a big way with their sophomore effort. But this psychedelic pop doesn’t indulge in 14-minute tunes, just 14 tunes period. And that means there’s a lot coming at you, clocking in at just over an hour. It’s hard to pare back the overgrowth…
The Darkness
The DarknessOne Way Ticket to Hell…And Back(Atlantic)The new album begins slowly with a gothic chant followed by a pan flute intro. Just as you are wondering whether you bought the proper CD — the sound of coke-snorting, guitar, a mighty cowbell. And the ROCK begins. Justin Hawkins remains the reincarnation of Freddy Mercury, hitting bum-squeezing…
Various
VariousChristmas Remixed 2(Six Degrees)A surprise among the Chrismukkah cash grabs of last season was Six Degrees’ first Christmas Remixed disc, one that bridged the gap between kids and their parents by combining old, Burl Ives-style holiday renditions with new, Dan the Automator-style beats. Volume 2 is less interesting from a remix perspective — the requisite…
Bell Orchestre
Bell OrchestreRecording a Tape the Colour of the Light(Rough Trade)Instrumental music has never sounded fuller, more complete, in terms of conjuring a place and telling a story. The place: a big city in winter. A low-end hum remains constant, like the sound of traffic on snow-covered streets. The sound builds in a sonic platform for…
Spoon
SpoonGimme Fiction (Merge)It begins with the channelling of T. Rex. This is Spoon’s latest full-length release — the last was Kill the Moonlight — and Gimme Fiction arrives three years later as a pleasant surprise. They did not blow it. Among the din of many bands’ outright theft of 1980s post-punk, goth and new wave,…
Various
VariousOne Scene to Another(Plumline)The CD jacket for One Scene to Another is a variation on the Super Friendz’ Mock Up, Scale Down. The title—a nod to Sloan. And the music inside—although touted as a “Canadian” indie rock tribute—has Halifax Love written all over it, with 13 of the 16 covers written by bands from our…
Magnolia Electric Co.
Magnolia Electric Co.What Comes After the Blues (Secretly Canadian)The majority of Blues is dense country-rock that bursts open like a pregnant thundercloud. “The Dark Don’t Hide It” rumbles and howls, showcasing dirty electric guitar stabs above a wailing undercurrent of pedal steel strings. Contrasting this thickness, is the stunning acoustic closer “I Can Not Have…
Bright Eyes
Bright EyesMotion Sickness(Saddle Creek/Team Love)Ryan Adams wasn’t the only shaggy-haired, hard-drinking prolific songwriter of 2005 — Conor Oberst squeaked his third record of the year in just under the wire. After the staggering two-punch of I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning and Digital Ash in a Digital Urn — both released on January 26, 2005 —…
John Legend
John LegendGet Lifted(Columbia)Most modern R&B comes off like an artistically dead genre. The purveyors of the style emphasise vocal runs and dance routines, leaving songwriting and musicianship to those poor people who call themselves “artists.” But every once in a while, someone like John Legend comes along. The disc is an impressive collection of neo-soul…
The Donnas
The DonnasGold Medal(Atlantic)Indie darlings the Donnas (none of whom are actually named Donna) have released their most accessible album to date in the form of Gold Medal. Longtime followers of the band might be hesitant to embrace the new poppier sound (think more Veruca Salt, less L7) and see this album as a sellout. But…
Various
VariousRussian Christmas (BBC Music magazine)If you want something beyond the umpteenth version of “Rudolph,” the best source of holiday music can be found at the newsstand. Every year the classical music monthly BBC Music puts together seasonal offerings of a divergent kind. This year the focus is Russia, with a version of Tchaikovsky’s First Symphony…
The Summerlad
The SummerladThemes: International(FAB)Formed from the ashes of the Primrods, Calgary-based The Summerlad feels familiar for all the safe reasons. Mixing a distinctly pop feel with layered guitars and synths, it makes you think of a happier My Bloody Valentine, a more revved-up Galaxie 500 or a less art-house Broken Social Scene (compare “Vallee of Cobras”…
Josh Rouse
Josh RouseNashville(Ryko)Nashville has all the makings of a terrible album. Rouse’s voice is reminiscent of Ryan Adams’, his alt-country owes to the bastardized Nashville sound that nearly killed the genre and his lyrics have a boringly upper-middle-class slant. Yet Rouse makes this recipe for faux-urban hayseed garbage work. His writing is charming and relaxed rather…
The Weekend
Published February 17, 2005. The Weekend Beatbox My Heartbeat (Outside) Cheesy synths, in-your-face crunching guitars and pop hooks aplenty from London, Ontario’s The Weekend. On the promise of their Teaser EP comes Beatbox My Heartbeat, a tribute to late ’70s/early ’80s power-pop that adds the current flavour of the month—pop punk—to the mix. The hard…
Julie Doiron
Julie DoironGoodnight Nobody (Endearing)As Julie Doiron gets older, her ability to create enchanting and complex music seems to grow ever stronger. Goodnight Nobody is no exception. This is musique verite at its intimate best, as Doiron does her usual combing through daily rituals to find snippets to capture in song—be it waking up to a…
The Music
Published November 25, 2004. The Music Welcome to the North (Capitol) The Music make that fatal mistake of thinking that taking something really annoying and doing it really loud will make it good. Nope. The band have thus far gotten by on the fact that they are drawing on two camps of nostalgia: Stone Roses…
Sons of Maxwell
Published November 18, 2004. Sons of Maxwell Sunday Morning (independent) The well-known local bar band stretches its horizon with a dozen original numbers. Unfortunately, it sounds like brothers Dave and Don Carroll came up with the words first, then threw together the music as an afterthought. Opener “Uphill Battle” works the best, lyric and tune…
Talib Kweli
Talib KweliThe Beautiful Struggle(Rawkus)Talib Kweli was one half of hip-hop powerhouse Black Star, and due to the success of partner Mos Def, Kweli faces some lofty expectations. The Beautiful Success is his sophomore release and it exceeds any expectation. “I Try” (with Mary J. Blige), the title track and “Black Girl Pain” are standouts on…
David Jacobs-Strain
David Jacobs-StrainOcean or a Teardrop(Northern Blues)This record’s acoustic jolt strokes the skin as it enters the ear. Sound almost upstages the performance of the young Oregonian, who includes covers of Mississippi Fred McDowell and Sleepy John Estes alongside his own songs. A few political numbers envision upheaval and its aftermath in personal terms. Urgency overload…
Kim Richey
Kim RicheyThe Collection (Lost Highway)Kim Richey falls under the ignored midwestern singer-songwriter genre. A best-of compilation shows that Richey is a fine songwriter who deserves more press than she gets, but it is also easy to see why she hasn’t been smashing down any doors. A rich texture of folk and country flows throughout, but…
Heavy meadows
Heavy meadowsheavy meadows(Dependent)On their second full-length disc, heavy meadows prove again they are one of the city’s best-kept secrets, filled with Seth Timothy’s lush arrangements of subtle textured folk that would make Nick Drake and Tim Buckley proud. Here their sound relies more on Timothy’s guitar and vocals of Virgil Muir, but the songs have…
Young Heart Attack
Young Heart AttackMouthful of Love (XL)Whether you’re into the retro-rock appeal of Jet and designer trucker hats or are all old school about Burt Reynolds, Young Heart Attack is your new fav-ourite band. Mouth Full of Love is a raw stab of energy-packed, white-trash rock. Borrowing from predecessors with little regard for either copyright or…
Badly Drawn Boy
Badly Drawn BoyOne Plus One is One(XL)It is possible the deaths of Elliott Smith and Joe Strummer (this is dedicated to both) have had a profound influence on Damon Gough (AKA Badly Drawn Boy). There’s been a seismic shift in his songwriting. Gone are his tendencies to over-indulge in clever arrangements and melodic twists. Instead…
Feist
FeistLet it Die(Arts and Crafts)On her solo debut, Leslie Feist creates the ultimate indie kid makeout album (Air’s Talkie Walkie well considered). With her vibrant voice ringing out over sparsely arranged tracks, things flow in a simple but accomplished manner. Though most of the album is covers, it is her own “Mushaboom” that’s the real…
Avril Lavigne
Avril LavigneUnder My Skin (Arista)Raine Maida and Chantal Kreviazuk, who produced and co-wrote half a dozen tracks, respectively, dominate Avril Lavigne’s follow-up to Let Go (you’ll know which songs are theirs by the ah-ah-ah vocal wanks prevalent on their own records), but guitarist Evan Taubenfeld is Lavigne’s guiding force. He wrote the music for the…
Loretta Lynn
Loretta LynnVan Lear Rose(Interscope)The wonder here is not just that producer/guitarist Jack White resurrects Loretta Lynn with rock, but that the 69-year-old coal miner’s daughter is ready with a dozen sharp new songs. She is back defending hubby from hussies and liquor with “Family Tree” and “Mrs. Leroy Brown.” A brief autobiography and tale about…
Matthew Barber
Matthew BarberThe Story of Your Life (Warner)Matthew Barber knows how to write a pleasant pop song, but it appears he’s at his best when the sound is darker or the mood’s more melancholy. The Story of Your Life, the follow-up to his debut Means & Ends, starts out fine with “A Little Love,” but the…
Beta Band
Beta BandThe Best of(EMI)Do you remember in High Fidelity when John Cusack holds up a CD and tells one of his socially inept clerks to watch as he sells five copies just by playing it? The band he was talking about was the Beta Band, the CD, a fantastic release called Three Eps that turned…
Terence Trent D’Arby
Terence Trent D’ArbyWild Card (Sananda/Universal)The man who would have been the grittier Prince or the nastier Lenny Kravitz re-emerges after a move to Italy. There’s less sneer and more bliss in the voice, but this is not as disastrous for his music as one might think. He can still shift from growl to falsetto with…
Ani DiFranco
Ani DiFranco Educated Guess(Righteous Babe)Ani DiFranco is an institution and an artist who no longer fears alienating her audience. On her last three albums—larger band recordings that saw her taking risks like never before—she was clearly saying “follow me or get left behind.” On Educated Guess, DiFranco returns to the acoustic stage, performing all instruments…
Alicia Keys
Published January 15, 2004. Alicia Keys The Diary of Alicia Keys (J) No one should have to follow a huge-selling disc before turning 23, but Alicia Keys demostrates it was no fluke. Her piano and command of the pivotal role it plays in sweet soul music sets her apart. The mix of samples and reality…
Quadro Nuevo
Quadro NuevoCanzone della strada (Justin Time)As winter drags on, it is nice to come across an album than can transport you to an exotic place. Canzone della strada, the first ever domestic release from this Austrian jazz quartet, is dedicated to an almost lost form of Italian music overheard in cafes or whispered between rapturous…
Harry Connick Jr.
Published September 18, 2003. Harry Connick Jr. Other Hours (Marsalis/Rounder) Harry drops the Sinatra wanna-be act and pulls together an instrumental jazz record. Who knew at the heart of Connick were Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell? Other Hours is based around small-combo swing, but the band lifts off in various directions in their solos, making…
The Fall
Published December 11, 2003. The Fall The Real New Fall LP; Formerly Country on the Click (Action) Originally slated for an April release, this new Fall album was pulled, remixed and re-titled after an Internet leak. Whatever changes (may) have been made don’t matter. The Fall, headed by the Thelonious Monk of punk rock (Mark…
Tori Amos
Published November 27, 2003. Tori Amos Tales of a Librarian (Atlantic) With no bona fide hits and only a few singles in her career, Tori Amos’s best-of collection inherently avoids the trap of existing to appease half-assed listeners who don’t own any albums. It’s a fan’s compilation, culling 20 songs from her first five records…
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…
Danko Jones
Published October 23, 2003. Danko Jones We Sweat Blood (Universal) Warning: This album will rock your friggin’ face clean off. Danko Jones has returned with We Sweat Blood, and if you’ve ever seen these guys play, you’ll know just how true that is. Danko, JC and Damon refuse to hold anything back live, or in…
Steve Earle
Published October 09, 2003. Steve Earle Just an American Boy (E Squared) In the wake of Steve Earle’s dark vision of George W. Bush’s America on Jerusalem comes the live set Just an American Boy. The show is riddled with his “unpatriotic” and unapologetic views of politics and American music. It contains favourites such as…
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Take Them On, On Your Own (Virgin) With their second album, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club proves you don’t have to be British to make solid psychedelic pop. Full of energy and distorted guitars, these 12 tracks are meant to be played after dark as a soundtrack to a night of drinking…
Spitalfield
Published August 14, 2003. Spitalfield Remember Right Now (Victory) The cold-hearted exhaustion that accompanies being part of the testosterone-fueled Chicago hardcore scene finds four of its members showing their softer side in the form of puss-punk project Spitalfield. With vocals some may find whiny, Remember is tailored for fans of New Found Glory and Simple…
Carsick
CarsickCarsick(Drip Audio/Maximum Jazz) Carsick — the band and their eponymous album — is an interesting exercise is avant-garde jazz taken from an entirely new perspective. A guitar and coronet is an odd combination, but it is a combination that works because the playing is well-executed. Dave Sikula uses the guitar quite often as a brace…
F For Fake
F For FakeDirected by: Orson Welles(The Criterion Collection)Half the challenge of discussing Orson Welles’ last completed film F For Fake is pinpointing what it is. “An essay documentary,” is how Welles’ friend, director Peter Bogdanovich classifies it. Things get complicated pretty fast. A good portion of F For Fake is lifted from a documentary on…
Ndidi Onukwulu
Ndidi OnukwuluNo, I Never(Jericho Beach)The young Nigerian-Canadian confounds expectations by embracing the blues with every ounce of her frame. A somewhat ethereal vocal presence benefits from the muscular guitar work of veteran Madagascar Slim. All the songs are her own, inspired by the likes of John Lee Hooker and the travails of a person of…
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Yeah Yeah YeahsShow Your Bones(Interscope)For the past two decades our ears have been in training for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ vocalist Karen O. Patti Smith, Kim Gordon, Sleater-Kinney and Julie Doiron’s Eric Trip days all tutored us in the ways of rock—earbud-imprinting vital data on our cilia. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Show Your Bones is…
Graham Coxon
Graham CoxonLove Travels at Illegal Speeds(EMI) Always the soft-spoken talent to bandmate Damon Albarn’s ego-driven vision, Graham Coxon dissolved the partnership before the sessions for Blur’s underachieving Think Tank album. His role in one of the biggest UK bands of the ’90s became quickly apparent—Think Tank missed the inventive cool of Coxon’s licks, which had…
Anthony Hamilton
Anthony HamiltonAin’t Nobody Worryin’(Arista)The Carolina-born, New York-based Hamilton carves out unique territory, by shunning hip-hop devices, not trying to sound like Stevie Wonder and keeping his shirt on. Gospel is in his blood and colours his themes and harmonies. “The Truth” and “Preacher’s Daughter” put the passion back in compassion, as Hamilton shows how earthy…
Xavier Rudd
Xavier RuddFood in the Belly(Universal)Australian singer/guitarist Xavier Rudd has the curse of sounding and playing as well as early Ben Harper. Rudd matches his slide playing well to his voice, which goes from whispery to urgent throughout Food in the Belly. His politics and consciousness shine through on the title track and others, including “Generation…
Dixie Chicks
Dixie ChicksTaking the Long Way (Open Wide/Columbia)Full disclosure: Had lead Dixie Chick Natalie Maines never uttered the sentence that turned her innocuous country-pop trio into America’s prettiest punching bag—“We’re ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas”—and made it OK to, you know, like the Dixie Chicks, we never would’ve bothered to listen…
Thom Yorke
Thom YorkeThe Eraser(XL)Fans of Radiohead’s more recent work will feel right at home with frontman Thom Yorke’s debut solo disc. Though The Eraser is surprisingly accessible, it’s still a long way from a commercial recording. Technology continues to provide Yorke’s haunting vocals with an intricate tapestry of bleeps and boops, seamlessly interwoven with organic instrumentation…
The Black Keys
The Black KeysChulahoma(Fat Possum)Fat Possum is the Mississippi-based label for blues that won’t wear a monkey suit, home for the late Junior Kimbrough and, more recently, of Akron, Ohio band the Black Keys. Kimbrough evidently sired 36 children. It’s these skinny white boys who revel in his musical legacy. Though there are vocals, the focus…
Inside Man
Inside ManDirected by: Spike Lee(Universal)Following up the abysmal, insulting She Hate Me with a mainstream crime thriller is an odd move for noted provocateur Spike Lee, but it works. Inside Man unfolds partially in real time, as a mysterious, brilliant criminal—Clive Owen—executes “the perfect bank robbery” with an ever-changing team while Denzel Washington’s NYC detective…
Natacha Atlas
Natacha AtlasMishmaoul(Mantra)Though a variety of flavours has come to be expected from Atlas, she steps up as one of the most prominent singers in Arabic. Mishmaoul is not as food-court multi-cultural as her old band, Trans Global Underground. “Ghanwah Bossanova” finds accord between Middle Eastern phrasing and Brazilian tempo that has been heretofore inconceivable. Princess…
Radio Birdman
Radio BirdmanZeno Beach(Yep Roc)Radio Birdman, masterminded by Ann Arbor’s Deniz Tek and fronted by Aussie surfer Rob Younger, set the scene for Australian punk. Fusing the signature garage punk of The Stooges and MC5, the band became legendary to followers such as Nick Cave. But releasing only two records between ’75 and ’78 made them…
Paul Westerberg
Paul WesterbergOpen Season(Lost Highway)Hopefully, Paul Westerberg will make a shitload of money off the Open Season soundtrack: The animated tale of forest animals is making a killing at the box office. The forgotten king of indie rock from Minneapolis, Westerberg deserves all the attention and cash coming to him. Open Season offers eight originals, mostly…
Willie Nelson
Willie NelsonSongbird(Universal Music)Seventy-three-year-old cowboy Willie Nelson has had his share of hits and misses and some folks have even dared to question his relevance and place in the tomes of musical history. But no one survives in this industry without strong material and even stronger alliances. Thankfully, Nelson has an abundance of both. From the…
Beck
BeckThe Information(Interscope)The Information is considered by some to be Beck’s Scientology coming out album. If that’s the case, sign me up for Planet Xenu. Although the subject matter is dark—it’s clear that Beck is a bit disillusioned with the superficiality that exists on this planet—The Information is more Odelay than Sea Change. Welcome back, you…
The Hidden Cameras
The Hidden CamerasAwoo(Evil Evil)Who knew paganism could be so much fun? Tackling love and sex with Jungian glee, the latest album from the Toronto pop colleChuck Teedive is an anthem for joy and all-night dance-a-thons. Led by the indefinable Joel Gibb, The Hidden Cameras are one of Canada’s most inventive pop bands. Ever. Doot doot!Sue…
The Paper Chase
The Paper ChaseNow You are One of Us(Kill Rock Stars)Listening to this disc is like seeing your most favourite horror movie for the umpteenth time, knowing full well what to expect and yet still shitting your pants at all the scariest scenes. Think Modest Mouse on a whole mess of acid and having a paranoid…
Amazing Stories: The Complete First Season
Amazing Stories: The Complete First Season(Universal)This prime time fantasy series was producer Steven Spielberg’s mid-’80s answer to The Twilight Zone. On DVD, it’s also a good showcase for forgotten works by big time filmmakers like Martin Scorsese, Joe Dante and Clint Eastwood. Like most anthologies, it’s uneven; Amazing Stories often has great setups without much…
The Plot: The Secret Story of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion
The Plot: The Secret Story of the Protocols of the Elders of ZionWill EisnerWW Norton and CompanyFinished a month before his death earlier this year, comics legend Will Eisner’s heavily researched story about the origins of The Protocols of the Elders of Zion is a fitting final work for the man who led the way…
Isobel Campbell
Isobel CampbellMilkwhite Sheets (V2)Before venturing out with Mark Lanegan on the great country ballad-infused Ballad of the Broken Seas, Campbell laid down this superior disc. As with all the records she has made since leaving Belle and Sebastian, Campbell employs a new genre that will take everyone by surprise. Milkwhite Sheets is a British folk…
Absolute Sandman, Vol. 1
Absolute Sandman, Vol. 1Neil GaimanDC/VertigoThe much-adored Neil Gaiman-penned series has never been out of print and is still available in a variety of smaller, less fetching collections, but they just won’t impress like this Absolute edition. The first of a four-volume series of oversized reprints each in a slip-cased hardcover, this “box set” holds the…
LA Story: 15th Anniversary Edition
LA Story: 15th Anniversary EditionDirected by: Mick Jackson(Lions Gate)Steve Martin used his observations on life in LA as material for this romantic comedy. Even if you dislike the genre and have never been to the titular city, it’s more identifiable—funnier, warmer, centred on people rather than idols—than anything that’s come since. Before director Mick Jackson…
Sam Peckinpah’s The Legendary Westerns Collection
Sam Peckinpah’s The Legendary Westerns CollectionDirected by: Sam Peckinpah(Warner Home Video)Hard drinking director Peckinpah will always be known for his stories of men with guns. Here are his best, including the elegiac Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid, which gives what is considered one of the classic modern westerns, The Wild Bunch (also included in…
Beck
Published December 08, 2005. Beck Guero (Geffen) After the oddity of Midnite Vultures and the depression of Sea Change, Beck has finally found his groove again, releasing his best album since Odelay. Critics and fans alike can agree that the funkiness and cool oozes from Beck’s folk-infused art-rock. Trevor Savory categories: Best of the year…
Kathleen Edwards
Published December 08, 2005. Kathleen Edwards Back to Me (Rounder) The pride of Wakefield, PQ, (and Matt Mays duet partner) maintains her well-deserved buzz with a mature, slightly less country update on Failer. Where that debut stewed in beer-soaked anger, Back to Me is more wistful and nostalgic, as Edwards practically apologizes for her success.…
Joel Plaskett
Published December 08, 2005. Joel Plaskett La De Da (Maple) Something happened on Joel Plaskett’s journey to Arizona to record La De Da. Maybe he sold his soul to the proverbial devil at some abandoned crossroad in the rural south. Who knows. But his guitar-playing and arrangements speak of a new-found virtuosity and confidence. Which…
2046
Published December 08, 2005. 2046 Directed by: Kar Wai Wong (Sony) Wong Kar Wai’s long-awaited follow-up to In the Mood For Love finally arrives on DVD in December. Partly a sequel to the doomed love affair of the earlier film, and partly a science-fiction mood piece, Kar Wai makes images as important as narrative. Carsten…
Entourage: The Complete First Season
Published December 08, 2005. Entourage: The Complete First Season (HBO) Based on the personal experiences of producer Mark Wahlberg, this Hollywood-skewering comedy follows the lives of a young actor and his buddies, who don’t do much. As much wish fulfillment as satire, Entourage is Sex and the City for guys. As superagent Ari Gold, Jeremy…
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
Published December 08, 2005. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou Directed by: Wes Anderson (Criterion) Not particularly appreciated upon its theatrical release, this film will one day be seen as Wes Anderson’s quirky masterpiece. It’s a love letter to anyone who as a child enjoyed the work of Jacques Cousteau, and has the best use…
Ghettosocks
GhettosocksGet Some Friends(Independent)Ghettosocks is the real deal, an MC with an ear for old school tearing up anyone or anything that gets in front of him. He takes hip-hop back to the streets and makes it fun again. Get Some Friends is pure ear candy, throwing the calendar back to the days of hip-hop’s infancy,…
Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself
Published December 08, 2005. Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself Directed by: Lone Scherfig (Sundance) Danish director Lone Sherfig’s follow-up to Italian for Beginners, this is the story of two Scottish brothers, one of whom is terminally depressed. Beginning as a black comedy it becomes a sweetly affecting love triangle. Don’t be put off by the…
Reset
ResetNo Worries No Limits(Union 2112)Remember the days when the two founding members of Simple Plan still had some cred in the punk scene? The artists formerly known as Reset have re-released their albums No Worries and No Limits on a single disc, and they’ve cleverly titled the new/old release No Worries No Limits. The album…
Modest Mouse
Modest MouseWe Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank(Epic)The band that brought indie rock into your living room has continued its march into MTV territory while still assaulting its sensibilities. We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank continues in the direction of the breakthrough 2004 album Good News For People Who Love Bad News…
LCD Soundsystem
LCD SoundsystemSound of Silver(DFA/EMI)LCD Soundsystem might as well be called canned music, and frontperson James Murphy a business man. Blurring the divide between art and economics, Murphy will tell you he’s very much affected by popular culture and by what is “cool” —he simply wants to provide a service. Thus, even on Sound of Silver,…
Wilco
WilcoSky Blue Sky(Nonesuch)After the alt-rock masterpiece Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, Wilco’s A Ghost is Born was even darker and delved deeper into avant-garde composition. Each album featured some of Jeff Tweedy’s finest work, but both alienated many of the early Wilco fans who loved the band’s Americana style. Sky Blue Sky walks away from those experimental…
Bright Eyes
Bright EyesCassadaga(Saddle Creek)Conor Oberst needs to stop with the audio art installations that open every album. If they were interesting or entertaining, that would be one thing. But they’re indulgent and boring, so stop it, because what he’s doing here is detracting from the lovely lead track “Clairaudients (Kill or Be Killed),” which forlornly addresses…
White Stripes
White StripesIcky Thump(Warner)From the the opening bars of Icky Thump, it’s blissfully clear that the White Stripes are back on top of their game. Not that they really left it, but Get Behind Me Satan was a little less than what everyone had come to expect ever since White Blood Cells stuck a stick into…
Ryan Adams
Ryan AdamsEasy Tiger(Lost Highway)Easy Tiger is the best album Ryan Adams has put out in recent memory. It’s consistently great from start to finish. Curse-laden rockers (“Halloweenhead”), quivering ballads (“Oh My God, Whatever, Etc.”) or straight-up bluegrass (“Pearls on String”) are tossed off with ease, passion and conviction. Not that those traits were lacking before,…
Shop Boyz
Shop BoyzRockstar Mentality(Universal)Much like the popcorn films on the screens at your local multiplex, there’s an equal number of brainless filler discs that storm the airwaves during the lull in the summer release schedule. The debut album from the Shop Boyz is every bit a filler disc—it will drop another pair of singles and then…
Various
VariousDevil’s Blues(True North)Eighteen songs about drinking, gambling, lust and jealousy, from 1949 to 1977, make up Devil’s Blues. A few names may be familiar, like Memphis Minnie and Otis Rush, but the set leans heavily towards obscure and nasty. Cash McCall doesn’t quite make it all the way to double-entendre delineating his desires on “Stoop…
MIA
MIAKala(XL)On this follow-up to her debut Arular, the young MC with Sri Lankan heritage turns the sass dial up full and strikes her own true “buffalo stance.” The first cue is the cut ’n’ paste, ’80s-inspired colour palette of the album artwork, including a cover shot of the artist with bobbed hair, shades, cloche hat…
JDiggz
JDiggzMemoirs of a PlaybwoyMaxamus EntertainmentCan someone pass JDiggz a dictionary? Glance at the tracks on Memoirs of a Playbwoy and you’ll understand (“Whutchu Like” and “Bad Gyal”). But spelling is the least of his problems. The debut effort sees JDiggz trying to pull double duty as witty emcee and sensual R&B seducer, but the shift…
Chamillionaire
ChamillionaireUltimate VictoryMotownThere is a fine line between making pop culture references and simply dropping names. Unfortunately, Chamillionaire fails to recognize where that line is drawn. Ultimate Victory is overshadowed by the fact that this talented emcee feels the need to recite a laundry list of names throughout the disc. It would be one thing if…
Cake
CakeRarities and B-SidesCapricornCake made a name for themselves with their unique blend of jazz, country, rap and pop music, but also for their quirky cover tunes (“War Pigs” and “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town” appear here). This California band’s career dates back to the early ’90s with their debut Motorcade of Generosity, but…
The Films of Alejandro Jodorowsky
The Films of Alejandro JodorowskyDirected by: Alejandro JodorowskyAnchor BayAnchor Bay’s most exciting DVD release in several years comprises the Spanish surrealist’s intriguing Fando y Lis, his iconic El Topo and his absolute masterpiece, The Holy Mountain. They’re packaged with soundtrack albums, commentaries, an early short film and documentaries on his life. Jodorowski’s films push narrative…
Julie Doiron
Julie DoironWoke Myself UpKillbeat MusicPerhaps her most upbeat work yet, Julie Doiron crafts music for those who sway from side to side and call it dancing. Part confession, part documentation, her lethargy is crafted into a colloquial retelling of reoccurring heartache. Woke Myself Up relays a period of inward questioning, love both lost and found.Shannon…
Jens Lekman
Jens LekmanNight Falls Over KortedalaSecretly CanadianFunny that Lekman is on Secretly Canadian, because Sweden’s where it’s at, as far as inventive, catchy pop goes (even Britney Spears should thank her Swedish producers for saving her latest). Named after a Gothenburg neighbourhood, imagine Frank Valli interpreted by a kinder, gentler, more delicate Morrissey, floating on Belle…
Under Pressure
Under PressureCome CleanEscape ArtistWith lyrics like “sing no songs of joy/where love and hope are failing,” Under Pressure’s Come Clean is at once mesmeric and depressing. A shift towards a nihilistic sound is an omen of things to come. Raging thrash and dense sludge might not come close to describing the misanthropic and sublime moments…
Robot Chicken: Season 2
Robot Chicken: Season 2Shadowmachine FilmsCall it Television Entertainment 2.0: Make it brief, to adjust for the attention spans of viewers raised on TV who indulgein chronic herbal habits. Plumb pop culture, using stop-motion animation and mass-market toys, dolls and action figures, to create scathing, often gut-bustingly hilarious, spoofs. Rerun forever.Carsten KnoxCategories: Best of the year…
NHL ’06
NHL ’06Sony PlayStation 2I have this friend. His name is Pothead. He doesn’t smoke weed and he hates when you call him that, but that’s what we call him when he’s not around. Anyway, Pothead is stupidly awesome at this game. Every time he gets the puck he comes skating up the ice and you…
Indoor delights
Top 10 Books by Sue Carter Flinn 28: Stories of AIDS in Africaby Stephanie Nolen (Knopf)If that John Lennon/Yoko Ono Christmas song—”…And what have you done?”—speaks to you, read Stephen Nolen’s book, and buy one for everybody on your list. Comprised of 28 stories—one for every million Africans living with the virus—of ordinary people doing…
The Bad Plus
The Bad PlusSuspicious Activity? (Sony)The Bad Plus is one of the finest bands of the new school of free jazz. Adding a rock and pop fusion while covering Black Sabbath, Blondie, Nirvana and Aphex Twin has made them one of the most loved and eclectic jazz trios. With disc number three The Bad Plus switch…
The Ladies and Gentlemen
The Ladies and GentlemenSmall SinsBoompa Like the most confessional parts of The Remains of Brian Borcherdt mixed with the subtlest of the Postal Service’s blips, ex-Carnations frontman Thomas D’Arcy quite sensitively blows your mind with this solo project. In a year of arena-style bombast, it’s refreshing to learn that hardscrabble, honest bedroom recordings aren’t extinct.…
Sigur Ros
Sigur RosTakkGeffenFrom the cinematic, slow-build beginning to its hesitant and reluctant end, this album is epic. The band continues on its path of anomaly in the kingdom of commercial rock. Even more so than the enigmatic early days of Radiohead, Sigur Ros’ enormous popularity does not seem to make sense and yet it absolutely does.…
The Go! Team
The Go! TeamThunder, Lightning, StrikeColumbiaSounding something along the lines of a pep rally set to the theme song from The A Team, Thunder, Lightning, Strike is like a Jock Rock compellation for the indie-rock set. The album’s insistent beats, raw production and expertly placed samples create a sound that is totally unique. “Bottle Rocket” highlights…
Various
Published August 25, 2005. Various The Best Blues Album in the World…Ever! Volume 2 (EMI) From the Delta to Chicago skinny white boys, around label conflicts, this collection lives up to its title. The weakest of these 32 tracks kicks the ass of 90 percent of today’s chart tunes and influences the other 10. What…
The Most Serene Republic
The Most Serene RepublicUnderwater Cinematogra-pher(Arts & Crafts)Arts & Crafts is quickly becoming a label whereby you can almost guarantee that its latest release will be interesting, if not addictive. Jason Collett’s solo disc is a masterful, more acoustic version of his parent band Broken Social Scene. And now The Most Serene Republic, with its pleasant…
Turin Brakes
Turin BrakesJackInABox(Virgin)For every Coldplay, Radiohead or Oasis, you are doomed to have a Starsailor or two. There will always be that hyped, successful-at-home European band that hits North American shores with an embarrassing thud and such is the case with Mercury Prize-nominated Turin Brakes and its third album, JackInABox. When done well, Britpop can be…
Breakestra
BreakestraHit the Floor(Ubiquity)Breakestra turned heads by taking the breaks — repetitious, rhythmic detours that arise midway through classic funk, acid jazz, soul or R&B songs — and stretching them into long live jams. But on Hit the Floor the 10-piece group from LA offers up their own original break-based tracks. Fans of Grand Theft Bus,…
Jack Johnson A Weekend at The Greek/Live in Japan
Jack Johnson A Weekend at The Greek/Live in Japan(Universal)With the Canadian winter fast approaching, our dreams of the sun, surf and sand are fading just as quickly. But the moment you pop this DVD into your player, the reality of the howling wind and blowing snow evaporates as if on cue. Jack Johnson’s music has…
Jamie Foxx
Jamie FoxxUnpredictable(J)Jamie Foxx was impossible to miss during the Oscar race of 2005. It may have been the critical praise Foxx received for his musical performances as Ray Charles in Ray that led him to the conclusion he should record an album of his own material, and so during the lull between Christmas and New…
Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews BandStand Up (RCA)Stand Up (the sixth studio disc from Dave and company) showcases a re-energized DMB, who, with the help of producer Mark Baston, have introduced the instrumentation of the DMB live experience into the studio. It is around this base which Matthews can weave his words in the way only he can.…
Iron & Wine
Iron & WineWoman King EP(Sub Pop)An album that holds lineage over influences, Iron & Wine’s Woman King EP is a dark and brilliant offering. While Sam Beam has backed his sound with a more commanding instrumentation than in the past, his songs are still as focused and pristine as ever. The result fuses the tones…
Jonathan Andrews
Jonathan AndrewsHalifax Indie Rock(independent)You can’t blame us for pigeonholing Jonathan Andrews—he did it himself, with the title of this release. It certainly lives up to the name—the understated vocals channel Al Tuck, and the twangy, retro-pop guitars bring us back to the Super Friendz of days gone by. The disc features a diverse array of…
The Game
The GameDocumentary(G-Unit/Aftermath)There have been steady rumblings surrounding The Game and his debut, Documentary. Being the latest artist to sign to G-Unit doesn’t hurt, especially since it marks a homecoming for Dr. Dre, who will forever be known as being an original west side gangsta. After a few spins, it’s impossible to deny The Game’s talent:…
Tony Bennett
Tony BennettThe Complete Improv Recordings (Concord)Tony Bennett was (and still is) a jazz singer most aficionados consider to be too much a showman, too Broadway to be considered a “real” jazz interpreter. But there is no questioning his influence and popularity over the years. His associations with some of the biggest jazz musicians—Bill Evans, Rudy…
Various
VariousMaybe This Christmas Tree (Nettwerk)Nettwerk’s winning compilation series—you could call it A Hipster Christmas—goes three for three with this collection of classic holiday tunes covered by bands normally holding onto an unhealthy amount of irony. The Polyphonic Spree’s “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” turns into jaunty Raveonettes effort “The Christmas Song” and then Death Cab’s…
Love as Laughter
Love as LaughterLaughter’s Fifth(Sub Pop)First it was cool to be signed to Sub Pop, then it was cool to be a retro-rock band. Now it’s cool to be a retro-rock band signed to Sub Pop. None of this has helped Love as Laughter much in the hype department. Still, the group has shown consistent development…
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer LopezRebirth (Sony)The latest release from Mrs. Marc Anthony is the epitome of why people turn to the internet to download hit singles rather than slapping down the necessary cash to purchase the accompanying filler found on most pop recordings. Previous J.Lo releases have contained a handful of catchy dance tunes (most feature a notable…
The Nevermind Year
Published February 17, 2005. The Nevermind Year (independent) The past decade has done nothing to diminish Kurt Cobain’s icon status, and the idolatry comes naturally to Halifax filmmaker Steven James May. The musician killed himself when May was 19, and the impact of his death on May was profound. So profound, in fact, that May…
Tommy Stinson
Tommy StinsonVillage Gorilla Head(Sanctuary)Fourteen-year-old lad finds himself a founding member in hugely influential band (the Replacements). Years later, he’s bassist in a late version of a troubled franchise (Guns N’ Roses). Stinson’s first solo effort leaps free of any scent of post-punk, metal or genre-splicing, with rock songs worthy of the Stones or the Clash.…
Nirvana
Published November 25, 2004. Nirvana With the Lights Out (Geffen) The legal battles between Kurt Cobain’s estate (read: Courtney Love) and the other band members threatened to send this box-set into a bottom drawer, never to see the light of day. Thank god that never happened—this disc is truly wonderful to hold, to open and…
Lily Frost
Lily FrostSituation(Aporia) French sweetheart Lily Frost originally recorded Situation as an EP, then decided to expand the project into a full-length album with guest appearances by Kinnie Starr, Steven Drake (The Odds) and her husband, Jose Contreras (By Divine Right). Quiet, quaint and cute, the queen of lounge pop’s disc is nice, but repetitive. It’s…
Danny Michel
Published October 28, 2004. Danny Michel Loving the Alien (Maple) Imaginative acoustic arrangements keep this David Bowie homage from sounding like a bar band called Scary Monsters. Michel’s fascination with Bowie started when he was barely old enough to sling a guitar; he proves his long-time reverence with lesser known tracks such as “Red Sails”…
Eyes for Telescopes
Eyes for TelescopesThird(independent)s Charlottetown the new Moncton? The answer would be an emphatic “yes” if you heard this disc. This is lo-fi Eric’s Trip territory, right down to the hand-drawn cover-art. The band’s sound is perhaps a little less Syd Barrett and more Randy Bachman, but the same feeling is there—that great albums need not…
G. Love
G. LoveThe Hustle(Brushfire)G. Love has a knack for knowing how to chill. Their unmistakable blend of funk-infused folk-rock is the kind of music you want to have spilling from your speakers while you’re unwinding on a beach watching the sun fall below the horizon. G.Love’s first release on Jack Johnson’s label, Brushfire Records, is an…
Sahara Hotnights
Sahara Hotnights Kiss & Tell(BMG)Sweden has the awful distinction of being the country that unleashed ABBA on the world. Fortunately, the most recent Swedish exports include Sahara Hotnights, who are ready to take North America by storm. Mischievously sweet and undeniably catchy, the all-girl Hot- nights fuse their melodic pop-punk stylings with a splash of…
The Roots
The RootsThe Tipping Point(Geffen)This album begins with one of The Roots’ greatest songs to date, “Star/Pointro,” their take on Sly Stone’s “Everybody is a Star.” This band was discovered playing on the streets of Philadelphia. Most of what they do is live, no samples, no loops, with one incredible drummer. Like Missy Elliott, The Roots…
Burning Brides
Burning BridesLeaveNo Ashes (V2)The Burning Brides’ debut, Fall of the Plastic Empire, offered a lot of great songs, but the album didn’t feel whole. On its sophomore release, the band takes the great songs out of the equation and goes for a frumpy series of half-assed tracks. It’s too bad, because the Brides’ past work…
The Persuaders
The PersuadersThe Persuaders (independent)A band used to pleasing local barflies for years offers up a somewhat unrefined debut album, much like a live show. Eager guitars riff around every phrase in songs of early-Doobies simplicity, though strangely devoid of funk. The lone cover, The Fortunes’ “Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again,” benefits from extra…
The Contrast
The ContrastFade Back In(Rainbow Quartz)The Rainbow Quartz label is becoming reliable as a refuge for no-nonsense guitar pop that could be of another era. The UK’s Contrast lace each sardonic observation with a Squeeze-y, Byrds-y chime and the singer sounds like Bob Geldof. Most songs are written in the second person, so whoever “you” is,…
D12
D12D12 World (Shady)Westside Connection has Ice Cube, G-Unit has 50 Cent and D12 has Eminem. All three have high powered hip-hop ties—so why does D12 come off as more of a novelty act? Maybe it’s because of their singles “Purple Pills” or “My Band,” which by hip-hop standards are light-hearted compared to the gamut of…
The Von Bondies
The Von BondiesPawn Shoppe Heart (Sire)No wonder Jack White beat up Von Bondies singer Jason Stoll-steimer in a December barfight. Pawn Shoppe Heart is more ferocious and kicks more ass than anything in the White Stripes’ lo-fi catalogue. With echoes of The Stooges and MC5, the Bon-dies give birth to a fresh dose of guitar-fuelled…
The Gourds
The GourdsHeavy Ornamentals(Eleven Thirty/Redeye) Some may see The Gourds as a novelty due their genius old-time cover of Snoop’s “Gin and Juice.” However, beneath the hillbilly facade created by Kevin Russell and crew is some serious shit. On their eighth record, Heavy Ornamentals, they mix up their sweet brew of country, Tex-Mex and rock ‘n’…
The Miniatures
The MiniaturesComa Kid (MapleMusic)Although there are some good moments on the Miniatures’s debut, they are essentially sabotaged by the band’s Collectiv —Matt Charlton
The Jessica Fletchers
The Jessica FletchersWhat Happened To The (Rainbow Quartz)The Jessica Fletchers are a Norwegian psych-pop quartet taking on pieces of The Dukes of The Stratosphere and Of Montreal. What Happened To The offers interesting instrumentals and shows the band’s knack for a well-written tune. But psychedelic music has turned into an ironically over-rehearsed formula due to…
The Gay
Published January 15, 2004. The Gay You Know the Rules (Mint) On its debut full-length, The Gay employs the distinctly Canadian mixture of great songwriting skills and not being able to sing all that well to great results. Their cutesy, offbeat writing is immediately familiar, but the band has a way of tiptoeing around the…
DMX
Published September 18, 2003. DMX Grand Champ (Def Jam) DMX has recently voiced his displeasure with hip-hop: “I’m sick of the rap game. I’m sick of this fucking industry.” So it goes that X’s fifth and final album drops this month, and if it’s any indication, he is going out on top. Where The Great…
The Hemingways
Published December 11, 2004. The Hemingways Go Back to Sleep (Russian Spy) The Hemingways are a bit of a one-trick pony, but at least they know that one trick well. The band never veers from its mid-tempo punk rock course on Go Back to Sleep, filling the disc with growling guitars and shout-along vocals. It’s…
Nelly Furtado
Published November 27, 2003. Nelly Furtado Folklore (DreamWorks) Gone is Nelly Furtado’s hip-hop/pop-infused sound, and in its place stands a more mature womanly perspective on the world. Her sound has evolved into a thicker, more developed voice—think Sophie B. Hawkins. Furtado uses her newfound tools to knock one out of the park with “Try,” a…
Ludacris
Published November 06, 2003. Ludacris Chicken N Beer (Universal) Ludacris is not exactly an intimidating MC (see DMX, Method Man, 50 Cent), but he makes up for it with his big-mouth boasting and lightning-fast flow. And with a record called Chicken N Beer, how low do your expectations have to be? Ludacris may be a…
Various
Published October 23, 2003. Various Just Because I’m a Woman: The Songs of Dolly Parton (Sugar Hill) It’s easy to be scared off by a disc that boasts Dolly Parton covers by both Melissa Etheridge and Me’Shell N’Degeocello. Yet as a tribute to the 35th anniversary of Dolly’s first solo outing, Just Because I’m a…
Yy
Published October 09, 2003. Yy Hold the Fort Down (Peanuts & Corn) Manitoba’s premiere hip-hop label continues to deliver generally excellent material that occasionally suffers from the rare failing of being a little too consistent. By now the formula is etched in stone: well-crafted sample-based beats play host to earnest rhymes balancing everyday working-class life…
The Constantines
Published September 04, 2003. The Constantines Shine a Light (Three Gut) The Constantines’ debut was a full-frontal assault that revealed a level of artistry and intelligence that defied the band’s relative infancy. Shine a Light is a fitting and worthy follow-up, displaying a greater sense of dynamic experimentation from the nail-biter “National Hum” to the…
Macy Gray
Published August 14, 2003. Macy Gray The Trouble with Being Myself (Epic) When you listen to Macy Gray’s third album, you have to wonder why she isn’t more acclaimed. She isn’t a gimmicky artist thirsting for media attention (see Mariah, BeyoncØ or J. Lo). She simply tells it like it is, in her raspy child-like…
Ray Davies
Ray DaviesOther People’s Lives(V2)Just when his urbane influence can be heard so clearly in the latest batch of UK bands, here comes Ray Davies with his first full studio album post-Kinks. He experienced renewal while living in New Orleans, and his characters and concerns are back, vivid as ever. The songs rock furtively, with the…
Chapelle’s Show Season 2
Chapelle’s Show Season 2(Comdedy Central)Ever since the ingenious marketing decision was made by Comedy Central to release Dave Chappelle’s debut season on DVD for a mere 20-odd dollars the cat has completely escaped the bag. Chappelle is a phenomenon. Here, as with Season one, he finds inspiration in the cartoonish racial stereotypes of his favourite…
Eels with Strings
Eels with StringsLive at Town Hall(Vagrant)MTV Unplugged established a useful test to see what pop-rock songwriters could translate to a stripped- down environment. These records often involved other stringed instruments, mainly the cello, or whole sections to augment the six-string acoustic guitars. Today, Eels would surely pass the test. The band, fronted by E (Mark…
The Diableros
The DiablerosYou Can’t Break the Strings in Our Olympic Hearts(Baudelaire)Apparently the Diableros didn’t give much thought to dynamics on their winning debut release You Can’t Break the Strings in Our Olympic Hearts. Led by the retro tones of a Farfisa organ, the group rarely takes things down below flat-out. The resulting massive sound makes Broken…
Watermelon Slim & the Workers
Watermelon Slim & the WorkersWatermelon Slim & the Workers(Northern Blues)Watermelon Slim is Bill Homans, 56, a Vietnam vet who spent years growing melons and driving a truck before he got his blues in gear. He’s more reminiscent of Muddy Waters than anyone else alive. He plays a searing slide guitar and his harmonica wails like…
The Squid and The Whale
The Squid and The WhaleDirected by: Directed by Noah Baumbach(American Empirical Pictures)Noah Baumbach wrote and directed this dark comedy about a Brooklyn family going through divorce in the late 1980s based on his own childhood recollections. Baumbach is a Wes Anderson collaborator, and co-wrote The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. The movie stars Jeff Daniels,…
Gnarls Barkley
Gnarls BarkleySt. Elsewhere(Warner)Since his highly controversial mash-up The Grey Album helped spawn an entire sub-genre of hip-hop, DJ Danger Mouse hasn’t stopped moving. First there was his addition to Gorillaz on Demon Days, followed by The Mouse and the Mask and now Gnarls Barkley. Danger Mouse teams with Cee-Lo on this Moby-meets Outkast-outing. The lead…
Galore
GaloreAmplifier(Universal)Fronted by Haligonian Barry Walsh—of the late, great Cool Blue Halo—Galore is a ballsy trip to ’70s glam and power-pop. At times channelling This Year’s Model-era Elvis Costello, Galore owes much of its sound to T-Rex, The Raspberries, early Bowie and Cheap Trick. They gorge on Marc Bolan’s sleazy teenage romanticism on “Typical You” and…
The Twilight Singers
The Twilight SingersPowder Burns(One Little Indian)At this point, there is no good reason it shouldn’t be balls-out creepy listening to Greg Dulli sing about sex. The Twilight Singers’ rotund frontman looks more like the kind of guy that an official warning should be posted about a month before he moves into your neighbourhood than a…
The Black Angels
The Black AngelsPassover(Light in the Attic)The psychedelic pop revival of the last several years has offered up some great music. Much like the original 1960s genre, the tunes today divide up into two camps: the dark and the light. By virtue of the name alone, The Black Angels belong in the former category. Passover is…
Kevin Hearn and Thin Buckle
Kevin Hearn and Thin BuckleThe Miracle Mile (Warner)While the Barenaked Ladies continue on as a Canadian pop entity, the best music these days arguably comes from the members’ activity outside the band. The Brothers Creegan, Steven Page’s Vanity Project and BNL’s keyboardist Kevin Hearn all prove the point. With Thin Buckle—with whom he’s now made…
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…
Candi Staton
Candi StatonHis Hands(EMI)On her first secular recording in 20 years, the 63-year-old Staton’s voice conveys pain and devotion as clearly as ever. By avoiding extremes of tone, she projects believable drama that clicks with country songs, even though the backing has that gritty Muscle Shoals, Alabama, vibe. The title song, written by Will Oldham, moves…
Shawn Colvin
Shawn ColvinThese Four Walls(Nonesuch)Colvin’s first disc of original material since 2001’s “Whole New You” is the most consistent release of her 17-year recording career. A faultless songwriter and storyteller, Colvin masterfully weaves tales of life, love and loss over a warm, inviting musical backdrop. There are no breakout hits—most remember Colvin for her lone top-10…
The Mahones
The MahonesTake No Prisoners(Stumble)The pattern of the Kingston, Ontario, outfit is to rock out Irish-style with exhilarating shows and, every couple of years, spit out an album. They’ve kept it up for 15 years. Even this studio set feels like a live show, meaning distortion is a byproduct of ruckus and two entries are “Nancy…
BITTER:SWEET
BITTER:SWEETThe Mating Game(Quango)Do you watch a little show called Grey’s Anatomy? If not, pretend. Remember when Callie was caught dancing in her underwear? That song was BITTER:SWEET’s “The Mating Game.” This sexy debut album from the LA pop duo is reminiscent of Portishead, but without suicidal tendencies. Music for the martini and bikini-bottom set.Sue Carter…
Hot Chip
Hot ChipThe Warning(DFA)This London, UK, synth group makes some of the most organically danceable pop tunes out there with more feeling in their pinky fingers than anything on Rock Star Supernova. In faChuck Teed, the quintet pokes fun at repetitive dance music on the single “Over and Over” but songs like “And I was a…
Pearl Jam
Pearl JamPearl Jam(J Revords/Sony)After many returns to form—see Yield, Riot Act—Pearl Jam finally releases an album that rivals the band’s early ’90s heyday. Ditching preachy, pretentious lyrics in favour of genuine storytelling, Vedder is peaking, while the band churns out some of their best material since Vs.Chuck Teedcategories: Best of the year (2006)
Apocalypse Now The Complete Dossier
Apocalypse Now The Complete DossierDirected by: Francis Ford Coppola(Paramount)The acclaimed feature documentary Hearts of Darkness is missing, but otherwise this set includes a full and fascinating set of extras chronicling one of history’s most troubled productions. Francis Ford Coppola’s journey into the recesses of madness never loses its fascinating singularity. Comparing the implications between the…
The Push Man and other stories
The Push Man and other storiesYoshihiro TatsumiDrawn & QuarterlyFirst published in Japan nearly 40 years ago, the short stories in The Push Man are Tatsumi’s examinations of the dark, repressed natures of modern man. Disturbing yet very beautiful, these vignettes of late 1960s Japan have more in common with the modern alternative comics of Daniel…
Foo Fighters
Foo FightersSkin and Bones(SonyBMG)This live acoustic-with-strings set by the Foo Fighters will draw comparisons to Nirvana’s classic MTV Unplugged. Perhaps that’s unfair but it is unavoidable and necessary. Beyond the obvious connection—Dave Grohl—it provides a concrete example of what works, and doesn’t, with sessions like this. The MTV set was held in a small room…
Astonishing X-Men Volume 1 HC
Astonishing X-Men Volume 1 HCJoss WhedonMarvelIf Buffy creator Joss Whedon had found the time to write and direct X-Men 3, it may have been a better movie. Instead, he wrote a new X-title (the first 12 issues collected in this handsome, hardcover edition), whose first story arc—a mutant “cure” is engineered— inspired the recent cinematic…
Little Fish
Little FishDirected by: Rowan Woods(Warner)A Sydney, Australia-based drama, the picture takes a hard look into the lives of a community of junkies. Starring Cate Blanchett, Sam Neill and the amazing Hugo Weaving, the portrait of desperate people in a hyper-realistic milieu is difficult viewing but will stay with you, thanks to the soul-grinding performances.Carsten KnoxCategories:…
The Searchers: Ultimate Collector’s Edition
The Searchers: Ultimate Collector’s EditionDirected by: John Ford(Warner Home Video)Sure, this John Ford western is one of the great American movies. But consider you get the movie and extras on two discs, plus a vintage comic book, press book, director’s notes and a collection of postcards. A DVD release like this lets your friends know…
Brendan Benson
Published December 08, 2005. Brendan Benson The Alternative to Love (V2) Packed end-to-end with driving power pop of all shapes and sizes, not to mention one of the year’s best singles “Spit it Out,” Benson mixes Big Star, The Move and Cheap Trick with an ounce of Westerberg. This is essential listening for the future…
Eels
Published December 08, 2005. Eels Blinking Lights and Other Revelations (Vagrant) Recent deaths in the family of Mark Oliver Everett, or E, have shaded his music before, but never so deeply. Worry about his mental state, only to be rescued as he uses rage to intensify elation at being alive. The disc nimbly dodges being…
Port City
Published December 08, 2005. Port City Breakin’ Up is Hard to Do (Independent) A eulogy to both a band collapse and a failed relationship, Breakin’ Up is Hard to Do is a surprisingly uplifting blast of lo-fi sugar pop. Aside from the heart-wrenching “Fingers and Hands,” the disc is full of sunny hooks that belie…
Angel: Season 5
Published December 08, 2005. Angel: Season 5 Directed by: Joss Whedon (Fox) Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s shadow haunted this spin-off series for a few seasons, but in this, the last, it finally came into its own. The final eight episodes are both tragic and spectacular, besting Buffy’s finale by a good stake’s length. Carsten Knox…
Essential Steve McQueen Collection/The Steve McQueen Collection
Published December 08, 2005. Essential Steve McQueen Collection/The Steve McQueen Collection Directed by: Peter Yates (Warner/MGM) You can’t go wrong with either of two recently released Steve McQueen box sets. One has Bullitt, The Getaway and The Cincinnati Kid, the other The Great Escape and The Magnificent Seven. This is the great work of the…
Lost: Season 1
Published December 08, 2005. Lost: Season 1 (Buena Vista) Even in its early stages, JJ Abrams’ Pacific-island-on-the-Twilight-Zone series has in spades what few lasting TV dramas achieve: universal empathy, gripping plotlines, surprise and moral conviction. If you’ve worn out your Buffy DVDs, Lost is the next best stop. It’s TV at its most authentically Spielbergian.…
Josef K
Josef KEntomology(Domino)Aside from putting out great bands like Artic Monkeys and Clearlake, Domino has been releasing some much-needed re-issues. None is needed more than Scotland’s great and sadly overlooked Josef K. Though the UK had seen the band’s rumoured unreleased debut plus its only official release in 2002, North America hasn’t been blessed with any…
The Wizard of Oz: Collector’s Edition
Published December 08, 2005. The Wizard of Oz: Collector’s Edition Directed by: Victor Fleming (Warner) The movie seen by everyone who’s ever seen a movie receives another DVD treatment. But this extensive collection has the feel of something ultimate. The third disc of extras, with Oz films that predate this one, is the most enticing.…
Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter
Jesse Sykes & The Sweet HereafterLike, Love, Lust & the Open Halls of the Soul (Barsuk)Sykes’ fourth LP finds her building on the previous success of 2004 critical darling Oh, My Girl. Opening track “Eisenhower Moon” could be mistaken for a Neil Young cast-off, while there are traces of Jefferson Airplane-era Grace Slick (“LLL”) and…
Various Artists
Various ArtistsBlack Snake Moan OST(New West)Maybe the producers of Black Snake Moan concocted some wild story about North Mississippi hill country just to deliver the area’s blues. Being chained to a radiator might chase the demons if one had some of these tunes to ease the pain. Samuel L. Jackson’s songs are unlikely to spark…
Pop Levi
Pop LeviThe Return To Form Black Magick Party(Counter)If Pop Levi changes his name or vanishes into obscurity, don’t be surprised—there’s something cadet-like about this dude, he claims an angel named Zeron helps him musically—but man, it’s dirty, soulful glam rock, picking up from when Ziggy played guitar. A mix of glam, blues, psychedelia, soul, garage…
Little Children
Little ChildrenDirected by: Todd Field(New Line)It’s easy to figure out that Little Children is based on a novel. It’s peppered throughout with omniscient narration that sounds like it’s being read directly from a book. Since the film’s screenplay was co-written by Tom Perrotta, who also wrote the source material, it very likely is. The film,…
Joseph Arthur & the Lonely Astronauts
Joseph Arthur & the Lonely AstronautsLet’s Just Be(Indica)The good news about Joseph Arthur’s latest is he’s eased up on the sensitive, vulnerable schtick and rocks out like never before. The bad news is it required either drugs or psychosis to do it, because parts of Let’s Just Be exhibit self-indulgence on a scale not heard…
Paul Reddick
Paul ReddickRevue(Northern Blues)The Ontario veteran Reddick’s star has risen nationally in recent years, and in the US when “I’m a Criminal” was used in a Coke ad. This best-of collection gives new exposure to 15 years of work. A revelation is the Rhythm & Truth Brass Band, whose romps border on jams to break up…
The Films of Alejandro Jodorowsky
The Films of Alejandro JodorowskyDirected by: Alejandro Jodorowsky(Starz/Anchor Bay)Alejandro Jodorowsky has fought Allen Klein and ABKCO Films for the release of his films for over 30 years. With their differences behind them, beautifully restored versions of Jodorowsky’s first feature, Fando y Lis and the lost short La Cravate can emerge. The crown jewels of the…
Beastie Boys
Beastie BoysThe Mix-Up(EMI)The Beastie Boys demonstrated their live instrumental chops on now-classic albums such as 1994’s Ill Communication. Thirteen years later the trio goes all instrumental on The Mix-Up. And do they ever mix it up. They come out of the gate with a STAX-soul-like track, “B For My Name,” and move quickly into spy…
The Office: Season 3
The Office: Season 3Directed by: JJ Abrams, Harold Ramis, Joss WhedonThe second season of NBC’s The Office ended with a shake-up of the status quo at Dunder Mifflin. Lovelorn wise-ass Jim (John Krasinski), who’d spent the two preceding seasons pining for engaged wise-ass Pam (Jenna Fischer) finally told her how he felt. They kissed. (Squee!)…
Architecture in Helsinki
Architecture in HelsinkiPlaces like ThisPolyvinyl RecordsArchitecture in Helsinki releases its fourth album drawing from late-’70s new wave, early to mid-’80s romanticism and a smidge of early-’90s ensembles. They are indeed equal parts B-52s, Talking Heads and The Cure, passing fancies such as Thomson Twins and Poi Dog Pondering and even, occasionally and arguably, Montreal’s own…
PJ Harvey
Published November 01, 2007. PJ Harvey White Chalk Universal White Chalk is unlike any other PJ Harvey disc. It is darker, sparser and eerier, like a gloomy ride through a Victorian countryside. Harvey sings in a high register and primarily plays the songs on the piano without picking up an electric guitar. There is no…
Teddy Thompson
Teddy ThompsonUpfront & Down LowVerve ForecastTeddy’s third release on a major label is a bit of a head-scratcher. His solo CDs, along with his contributions to mom Linda Thompson’s solo releases, show he has the talent to pen a tune, but why produce an entire CD—with the exception of one self-penned song—of country ballads? Most…
Blade Runner
Blade RunnerDirected by: Ridley ScottWarnerFans have been anticipating a special edition DVD of Blade Runner since the format’s introduction. Now that it will be available December 18, the goods are almost overwhelming. You can choose between four discs with four versions of the film, five discs with five versions (packaged in a briefcase with a…
Flight of the Conchords: The Complete First Season
Flight of the Conchords: The Complete First SeasonHBONew Zealanders Bret MacKenzie and Jermaine Clement try to make it big in show biz while scraping by in New York City. Where they kill is in the musical segments: the note-perfect Pet Shop Boys pastiche, “Inner City Pressure,” and their folk-rap combo, “Hiphopopotamus vs Rhymenocerous.” Carsten KnoxCategories:…
The Ergs!
The Ergs!Upstairs/Downstairs Dirt NapSo long as The Ergs! keep putting out records like this, I do not care if The Descendents ever record or tour again. This is the type of record that can erase years of damage done by painful Christian pop punk and terrible, no good bands like The Ataris and Alkaline Trio.…
Markit
MarkitMark My WordsFax 4 ProductionsWhether he knows it or not, it’s a foregone conclusion that Markit will join the growing list of gifted former Halifax MCs now living outside of the 902. Until that time, I will enjoy Mark My Words, the output of a phrenic talent coming into its own lyrically and musically. Mark…
Chad VanGaalen
Chad VanGaalenSkelliconnectionSub PopSomehow Chad VanGaalen’s clamouring vocals and experimental musicianship results in brilliance. The haphazard album was a patchwork of a year’s work of songs; he narrowed his 100-track repertoire to 15 artful explorations of sound. The longest track ranks in just under four minutes, while the shortest snippet barely clocks in at 27 seconds.Shannon…
Shortbus
ShortbusDirected by: John Cameron MitchellVelocity/ThinkfilmJohn Cameron Mitchell’s follow-up to rockin’ sex-change musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch has gained notoriety for its no-holds-barred sexuality—including self-fellatio, a naked Sook-Yin Lee and a naughty performance of the US national anthem. So, come for the sex, if you’re so inclined, but stay for the film’s less publicized sweet…
Battlefield 2
Battlefield 2PCIn 2002, Battlefield 1942 became the paradigm for all action games, with its seemingly limitless detailed environments—whether running, driving or flying about. Set in the present day anda near future, Battlefield 2 has no storyline. Rather, players choose to fight as the European Union, China, a Middle East Coalition or the US, imposing will…
One Piece: Pirates’ Carnival
One Piece: Pirates’ CarnivalSony PlayStation 2The only copy of this game that we have is the Japanese version, so we pretty much make everything up as we go. It’s a really fun multiplayer full of mini-games. Our favourites are a dodgeball game we call “Goose and Gander,” and another one that we call “I’ve Got…
Plenty of pa rum pum pum pums
Two-thousand of anything is a pretty healthy number: dollars, pairs of mittens, shrunken heads…. But 2,000 Christmas albums is especially impressive. Who knew there were that many out there? “People grow up with these albums—it’s the soundtrack to their childhood Christmas,” says Sean Passmore, referencing his mammoth, 24-year-old assemblage of holiday tunage— and counting. “People…
Saw: Uncut Edition
Saw: Uncut Edition Directed by: James WanLions Gate FilmsTwo men wake up in a grungy, industrial bathroom. They’re shackled to opposite walls. In between them is a dead man with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. What follows is a bloody but creative gross-out thriller, the kind of movie that ignores plausibility, reality and even, in places,…
American Analog Set
American Analog SetSet Free (Arts & Crafts) If there is an established band that fits neatly into the Arts & Crafts family, it is American Analog Set. AmAn Set’s early albums featured sprawling, elegant ruminations on musical space and time, with a sound that has been perfectly described as the intersection of Yo La Tengo…
Burn to Shine: Chicago Il 09.13.2004
Burn to Shine: Chicago Il 09.13.2004Directed by: Christoph GreenTrixieDVD.comThe second installment of Burn to Shine, a music-documentary series produced by Fugazi’s Brendan Canty, is a gorgeously shot portrait of one place and one time that will never be recreated. Featuring Chicago bands playing a single song each inside a building set for demolition, the film…
Family Guy Presents Stewie Griffin: The untold story
Family Guy Presents Stewie Griffin: The untold storyDirected by: Pete Michaels and Peter Shin20th Century FoxThe first family of Quahog, Rhode Island gets a straight-to-DVD special. We’re not talking South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut here, but more of an extended edition of the sporadically hilarious TV series that made some kind of history when…
Susie Arioli Band
Susie Arioli BandLearn to Smile AgainJustin timeThis fourth disc from the Susie Arioli Band is primarily dedicated to the music of Roger Miller, one of America’s finest country songwriters. He mainly wrote comedic songs (“You Can’t Roller Skate Through a Buffalo Herd”) but also crafted serious music that went on to be well respected and…
Editors
Published August 25, 2005. Editors The Back Room (Kitchenware UK) More melodic than Interpol, darker than Bloc Party and with more emotional impact than anything by the Kaiser Chiefs, Editors are the next big thing in the dance-inflected rock sweepstakes. But like its name, the UK-based band takes a more structured approach with its songwriting…
Code Pie
Code PieThis Habit(Flagless)Computer geeks will understand the name Code Pie. What starts off as mad scientist Björk-style electronica slowly evolves, by the end of the six- minute lead-off track “Bang,” into a very current and epic alternative pop album. Put together using cello, trumpet, a “shitty” Casio keyboard, two guitars, percussion and a six string…
Foo Fighters
Foo FightersIn Your Honor(RCA)While he’ll always be remembered as the backbone of Nirvana, Dave Grohl has been defined by his solo project-turned-band, Foo Fighters. Many Foo purists felt alienated when the band shifted from post-grunge heroes to mainstream rock kings following two solid albums, but the more marketable sound has netted the band some serious…
Coldplay
ColdplayX & Y(Parlophone)When wags call Coldplay the next U2, they mean the British quartet is the Next Great Anthem Band. Coldplay finds strength in the crescendo, the ethereal chorus, the dramatic pause and the spare outro: songs to sing along to with 20,000 of your closest friends. Think of “Yellow,” their biggest single, and its…
Sarah Harmer
Sarah HarmerI’m a Mountain(Cold snap/Universal)Sarah Harmer is one perplexing national treasure. She makes us wait four years between the classic You Were Here (2000) and its more politically minded follow-up, All of Our Names. Then she hints that she is making a follow-up to her side project Songs for Clem, the LP she made for…
The Hives – Tussels in Brussels
The Hives – Tussels in Brussels (Universal)The Hives stormed the North American music scene with reckless abandon in the 2000, and audiences weren’t quite sure what to make of this band of Swedes who seduced the British market with their aggressively stylish brand of rock. Radically different in both presentation and performance from anything else…
Aimee Mann
Aimee MannThe Forgotten Arm(Superego)Aimee Mann invades husband Michael Penn’s Beatles collection and comes out with her best disc since Bachelor No.2. The record is based on a song cycle concept about an addict boxer returning from Vietnam. Surprisingly enough, the idea works, though many of the tracks can stand on their own as well. This…
Martha Wainwright
Martha WainwrightMartha Wainwright(Maple)Consider her background: daughter of folk musicians Loudon Wainwright III and Kate McGarrigle, sister to the prodigiously talented Rufus Wainwright. It’s a wonder she didn’t publish a bitter and envious memoir instead. Yet over the course of three EPs, as well as contributing live and recorded backup vocals for her brother, Martha Wainwright…
MIA
MIAArular (XL)There’s nothing missing from this debut, including all the deserved hype for the London artist. Speculation over the Sri Lankan-born MC’s political messages shouldn’t overshadow the fact that this is the freshest pop album out there. “I’ve got the bombs to make you blow/ I’ve got the beats to make you bang,” MIA commands—singing…
Sarah McLachlan
Sarah McLachlanAfterglow Live(Nettwerk)The most striking thing about this concert is how far Sarah McLachlan has come from a modest, energetic singer songwriter to this Goliath of a music-biz celebrity who puts on a slick set. It’s not too far from Las Vegas top-dollar glitz where every solo, bridge and between song banter is tightly paced.…
Heavy meadows
Heavy meadowsRemixes(Dependent)While on yet another extended hiatus, Halifax folkies heavy meadows have entrusted four of their babies into the hands of electronic whiz kid Andrew Duke and ex-Rebecca Wester Lukas Pearse, along with meds’ guitarist Seth Timothy’s obscure electro side project Free Couch, in order to create alternate interpretations of their songs. The results are…
Clay Aiken
Clay AikenMerry Christmas with Love(RCA)Quick, someone throw a turtle-neck sweater on this man and get him a pipe and roaring fire to sit by. (While you’re at it, call Bing Crosby to say he can finally rest in peace.) Clay Aiken’s old-fashioned boy-at- home persona finds its niche in this album that sounds like what…
Doves
DovesSome Cities(Capitol)Some Cities mixes the soundtrack quality of Doves’ largely instrumental first album with the pop structure of the second, bringing an immediacy to the songs as well as a melancholy emotional core. The first half is the best—the title track opens with a potency that could blow away anything by Coldplay. “Black and White…
Joel Plaskett
Joel PlaskettLa De Da(Maple)All we knew going into Joel Plaskett’s La De Da was that it was an acoustic album, sans Emergency. We didn’t know it would be as jaw-dropping as it is. Truthfully, Truthfully put Plaskett on the national map with his brand of witty retro-rock; that keen wit, multi- instrumentation and a stripped…
Dark Angel
Dark AngelArchives & Artifacts(Ryko/Restless)Although they once sat atop the San Francisco speed metal scene, one doesn’t hear the name Death Angel much anymore. Seeing this injustice, the people at Ryko released the band’s first two albums along with rarities and a DVD. Sweatpants-wearing Everquest addicts rejoice! The collection shows off the band’s ability to cram…
Josh Ritter
Josh RitterHello Starling (Signature)When Josh Ritter pulls into town in September with Sarah Harmer, it will be a welcome introduction to a man who just beat out Justin Timberlake as Ireland’s favourite international musician. And he doesn’t even play Celtic music. Instead, he performs folky singer-songwriter music that is as honest, innocent and pastoral as…
Cat Power
Cat PowerThe Greatest(Matador)Why dispense with an opportunity to use boxing analogies: Cat Power’s latest release The Greatest is all about Muhammed Ali’s renowned rope-a-dope style. Back on her heels, she draws us in to investigate a recording that is far less rock and all about roll. Just as we are lulled into her 1970s Vaseline-…
De La Soul
De La SoulThe Grind Date(Sanctuary) De La Soul is one of the rare hip-hop acts that has managed to remain resonant throughout its career. They’ve avoided the lure of the hedonistic gangster rap movement, refused to sell out and always remained firmly planted in their old-school ways. The Grind Date is no different; it’s a…
William Shatner
William ShatnerHas Been(Shout Factory/Sony)Put away any thoughts that this is another kitschy “Lucy in the Sky” laugh-off. William Shatner, ever the overly dramatic thespian, delivers a funny, thoughtful and at times heartbreaking performance here. He manages to hold his own with Henry Rollins and Joe Jackson, and not trip over Pulp’s brilliant “Common People.” The…
Paul Westerberg
Paul WesterbergFolker (Vagrant)Hey, hey, hey, Paul Westerberg is back again! And this time it sounds just like… Paul Westerberg. It’s true that he writes great tunes, but four albums in two years could tap out even the biggest Replace-ments fan’s tolerance for gravelly grump pop. Folker feels slightly underdeveloped: Westerberg has at least one great…
Midnight Movies
Midnight MoviesMidnight Movies (Emperor Norton)Music fans who sort-of like Evanescence but feel the band’s hooks are too obvious should perhaps give Midnight Movies a first and second look. Beyond the obvious comparisons—female lead vocalist, haunting and sombre music lines—this LA trio trades in the (overdone) sonic knock-out punch for more subtle dynamics that often lure…
Angie Stone
Angie StoneStone Love (J)Stone’s intricate sensuous groove with retro seasoning at every turn can easily slip into the background. In the grit-free confines of slow love jams, she creates some lush girl-group dynamics that might have evolved in the ’70s if disco hadn’t turned up the beat. Steeped in backing vocals usually led by Stone…
Sweetback
SweetbackStage (2) (Epic)The trio that’s backed up Sade for two decades forged this identity in 1996. Sweetback’s second album welcomes vocalists Aya, Chocolate Genius and Ivana Santilli into a sophisticated chill groove not far removed from the band’s main gig. The impulse to experiment is limited, but most compelling is a fusion of hits by…
Glenn Tilbrook
Glenn Tilbrook Transatlantic Ping Pong (Compass)If you like freaky song titles, check out “Hot Shaved Asian Teens” and “Genitalia of a Fool.” The former rides wordplay to illustrate how obsession works. The latter is conventional country hurtin’. Much of the album takes so mature a look at life as to border on psychobabble: try singing…
Various
VariousJazz Lounge 2(Water Music)Jazz Lounge 2 picks up where the first set left off and is a great fusion of jazz and electronica. Two discs of unreleased and hard to find tracks, the set is a great introduction into a subgenre of jazz and/or elctronica. The manufacturers claim that this will appeal to jazz purists…
Morrissey
MorrisseyYou Are the Quarry(Attack/Sanctuary)On his first album in over six years, the Mozzer rails against religion, government, non-vegetarians and the music industry. In other words, it’s another Morrissey album. But the time off has done the British icon some good with a collection of tunes that rivals some of his best work, like the satirical…
Modest Mouse
Modest MouseGood News for People That Love Bad News(Epic)Modest Mouse’s sophomore release for a major label finds singer Isaac Brock in a more cheerful mood than on The Moon & Antarctica and the band striving for a more sculpted presentation of its songs. But this is the same MM—tearing through complex emotional territory with comforting…
Tarbox Ramblers
Tarbox RamblersA Fix Back East (Rounder)A gelatinous mix of the whole Anthology of American Folk Music finds these cats delving into pre-WWII gospel, hillbilly and country-blues while grabbing the energy of rock. A Fix Back East is a raw and twisted ride through the American gothic and dammit it makes for one hell of record.…
The Heavy Blinkers
The Heavy BlinkersThe Night and I Are Still So Young (Endearing)The long-awaited, long-delayed follow-up to the Blinkers’ brilliant Better Weather (2001!) is 40 minutes of the most romantic melancholia you’ve ever heard. Cohesive but not repetitive, grandiose without preten- sion, The Night and I is music no one’s made for decades. It maintains the ’60s…
Kinky
Kinky Atlas(Nettwerk)If half the songs weren’t in Spanish and there wasn’t an extra Latin pizzazz in the rhythms, Kinky would still rock out. LA engineer Thom Russo enables the band to inject a harder, bassier drive into its second album. “The Headphon-ist” separates and lifts each son- ic element while pondering the shape of silence.…
Beth Hart
Beth Hart Leave the Light On(Koch)Since gaining exposure from the inclusion of her “LA Song” in Beverly Hills 90210, Beth Hart has released three albums of gospel- and blues-infused rock that keep more centre than left while at the same time sparking comparisons to Janis Joplin. Leave The Light On maintains that trend but shows…
Fefe Dobson
Fefe DobsonFefe Dobson(Island)These songs could stand as acoustic numbers, so occasionally the power chord crunch sounds gratuitous. Amps do lend weight to the thoughts of this Canadian girl who’s older, browner and more musical than Avril Lavigne, but playing to the same crowd. “Rock It Til You Drop It” enlists Tone Loc and a Clapton…
The Organizers
The OrganizersPainting Bricklin Blue (Fort Rock)The sound quality is a little rough and the performances imperfect, but underneath Painting Bricklin Blue’s grit lies a clever, ambitious retro rock debut. The Organizers rule the roost when it comes to writing psychedelic-laced mod tracks—”Madame Enough,” “Is This A Love” and “Blue Armistice” are smartly written with memorable…
Fireside
Published September 18, 2003. Fireside Get Shot (V2) This Swedish foursome formed before countrymen the Hives, Soundtrack of Our Lives and (International) Noise Conspiracy. Soundtrack’s bassist Kalle Gustaffson produces here and there’s no mistaking that bracing canyon of sound, particularly on “All You Had,” full of swagger and high harmony. “Throw it Away” is a…
Blink-182
Published December 11, 2003. Blink-182 untitled (Universal) You can argue semantics, but Blink-182 is adamant that the new album is untitled, not self-titled, so who are we to argue? In an effort to shake its novelty act status, Blink-182 has abandoned the juvenile mall-punk schtick and moved towards a more mature punk vibe. Due in…
Various
Published November 27, 2003. Various Genuine Houserockin’ Christmas (Alligator) Christmas got the blues, and the Alligator roster holds nothing back. More naughty than nice, Shemekia Copeland’s “Stay a Little Longer, Santa” and the Holmes Brothers’ “Back Door Santa” will give you the idea. Dave Hole’s incendiary slide guitar on “Fattening Up the Turkey” punctuates his…
The Three 4 Tens
Published November 06, 2003. The Three 4 Tens Taking Northern Liberties (Rainbow Quartz) The Three 4 Tens are pure ’60s garage rock leveled by a healthy dose of psychedelic groove. Fans of the 13th Floor Elevators, The Seeds or Love: This is the band for you. Though you’ll never find anything as good as Love’s…
Saves the Day
Published October 16, 2330. Saves the Day In Reverie (DreamWorks) On previous efforts, Saves the Day played a focused emo-punk attack. On In Reverie, the New Jersey natives explore the power-pop territory of Weezer and Ash. Unlike those bands, STD relies on intricate chord changes rather than simplified hooks. The music is upbeat and melodic,…
Rufus Wainwright
Published October 09, 2003. Rufus Wainwright Want One (Dreamworks) For those who cherished Rufus Wainwright’s debut like a God-given proclamation, his second, Poses, was a minor slump on the road to inevitable greatness. And it is for those fans that Want will seem like a second coming. Except for a cliched, uninteresting “Vicious World,” the…
Smash Mouth
Published September 04, 2003. Smash Mouth Get the Picture (Interscope) Smash Mouth takes a knowledge of punk-rock dynamics to concoct still peppy, less angry music. Elements of surf and ska skate in and out, with amiably forceful vocals from Steve Har-well. A Neil Diamond song, “You Are My Number One,” is given the UB40 treatment…
Kitchens & Bathrooms
Published August 07, 2003. Kitchens & Bathrooms Vehicles Beyond (Sonic Unyon) For its third release, Hamilton’s math-rock trio Kitchens & Bathrooms steps down a notch or two on the feedback meter without compromising the dynamic strength for which it has become known. Like Slint or June of 44, K&B build complexity that burns with the…
Steve MacDougall
Steve MacDougallSpanish Bay(Independent)The much-anticipated solo album of Slowcoaster rocker Steven MacDougall displays a side of this staunch Cape Bretoner which is seldom witnessed amid the full band’s bouncing stage. From the playful banter of “Little Miracle” to the haunting tale of “Stove Pipe” to its lilting title track, all of Spanish Bay provides a deeper…
Kinsey
Kinsey Directed by: Bill Condon(Fox Searchlight)Next to Hotel Rwanda, Kinsey is the least-seen film from 2004 to garner serious Academy Award attention and is deserving of even more acclaim. It joins Far From Heaven and Quiz Show as films from recent years that have skewered the hypocrisy of 1950s America while commenting on present repressive…
Half-Handed Cloud
Half-Handed CloudHalos & Lassos(Asthmatic Kitty)When not touring as a part of Sufjan Stevens’ back-up band, John Ringhofer lives in a church and makes music as Half-Handed Cloud, sounding like the Hidden Cameras, if they were looking for God instead of the next great orgy. Its twee chamber-pop sensibilities — acoustic instruments, Casio keyboards, air organs…
James Hunter
James HunterPeople Gonna Talk(Rounder)Recorded by producer Liam Watson (The White Stripes), People Gonna Talk cannot help sounding 40 years old, yet fresh as tomorrow. Hunter has played with Van Morrison and somehow melds the élan of Sam Cooke with John Hiatt’s wrinkles, and that’s just his singing. His searing, quick turns on guitar support a…
Hawksley Workman
Hawksley WorkmanTreeful of Starling(Isadora)Hawksley Workman has crafted a wistful, humble and uncluttered album by stripping down his eccentric cabaret songwriting approach and dipping into his antique collection. This is a phonographic recording, laced with images of hope, honesty, sobriety and nostalgia for a way of life lived long ago. “When These Mountains Were the Seashore”…
Destroyer
DestroyerRubies (Merge)As a child, Dan Bejar was no doubt diapered with and laid down upon back issues of The New Yorker. He is a wordsmith. In the past he released a couple of mediocre tomes but now we have been gifted Destroyer’s Rubies, both refreshing and poignant. This is Dan Bejar’s seventh release and not…
Grandaddy
GrandaddyJust Like the Fambly Cat (V2)“We’ve been doing this a long fucking time,” says Grandaddy drummer Aaron Burtch in the new Magnet, “and it’s still not happened for us the way it happened for other people we toured with: Coldplay, Bright Eyes, Snow Patrol. We’re too weird, too fuckin’ ugly. We’re not rich kids, and…
I Love You But I’ve Chosen Darkness
I Love You But I’ve Chosen DarknessFear is on Our Side (Secretly Canadian)ILYBICD is a post-punk revival band heavily influenced by Joy Division. Unlike most of the repetitive shit the genre has been producing lately, this band is more original in its approach. They slide in odd dashes of shoegaze pop while injecting moments from…
The Windom Earle All-Stars
The Windom Earle All-StarsA Series of Minor Personal Tragedies (Independent)What is arguably the most exciting live act to surface recently in Halifax backs it up on record. Windom Earle, the Jeff Coll Five and Operation Impact arrived from PEI a few years ago and are featured interchangeably here. Stephan MacLeod is a creative force in…
The Just Barelys
The Just BarelysTop(Dead Bum)The Just Barelys instill beauty, intelligence, wit, melody and melancholia—and more—into just over 17 minutes of music. They’ll do wonders with a full length record. Top comes from Stephen Kelly and Eleanor King, two audio artists in complete harmony on every track. Playing, they have a light touch, though the production sounds…
Plastic Japanese Toys
Plastic Japanese ToysGlitterati(Moonbabe Records)Plastic Japanese Toys have to come to show that Montreal has its own share of hideous bands. Taking on the cheesy and downright vulgar aspects of new-wave power-pop of the early ’80s, PJT is mind-bogglingly inane. Opener “Intro” features screams that seem to be sampled from a porno and right then the…
Evangelicals
EvangelicalsSo Gone (Misra/Sonic Unyon)Red State rock can be strange. When surrounded by Republicans and fiercely creative, the desire to assert your separateness must be immense. Oklahoma’s Evangelicals lay on echo, tremolo and wispy vocals that trail off like fumes. “Psychedelic” is the term used most frequently in the band’s advance buzz, but its busy mix…
Guster
GusterGanging Up on the Sun(Reprise)Casual listening might lump Guster with the nondescript rockish backing heard in some sunny screen trifle. Then the band’s imagery kicks in, revisiting high school in “One Man Wrecking Machine.” Add one hypnotic slide hook worthy of a classic. Like Cracker and NRBQ, Guster flex earthy American chops to make big…
Ocote Soul Sounds and Adrian Quesada
Ocote Soul Sounds and Adrian QuesadaEl Niño y el Sol(Aire Sol Records)Calling himself Ocote Soul Sounds, Martin Perna of Brooklyn-based Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra and Adrian Quesada, founder of Austin, Texas, band Grupo Fantasma, have created a soundtrack to a film that doesn’t exist. Imagine a long road trip in an old car, heading south and…
Greg Brown
Greg BrownThe Evening Call(Red House)Midwest folkie Brown is entering a Delta impressionist phase, where the overall impact of his sound outweighs the fine points. Astute observations on the mess in America are down, as if he wishes not to repeat himself. The focus is more on aging, kindness, rural life and the voice, like a…
loudQUIETloud: A Film About the Pixies
loudQUIETloud: A Film About the PixiesDirected by: Steven Cantor and Matthew Galkin (MVD Visual)Documenting the unexpected reunion of one of the most influential bands in alternative rock, loudQUIETloud is not just a road-story of the Pixies reunion tour in 2004. It is more about how its individual members struggle with balancing old postures and lingering…
Their Majesties
Their MajestiesLands Where Tales are Tall(Just Friends)This album brims with a boisterous sense of fun, a bratty sense of humour, a clever and fresh point of view, and adept musicianship. Country-rockers bookend Lands Where Tales are Tall, but the arrangements switch lanes often throughout. Horns (courtesy of David Myles) bring a soul-pop flavour to some…
Bonnie “Prince” Billy
Bonnie “Prince” BillyThe Letting Go(Drag City)This is a departure from the usual Will Oldham sound since it has major harmony contributions and string arrangements. A touch of British folk added with Oldham’s Appalachia revisited create one of his greatest efforts yet. Its genius of dark yet beautiful menace proves why Johnny Cash once called him…
Husband/Knife
Published November 30, 2006. Husband/Knife Welcome Back to the Nothingness of Your Life (Divorcee) This album is absolute. From the creaky four-track recordings to the morbid song topics, the mood never sways. It’s worth every moment you can give it. Somewhere between early Elliot Smith and Eric’s Trip’s more acoustic moments, it’s like a call…
Pony Up
Pony UpMake Love to the Judges with your Eyes(Dim Mak)The Montreal indie-pop quartet makes a stunning turnaround on its full-length debut, a marked change in direction and maturity from its lo-fi self-titled EP. One of the most anticipated shows of the Halifax Pop Explosion fulfilled its destiny despite sexist wankery from jealous dudes in the…
Beavis and Butt-Head
Beavis and Butt-HeadDirected by: Mike Judge, Yvette Kaplan(Paramount)These are only the episodes that Mike Judge doesn’t dislike, and there is good stuff missing. Still this collection—assembling three separately released three-disc TV series volumes and Beavis and Butt-Head Do America—is massive. Judge got satirical about cultural attitudes of stupidity, intelligence and tradition before there was any…
The Forty Niners
The Forty NinersAlan Moore and Gene HaAmerica’s Best ComicsThe long-awaited prequel to Alan Moore (Watchmen, From Hell), Gene Ha and Zander Cannon’s hit superhero-cop drama Top Ten. From the perspective of new arrival Jetlad (Top Ten’s Captain Traynor), we see the formative years of Neopolis, the city inhabited entirely by super-powered beings. Ha handled the…
Tenacious D
Tenacious DThe Pick of Destiny(Epic)Like the movie, the album offers the odd jab of the madcap but fails to sustain the highs. This could be the moment obscenity became boring, proof of laziness. Jack Black’s repeated use of “fuck” irritates early on and never lets up, rendering most songs unplayable on the air and stripping…
Daredevil: The Devil Inside & Out, Vol. 1
Daredevil: The Devil Inside & Out, Vol. 1Ed BrubakerMarvelSince Frank Miller’s legendary ’80s Daredevil stories, the brooding, blind vigilante has been the hero with grit and realism—as far as it goes in tales of men in tights. Brian Michael Bendis’ run outed Matt Murdock to the public as Daredevil, but the revelation of his secret…
The Marlon Brando Collection
The Marlon Brando CollectionDirected by: Joseph L. Mankiewicz(Warner Home Video)When Brando died, the eulogies remembered his work in The Godfather, A Streetcar Named Desire and On the Waterfront. But the second tier work assembled in this Warner Bros. set invites rediscovery. From fighting tyranny in the highly criticized, but still enthralling Mutiny on the Bounty…
Seven Samurai
Seven SamuraiDirected by: Akira Kurosawa(Criterion)One of the first movies released on DVD by Criterion, the double-dip may seem like just a cash grab. It’s really a massive three-disc film school package on Akira Kurosawa’s samurai epic. About as “fun” as universally recognized classics ever get, Seven Samurai is nearly perfect.Mark PalermoCategories: Best of the year…
Bloc Party
Published December 08, 2005. Bloc Party Silent Alarm (Vice) These South Londoners have developed, and earned, some serious buzz from Silent Alarm. The party album to end all party albums, there’s not a bad song in the collection. Keep in mind: While the slew of complex guitar riffs might catch your ear, the bass and…
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…
Justin Rutledge
Published December 08, 2005. Justin Rutledge No Never Alone (Six Shooter) This is tossed-out-drunk, so-sad-I-got-a-stomachache, welled-up-tears music, best served with a shot of whiskey and a slap on the back. Mary Margaret O’Hara’s haunting voice helps administer the medicine. Rutledge suggests it is the passions of love and loss that drive us into the sunset.…
Bad Timing
Published December 08, 2005. Bad Timing Directed by: Nicolas Roeg (Paradox/Criterion) This isn’t Nicolas Roeg’s best-known movie. It hasn’t the selling points of The Man Who Fell to Earth or Don’t Look Now. But its influence is such that it needs to be rediscovered. Long before Steven Soderbergh and Atom Egoyan were heralded for fragmented…
Fever Pitch
Published December 08, 2005. Fever Pitch Directed by: Bobby Farrelly, Peter Farrelly (Fox) The 40-Year-Old Virgin comes close, but it’s the Farrelly Brothers who made the year’s most subversive, affectionate date movie. Jimmy Fallon and Drew Barrymore struggle to keep their romance alive against personal neuroses. Fallon’s all-consuming Red Sox fandom is a roadblock to…
The Machinist
Published December 08, 2005. The Machinist Directed by: Brad Anderson (Paramount) This absorbing little claustrophobic thriller is notable mostly for the physical transformation undergone by lead Christian Bale. His body becomes a character in the film?the actor starved himself to a frighteningly skeletal extreme. Watch The Machinist with Batman Begins and the level of his…
Bon Savants
Bon SavantsPost-Rock Defends the Nation (Independent) It happens all the time. One band flies under the radar that deserves attention on the end-of-year charts. Unless you’re an avid music blog reader or have a subscription to Spin, you probably don’t know the Bon Savants. But that could change, as the Boston-based quartet has followed the…
James Morrison
James MorrisonUndiscovered(Polydor)The young Brit comes by his rasp honestly. A childhood bout of whooping cough left him with special powers to convey longing. A first encounter might leave you saying, “Wow, Terence Trent D’arby must have been listening to a lot of ’70s Stevie Wonder, and learning.” Morrison gives urgency to what are mostly love…
Original Recipe
Original RecipeNoisette(Vinyl Republik)Food is sensual. So is music, particularly this album. Not in that “let’s get it on” way, but in the manner of involving more than just hearing. Sensory, then, might be the word for electronic duo Original Recipe’s Noisette. Dividing their sonic confections into four parts—antipasti, primi, secondi and contorni—the cross-border partnership of…
Richard Swift
Richard SwiftDressed Up for the Letdown(Secretly Canadian)Swift is one more great artist from the last truly original scene: new weird America. The music is unabashedly minstrel-show, but is also very spacey and psychedelic at times. Swift has a way of mixing early McCartney solo work with the melancholy beauty of Elvis Costello’s Imperial Bedroom crossed…
The Ataris
The AtarisWelcome the Night(Isola)Following 2003’s breakthrough So Long Astoria, the Ataris seemed poised to take over the emo-tinged, pop-punk throne. But frontperson Kristopher Roe fell into a quarter-life crisis—did he still want to be making music for disillusioned teenagers? The subsequent reevaluation of the band’s musical goals and loss of its rhythm section yielded Welcome…
Elliott Smith
Elliott SmithNew Moon(Kill Rock Stars)Compared to Kurt Cobain, Biggie Smalls and so many other prematurely dead rock stars, Elliott Smith’s talent and body of work has remained in relative obscurity despite its critical acclaim and praise from fellow artists. His suicide in 2003 was the final exclamation mark on a life that shied away from…
Laura Veirs
Laura VeirsSaltbreakers(Nonesuch)If there was any justice in the world of mainstream music, Laura Veirs would kick Avril Lavigne from the spotlight. Saltbreakers deftly delivers a well-rounded handful of songs. The faithful guitar that bulwarked her earlier material is largely replaced by a rock band and electronic polish. The album is also schizophrenic, casting wistful glances…
Scott Miller & the Commonwealth
Scott Miller & the CommonwealthReconstruction(Sugar Hill)We don’t hear too many crack Southern bands in these parts anymore. This live set is a taste of what we’re missing. Miller muses over the landscape (“Why does everything around me have to look the same” from “Amtrak Crescent”), sin, salvation, cars and cards. “Drunk All Around this Town”…
Various
VariousThe Secret Sessions—Rheostatics Tribute(Zunior)Many tribute albums lack coherence. Too many bands want to put their own spin on the songs, until they’re unrecognizable. Not this one. The Secret Sessions—Rheostatics Tribute presents 13 songs that remain true to the core of the original tunes while providing new angles. It’s a delicate balance that shows care and…
Year of the Dog
Year of the DogDirected by: Mike White(Paramount)At one point during Year of the Dog, veterinarian office worker Newt (Peter Sarsgaard), confides to fellow dog-lover Peggy (Molly Shannon), “I’ve always had better relationships with animals than people.” “I can relate,” she responds. In a way, the whole film’s an exploration of the feelings expressed during this…
Rooney
RooneyCalling the World(Geffen)Rooney’s 2003 eponymous debut made a splash in the pop-rock pool thanks in part to the great guilty pleasure that was The OC. The band’s sophomore release may be an uphill battle, as they took four years to prep the disc and unleash it upon the world. While not a horrible atrocity, it…
Black Francis
Black FrancisBlueFingerCooking vinylChris Thompson has decided to resurrect his Black Francis alter-ego, but anyone expecting BlueFinger to be a full-on throat-wrecking return to Pixies-era spit and fury will be disappointed—most of the material stays within the singer-songwriter territory Thompson’s carved out over the last decade. He starts off right, though, with “Captain Pasty” and “Threshold…
Ben Lee
Ben LeeRipeNew WestThe more spiritually enlightened Ben Lee becomes, the more bite his music seems to lose. But damn if it isn’t catchy! The songs have moved away from Awake is the New Sleep’s “the world is awesome” tactic and into “love is awesome” on Ripe. There’s also a sweet homage to Lee’s hero on…
Who Loves the Sun
Who Loves the SunDirected by: Matt BissonetteChristal FilmsThe following riveting exchange occurs in the film Who Loves the Sun, shortly after childhood friends Will (Lukas Haas) and Daniel (Adam Scott) are reunited for the first time since Daniel slept with Will’s wife, years earlier: “Fuck you, you tried,” declares Will, dismissing Daniel’s insincere attempt to…
Thurston Moore
Thurston MooreTrees Outside the AcademyEcstatic Peace!Call it what you want—quiet is the new loud, maturing as a songwriter, alleviating tinnitus—but sometimes it’s more daring for a musician to turn down the volume from the cloaking effects of inaudible feedback. In the case of Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore, who for almost 30 years has been synonymous…
Bram Stoker’s Dracula: Collector’s Edition
Bram Stoker’s Dracula: Collector’s EditionDirected by: Francis Ford CoppolaSonyIn 1992, this was taken as an AIDS metaphor. Today, that seems like a stretch. Francis Ford Coppola’s gorgeous ode to old-school horror filmmaking needs no excuses. Avoiding any special effects techniques unavailable at the time of F.W. Murnau’s 1922 Nosferatu, Coppola gives this tale of immortal…
Hairspray: Two-Disc Shake & Shimmy Edition
Hairspray: Two-Disc Shake & Shimmy Edition Directed by: Adam ShankmanAllianceThe notion of John Waters’ kitschy ode to ’60s pop/social revolution getting remade as a Hollywood musical with John Travolta seems so wrong that I’m sure Waters loves it. This new Hairspray works as the most infectious teen movie in ages. With this comprehensive DVD package,…
Fall Out Boy
Fall Out BoyInfinity on HighUniversal“Welcome, it’s here,” intros Jay-Z off the top of the quartet’s how-you-like-us-now follow-up to the breakthrough From Under the Cork Tree. Pete Wentz’s antics detract from his band’s massive hooks, great lines like “long live the car-crash hearts” and a generational rally call in “This Ain’t a Scene, It’s An Arms…
Jon McKiel
Jon McKielThe Nature of ThingsindieJon McKiel’s latest release The Nature of Things shows just how diverse the Nova Scotia music scene actually is. McKiel invokes hints of Wintersleep, Joel Plaskett and Matt Mays, but ties them together neatly into a beautifully crafted sound that is his own. David Suzuki would be proud.Trevor Savorycategories: Best of…
VKNGS
VKNGSVKNGSNoyesVKNGS’ debut LP on clear, one-sided vinyl was the most punishing and aesthetically pleasing record to come out of Halifax in the last 12 months. The trio of songs is just barely a taste of a band that is known throughout the city for their unrelenting wall of sound. Mark Blackcategories: Best of the year…
Snow Cake
Snow CakeDirected by: Marc EvansAlliancePlot-wise, Snow Cake is a bit of a hacky mess, full of convenient, credibility-stretching contrivances. But the film’s neat narrative touches (characters play “comic-book word Scrabble”) and great performances make it worthwhile. Alan Rickman is wonderful as grumpy Alex, and the begrudging onscreen friendship that develops between Alex and high-functioning autistic…
Burnout Revenge
Burnout RevengeMicrosoft XboxFinally, a game that rewards recklessness! If you have a penchant for destruction and don’t want a criminal record, Burnout Revenge is dynamite. The object of this super-fast, arcade-style racing game is to take out your opponents at any cost. Although purists of the racing genre will cringe at the gravity-defying physics of…
Rayman Raving Rabbids
Rayman Raving RabbidsNintendo WiiDon’t you just hate cute little bunny rabbits? I know I do. Have you ever just sat around and fantasized about zapping them with car batteries, pricking them with cactuses, burning them in a campfire, feeding them cinderblocks, snagging them in bear traps, shooting them in their stupid little jerk faces with…
On the move
If you’ve over 18, you may not have heard of Soulja Boy and his song “Crank Dat Soulja Boy.” Kathy Casey, artistic director of Montréal Danse, hadn’t either. It was her sons, aged 11 and 15, who turned her on to the catchy hip-hop tune. The song—and its accompanying choreography—has become something of a phenomenon…
Eating disorder
Dianne Swinemar leans across the desk in her Spartan office at Feed Nova Scotia. She’s just been asked how she’d assess the food bank’s success in meeting its goal of eliminating chronic hunger and alleviating poverty. “Oh, we’ve failed,” she answers with a bitter laugh, adding that she was hired as executive director in 1991…
Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab for CutiePlans (Atlantic) Death Cab for Cutie hasn’t made its best record. The lush Transatlanticism (2003) — the mainstream score that landed this new deal with Atlantic — came close. Closer still was 2001’s The Photo Album, tinged with more anger than usual and coiled up under tight production. As for individual song…
My Summer of Love
My Summer of Love Directed by: Pawel Pawlikowski Focus FeaturesA fine addition to that exclusive genre of coming-of-age movies that intersect with the love-that-daren’t- speak-its-name. Mona (Natalie Press, in her debut) is a Yorkshire teenager with a born-again, ex-con brother (Paddy Considine) who lives above a pub. She meets Tamsin (Emily Blunt), a local posh…
Chad VanGaalen
Chad VanGaalenInfiniheartFlemish EyeFor 10 years Chad VanGaalen recorded songs in his basement, then upstart Calgary label Flemish Eye compiled enough to fit on a CD. Response has been good — VanGaalen just signed to Sub Pop and is presently touring the USA (he plays the Halifax Pop Explosion on October 13). Infiniheart is a mostly…
Woodhands
Woodhands Woodhands Independent There seems to be a new/old music in the air, released by an electronic-savvy generation whose sound is derived from an army of one-person bands creating in the school of hiding-in-their-basement-making-genius-noise. Presently based in Paris, with day trips gigging in Berlin and Belgium, Woodhands was formerly based in Vancouver and is programmer…
Paul McCartney
Paul McCartneyChaos and Creation in the Backyard EMIChaos and Creation in the Backyard is the record that all Beatle and Macca fans knew, deep down, he had in him. Since the collapse of Wings there’ve only been a few singles worthwhile of mention and they didn’t start until “My Brave Face on Flowers in the…
Tangiers
TangiersThe Family MythFrenchkiss/BaudelaireJosh Reichmann and James Sayce are now Tangiers, the Toronto-based garage rock outfit that has just released their third CD, The Family Myth. The album includes the work of various friends like occasional Tangier and former Guided by Voice Jon McCann on drums and NYC producer Chris Zane (The Cloud Room, Les Savy…
Michael Penn
Published August 25, 2005. Michael Penn Mr. Hollywood Jr, 1947 (Spinart) Uh-oh: a concept album. But this one isn’t lofty or pretentious at all. The songs on this melodic pop effort are thematically connected, but not in an overt way. While the cover and liner (with its yellow-ruled paper, futuristic icons and typewritten lyric pages)…
American Hi-Fi
American Hi-FiHearts on Parade(Maverick)“Even losers can get lucky sometimes,” sings Stacy Jones on “The Geeks Get the Girls,” American Hi-Fi’s first single from Hearts on Parade. The former drummer of Letters to Cleo and Veruca Salt stepped out from behind the kit to front the pop-punk outfit, scoring a major hit with 2001’s “Flavour of…
Gorillaz
GorillazDemon Days (EMI)Damon Albarn exorcises a few musical demons on the follow-up to the Gorillaz’ self-titled debut, mixing up a cauldron of hip-hop and dark pop, tossed with a few zombie movie and spaghetti western soundtracks for good luck. Thanks to the contribution of producer Danger Mouse, the colourful result is a spellbinding, if sometimes…
Stephen Malkmus
Stephen MalkmusFace the Truth(Matador)Stephen Malkmus’ third post-Pavement solo effort finds him aging gracefully, sounding comfortably assured even when he’s experimenting wildly — with obvious intent to cause audience double-takes. Like on the opener “Pencil Riot” or “I’ve Hardly Been,” it’s almost like Malkmus has a twisted will to frustrate. But these moments are broken up…
Reverend
ReverendWe Three Kings(Yep Roc)The Reverend Horton Heat, also known as Jim Heath, has been blazing a punkabilly, guitar-driven, pomade-slicked-back trail for more than 20 years. Booze-fuelled and hard living are usually the associations made with the life and music of The Rev. With the release of this Christmas album the question comes down to: Is…
Jenny Lewis with The Watson Twins
Jenny Lewis with The Watson TwinsRabbit Fur Coat(Team Love)By illuminating contemporary lyrics through a bluegrass prism, Sarah Harmer’s masterful I’m a Mountain merges old and new in a genre-busting, demographic-defying way. But where you have to dig through layers of jaunty banjo and foot-tapping fiddle to get to the central theme of Harmer’s record —…
Canned Hamm
Canned HammErotic Thriller(Pro-Am)Picture Tenacious D with a Casio synthesizer in lieu of acoustic guitars, and you pretty much have Canned Hamm. The Vancouver-based operatic, electronic sex rock kings aren’t serious musicians — they’re a gimmick. All about the costumes, the props and the theatrics, Canned Hamm, like Tenacious D, is a schtick. The main difference…
Blue Rodeo
Blue RodeoAre You Ready?(Warner)Even from the cover art for this 12th album from Blue Rodeo, the emphasis is on the roots in roots-rock. Amplifiers have been turned down from 11 in Days in Between from 2000. Palace of Gold, the previous release, was such an exciting record to listen to because of the experimentation with…
The Decemberists
The DecemberistsPicaresque(Kill Rock Stars)“Purloined in Petrograd”? You may find yourself consulting Webster’s when it comes to Colin Meloy’s esoteric folk-pop narratives, but don’t be fooled by such dainty flights of verbosity. The polemical venom of “16 Military Wives” cheerfully bounces along to a la-de-da chorus while “The Engine Driver” uses male and female harmonies to…
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…
The Minus 5
The Minus 5At the Organ(Yep Rock)At the Organ is a brilliant EP from the ever-changing Scott McCaughey-led collective The Minus 5. As with each release, the listener is bombarded with a variety of sounds and genres. This time the disc hops from classic ’60s pop to alt-country to punk combining seven tracks in just under…
Ghoststory
GhoststoryBefore the Nights Around Me(Sonic Unyon)Toronto art-country outfit Ghoststory is an indie super-group if there ever was one, featuring members of Hacksaw, Deadly Snakes, Fembots, The Weakerthans and Buck 65’s backing band. And with that kind of cred, it’s no wonder this album kicks ass. Well, perhaps “kickass” isn’t exactly the right term for an…
The Porcelain Gods
The Porcelain GodsEmergency Band Meeting(independent)While Wintersleep and the DP crew take the Halifax scene in a new direction, the Porcelain Gods update the classic New Seattle sound in a way that’s less homage than evolution. This three-song EP takes the uptempo pep (hand claps!) and three singers of old and pairs them with lyrics that…
The Wedding Present
The Wedding PresentTake Fountain(Manifesto)Eight years after Saturnalia, indie darlings The Wedding Present return with an album that sounds like a blend of classic WP and Cinerama (David Gedge’s softer side project). There are three or four tracks—most notably “Ringway to Seatac” and the extremely harsh break-up song “Larry’s”—that satisfy with sharp, dry guitar lines that…
The Dean Malenkos
The Dean MalenkosThe Album That Turns Girls Into Sluts(independent)If The Dean Malenkos ever die in a bus accident, the band can move to the next life knowing it created one of the best punk albums Atlantic Canada has ever heard. A scorching combination of genre-defying arrangements, smarter-than-you-think lyrics and inspired performances, Sluts holds its own…
My Chemical Romance
My Chemical RomanceThree Cheers for Sweet Revenge (Warner)My Chemical Romance has a little something to offer everyone. Their sound is a melting pot of punk, pop, emo and thrash with a sprinkle of classic rock thrown in for good measure. On Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge, MCR voraciously rip through a set of 13 dark,…
The Strokes
The StrokesFirst Impressions of EarthRCA)When Is This It hit the airwaves four years ago, The Strokes became a household name. No matter where you turned, this New York quintet was being hailed as the saviour of rock. The lackluster response to its 2003 follow-up Room on Fire was chalked up to the sophomore jinx. Two-and-a-half…
Helmet
HelmetSize Matters(Interscope)It’s been seven years since Helmet released a disc of dark and angry tunes. The newly reformed outfit is back, and madder than ever. A direct shot toward the nü-metal that’s tarnished the heavy metal genre, Page Hamilton and co. deliver fierce, driving cuts like “Crash-ing Foreign Cars,” “Enemies” and “Last Breath,” kicking balls-less…
Blood Brothers
Blood BrothersCrimes (V2)Being different isn’t a difficult feat for a hardcore band these days, and the Blood Brothers pull it off with panache. Using a variety of different instruments and vocal techniques, Crimes is a hectic and immediate patchwork of energetic, arty post-hardcore. Despite its postured crap-aesthetic packaging, the production is exquisite and slick, with…
Brian Wilson
Brian WilsonSMiLE(Nonesuch)It’s been 37 years since Capitol Records announced the follow-up to The Beach Boys’ teenage opus Pet Sounds. After being abandoned by Brian Wilson in ’67, SMiLE finally sees its first (legal) release in a complete form. It’s a new recording by Wilson and The Wondermints and it sounds remarkably like the old bootleg…
Death From Above 1979
Death From Above 1979You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine (Last Gang)With their stripped-down bass and drum sound, Death From Above 1979’s debut sounds like the bed tracks of a Hot Hot Heat album, only good. On the disc the group has a pounding minimalism, accentuated with moody flares of melody. The result creates a big…
Pearl Jam
Pearl JamLive at Benaroya Hall(Sony/BMG)Pearl Jam may be a household name but they aren’t a band you could consider mainstream. Live at Benaroya Hall is perfect example of this: Most live releases double as greatest-hits packages, but Pearl Jam releases a collection of live and acoustic obscurity. Few tracks garner name recognition (until you sift…
Sparta
SpartaPorcelain(Dreamworks)When At The Drive-In splintered, few thought Sparta would outdo rival offshoot Mars Volta. But it did. On its second full-length, Porcelain, Sparta deals with the consistency problems that marred the debut while also avoiding the trap of trying to appease newfound critical expectations. “Breaking The Broken,” “Lines in Sand” and “Splinters” are unforced, simple…
Auf Der Mar
Auf Der Mar S/T(Capitol)There must be a curse on Melissa Auf Der Mar. The Canadian bassist joined Hole and The Smashing Pumpkins in the midst of their respective downward spirals, crashed with a Black Sabbath tribute and burned with The Virgins. Some had her pegged as a five-time loser, and they couldn’t be more right.…
50 Foot Wave
Published June 17, 2004. 50 Foot Wave 50 Foot Wave (4AD) Kirsten Hersh was one of the original indie rockers with her band Throwing Muses (formed in 1984). They are credited with helping to discover The Pixes and convincing her label, 4AD, to sign them. She is a singer-songwriter, a tortured artist (she suffers from…
Alanis Morissette
Alanis MorissetteSo-Called Chaos(Maverick)Boasting a word count likely half that of 2002’s Under Rug Swept (and a quarter of the monstrous, rambling Supposed For- mer Infatuation Junkie), So-Called Chaos is a tight 10 pop songs. Morissette resists the urge to cram whole sentences into her lyrics, instead singing, practically sunnily, about how in love she is.…
Diana Krall
Diana KrallThe Girl in the Other Room (Verve)Some may question Diana Krall’s decision to include her own compositions on this album. But in the history of jazz, nearly every troupe leader wrote original tunes, so the real question is: Why so late? The six Krall tracks (written with Elvis Costello) bear strong pop ballad sensibilities,…
Wax Mannequin
Wax MannequinThe Price (Coqi Records)Hamilton’s self-proclaimed President of Indie Rock is a one-man absurdist rock opera. His passionate, gravelly voice evokes Jesus Christ Superstar at times and allows for abnormal suspension of disbelief as he delivers ridiculous lyrics. Lines like “he cooks Christ’s medicine in his cock” and “shoot some diamonds and sparks from your…
Tangle Eye
Tangle EyeAlan Lomax’s Southern Journey Remixed (Zoe/Rounder)The idea of remixing the legendary field recordings of Alan Lomax is scary, but it works. Tangle Eye takes each track and works it over with a flair that doesn’t strip the initial effect of the songs. Though sacrilegious to all things folk, the mixes are handled well and…
Beth Orton
Beth OrtonComfort of Strangers(EMI)Beth Orton’s fourth album, Comfort of Strangers, pairs skip-along acoustic pop with beautiful balladry. She’s got Jim O’Rourke both producing and playing here; he provides layered, multiple-melodic piano and strings but to a degree that they don’t overwhelm the songs. This album keeps it simple. For the pop numbers – “Worms” and…
Incubus
Published February 12, 2004. Incubus One Left of the Murder (Epic/Sony) On Morning View, Incubus dipped their toe into the sellout pool, but have opted to go a different route this time. With One Left of the Murder, Incubus incorporates the eclectic sounds of Fungus Amongus and S.C.I.E.N.C.E. with the dreamy atmospheric rock of Make…
Memphis Bleek
Memphis BleekMADE(Roc-A-Fella)With Jay-Z stepping down, Roc-A-Fella Records has to elevate an artist to become the label’s new marquee name. Who better than Memphis Bleek, handpicked by Jay-Z as Roc-A-Fella’s first signee? MADE is entertaining, but not overly substantial—more raps about the streets, bling, bitches and blunts. The album soars when Memphis is bringing it hard,…
Kelis
KelisTasty (Arista/BMG) Kelis may not be the name on everyone’s lips, like Missy, Christina or Jessica, but that doesn’t mean she shouldn’t be. Her third album Tasty is sweet as can be, a throwback to the ’70s and ’80s. It’s also sultry and provocative (see “In Public” or “Milkshake”). Kelis’s collab with Andre 3000 on…
Frank Black and the Catholics
Published September 11, 2003. Frank Black and the Catholics Show Me Your Tears (Sonic Unyon) Ever since making the Catholics his back-up band, Frank Black has released albums that have been recorded onto two tracks, often in a single take. What they’ve lacked in crazy brilliance has been made up by solid writing and a…
Missy Elliott
Published December 11, 2003. Missy Elliott This is Not a Test! (Elektra) With one shell-toed Adidas in the old school and other kicking contemporary hip-hop’s ass, Missy Elliott continues to astound for the third time in as many tries. “Like a brick wall I’m too hard to break,” she shrugs in the intro, and it’s…
The Thrills
Published November 20, 2003. The Thrills So Much for the City (Virgin) With song titles such as “Big Sur,” “Hollywood Kids” and “Santa Cruz,” one would think The Thrills are from California; they’re from Dublin, Ireland. Although they live far from Cali’s warm, sandy beaches they do a great job of transporting the listener there.…
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…
Various
Published October 16, 2003. Various Box of the Blues (Rounder) Box of the Blues is a four-disc set documenting Rounder’s finer moments. It moves from the Mississippi Delta origins to the overblown nightclub sound making up the majority of the genre’s current incarnation. The contrast is blatant. The first disc offers a fantastic group of…
April March
Published October 09, 2003. April March Triggers (PIAS) Somewhere between Björk and Serge Gainsberg, April March has been on the outside of the outside for years. While she has made a career out of producing glossy French synth pop, in actuality she is about as French as a bombshell in Iraq. The California native’s recent…
Some Girls
Published September 04, 2003. Some Girls Feel It (Koch) After two simultaneously released records—an achingly sad acoustic effort and a baffling almost metal record—in 2000, Juliana Hatfield has returned with a new band and a new outlook on life. Well, a new band, anyway. Some Girls is Hatfield and co-Blake Baby Freda Love plus Vancouver’s…
BT
Published August 07, 2003. BT Emotional Technology (Nettwerk) BT’s music evokes the sense of dawn breaking after a long, sweaty night in a club. His music has always had a warm natural ambiance about it, and Emotional Technology—an apt title—is no different. The album unfolds in the same way a night out would: It starts…
Bambi II
Bambi IIDirected by: Brian Pimental(Disney)Once Walt Disney was at the forefront of animated family entertainment, creating classic fables that spanned generations. Even theatrical efforts from the ’90s such as Aladdin are full of imagination. Now The Mouse ruthlessly screws the back catalogue with straight to DVD sequels aimed at babysitting the kids with something familiar.…
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou Directed by: Wes Anderson(Criterion)Anderson’s quirky comedy was criminally underappreciated when released last year. Many critics seemed confounded by the subtle, oddball humour; a shame because the beauty and charm of the movie becomes more pronounced with repeat viewing. The multi-hinged plot centres on middle-aged oceanographer/adventurer Zissou (Bill Murray), launching…
Swearing at Motorists
Swearing at MotoristsLast Night Becomes This Morning(Sonic Unyon) They are called “the two-man Who” by some critics, but that description is a grave injustice to Dayton, Ohio’s Swearing at Motorists. This duo incorporates so much into its sound that it moves beyond the obvious early Who influence. There is power-pop all over the record, but…
The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio
The Prize Winner of Defiance, OhioDirected by: Jane Anderson(DreamWorks)An offbeat talent known for writing (The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom) and directing (When Billie Beat Bobby) some of the better films made for television, Anderson moves to the big screen with this heartfelt drama. As Evelyn Ryan, a real-life small-town mother…
Adam Puddington
Adam PuddingtonFor the Mean Time(Hay Sale)On this disc, Adam Puddington proves himself to be a songwriter of uncompromising ability. His sound brings to mind an upbeat link between Gene Clark’s post-Byrds work and a more country-soul version of Jackson Browne. While Puddington’s knack for lazy hooks and well-arranged country-rock provide his initial draws, it’s his…
Mogwai
MogwaiMr. Beast(Matador)Mogwai’s signature has always been a love of pure sonic pleasure, emphasizing the peaks and valleys of song structures via repetition, sequential layering and overbearing decibel levels. Songs longer than 10 minutes work best, allowing the melodic ideas to stretch themselves out to greater poignancy. Mr. Beast may come as surprise—most tracks are short,…
Prince
Prince3121(NPG)Prince is back, not only in name but sheer musical force. Musicology wasn’t the comeback everyone hoped for—3121 is. Musicology seemed to be made specifically as a commercial comeback; 3121 lacks the feel of classic Prince for the sake of classic Prince. The record has a great cohesive structure that works Prince’s various musical moods…
The White Countess
The White CountessDirected by: James Ivory(Sony Pictures Classics)A little less than a year ago, Bombay-born film producer Ismail Merchant died in London. With his directing partner James Ivory and frequent screenwriter Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, Merchant Ivory productions were internationally renowned for their stories of love and conflict between people of different classes and cultures, from…
Elefant
ElefantThe Black Magic Show(Hollywood)Have you seen the video for Elefant’s latest single, “Lolita”? It’s a slick, grainy black ’n’ white sleazefest. Cheap thrills it is, with nano-second glimpses of a supposedly pre-teen female (US law requires nude actresses be older than 18, so she only looks that way) writhing on the floor as the band…
Peaches
PeachesImpeach my Bush(XL)Like the Dixie Chicks, Merrill “Peaches” Lisker isn’t ready to make nice with the free world’s biggest asshole. Although the Chicks wear Texan charm and Peaches prefers a strap-on, boil it down to its nasty core and the shock of Lisker’s music is on par with the southern trio. “I’d rather fuck who…
Matisyahu
MatisyahuYouth(JDUB/SonyBMG)As the old adage goes, you can’t judge a book by its cover and thus is the case with Matisyahu—he looks more like Krusty’s dad than your traditional pop/rock artist. If people can put their pre-conceived notions aside and simply press play they will quickly discover that this 26-year-old White Plains, NY native is onto…
The Hidden Cameras
The Hidden CamerasAwoo (Outside)The Hidden Cameras’ ringmaster Joel Gibb pushes that “gay church music” out of the chapel. Toning down the harps and horns, a great pop album emerges, built on the Cameras’ sing-along melodies and Gibb’s distinctive voice. There’s more time on the guitar pedal and, dare we say, a few radio-friendly ballads. “Lollipop”…
The Sleepy Jackson
The Sleepy JacksonPersonality. One Was a Spider. One Was a Bird. (Virgin)There are few people that fit the insane genius tag as snugly as Luke Steele. After alienating line-up after line-up of musicians signing on to make up The Sleepy Jackson, the religious fanatic Aussie has returned with Personality. One Was A Spider. One Was…
Chad VanGaalen
Chad VanGaalenSkelliconnection Flemish EyeChad VanGaalen is anything but the fragile, brooding Elliott Smith-like performer you might have envisioned while devouring his remarkable 2004 debut, Infiniheart. That album was essentially a summary of songs this Calgary-based visual artist had amassed over years, hunched over found or constructed instruments and recording devices in his bedroom. A sense…
Four Tet
Four TetRemixes(Domino)The electronica wizard Kieran Hebden (AKA Four Tet) is certainly one of the more adventurous and prolific artists out there. This two-CD retrospective highlights his talents as a producer/remixer and as a composer. The first CD showcases his favourite remixes of the past few years—from artists like Aphex Twin to Madvillan to Beth Orton–demonstrating…
Bonnie “Prince” Billy
Bonnie “Prince” BillyThe Letting Go(Drag City)After a couple of clunkers—Sings Greatest Palace Music and Summer in the Southeast—from Americana wunderkind Will Oldham (AKA Bonnie “Prince” Billy/Palace Music/Palace Brothers/Palace Songs/Palace), it seemed cracks were beginning to appear in the facade of what has been an amazing and prolific career thus far. On his 15th full-length release…
Jet
JetShine On(Atlantic)Before the Killers tried to resurrect new wave, Jet attempted a resurrection of its own, trying to breathe life into modern classic rock. Its debut, Get Born, burst out with the wildly popular “Are You Gonna Be My Girl” and rock radio staples “Look What You’ve Done.” The Killers went big with their follow-up,…
Cat Power
Cat PowerThe Greatest(Matador)Chan Marshall dropped her tortured waif aesthetic for a ride on the southern soul train this year, and in the process surprised damn near everyone with a new-found confidence that even saw her (of all things) dancing along to “Living Proof” on Letterman. Aptly titled, this album is her finest moment yet eclipsing…
James Hunter
James HunterPeople Gonna Talk(Rounder)Singer-guitarist Hunter emerges from the shadow of employer Van Morrison, suave as Sam Cooke and weathered as John Hiatt—a combination previously encountered only in cats. The setup is so free of clutter that a dose of B3 organ and twin sax capability give proceedings a natty blue bounce.Doug Taylorcategories: Best of the…
Sam Roberts
Sam RobertsChemical City(Universal)I wonder what Sam is trying to tell us with the title of his latest effort. The follow-up to his wildly succesSean Flinnul We Were Born in a Flame is a more psychedelic effort while remaining every bit as potent. The trippy, aTrevor MacLarenospheric vibe further expands his rustic rocker sound.Trevor Savorycategories: Canadian…
Body Double: Special Edition
Body Double: Special EditionDirected by: Brian De Palma(Sony)Brian De Palma’s brutal take on lust, sexual paranoia and sex industry sleaze walks the thin line between comedy and horror. It’s so ’80s it hurts, but it’s hard to resist the style and guts of the thing. Body Double’s second DVD appearance sports new extras and improved…
WE3
WE3Grant Morrison and Frank QuitelyDC/VertigoGrant Morrison has written some of the most challenging mainstream comics since he hit the scene in the late 1980s with Animal Man. While WE3 is no less challenging, it may be his most sentimental. Quitely’s fine line-art has enhanced many a Morrison script (New X-Men, JLA: Earth 2, ALL-Star Superman).…
Matt Mays
Matt Mays…When the Angels Make Contact(Sonic/Warner)Mays continues to follow in the footsteps of Neil Young, attempting to expand his repertoire beyond the roots/folk-rock sound, dabbling in both electronica and hip-hop. The title track reflects this new approach, thanks in part to Buck 65’s guest spot. …When the Angels Make Contact is unusual in the fact…
The Fate of The Artist
The Fate of The ArtistEddie CampbellFirst SecondAs a memoirist, Eddie Campbell could be described as willfully obscuring. His minimalist artwork on Alan Moore’s titanic Jack the Ripper tome From Hell tended to reveal truths in the darkness, whereas his Alec series (the titular hero a character standing in for the author), though also based on…
Match Point
Match PointDirected by: Woody Allen(Dreamworks Video)Hailed as Woody Allen’s return to form—an overblown claim given Melinda & Melinda wasn’t exactly chopped liver—what distinguishes Match Point from the annual Woodster offerings is the genre (white-knuckle suspense) and locale (high falutin’ London). And love her or hate her, Scarlett Johanssen undeniably brings the bombshell.Carsten KnoxCategories: Best of…
Six Feet Under: The Complete Fifth Season
Six Feet Under: The Complete Fifth SeasonDirected by: Kathy Bates(HBO)The gravely humourous drama reaches its conclusion and goes the way of all flesh. The Fisher clan find a kind of peace after the death of one of their own, leading to one of the best final episodes in series television history.Carsten KnoxCategories: Best of the…
Bright Eyes
Published December 08, 2005. Bright Eyes I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning (Saddle Creek) The precocious, lisping boy wonder Conor Oberst?he can pretend “Bright Eyes” is a band of people, but please?makes good on his promise with this rousing country-rock record. (Companion electronica album Digital Ash in a Digital Urn is for patient fans only.) A…
Franz Ferdinand
Published December 08, 2005. Franz Ferdinand You Could Have It So Much Better (Domino) While the new new wavers unleashed their monster post-punk debut slightly more than a year ago, they’ve managed to defeat the sophomore curse and to avoid outstaying their welcome with another stellar album. Not just your average dance rock band, these…
Shout Out Louds
Published December 08, 2005. Shout Out Louds Howl Howl Gaff Gaff (Capitol) Just simply put, a great pop record that utilizes ’60s pop mixed with ’80s and ’90s indie pop. A bit of new wave injected with garage rock and Brian Wilson’s chamber opuses. Shout Out Louds write some of the best and most original…
Bambi: Platinum Edition
Published December 08, 2005. Bambi: Platinum Edition Directed by: David Hand (Buena Vista) It hadn’t previously occurred to me how off-the-beaten Disney path Bambi is. (How could it? It was the first movie I ever saw.) The combination of lush forest imagery and music finds its closest ilk in Disney’s Fantasia, 2001 and music videos.…
Flight of the Phoenix
Published December 08, 2005. Flight of the Phoenix Directed by: Robert Aldrich (Fox) Figuring this remake of 1965’s Flight of the Phoenix would be disposable, I never caught it in time for a review last Christmas. On a recommendation, I saw the film on its last night of release, entranced by its adventure tropes and…
Masculin, Feminin
Published December 08, 2005. Masculin, Feminin Directed by: Jean-Luc Godard (Paradox/Criterion) The most enthralling balance of joy and experimentation of Jean-Luc Godard’s career. Existential crisis and the pursuit of sex play into the semi-improvised escapades of a young man’s afternoons spent in arcades and coffee shops. The greatest youth film ever? The feature-laden Criterion release…
Two Hours Traffic
Two Hours TrafficIsolator(Fontana North)Multiple ECMA nominee Two Hours Traffic is well on its way to becoming a great band. On its latest release, an EP called Isolator, the quartet from Prince Edward Island offers six tracks of pure pop gold. Liam Corcoran has matured into a singer commanding attention. His tenor voice is just torn…
The Exploding Hearts
The Exploding HeartsShattered(Dirtnap)The roads of rock are lined with many a tragedy, not least with with the Portland, Oregon, band The Exploding Hearts. The band released Guitar Romantic, hit the road and generated a buzz. In 2003, driving home from a show, three members died in a car accident. Shattered is an expanded re-issue of…
Nas
NasHip-Hop is Dead(Def Jam)Timing has never been the forte of Nas—his first album was released in the debut shadows of Puff Daddy and the Notorious BIG. Even with the anticipation surrounding Nas’ latest, he is again behind another pair of hotly anticipated discs, Jay-Z and Snoop Dogg. But if you hear Hip-Hop is Dead, you’ll…
Amnesty
AmnestyFree Your Mind(Now Again)One of the coolest currents in the first decade of the 21st century is the intensified activity in the lost-or-forgotten-recording-retrieval business. Seventies heavy-funk supremacists Amnesty’s Free Your Mind—700 West Sessions is a fine example. Hailing from Indianapolis, the band mixes deep, progressive grooves with the sweet sensibility of today’s R&B and social…
Manufactured Landscapes
Manufactured LandscapesDirected by: Jennifer Baichwal(Zeitgeist Films)In his renowned portraits of industrial sites, Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky highlights how profoundly human action and industrialization have altered the natural landscape. Today’s world, Burtynsky points out, is largely man-made. In her Genie-winning documentary Manufactured Landscapes, Jennifer Baichwal set out to translate Burtynsky’s photographs into a new medium. The…
Forro in the Dark
Forro in the DarkBonfires of São João(Nublu)This is a finely played, fun album. Bonfires of São João offers a dozen vocal and instrumental tracks mixing the always-inovative Brazilian take on pop, jazz, blues, folk and acoustic-dance. Jorge Continentino’s pifano (described on the band’s website as a “breathy flute”) and producer Mauro Rofosco’s zabumba (a “bass-y…
The End
The EndElementary(Relapse/Distort)Departing from the mathcore sound that made The End a household name in metal circles, Elementary showcases the band at its creative peak. The Mississauga-based quintet flirts with many styles on the album, yet manages to maintain a cohesive feel. Most impressive is vocalist Aaron Wolf, who shows an incredible range for someone better…
Cowboy Junkies
Cowboy JunkiesAt the End of Paths Taken(Latent)Just when you thought the Cowboy Junkies had started resting on its laurels, the band put out a stellar album of protest songs and covers in 2005—the political Early 21st Century Blues—that broke free of all expectation. And now it follows up with At the End of Paths Taken,…
Holly McNarland
Holly McNarlandChin Up Buttercup(Universal)The Winnipeg native finally returns after another interminable wait—five years each between her breakthrough Stuff and the spottily powerful Home is Where My Feet Are. She’s been divorced and had a second child in the latter time, so she comes back with plenty of material. A single producer, Jeff Dawson, helps in…
Broken Social Scene presents Kevin Drew
Broken Social Scene presents Kevin DrewSpirit If… (Arts & crafts)Enter Broken Social Scene, the brand. With Spirit If…, Arts & Crafts finally acknowledges what we’ve all known for the past five years—there’s a certain cache that comes with the Broken Social Scene name. The “presents” tag would come off as an opportunistic cash grab if…
Tegan and Sara
Tegan and SaraThe Con(Superclose)Under the hand of Death Cab for Cutie’s Chris Walla, the Quin sisters have produced their most mature and affecting effort yet. Where before their atonal singing, questionable playing and teenage success was easier to dismiss as novel—yes, they are twins and lesbians—now, their hook prowess and deceptively simple songwriting are undeniable.…
i see rowboats
i see rowboatsHide & Seek Behind the ThroneIndependentWhile songs and conventional rhythms have their place for Halifax’s i see rowboats, it is spirited instrumental interplay that enlivens the listening. Luke Fisher’s violin gets into a scrap with drums and group vocals on “Mine and Strike,” giving as good as it gets. On “Ci Ci,” guitar,…
The Sadies
The SadiesNew SeasonsOutside distribution/yep rocSince their last trip into the studio on 2005’s superb Favourite Colours, The Sadies have released a surf-driven instrumental soundtrack to a documentary on hot rod designer Ed “Big Daddy” Roth, Tales of the Rat Fink, and a blistering two-disc live album, In Concert, Vol.1. New Seasons marks a slight change,…
The Hoax
The HoaxDirected by: Lasse HallströmMiramaxBack in the ’70s, author/biographer Clifford Irving broke the cardinal rule of biography writing: After promising his publishers an all-access portrait of reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes, Irving proceeded to make the whole thing up. Irving’s weird, hubristic story is a great one, and director Lasse Hallström’s Irving biopic, The Hoax, does…
Crazy Love
Crazy LoveDirected by: Dan Klores and Fisher StevensMagnoliaWhen nerdy lawyer Burt Pugach spotted beautiful Linda Riss, back in the 1950s, he was smitten. He wined her, dined her, took her flying in his private plane—and then promised Linda he’d divorce his wife. But Burt didn’t, so Linda broke it off and became engaged to someone…
Breathless
BreathlessDirected by: Jean-Luc GodardCriterionJean-Luc Godard helped usher in the nouvelle vague with this film about a young man’s passions of crime, romance and pop culture. In 1960, Godard’s self-aware style was completely radical. Today, Breathless remains a key piece of film history. Criterion presents it in its most comprehensive DVD release yet. Mark PalermoCategories: Best…
Hot Rod
Hot RodDirected by: Akiva SchafferParamountThe summer’s best comedy—but under the bait-and-hook of Judd Apatow hype, barely anyone noticed. SNL star Andy Samberg and director Akiva Schaffer legitimately get the randomness of internet humour and the shared sensibility of suburban ’80s kids than any movie that’s come before. Expect the DVD to give it a second…
Feist
FeistThe ReminderArts & CraftsAs fierce as the woman behind the monosyllabic name, The Reminder is unforgettable. From the wildly evocative guitar licks and handclaps of “Sea Lion,” to the sultry tempo of “My Moon, My Man,” Feist is the ultimate myth-maker; she remains the reigning queen of indie-land while selling out to Starbucks.Shannon Webb-Campbellcategories: Best…
Memories Attack
Published November 29, 2007. Memories Attack Memories Attack Little Mafia Memories Attack, ex-members of blah, blah, blah…it doesn’t matter, simply know that this collaboration between Chris Thompson and Ron Bates is a goddamned good record. Leading off the record with melancholic lyrics, beautiful melodies and catchy hooks, “Love in the Time of Hate” is my…
The Weakerthans
The WeakerthansReunion TourEpitaphFour fucking years after Reconstruction Site come the 11 tracks of Reunion Tour, which includes a sequel to the song sung by a cat on its predecessor, as well as tributes to curling, Gump Worsley, lost friends and transit drivers. It’s more of the same, but when shit’s this brilliant, that’s a compliment.…
The Third Man
The Third ManDirected by: Carol ReedCriterionCriterion cleaned up the print, and threw in more extras for its second release of The Third Man. It was worth the double dip. Carol Reed’s war time thriller is deserving of its classic status, and this DVD set comes insights from Peter Bogdanovich and Steven Soderbergh on the film’s…
Guitar Hero
Guitar HeroSony PlayStation 2Guitar Hero is a rhythm-based game like Dance Dance Revolution and Amplitude. The game comes with a half-scale guitar with five buttons on its neck, a whammy bar and “string” to pluck when prompted. The notes scrolling towards you correspond to the five buttons on the neck. Points are awarded for timing…
Red Steel
Red SteelNintendo WiiThe thing that bugs me about games where you’re a gaijin (what is a gaijin?) and they steal your lady is how you keep catching up with her, but the Yakuza (it’s always the Yakuza) keep whisking her away in a plane or a cargo van. Can I take a rest and eat…
Fizz the season
Getting it poppin’ with a crash course on bubbly, just in time for the holidays.
Jack and the Beans Talk
The Theatre Arts Guild Christmas production Jack and the Beans Talk could be a primer for anyone wanting to know how to make amateur theatre more professional. It all starts with a great script. One, that while written for children, has some humour aimed straight at adults, and music that will appeal to both generations.…
Rogue Wave
Rogue Wave10: 1 EP (Sub pop) Rogue Wave’s 2003 gem Out of the Shadow (an album that criminally slipped under the radar) was a delightful mixture of indie-guitar bliss and crafted melodies from the hands of control freak/multi-talented (potential) genius Zach Rogue. With expectations set on high for the band’s follow-up (set for late September),…
Hudson Bell
Hudson BellWhen the Sun is the MoonMonitorSometimes the easiest music to grasp — in sonic terms — is the hardest to write about without resorting to oft-abused cliches or making the review sound like an experiment in creative writing. And so is the case with Hudson Bell, a Baton Rouge- born songwriter who is creating…
Immaculate Machine
Immaculate MachineOnes and ZeroesMintSomething’s brewing over there on the left coast. So many bands hailing from the Pacific come off sounding urgent, frenetic. (You can probably blame the New Pornographers’ Mass Romantic for getting it started.) The Van City trio Immaculate Machine — Brooke Gallupe (guitar), Kathryn Calder (keyboards) and Luke Kozlowski (drums) — have…
New Buffalo
New Buffalo The Last Beautiful Day Arts & Crafts It appears that Arts & Crafts, Toronto’s indie label par excellence and home to the family most often referred to as Broken Social Scene has moved way outside their inner circle. New Buffalo is the Melbourne, Australia-based singer-songwriter Sally Seltmann. She began creating this album in…
Mark Bragg
Mark BraggBear Music MapleIf following up one of the best Atlantic debuts in recent years seemed a daunting task, it only served to fire up Newfoundlander Bragg. Sure, some of his quirks have been directed into a more definable blend of swamp guitar and difficult women, but his voice is still a cross between a…
The Trews
The TrewsDen of Thieves(SonyBMG/Bumstead)To follow up their recent opening slot for the “secret” Rolling Stones gig in Toronto, the Trews hit with the follow-up to their hugely successful debut House of Ill Fame. Den of Thieves bears a distinctively different feel, as production duties were shared between Gordie “Big Sugar” Johnson and Jack Douglas (Aerosmith,…
Clutch
ClutchRobot Hive/Exodus(Universal)In an era where bands are condemned by their genre through comparisons to other similar-sounding artists, Clutch is exempt from classification. It’s simply impossible to lump this band in with anyone else. Sure, some of its songs may prompt resemblances to The Black Crowes, Black Sabbath, Monster Magnet, Queens Of The Stone Age, Soundgarden…
Mariah Carey
Mariah CareyThe Emancipation of Mimi(Island)After enduring backlash and breakdown, Carey is back to selling boatloads of records. She still inserts the odd disconcertingly high note, designed to amaze the listener (or send a secret message to his dog). Despite hip-hop collaborators like Snoop, Twista and Nelly, this is mostly candy in an R&B package. Carey’s…
Common
CommonBe(geffen)Timbaland and Missy Elliott. Dré and Eminem. The Neptunes and everybody. Producer and MC partnerships are a big part of hip-hop music. Kanye West has done his fair share, and he is all over fellow Chicago rapper Common’s latest, Be. Maybe a bit too much. You expect him to run rampant on a Jay-Z track,…
Orenda Fink
Orenda FinkInvisible Ones(Saddle Creek)If your weirder dreams have a soundtrack, they could do a lot worse than this. On her solo debut album, the vocalist from the Saddle Creek duo Azure Ray enlists people who play for everyone from Antibalas to TV on the Radio. Though Invisible Ones soaks in the echo chamber as if…
Johnny Adams
Johnny AdamsThe Great Johnny Adams Blues Album (Rounder)Sessions from a dozen albums the New Orleans belter made in the ’80s and ’90s were cherry-picked to emphasize his bluesy side. Adams died in 1998, known more as an interpreter than a writer. His strengths are emotion and phrasing, and the pedigree of his backup. “Imitation of…
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce SpringsteenDevils & Dust(Sony BMG)Despite the lack of the E Street Band, Devils & Dust has little in common with the minimalism of a typical Springsteen solo effort, be it the bleak panoramas of Nebraska or the whispered solemnity of The Ghost of Tom Joad. As haunting as those albums are, their starkness, coupled with…
Damien Jurado
Damien JuradoOn My Way to Absence(Secretly Canadian)Once again, Damien Jurado has released a superb record. It should come as no surprise to those who devour his every breath. On My Way to Absence shares many traits with its predecessor, Where Shall You Take Me?—the intimacy and sparse arrangements of folk-inspired nug-gets nestled comfortably alongside songs…
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,…
Kim Barlow
Kim BarlowLucky Burden(Caribou)After living in Quebec, Nova Scotia and Florida, Kim Barlow has made the Yukon more than just her home for years. It’s been her muse—she’s taken to chronicling the natural wonders and human hardships that define its landscape. On Lucky Burden, the setting is Keno City, a town built in 1917 on silver…
Shivaree
ShivareeBreach EP (Zoe)An American band that’s received most of its love from Europe, Shivaree is a secret worth knowing. Singer Ambrosia Parsley has star quality and, after a stint writing news satire on Air America radio, less hesitancy about sounding political. Brian Eno’s “The Fat Lady of Limbourg” (from 1975), one of the most brilliant…
Dogs Die in Hot Cars
Dogs Die in Hot CarsPlease Describe Yourself(V2)Not a bad outing from this mid-’80s sounding, oddball pop-obsessed Scottish outfit. Combining heavy amounts of XTC with some Dexy’s Midnight Runners input, the band is what someone in the know might describe as “fun.” Their lyrics at times become a little hokey in concept, but overall, Please Describe…
Pat Deighan
Pat DeighanNight Light(Sandbar)Pat Deighan is the former lead-er of PEI’s Eyes for Telescopes, a band reminiscent of LA’s country-punk outfit X. There was more than just a passing fancy for country coursing through their alt-rock tunes, and here is the proof. With lethargic J. Mascis-like vocals and a style suggesting study in alt.country’s early years,…
Tori Amos
Tori AmosThe Beekeeper(Epic)Old fans sniffing that Tori Amos has lost it are like indie dopes who can’t grasp that bands want to sell records: If you don’t get it now, you never did. Buzzing in three years after Scarlet’s Walk, her epic interpretation of post-9/11 America, The Beekeeper blends Under the Pink’s balladry with Boys…
Ani DiFranco
Ani DiFrancoKnuckle Down(Righteous Babe)Knuckle Down is a good record, but more of the same. Most great songwriters have sought to change their sound and style to get away from becoming stale. Ani really hasn’t changed in the past 15 years. Since her peak in the early ’90s, she began her decline with Dilate and the…
Ruth Minnikin
Ruth MinnikinMarooned and Blue (independent)Halifax folk darling Minnikin delivers on the promise laid out over five tracks on her 2003 EP with double the songs and quadruple the effect. Recorded in two days, Marooned and Blue sounds full and smooth, packed with French horn, bass clarinet and banjo. But only a few songs can be…
Jay Bizzy
Jay BizzyThe Ghost of Jacob Marley(Urbnet)With guest performances from the likes of Classified, Johnny Hardcore and Rocky Ninja, contributions from DJs including IV and JoRun and tight production from Beatmason, Dexter Doolittle and Fresh Kils, Halifax MC Jake “Jay Bizzy” Flemming’s sophomore recording features a slew of top and iconic Maritime hip-hop talent. The hour-long…
Hope of the States
Hope of the StatesThe Lost Riots(Epic)The Lost Riots is a mediocre album that’s gotten by on the words of a few attention-craving British tabloid journalists. It does contain some beautiful arrangements, but ultimately the songwriting is middle class and constantly resorts to going epic to save itself. And singer Samuel Herlihy’s vocals have all the…
Nancy Sinatra
Nancy SinatraS/T (Sanctuary/EMI)As records by aging stars go, Nancy Sinatra benefits from the length of its guest list. Jarvis Cocker, Jon Spencer, Pete Yorn and Calexico all offer up a song for this driest of divas to make her own. “Let Me Kiss You” melds Sinatra’s authority and phrasing with Morrissey’s articulation of desire, forming…
Joni Mitchell
Joni MitchellThe Beginning of Survival(Geffen)Inside a handsome package featuring 10 of Mitchell’s paint- ings lies a selection of ’80s and ’90s tracks deserving a fresh listen. Few people would call this her peak period, but loss of upper register did nothing to erode her wit and inventiveness. “Slouching Towards Bethlehem” (1991) is an apocalyptic entrancer…
Shyne
ShyneGodfather Buried Alive (Gangland)During Puffy’s NYC shooting trial in 1999, Shyne split his time between the courtoom and the studio, working on his second album. The final touches came after Shyne was jailed (for 10 years). One of the standout tracks, “For The Record,” was recorded via answering machine from his cell. Shyne’s slow, drawn-out…
Marah
Marah20,000 Streets Under the Sky (Yep Roc)English novelist Nick Hornby has touted Marah’s 20,000 Streets Under The Sky to be “One of 2004’s most-loved straight-ahead rock albums.” It will not be. Marah takes the hammiest elements of early Steve Earle and Springsteen to produce a straight-ahead rock sound that recalls such wonders of modern music…
By Divine Right
By Divine RightSweet Confusion (Linus)By Divine Right continues on its merry way, bringing love and good times to kids across the land. But first, some indie pop. Deftly split into two halves, the first seven songs of BDR’s first album since 2001 are all uptempo hand-clappers with literal hand-claps and “nah nah nahs.” The second…
Various
VariousSpider-Man 2 OST(Sony)At first the emo-themed Spider-Man 2 soundtrack—Dashboard Confessional, Taking Back Sunday, Yellowcard—seems odd. But stop and think about it and it makes complete sense. Peter Parker isn’t exactly a Henry Rollins type; love, life and work are consistently pushed to the back burner in favour of Spidey’s superhero duties. The choice to saturate…
Lenny Kravitz
Published June 17, 2004. Lenny Kravitz Baptism (Virgin) When Lenny Kravitz covered “American Woman” (poorly), he entered a realm of cheese from which he never really emerged. Baptism, his latest, is boring and bland, lacking anything that would warrant pressing the repeat button. He seems stuck in this classic rock rut, retreading rather than revisiting.…
Lunasa
LunasaThe Kinnitty Sessions (Compass)Recorded before an audience in the legendary haunted Irish Kinnitty Castle, The Kinnitty Sessions is an absolute treasure of modern Irish folk. Lunasa are an exciting collective to hear; their arrangements are invigorating and take a fresh look at traditional pieces. Fans of folk will be enthused by their amazing musicianship, daring…
Hospital Grade
Hospital GradeWritten Axe to Trigger(Urinine)Written Axe to Trigger might not be as catchy as Hospital Grade’s debut EP Scrap is the Metal, Metal is the Weapon, but it still rocks in a disjointed punk way. The band never lets anyone get comfortable with a style or songwriting formula, opting to mix short, concise songs (a…
N.E.R.D.
N.E.R.D.Fly or Die(Star Trak)N.E.R.D.—Pharell Williams, Chad Hugo and Shay Haley—have just dropped Fly or Die, the follow-up to the hugely successful (and overplayed) In Search of. It’s an intimate album better suited to a pair of headphones than a powerful stereo. Fly or Die evokes a more funk-filled, R&B sound than the hip-hop, star-studded In…
Kanye West
Kanye WestCollege Dropout(Roc-A-Fella)Kayne West’s highly anticipated debut boasts an impressive line-up of guests, including Ludacris, Mos Def and Jay-Z. They more than make up for the average MC abilities of ex-producer (Jay-Z’s “Izzo,” Alicia Keys’s “You Don’t Know My Name”) Mr. West. It’s the production on College Dropout that will be garnering all the attention…
The Cottars
The CottarsForerunner (Rounder)The teen foursome from Cape Breton makes no missteps on its first international release. If there is any surprise, it may be how quickly Fiona MacGillivray’s singing has grown beyond cute into incandescent. Her take on Ron Hynes’ “Atlantic Blue” sounds like a new regional classic. To keep the trad crowd from getting…
The Rude Mechanicals
The Rude MechanicalsCheckin’ for Squirrels (independent)You can take the band off PEI, but you can’t take the Island out of the band. Though recorded in Toronto, he Rude Mechanicals maintain a rollicking red-dirt road spirit. “Bill Lynch Girl” deserves a spot in any Maritime medley, even if you must explain who the carnival king is…
Tim O’Brien
Tim O’BrienTraveler(Sugar Hill)Tim O’Brien sings with a richness and honesty that travels from his soul to yours. Talent oozes from this bluegrass crooner, with his mandolin, bou- zouki, guitar and voice. He’s recruited stellar musicians such as Bela Fleck, Dirk Powell and John Doyle to fill out his tunes. The tortured wrenching of “Let Love…
Sex Mob
Sex MobDime Grind Palace (Ropeadope)Sex Mob can be a hard band to wrap your head around. Essentially a jazz combo that pounces over the ideology of Miles’s Bitches Brew and Hancock’s Headhunters, Sex Mob isn’t that easily categorized; they twist and turn free jazz and avant-garde eclipses like a deviant cousin of The Shuffle Demons.…
Alien Ant Farm
Published September 11, 2003. Alien Ant Farm Truant (Universal) Unless you were living under a rock in 2001, you heard Alien Ant Farm’s cover of Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal.” That unlikely hit managed to overshadow everything the SoCal band had accomplished up to that point. But AAF has returned with the aptly titled follow-up Truant.…
Jay-Z
Published December 04, 2003. Jay-Z The Black Album (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam) Jay-Z was once considered to be the crown price to the throne of Biggie Smalls, which is a massive void to fill. Turns out Jay-Z wasn’t (in)famous enough to assume the throne, and thanks to the success of his Roc-A-Fella label, he’s stepping down to…
Ron Sexsmith
Published November 20, 2003. Ron Sexsmith Rarities (Ronboy/Linus) There are few singers who can find the beauty that lies between the lines and under the melodies of a song. Ron Sexsmith is one of those singers. But you knew that—worn copies of Blue Boy or Wherea-bouts have already revealed those finer points. Rarities is an…
The Creatures
Published November 06, 2003. The Creatures Hai! (Instinct) In the fall of 2002, Budgie, drummer for Siouxie and the Banshees, met up with Taiko drum phenom Leonard Eto to record some spontaneous drum improvs. The session—appropriately referred to as “a full blown drum frenzy” in the liner notes—later formed the basis of this new Creatures…
Dave Matthews
Published October 16, 2003. Dave Matthews Some Devil ( RCA) His fans warmly refer to him as simply Dave, the wry, self-deprecating frontman of the Dave Matthews Band. Some Devil marks his first foray as a solo artist. DMB hasn’t broken up; as Dave puts it, “this was something that if I didn’t do, I’d…
Nickelback
Published October 02, 2003. Nickelback The Long Road (Roadrunner) Nickelback have never tried to be more than they are, never veering off into uncharted territory (Radiohead), or moving toward a pop sound (Sugar Ray, Jewel). They make rock music, plain and simple. The Long Road should have been the follow-up to The State, rather than…
The Dandy Warhols
Published August 28, 2003. The Dandy Warhols Welcome to the Monkey House (Capitol) Gone are the acoustic, alt-country leanings of Thirteen Tales of Urban Bohemia, replaced by synthesized soundscapes. Producer Nick Rhodes (of Duran Duran) helps to direct the transformation. As always, The Dandys come up with a lot of style and some killer tunes,…
Puddu Varano
Published August 07, 2003. Puddu Varano Time to Grow (D7) On Time to Grow, Puddu Varano (a name that would better fit a pedophiliac Brazilian wig maker) delivers an interesting collection of funk-infused downbeat electronica. The band excels at creating elaborate and ornamented tracks that combine pina coladas and Ecstasy in perfect measure. Each song…
Rooney: Spit and Sweat DVD
Rooney: Spit and Sweat DVD(Geffen)What’s the difference between Ozma and Rooney? Seth Cohen. While both bands rob Weezer like they were an old lady on a dark street, Rooney were on The OC and that’s why you’ve heard of them. This DVD does nothing but prove that the show’s cultural influence is way too powerful.…
Spaceballs (Collector’s Edition)
Spaceballs (Collector’s Edition) Directed by: Mel Brooks (MGM)Mel Brooks gets the last laugh by releasing Spaceballs (Collector’s Edition) while the geeks are out taking their wookie suits to the dry-cleaners. The 1987 sci-fi parody takes the piss out of George Lucas, but according to an interview with Brooks—one of many special features on the DVD—he…
Lie With Me
Lie With MeDirected by: Directed by Clément Virgo(Thinkfilm)This is the new film by Virgo, director of Rude and The Planet of Junior Brown, based on a novel by his wife, Tamara Berger (she also wrote the screenplay) and filmed in Toronto. Lie with Me premiered at the Atlantic Film Festival, but we shouldn’t be surprised…
Morrissey
MorrisseyRingleader of the Tormentors (Attack/EMI)Over the course of his solo career, Morrissey gained the reputation of an artist incapable of following one good album with another. The god-awful Kill Uncle followed the excellent debut Viva Hate. The widely panned Southpaw Grammar came after the excellent Vauxhall and I. Following the Mozzer’s release of the triumphant…
She Wants Revenge
She Wants RevengeShe Wants Revenge(Geffen)She Wants Revenge is more music to file under the current post-punk revival. SWR takes on early New Order, Closer-era Joy Division and Depeche Mode while mixing in goth-driven misery. End-to-end the record is monotonous, but the music is both well-written and executed. The vibe is boorish and seems like a…
Nicolai Dunger
Nicolai DungerHere’s My Song You Can Have It—I Don’t Want It Anymore/Yours 4-ever(Zoë/Rounder) Nicolai Dunger’s latest, Here’s My Song is a bit of a departure from soul/folk/jazz, more chamber-pop based. Produced by and featuring fans Jonathan Donahue, Grasshopper and Jeff Mercel of Mercury Rev, this album has several interesting genres overlapping throughout. The ghost of…
Band of Horses
Band of HorsesEverything All the Time(Sub Pop)In 2004, Ben Bridwell and Mat Brooke rose from the ashes of chamber pop favourites Carissa’s Weird to create Band of Horses; indie scenesters haven’t caught their breath since. The group’s cathartic pop-rock sound blends yelping vocals with dynamic instrumentation to deliver songs of saints, sin and death. While…
Death Cab for Cutie, Directions
Death Cab for Cutie, Directions(Atlantic/Barsuk)Back in the day of MTV’s infancy, artists often made videos for every single song on their albums. It was a waste—only the videos for singles ever saw the light of day. 50 Cent did it recently with The Massacre, which makes a bit more sense in this era of DVD-repackaging…
Thievery Corporation
Thievery CorporationVersions(ESL Music)Washington, DC-based Thievery Corporation continues its specialization in the Brazil-and- dub-based downtempo sound, in development for well over a decade. That may be the duo’s main problem: not much has changed in well over a decade. Versions offers remixes from Herb Alpert to the Doors to Ustad Sultan Khan to Sarah McLachlan—all of…
Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story
Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull StoryDirected by: Michael Winterbottom(Alliance/Universal)Long thought of as unadaptable, Laurence Sterne’s classic The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman—a bawdy, self-reflexive novel—is now a bawdy, self-reflexive film. Steve Coogan (24 Hour Party People, Happy Endings) plays the titular Shandy, who narrates his own story from birth, frequently jumping about…
Imagine Me & You
Imagine Me & YouDirected by: Ol Parker(20th Century Fox)In our L Word age, this sweet romantic comedy—about a girl who falls for another girl just as she marries her longtime (male) sweetheart—is almost lamely tame. Maybe it’s the British accents, but Imagine Me & You is still a quietly compelling, heartwarming watch, exactly the kind…
Various
VariousKill the Moonlight OST(Plexifilm)Music geeks everywhere will be applauding the release of the ultra-low budget slacker film Kill the Moonlight by writer-director Steven Hanft. Not so much for the movie itself, but for the inclusion of a soundtrack that features three exclusive One Foot in the Grave-era Beck tracks. In fact, Moonlight’s main character, Chance—a…
The Marble Index
The Marble IndexWatch Your Candles, Watch Your Knives(Maple)Trios are underrated in rock. Still, working under the radar, trios can work stealthily and suddenly explode into consciousness. Oh, just thinking of a little band called Green Day and American Idiot…. That’s what should happen to The Marble Index. Brad Germain on vocals/guitar, drummer Adam Knickle and…
Bob Dylan
Bob DylanModern Times(Columbia)In his dotage, Dylan has cleaned up his diction. You can make out the words, which still have some snap, like “I’m not nursing any superfluous fears,” from “Ain’t Talkin’.” Modern Times continues Dylan’s recent run of quality albums, just a bit less astounding than 2001’s Love and Theft. An overactive imagination can…
Triumph of the Will
Triumph of the WillDirected by: Leni Riefenstahl(Synapse Video)It is hard to recommend a film made as Nazi propaganda, but though the message is every bit as evil as Hitler’s regime, Riefenstahl revolutionized the way documentaries were made. Until the Maysles brothers made Salesman and brought cinema verite, her theatrical lighting and staging was the standard.…
Damien Jurado
Damien JuradoAnd Now that I’m in your Shadow(Secretly Canadian)Listening to a Damien Jurado album is like watching a full season of Six Feet Under in one sitting—gratifying but emotionally draining. The hard part arises from the stories he creates—dark character studies depicting emotionally painful experiences. Yet his ability to craft tender melodies and seduce the…
Road to Guantanamo
Road to GuantanamoDirected by: Michael Winterbottom and Mat Whitecross (FilmFour)In the days following 9/11, four British men chose a very bad time to travel from Pakistan to Afghanistan. After the fall of the Taliban, three were held and shipped off to the infamous American military base in Cuba. They were imprisoned for over two years…
Neko Case
Neko CaseFox Confessor Brings the Flood(Anti)When Neko Case opens her mouth at the beginning of “John Saw That Number” and during “Maybe Sparrow” the heavens part and angels can be seen weeping in solemn abdication. Perhaps Fox Confessor is still too dark for the average country fan, but it is no less a brilliant and…
In-Flight Safety
In-Flight SafetyThe Coast is Clear(Dead Daisy)Our boys from the east coast had a huge year. Awards, videos on heavy rotation, signing to Emm Gryner’s Dead Daisy Records. It couldn’t happen to a bunch of nicer and harder working guys. And the music delivered—with soaring aTrevor MacLarenospherics, plaintive lyrics and sweet-as-honey melodies, In-Flight Safety is no…
Shotgun and Jaybird
Shotgun and JaybirdTrying to get Somewhere(Sappy)Shotgun and Jaybird have slowly been building their own mythology. Burrowed away in Sackville, NB they periodically emerge with increasingly brilliant indie-rock offerings. Trying to get Somewhere shows the band delivering their songs with a heartfelt and sloppy honesty. Finally, they seem ready to be your favourite band.Matt Charltoncategories: Canadian…
Body Heat: Deluxe Edition
Body Heat: Deluxe EditionDirected by: Lawrence Kasdan(Warner Home Video)A slippery entry in modern noir, this 1981 loose remake of Double Indemnity made a sex symbol of Kathleen Turner. As Matty Walker, Turner tempts Florida lawyer Ned Racine (William Hurt) to kill her husband for love and money. Check out the killer cameo from Mickey Rourke…
Wimbledon Green: The Greatest Comic Book Collector in the World
Wimbledon Green: The Greatest Comic Book Collector in the WorldSethDrawn & QuarterlyWimbledon Green takes what should have been a throwaway gag and turns it into a comic-strip mockumentary. It is a credit to Seth’s (Clyde Fans, It’s a Good Life if You Don’t Weaken) skill as a cartoonist that this works so well. Told as…
No Luck Club
No Luck ClubProsperity(Igloo Cartel recordings)Three Vancouverites—brothers Matt and Trevor Chan, on turntables and sampler respectively, are joined by Paul Belen on turntable—form the No Luck Club. On Prosperity, the self-described instrumental hip-hop loves the big, big beat. Even the three tracks comprising the “Introspective Suite” employ hard, percussive drum parts, cymbal crashes and a heavy…
Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic
Fun Home: A Family TragicomicAlison BechdelHoughton MifflinCartoonist Alison Bechdel of Dykes to Watch Out For fame wrote and illustrated this story, an autobiographical account of the relationship between a girl and her father. The memoir of Bechdel’s childhood in Pennsylvania recalls, jumping through a fractured chronology, her burgeoning homosexuality and her parent’s repression. He taught…
Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey
Metal: A Headbanger’s JourneyDirected by: Sam Dunn, Scot McFadyen(Warner Home Video)Sam Dunn is a British Columbia anthropologist who’s into Slayer. The film is his cinematic thesis on the most adored and despised music genre, heavy metal, in all its permutations. The interview with sexy rock goblin Ronnie James Dio at his LA mansion full of…
The Squid and the Whale
The Squid and the WhaleDirected by: Noah Baumbach(Sony)Writer-director Noah Baumbach mined his childhood on Brooklyn’s Park Slope for this ’80s-set dark comedy about the sons of two writers (Laura Linney, and in a truly great performance, Jeff Daniels) struggling to deal with their parents’ shit through a bad divorce. Hellishly funny.Carsten KnoxCategories: Best of the…
Burdocks
Published December 08, 2005. Burdocks What We Do is Secret (Black Mountain) While their 2003 smash Airplane Tracks was a pop masterpiece and half of the band branched off to follow it up with Dog Day’s Thank You EP, What We Do is Secret is a masterful step in a faster and darker direction. Primal,…
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”…
Sigur Ros
Published December 08, 2005. Sigur Ros Takk (Geffen) Sigur Ros almost isn’t worth describing. Their music hits on a visceral level that makes it more of an experience than a series of notes and beats. Takk, their self-proclaimed “rock record,” continues in this tradition. With stripped-down lows and crashing heights, it’s epic and wonderful. Matt…
Batman/Batman Returns
Published December 08, 2005. Batman/Batman Returns Directed by: Tim Burton (Warner Home Video) The realistic tone of Batman Begins appeases some tastes, but the gothic surrealism of Tim Burton’s Batman films made a more surprising impression on pop culture. The mainstream blitzkrieg Bat-man created is exhaustively chronicled in hours of commentaries and bonus features?these discs…
Fire and Ice
Published December 08, 2005. Fire and Ice Directed by: Ralph Bakshi (Paradox/Blue Underground) It’s the collaborative appeal of director Ralph Bakshi teaming with famed artist Frank Franzetta that makes the extras on Blue Underground’s two-disc set more enthralling than the movie they’re supporting. Fire and Ice plays like a longer, slower He-Man and the Masters…
Me and You and Everyone We Know
Published December 08, 2005. Me and You and Everyone We Know Directed by: Miranda July (Alliance) Unapologetically quirky, Miranda July’s first feature is a love story and character study set in a no-name suburban town, very familiar to anyone who saw Terry Zwigoff’s Ghost World. This is about the wisdom of children and the innocence…
PJ Harvey
PJ HarveyThe Peel Sessions 1991-2004(BBC/Island)Of the countless artists who recorded sessions for the John Peel, probably only a handful truly embodied the spirit of his love for raw, flawed-is-beautiful intimate performance. One of those is PJ Harvey, who performed in his studio at least five times. It must have been hard to edit down the…
The Shins
The ShinsWincing the Night Away(Sub Pop)The Shins have nestled snugly in pop music’s consciousness. Actor Zach Braff pulled a Gus Van Sant (a la the filmmaker’s use of Elliott Smith on the Good Will Hunting score lo those many years ago) by using a few tracks by the band on his Garden State soundtrack, effectively…
Jesus Camp
Jesus CampDirected by: Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady(Magnolia Pictures)Early in Jesus Camp, Pentecostal children’s minister Becky Fischer says she wants to see kids “radically laying down their lives for the gospel.” The documentary is about the Kids on Fire Summer Camp Fischer runs each year in North Dakota, a series of intense and apparently kid-friendly…
Tara Slone
Tara SloneJust Look Pretty and Sing(Orange/Universal)It’s good to see that Tara Slone knows how to strike when the iron is hot—the former Joydrop chanteuse and Rock Star: INXS personality (and Haligonian) has finally gotten around to dropping her solo debut, Just Look Pretty and Sing, on the disinterested masses. Lead single “My Little Secret” was…
City and Colour
City and ColourLive(Universal)City and Colour started out as a limited edition EP of solo material from Alexisonfire frontperson Dallas Green and became the full-length, critically acclaimed Sometimes. Due to the popularity of Alexisonfire, Green couldn’t tour the release, prompting a live CD/DVD package that would allow City and Colour fans to experience these tracks in…
Elizabeth Shepherd Trio
Elizabeth Shepherd TrioStart to Move(Do Right Music)Behold an artist for whom jazz need neither broaden its domain nor sit in a museum. Toronto-based Shepherd was raised by Salvation Army ministers: There are no band hymns here, but she gives a shout-out at the end. Her debut album presents a composer, pianist and singer fully realized.…
Neil Young
Neil YoungLive at Massey Hall: 1971(Reprise)Neil Young is one of the most distinguished artists in Canadian music history, a musician who has been in a constant state of evolution, bridging the gaps between folk, rock and country, and is considered a godfather of grunge. In the 36 years since the recording of this performance at…
David Vandervelde
David VanderveldeThe Moonstation Mouse Band(Secretly Canadian)Multi-instrumentalist David Vandervelde recreates the glam-era Marc Bolan that graced such classics as Electric Warrior and The Slider with scary accuracy. While that should make fans of T.Rex and glam rock excited, the line between imitation and influence often gets blurred throughout this debut. But there is no denying that…
Rihanna
RihannaGood Girl Gone Bad(Def Jam)The young Barbadian Rihanna injects herself gamely into every elaborate setup. Samples of Lionel Richie and New Order propel the flirty moves of “Push Up on Me” and hungry dominance of “Shut Up and Drive.” Eight producers, including Jay-Z and Timbaland, shape the eight tracks. It may leave you pondering whether…
Linda Thompson
Linda ThompsonVersatile Heart(Rounder)Long divorced from Richard, Linda Thompson is a most worthy counterpart to him musically, even if she is not nearly as prolific. This is her first album in five years, her third in 25. On “Beauty,” by Rufus Wainwright, Antony of the Johnsons contributes angelic, mournful harmonies. Versatile Heart may not be packed…
Common
CommonFinding ForeverGood/GeffeKanye West executive produces. Will.i.am records a track. DJ Premier scratches on another. D’Angelo and Lilly Allen both sing. But this album is Common’s. The Chicago rapper comes in from the cold again with Finding Forever. Deserving so much more than he gets, he probably won’t rise in the public consciousness, pop culture, beyond…
You Kill Me
You Kill MeDirected by: John DahlIFCFrank (Ben Kingsley), You Kill Me’s main character, is an alcoholic, living in Buffalo. He drinks on the job, and passes out at work. Fed up, Frank’s boss sends him to San Francisco to rehabilitate. After that, the film’s jam-packed with “rehab movie” conventions: Frank forges a reluctant bond with…
Flight of the Conchords: The Complete First Season
Flight of the Conchords: The Complete First SeasonDirected by: James Bobin, Jermaine Clement and Bret McKenzieHBO Home VideoIn the HBO series Flight of the Conchords, New Zealand comedy group Flight of the Conchords (series co-creators Bret McKenzie and Jermaine Clement) play more naive, more earnest, less successful versions of themselves. On TV, FOTC have one…
Bridge to Terabithia
Bridge to TerabithiaDirected by: Gabor CsupoDisneyIt’s telling that the DVD has alternate kids and grownups’ audio commentaries. The movie version of the Katherine Peterson book is substantial family entertainment because it doesn’t underestimate its audience. The discovery, friendship and loss felt by two sixth-graders recall when kids’ movies weren’t afraid of being life experiences. Bridge…
The Jungle Book: 40th Anniversary Platinum Edition
The Jungle Book: 40th Anniversary Platinum Edition Directed by: Wolfgang ReithermanDisneyThe final animated effort Walt Disney had a hand in creating, this Rudyard Kipling tale is especially memorable for the swingin’ tunes. I defy you to watch it and not have “I Wanna Be Like You” by the Monkey King, Louis Prima, bouncing around your…
Christine Fellows
Christine FellowsNeverthelessSix ShooterFellows had me at the cover: a charming collage by Shary Boyle. Then it was true, swooning love, opening with a plucky, dramatic instrumental and a theatrical homage to Tim Findley’s Not Wanted on the Voyage. She even sends love letters to outsider shadow-box creator Joseph Cornell. Quirky and daring folk-pop, it’s no…
M.I.A.
M.I.A.KalaXLWhen the Sri Lankan-British rapper’s debut Arular blasted onto the scene with a giant “Galang,” we all stood at attention. This time, her message is heavier and less poppy, hurling dance-hall, Bollywood beats and deep didgeridoos into the mix. Still militant, still inventive, still best when turned up freakin’ loud. Sue Carter Flinncategories: Best of…
Kanye West
Kanye WestGraduationUniversalReally, what’s left to say that Kayne hasn’t said already? Mr. West has once again proven exactly why he is the future of hip-hop. The much-hyped showdown with 50 Cent left Kanye awaiting the next contender for his throne. Few albums in 2007 were as exciting as this. Trevor Savorycategories: Best of the year…
Killer of Sheep: The Charles Burnett Collection
Killer of Sheep: The Charles Burnett CollectionDirected by: Charles BurnettNew Yorker Video/Milestone CinemathequeThe year’s most important DVD release. Following decades in exile, this 1977 UCLA thesis film can finally relieve its title as the greatest movie nobody’s seen, because now we can see it. Filmmaker Charles Burnett delivers a significant artwork about being poor and…
Transformers: Two-Disc Special
Transformers: Two-Disc SpecialDirected by: Michael BayDreamworksDirector Michael Bay mentions on his commentary that he knows absolutely everything everyone does on his sets at all times, that he hates shooting in Canada, and that he proved all the complaining fanboys wrong. Take his ego as you will: This two-disc version is the most exhaustive and incisive…
Civilization IV
Civilization IVPCCivilization is the flagship strategy game series and each new offering improves on its predecessor. World domination is at the game’s heart, but it’s the means, rather than the end, that matters. In Civilization IV you choose the time, the place and the culture you want to lead. If Napoleon is your guy, then…
Trauma Center: Second Opinion
Trauma Center: Second OpinionNintendo WiiI’ll tell you this much—I’ve never had throat polyps and I never want them. They look disgusting. Yuck. Forget bedside manners, kid, your throat is gross. Not to worry though, we’re going to fix you right up here. I am simply going to put you under, open you up and suction…
Book Reviews
Life of Pi (illustrated edition), by Yann Martel. Illustrated by Tomislav Torjanac & searchable archives.
Leukemia Live
The Marquee Club is the place to be this Saturday, December 8 as Charlie A’Court, Hot Toddy, Stephen Bowers, Ross Neilson and Little Derek & The Haemo Blues Band hit the stage in support of Leukemia Live, a musical extravaganza created by Derek Caine (AKA “Little Derek”) to raise funds for leukemia patients at the…
John Vanderslice
John VanderslicePixel Revolt(Barsuk)Listening to Pixel Revolt, it quickly becomes apparent that John Vanderslice posseses the kind of command over minimal-yet-powerful song textures that could make even Rob Thomas’ most soul-searching moments sound brilliant. This is part of the reason you can get halfway through the first listen before realizing how talented a songwriter Vanderslice is.…
Gretchen Wilson
Gretchen WilsonAll Jacked UpSonyPlaying the girl who’ll defend her own honour, Wilson has captured mainstream country’s heart and figures to hold onto it. In Gretchen’s world, chewing tobacco is an aphrodisiac (“Skoal Ring”), alcohol improves awareness (“One Bud Wiser”), and Paris Hilton is cruisin’ for a bruisin’ (“California Girls”). Though these views are debatable, her…
The Novaks
The NovaksThe NovaksSonicThe Novaks have ditched their personas and delivered an honest and notable rock ‘n’ roll debut. These Newfoundlanders originally dragged their tunes around Atlantic Canada under the alias Persona, but they’ve shed their indie skins and have proved they can rock out with the best of the The (insert one-syllable band name here)s.…
Various
Various Six Feet Under: Everything Ends EMI About to finish its fifth, final season, the genuinely groundbreaking series offers up a collection of incidental music with little in common but a sense of how valued life becomes when death is in the room. Caesars’ cover of Blue Oyster Cult’s “Don’t Fear the Reaper” feels less…
OK Go
OK GoOh No CapitolThere are those albums that need time to grow on you, and the ones that leave you humming their hooks well into the night. There are also those albums you love the moment you hear them and then that love quickly erodes into boredom and disinterest. Chicago’s OK Go means well with…
The New Pornographers
The New PornographersTwin Cinema (Mint)While Vancouver’s The New Pornographers has always been considered a supergroup — the band features Dan Bejar (Destroyer), alt-country goddess Neko Case, Limblifter’s Kurt Dahle and the Evaporators’ John Collins — it’s really AC Newman’s baby. He writes most of the material and the ’60s-meets-’80s production steers much closer to his…
The Dead 60s
The Dead 60sThe Dead 60s(Epic)If you own Black Market Clash and Combat Rock, you have basically already heard what British outfit The Deads 60s has to offer. The sound isn’t so much influenced by the ska/dub/reggae Clash as it is an out-and-out rip-off. But if the listener can get past this or has never really…
At the Drive-In
At the Drive-InThis Station is Non-Operational (Fearless)Funny how it happens — the album that breaks a band into mainstream consciousness ends up being its last. In the case of At The Drive-In, that album was Relationship of Command. The band then splintered into the catchier, more accessible Sparta and the difficult-to-come-to Mars Volta. This single…
Oasis
OasisDon’t Believe the Truth(sony)Don’t Believe the Truth is the sixth studio release from the recently retooled Oasis — only the brothers Gallagher remain from the original lineup. As with the majority of Oasis’s previous releases, Don’t Believe the Truth is inconsistent; it lacks the ferocity with which Live Forever stormed North American shores and the…
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…
AIDS Wolf
AIDS WolfThe Lovvers LP (Lovepump United)Atonal noise bands that have risen in the 20 years since Sonic Youth’s masterpiece breakthrough Sister have all been suspect at best. Sure, some like Royal Trux and Blonde Redhead are great, but most are lost in a wash of dissonance. Unlike the artists and composers who evolved from the…
Ryan Adams & the Cardinals
Ryan Adams & the CardinalsCold Roses(Lost Highway Records)Cold Roses is the classic case of a double album that, stripped of a few weak, similar sounding tracks, would have made an outstanding single record. With backup band the Cardinals lending a jaunty vibe to the proceedings, it’s nevertheless a welcome partner to the sincere, good ol’…
The Bravery
The BraveryThe Bravery(Island)It sucks to have to agree with anything that The Killers say or do, but when singer Brandon Flowers recently attacked The Bravery, saying “They’re signed because we’re a band…I think people will see through them,” he couldn’t have been more right. The Bravery makes haircut rock. Their songs are extensions of fashion…
Thievery Corporation
Thievery CorporationThe Cosmic Game (Esi)Thievery Corporation has taken their spacey dub sound even further on The Cosmic Game. With the help of several guest vocalists, the duo has merged aggressive and subtle elements into a downbeat groove that holds the album’s core. The most apparent of these ventures is the inclusion of Wayne Coyne on…
Manic Street Preachers
Manic Street PreachersLifeblood (Epic)South Wales’ Manic Street Preachers are one of those bands who are huge in the UK, while nobody really gives a crap about them in North America. Non-followers will liken them to Coldplay, or even U2, but the Manics are as Britpop as it gets, and are still considered by some to…
Billy Talbot
Billy TalbotAlive in the Spirit World(Sanctuary)Who the hell would’ve thought Billy Talbot, the member of Crazy Horse who can barely play Neil Young’s songs, was capable of this brilliance? Alive in the Spirit World is nothing less than amazing. While its songs are firmly rooted in Young-isms, Talbot’s defeated voice and late-in-life ponderings combine to…
Jakalope
JakalopeIt Dreams (Orange)A jackalope is a mythical antlered killer rabbit. A Jakalope, on the other hand, is a star-studded industrial pop rock project. The brainchild of producer Dave “Rave” Ogilvie and vocalist Katie B., the record features members of Nine Inch Nails, Monster Magnet, Babes in Toyland and Sloan. The result of this collaboration sounds…
Kasabian
KasabianS/T(Sony)There is a buzz swirling around Kasabian right now, from their album’s striking cover art to their electronica-meets-progressive alt-rock. Unfortunately for Kasabian, there isn’t the same sort of following for electronica in North America as there is across the pond. Unfortunately for the listener, Kasabian’s snorer of a debut fails to capture much attention—it hardly…
Shivaree
ShivareeWho’s Got Trouble? (Zoë/Rounder)Ambrosia Parsley’s seductive coo moves blood briskly from men’s knees to their, um, ears, but Shivaree has seen more success in Europe than at home in the States. The band’s cabaret cool makes no play for mass appeal. “Little Black Mess,” with a scent of Weill, could be an anthem for thoughtful…
Wintersleep
WintersleepWintersleep(Dependent)While the rest of the country sees our music scene as primarily fiddle-based (save for Mays, Plaskett and The Trews, now in Niagara Falls), Wintersleep is going to be the band that blows this stereotype out of the water. Their second release is poised to take Canada by storm. “Jaws of Life,” “Danse Macabre” and…
Nathan
NathanJimson Weed (Nettwerk)You don’t feel so bad for folks enduring Winnipeg winter if it enables them to fashion such a tasty bunch of tunes. When Keri McTighe and Shelley Marshall croon “It’s not always a blue sky” on “One Spend,” it feels like cows might be skateboarding in the clouds. “Red River Clay” expresses growing…
Saint Etienne
Saint EtienneTales from Turnpike House(Savoy Jazz)Somewhere below cult status here despite being one of the most sophisticated, sexy bands in the UK for 15 years, Saint Etienne carry on danceably. The velvet voice of Sarah Cracknell is the first thing newcomers will notice. Without her, it could be mistaken for blokes with beats and a…
Slowcoaster
SlowcoasterWhere Are They Going?(House of Rock)On their third full-length album, these Cape Breton wildcats offer consistent jumping techno-ish rhythms. Where Are They Going? is layered with a soulful blend of voices and instruments. The subtle bits are carefully mixed in, creating a unique undercurrent of sound. After hearing Slowcoaster tear up the live stage so…
The Delgados
The DelgadosUniversal Audio(Chemikal Underground)Universal Audio is a decent release from The Delgados, but not up to most of their past work. While their last album, Hate, was full of sonic experiments, Universal Audio is more clearly rooted in pop concepts and feels slightly thrown off as a result. This mainly stems from the fact that…
Gov’t Mule
Gov’t MuleDeja Voodoo(BMG)Have you ever formed an opinion of a band before even hearing them, only to find you were completely wrong? If you were under the impression that Gov’t Mule is a death metal band, as I was, a listen to Deja Voodoo will be quite an eye-opener—especially when one expects to hear Slayer…
Zap Mama
Zap MamaAncestry in Progress(Luaka Bop)Called a vocal group, Zap Mama is Congo-born Belgian Marie Daulne and whoever else is around. Hip-hop and motherhood factor in—Daulne recently moved to Philly and had a baby. Erykah Badu and various rappers accent the polyphonic uplift Zap Mama represents. “Zap Bébés” weaves baby sounds in a loop of cries.…
The Hives
The HivesTyrannosaurus Hives (Universal)It is can be hard to look beyond the shtick and attitude, the white ties and chaps, the kooky band-member pseudonyms—but sometimes it pays to pay no attention. The Hives’ mod styling is ludicrous but boy, can they rock. Tyrannosaurus Hives is colossal, pounding, backbreaking rhythms into stiletto-heeled guitar riffs at a…
Eighteen Visions
Eighteen VisionsObsession (Trustkill/Sony)Even this fan of diverse records thinks that Eighteen Visions should stick to what they do best— visceral, compelling hardcore. Obsession alternates between the band’s aforementioned strong point and a smattering of sickly, syrupy emo power ballads (“I Should Tell You”) that would easily fit on the Spider-Man 2 soundtrack. Even the hard…
Sonic Youth
Sonic YouthSonic Nurse(Geffen)New York’s favourite noise-makers return to a sonic palette that has already yielded two superb albums, New York Ghosts and Flowers and Murray Street. So why does Sonic Nurse feel lacking? Sure, it’s very good and there are many blissful moments—Thurston’s groovy “New Hampshire” and Lee Renaldo’s “Paper Cup Exit”—but Sonic Nurse feels…
Carolyn Dawn Johnson
Carolyn Dawn JohnsonDress Rehearsal (Arista)A few years after one of the brightest debuts in memory, Johnson slips a bit further into mainstream country. This might be good for her status in Nashville, but a disappointment for those who found glints of greatness in Room With a View. Still, the Albertan comes up with a few…
Social Code
Social CodeA Year at the Movies (Interscope)Social Code isn’t going to win any awards with their sophomore album A Year At The Movies. It’s an average, melodic, angst-filled record which will appeal to the legions of hoodie-clad kids out there. Think of an emo Puddle of Mudd, or a pop-punk Three Days Grace. Tunes like…
Happy Kreter
Happy KreterParadigm Lost(Global Symphonic)All the slick production and arty packaging in the world can’t save this record from its own mediocrity. Paradigm Lost, a blatant attempt by a former Gob member—yes, that is his real name—to go Dashboard Confessional is sandbagged by overwrought lyrics, bland melodies and melodramatic arrangements that ill suit Kreter’s nasal, slurpy…
Various
VariousMusic from The OC: Mix 1(Warner)Welcome to the soundtrack, bitch! Proving further that Josh Schwartz is handily surfing the zeitgeist—track names are “hand-scrawled” on the disc as if it were a copy; you can web-link to the scenes featuring each song—the first collection of The OC’s hip background music is as smart and emotional as…
Morgan Davis
Morgan DavisPainkiller(Electro-fi)How does a Detroiter based in Blandford walk off with four Maple Blues Awards? This is your answer. While devoted to the blues and capable of summoning the delta at the drop of a pick, Davis has been easy to take for granted. Painkiller combines self-deprecating humour, topical flow and the sharpest band he…
Air
AirTalkie Walkie(Astralwerks)After the harsh electro-lounge of 10,000 Hz Legend, Air re-turns to the spacy dream-pop of their first full-length. With the exception of “Sexy Boy” sequel “Surfing on a Rocket” and the light swinger “Alpha Beta Gaga,” Air slows things down to a blissful crawl. Think Moon Safari on a cocktail of Ecstasy and Valium…
Starsailor
StarsailorSilence is Easy(Capitol)Starsailor have returned with Silence is Easy, the follow-up to their critically praised Love is Here. Their debut never really caught on, but people weren’t ready to dial down their nü-metal for a dose of sweet Britpop back in 2001. Here, “Shark Food” and “Four on the Floor” are infectiously fun pop tunes…
The Buttless Chaps
Published February 05, 2004. The Buttless Chaps Love This Time (Mint) The Buttless Chaps have come a long way since the band’s early, tumbleweed porch-song days. And while they haven’t abandoned the lonely country twang completely, the Chaps have discovered krautrock and Devo and a certain perverse joy of pitting a synthesizer head-to-head with banjos…
Dixie Chicks
Dixie Chicks Live (Columbia)It’s a strange world in which the Dixie Chicks have gone on to succeed Rage Against the Machine in terms of political outspokenness. While it has bought the band some credibility, their music continues to be cutesy country-pop fodder. It may bring a smile to the face of a LL Bean-draped 40-year-old,…
Parsley Sound
Parsley SoundParsley Sounds(Mo’Wax)Not since the Beta Band have loops and scratchy samples been so exciting. Sounds like someone recorded this in the back of a barn with lots of love. This is an acoustic-loop-trip, with vocal stylings not unlike Ween. It’s scrappy samples, sweet melodies and Atari beats tossed into a laptop and accompanied by…
Britney Spears
Published December 04, 2003. Britney Spears In the Zone (Jive) This is f’in gawd awful. On In the Zone, Britney takes her widely publicized idea of embracing sensuality and dry humps it into incoherence. With her wispy voice muttering about masturbation, all-night parties and plain old fashion whoring she does everything but sample braying goats…
Paul Westerberg
Published November 20, 2003. Paul Westerberg Come Feel Me Tremble (Vagrant) During the last days of The Replacements, Paul Westerberg mellowed and tightened their sound into something more radio-friendly and accessible, a sound that would be the foundation of his solo work. With 2002’s Mono/Stereo, the old, bitter, pissed-off Westerberg came back. On Come Feel…
Leaves
Published October 30, 2003. Leaves Breathe (Dreamworks) If your rainy day needed a soundtrack, this is it. What else would one expect from a band that relocated from Iceland (a country with seven months of darkness) to London (a country with just about as much rain). Breathe is the debut album from this amazing trio,…
The Finger
Published October 16, 2003. The Finger We Are Fuck You (One Little Indian) The Big Secret—this band features Jesse Malin and Ryan Adam—was let out of the bag long ago. The limited 1,000 or so vinyl copies are long gone but thankfully this is seeing the light of day again—it is fuckin’ brilliant. This will…
Kraftwerk
Published October 02, 2003. Kraftwerk Tour de France Soundtracks (EMI) To listen to this is to understand music as the breath of technology, not some human ideal to which technology aspires. If not the inventor of techno, the group is its embodiment, and Kraftwerk’s first album in 17 years displays a clarity and range of…
STUN
Published August 28, 2003. STUN Evolution of Energy (Geffen) First impressions can be deceiving. STUN appears to straddle the line between cute punk-pop outfits like Sum 41 and Rage Against the Machine wannabes. The band’s calls for revolution and social change sound at first like juvenile ramblings. But there is something deeper working, a purity…
Gillian Welch
Published August 07, 2003. Gillian Welch Soul Journey (Stony Plain) After a trilogy of exceptional records, Americana goddess Gillian Welch releases her first mediocre disc. It’s not a bad album, but she and partner David Rawlings lack passion. Some may cite the new use of organ, drums and electric bass as the problem, but the…
Jules and Jim
Published August 25, 2005. Jules and Jim Directed by: Francois Truffaut (Criterion) Francois Truffaut wrote one of the key manifestos on which the Auteur Theory was born. When the former film critic for Cahiers du cinema put some of his theories into effect on Jules and Jim (1962), the result was an integral work of…
The Assassination of Richard Nixon
The Assassination of Richard Nixon Directed by: Niels Mueller(ThinkFilm)Sean Penn has said he doesn’t think of movies as entertainment. He believes they should aspire to more. This movie, along with his recent performances in small, grim pictures (21 Grams comes to mind) cleaves with that philosophy. Set in the early ’70s, Penn plays Samuel Bicke,…
Josh Rouse
Josh RouseSubtítulo(Bedroom Classics/Nettwerk)Josh Rouse loves to toil under themes, big banners to wave. His first record, 1998’s Dressed up Like Nebraska, conjured the American Midwest mindset. In 2003 he delivered 1972, a full ode to the time and sweet, sensitive style of songwriting. Following his divorce record, Nashville, is the new Subtítulo. The overarching idea…
Nardwuar the Human Serviette
Nardwuar the Human Serviette(Mint Records)Nardwuar is more than a goofy guy in a plaid tam-o’-shanter asking Corey Feldman about cocaine or flashing his chest hair at Marilyn Manson. He’s a walking, talking pop culture encyclopedia. He’s a hyperkinetic, loud-mouthed, lovable vault of underground music history. He’s the guy who elicited the famous pepper quote from…
Matt Costa
Matt CostaSongs We Sing(Brushfire)It wasn’t until a broken leg cut Matt Costa’s skateboarding career short that he decided to seriously pick up a guitar. In the 18 months after his accident, Costa set in motion the events that would lead to the release of a couple indie EPs and now his full-length debut, Songs We…
Tool
Tool10,000 Days(Zomba)Patience is a virtue, so be prepared to buckle yourself in for one hell of a ride, five years coming. Tool has never been one to take the route of convention, a band that prefers to give credit to its audience by sonically challenging it at every turn, and 10,000 Days is no different.…
Amy Millan
Amy MillanHoney from the Tombs(Arts & Crafts)Message boards have been abuzz for months in anticipation of Amy Millan’s first solo release. And rightly so—her dreamy, hush-toned voice has been one of the catalysts for the Stars’ (and certain Broken Social Scene tracks) success. But anyone expecting a Stars-style release, in the vein of the debut…
PJ Harvey, On Tour: Please Leave Quietly
PJ Harvey, On Tour: Please Leave QuietlyDirected by: Maria Mochnacz (Island)In one of the opening dialogue sequences—in which PJ Harvey films herself by pointing a digital camera at a mirror—she sets out the framework for her first-ever live DVD by admitting “I’ve always hated live DVDs. I wanted it to be a real patchwork quilt…
MSTRKRFT
MSTRKRFTThe Looks (Last Gang)Crossovers rarely happen in the underground world of electronica. This is especially so since the late-’90s when big beat kings the Chemical Brothers, Prodigy and Fatboy Slim ruled radio and the pop charts, before kids moved on to other tastes and dance music went back to the clubs. Welcome the return of…
Sonic Youth
Sonic YouthRather Ripped (Geffen)The pre-release reports were not exaggerating when they pinned the latest Sonic Youth release (the band’s 20th) as a rock record. Rather Ripped, at its core, is just that—taking song structure down to its basics. But don’t fret—there are many moments of buzzing guitar noise and guitar neck explorations, usually in the…
Los Lonely Boys
Los Lonely BoysSacred(Columbia)Los Lonely Boys broke onto the scene from relative obscurity to score a huge hit single “Heaven”—and people flocked to their local record store to grab a copy of the band’s debut. Now raise your hand if you can name any other Los Lonely Boys songs. While being talented, the music is the…
Kelis
KelisKelis Was Here (Jive/Sony)There must have been a line around the corner to produce this volatile talent now that she’s split with the Neptunes. will.i.am (Black Eyed Peas), Raphael Saadiq (TonyToniToné) and Cee-lo each help make this one of the more multi-textured R&B albums in memory. Kelis is a force, with a desire to leave…
The Early November
The Early NovemberThe Mother, The Mechanic and The Path(Drive-Thru)A band releasing a three-CD set is a bit ostentatious. Emo-indie rockers The Early November almost pull it off. The band’s weaknesses show, but the writing is fairly solid throughout. The set is a concept of sorts, about a son and his overbearing father. The son grows…
Tori Amos
Tori AmosA Piano: The Collection(Rhino)Three of Tori Amos’s last four releases have been repackages: 2003’s Tales of a Librarian, a collection of her best-known songs (“hits” is inaccurate); last year’s Bootlegs, a web-only 12-disc series of six live shows from the Original Sinsuality tour; and the mother lode, this five-disc, 80-song retrospective. But none of…
Sandi Thom
Sandi ThomSmile…It Confuses People(Columbia)The energetic UK singer has already clicked at home with “I Wish I was a Punk Rocker with Flowers in my Hair.” In it, she laments the prominence of accountants and computers, and longs for a time “when we didn’t know everything.” In your face, Google! Where Zager & Evans’s “In the…
Escarpment Blues
Escarpment Blues Directed by: Andy Keen (Universal)Too short to resonate as a music doc and too long to be an effective ecology lesson, Andy Keen’s Escarpment Blues—following Sarah Harmer and her band/hiking team on a literal and musical tour of Ontario’s Niagara Escarpment region in the summer of 2005—feels instead like a particularly hip episode…
Shawn Colvin
Shawn ColvinThese Four Walls(Nonesuch)Colvin masterfully weaves tales of life, love and loss on These Four Walls, the most consistent release of her illustrious recording career. PerfeChuck Teeding the folk-pop sound that made her a household name in the mid-’90s, Colvin’s sixth studio effort shines with spotless songwriting and superb musicianship.Chuck Teedcategories: Best of the year…
The Just Barelys
The Just BarelysTop(independent)“When did I become a sketchy dude?” tops the list as the funniest self-reflective line of the year, thanks to this Halifax art-pop group. In just seven songs, all under three minutes, The Just Barelys establish a thoroughfare of head-bobbing harmonies, smart words and simple but plucky arrangements. Weird and wonderful.Sue Carter Flinncategories:…
Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars
Sierra Leone Refugee All StarsLiving like a Refugee(Anti)The documentary came through this year’s Atlantic Film Festival and the praise was heard the world over. The music is good enough that you’ll forget the Buena Vista Social Clubbing over the head. There’s no other band that brings together West African blues, reggae, folk and pop together…
Brick
BrickDirected by: Rian Johnson(Alliance)Writer-director Rian Johnson’s first feature is a hard-boiled detective story set in the margins of a California high school, complete with murder, femme fatales and dagger-sharp patter. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is perfect as the laconic Brendan. With knives in his eyes, he shakes down a high school drug ring to rattle his ex-girlfriend’s…
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Extremely Loud and Incredibly CloseJonathan Safran FoerJonathan Safran Foer is one of those tricky new writers (he was born in 1977) whose work sometimes appears to be more clever than smart. But in this case, it’s both, plus a whole lot more. While I grudgingly enjoyed his first book, Everything is Illuminated, Extremely Loud and…
Airstream Land Yacht
Airstream Land YachtKen BabstockAnansiConsidered one of the finest young poets in Canada today, Ken Babstock is the ideal re-entry for anyone who abandoned poetry in high school. Funny, contemporary and smart, Babstock delighted the crowds at the Halifax International Writers’ Festival when he read with the charming American poet Mark Strand. Babstock’s language is so…
Lost Girls
Lost GirlsAlan MooreTop ShelfYears in the making, here is another Alan Moore-penned, shelf-splintering hardcover volume that every self-respecting (and self-disrespecting) comic fan must own. With the soft, colourful and ornate drawings of Melinda Gebbie, Moore takes recognizable fictional characters—as he did in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen—Alice from Alice in Wonderland, Wendy from Peter Pan…
My Neighbor Totoro
My Neighbor TotoroDirected by: Hayao Miyazaki(Disney)Disney’s domestic releases of Hayao Miyazaki’s catalogue over the past few years have been overpriced, but give Americans plenty of riches from Japan’s most popular filmmaker. Most Miyazaki films are astounding, but Totoro’s personal tale of young sisters who befriend a shape-shifting monster while coping with their mother’s sickness may…
Superman: Ultimate Collector’s Edition
Superman: Ultimate Collector’s Edition(Warner Bros.) Five movies and extras, spread across 14 discs. The major curiosity is the addition of Richard Donner’s never-released version of Superman II. The extended pre-test screening version of the (in release form) dismal Superman IV: The Quest for Peace would have been nice. Otherwise, this thing’s so complete, you really…
Kate Bush
Published December 08, 2005. Kate Bush Aerial (SonyBMG) It has been such a long wait, but Bush returns with a gloriously textured art-rock tour de force that recalls everything before The Sensual World. This is a double disc set of straightforward Bush, rather than another devoted to an entire suite. Majestic and surreal. Trevor MacLaren…
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,…
Sleater-Kinney
Published December 08, 2005. Sleater-Kinney The Woods (Sub Pop) In a word: LOUD. The women of S-K always hinted at the fury in their music, but it wasn’t until Flaming Lips producer David Fridmann was brought on board that the trio’s sound turned up to 11. Embracing longer songs, guitar solos and the classic-rock attitude…
Beavis and Butt-Head: The Mike Judge Collection Volume 1
Published December 08, 2005. Beavis and Butt-Head: The Mike Judge Collection Volume 1 Directed by: Mike Judge, Yvette Kaplan (Paramount) The first collection of the Beavis and Butt-Head cartoons that creator Mike Judge hasn’t deemed too embarrassing to release is a nostalgic trip back 10 years, enforcing that despite the dim duo’s media saturation, the…
The Fly
Published December 08, 2005. The Fly Directed by: David Cronenberg (Fox) David Cronenberg’s best film is also his most mainstream, largely because its ickiness is universally shared. In the story of scientist Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum), Cronenberg’s remake of the Vincent Price B-classic combines the repulsion of insects with fear of disfiguration. The 160-minute documentary…
Metallica: Some Kind of Monster
Published December 08, 2005. Metallica: Some Kind of Monster Directed by: Joe Berlinger, Bruce Sinofsky (Paramount) Twenty years of creative and personal politics come to a head in this documentary about the legendary metal act. Sacrificing any lingering mystique, the band give the filmmakers almost uncomfortably intimate access, revealing the drive to be the best…
Aimee Mann
Aimee MannOne More Drifter in the Snow(SuperEgo)Must there be a sour note on every Christmas album? Apparently. On Aimee Mann’s new holiday hoo-ha it’s her duet with Grant-Lee Phillips, “You’re A Mean One Mr. Grinch.” A worse rendering of the song I could not conjure. And it’s worse for the fact that the rest of…
The Fratellis
The FratellisCostello Music(Drop the Gun)A thread flows from skiffle through the Small Faces, pub rock and the Sweet to make The Fratellis so identifiably British (two-thirds Scot, actually) that it’s refreshing. It’s like they can’t help it. The songs might change tempo from frenetic to jerky to flighty. Guitar aggression occurs with sparing but dramatic…
This Film is Not Yet Rated
This Film is Not Yet RatedDirected by: Kirby Dick (IFC Films)Kirby Dick spends much of his documentary, This Film is Not Yet Rated, staking out the offices of the Motion Picture Association of America with a private investigator named Becky Altringer. Dick’s intent is to uncover the identities of the members on the MPAA’s ratings…
Tideland
TidelandDirected by: Terry Gilliam(Maple)In a spooky introduction to this two-disc set, Terry Gilliam cautions us that many will not like the movie we are about to see. It isn’t a good sign when a director feels it necessary to warn his audience (and not in a faux carnival-barker way). Gilliam, the maverick visionary who delivered…
Ry Cooder
Ry CooderMy Name is Buddy(Nonesuch)You never know what Cooder will do next. Here, he assumes the identity of a cat in Depression and post-war America. The amiable critter has hung with Hank Williams and striking miners, gone to jail with hobos, made friends with a mouse. It’s the sort of concept Pete Seeger might have…
Luther Wright and the Wrongs
Luther Wright and the WrongsInstrumentality(Snakeye)Instrumentality harks back to the days when country backing groups (Buck Owens’s Buckeroos or Merle Haggard’s Strangers) would release instrumental albums without their respective leaders to show the talents of the musicians. Using a similar mode, this disc is a cut-and-paste of killer licks and ripping jams. Filmmaker Ron Mann asked…
Tori Amos
Tori AmosAmerican Doll Posse(Epic)Tori Amos had too many songs, too many styles, too much to say for her ninth record, and only two options: either leave some of the material behind for later, or find a way to include it all. Enter Pip, Santa, Isabel and Clyde, alteregos Amos uses as a way to break…
Dolores O’Riordan
Dolores O’RiordanAre You Listening?(Sanctuary)It’s like visiting an old friend you haven’t seen in years. Dolores O’Riordan, frontwoman of the Cranberries, hasn’t been heard from since the release of 2002’s Bury the Hatchet. Fans of the band will feel right at home with O’Riordan’s familiar Irish brogue, falling sonically someplace between Björk and Tori Amos. While…
Wedding Wars
Wedding WarsDirected by: Jim Fall(Sony Pictures)Attention, John Stamos-loving Haligonians: Wedding Wars was filmed last year in our fair city. The made-for-TV movie is now available to rent, so those who didn’t see it on A&E last December can catch up. (Phew.) In the film, gay wedding planner Shel (Stamos) agrees to help his semi-estranged brother…
Okkervil River
Okkervil RiverThe Stage Names(Jagjaguwar)Don’t you love a CD that grabs you from the first song? The Stage Names certainly has it from top to the bottom. Songwriter/vocalist Will Sheff likes to jam as many words as possible into each song (in the John K. Samson vein). He doesn’t try to write a song as much…
Bedouin Soundclash
Bedouin SoundclashStreet GospelsDine AloneWhen Zellers included “When The Night Feels My Song” in an ad, Bedouin Soundclash’s sophomore release Building a Mosaic was blasted out of the gate. But Zellers’ help was a double-edged sword—the album shot up the charts, but it did so with an air of novelty. Three years later, the Kingston trio…
Friday Night Lights: The First Season
Friday Night Lights: The First Season Directed by: Peter Berg and Jason KatimsUniversalThe winner of this year’s Emmy for casting was Friday Night Lights, the struggling NBC ensemble series that has moved from its Wednesday time slot so as to attract the kind of idiots that need it to be on Fridays. As the network…
Shotgun Jimmie
Shotgun JimmieThe OnlysDelorean RecordingsAt Marshwind Farms near Sackville, New Brunswick, is this guy, Shotgun Jimmie. He made this fine recording, The Onlys, which he’ll play for you November 17 at The Seahorse. Sometimes he sings from loneliness, not in a sad way necessarily—more like when you’re alone with your thoughts. You notice, as he does…
Casino Royale: Two-Disc Widescreen Edition
Casino Royale: Two-Disc Widescreen Edition Directed by: Martin CampbellMGMThe savvy James Bond producers do it again, reimagining the world’s most successful franchise for a new generation. Daniel Craig’s 007 is just starting his career, more the cocky thug than smooth spy, but the hallmark international locations, femme fatales and explosive action are all in place.…
Jesus Camp
Jesus CampDirected by: Heidi Ewing and Rachel GradyMongrelThis doc, about pastor Becky Fischer’s eerie evangelical summer camp—featuring scenes of kids shaking from religious fervour, and worshipping Bush cardboard cut-outs—doesn’t lend itself particularly well to lazy afternoon re-watching. But Jesus Camp and its well-crafted thesis—indoctrinated kids eventually become powerful, indoctrinated voters—stick with you months after the…
The First Aid Kit
Published November 29, 2007. The First Aid Kit Rocket Summer EP indie Five too-cool-for-school kids walk into a recording studio and come out with five blistering power-pop tunes filled with crunchy guitars, synth flourishes and ooh-ahh background vocals for good measure. Each track stands out on its own, but together these guys (and girl) are…
Modest Mouse
Modest MouseWe Were Dead Before The Ship Even SankEpicHardly known for their optimism, Isaac Brock and his coy rodent pseudo-superheroes never fail to create an album worthy of their omnipresent media-hype. Whether softly weaving through a melodic transgression of solitary longing in “Little Motel” or shifting gears with the dance-floor call-to-arms “Dashboard,” Modest Mouse remains…
Rick White
Rick WhiteMemoreaperBlue FogTwo thousand and seven was a great year for Rick White. He recorded and played on Julie Doiron’s phenomenal Woke Myself Up. And there was the critically successful Eric’s Trip reunion tour. But in between all that was this magnificent (almost forgotten) record: a psych-rock tour-de-force that showcases White’s ever-expanding mastery of the…
Knocked Up: Two-Disc Collector’s Edition
Knocked Up: Two-Disc Collector’s EditionDirected by: Judd ApatowUniversalEver since Judd Apatow and the Shout Factory rolled out the 29-commentary-track-laden DVD release of Freaks and Geeks a few years back, the kick-butt writer/director/producer has been known for bringing it, DVD-style. This two-disc set of Apatow’s sweet, hilarious pregnancy comedy continues that proud tradition, boasting scads of…
Twilight Zone – The Movie (Warner)/Close Encounters of the Third Kind: 30th Anniversary Ultimate Edition
Twilight Zone – The Movie (Warner)/Close Encounters of the Third Kind: 30th Anniversary Ultimate EditionDirected by: Joe Dante, John Landis, George Miller, and Steven SpielbergSonySpielberg wanted out of the anthology film Twilight Zone after star Vic Morrow was decapitated filming John Landis’ segment. As a result, its “Kick the Can” remake became a contractual obligation…
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San AndreasSony PlayStation 2The latest installment in the Grand Theft Auto series outdoes its predecessors in every way. You can expect to get 30 to 40 hours of strong, character-based gang fighting with style to spare, fantastic dialogue and storylines. Spanning three west-coast cities, the maps are expansive and the soundtrack—just like…
Shadow of the Colossus
Shadow of the ColossusSony PlayStation 2OK, so I didn’t actually play this one, but I watched the whole thing one cold and hung-over winter Sunday and it was beautiful. There is little I can do to convey the comfort I felt watching this little warrior as he ventured through the exquisitely designed landscapes en route…
