A A Camp, Colonia Animal Collective, Merriweather Post Pavilion Antony & the Johnsons, Crying Light Arctic Monkeys, Humbug B Band of Skulls, Baby Darling Doll Face Honey Bell Orchestre, As Seen Through Windows Andrew Bird, Noble Beast The Black Crowes, Before the Frost… Until the Freeze Black Feelings, Black Feelings Black Joe Lewis & the […]
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Talk of the town: best music of 2009
A History OfAction in the North Atlantic (Noyes) High-octane, Maritime-themed math rock? Yes, please. A History Of gets the Halifax music scene right, and finally gives us a full-length record. —LK Black MoorThe Conquering (Diminished Fifth) The stuff of heavy metal legend: surviving a car crash, Black Moor channels death and Kill Em All hooks making you […]
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Rad Radiator
Fuck Montreal plays raucous, deconstructed punk music, kicking off a two-week US tour (to promote its new seven-inch record upon return) with a show at Club 1668 on November 27 with Strings, Liars on Fire, Good Kids Bad Kids and Dave Fultz. Alex Currie and Jenny Empey, two members of Fuck Montreal (along with Mike […]
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Pop goes a new Republic
The recording process for a band like The Most Serene Republic always sounds like the punchline to a lousy joke: What happens when you throw a big group of diverse, classically trained, cosmically minded musicians in a room together? Fortunately, the band (who mostly hail from pastoral Milton, Ontario) has somehow managed to produce a […]
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House of Lancaster strips down
In a choice between fame and infamy, Sarah Gregg Millman (pictured, left) chose the latter. Seeking a name for her new band, she asked former Deadly Snake Max McCabe-Lokos. He suggested Toronto Blue Jays or House of Lancaster, a strip club on Toronto’s Bloor Street offering the “ultimate nude sports bar experience.” “It was a […]
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Torbert and troupe
Music and food have always co-existed in Jeff Torbert’s life.He busked for several years at the Farmers’ Market. “I had long hair and a beard,” he recalls. “I was in the corridor near the fish guy.” A childhood friend took over his family’s farm near Windsor. Torbert has visited to hang and to help out. […]
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Auf der Maur one witchy woman
“I’ve been living in the shadow of larger figures my entire life,” Melissa Auf der Maur says. Even during an interview to promote her most recent project, the former bassist for Hole and the Smashing Pumpkins speaks warmly of the larger-than-life people that spurred her interests in music and art in the first place. Among […]
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In Mannequin’s head
According to one bio, “Wax Mannequin is the fighter…He is music of the biggest fight style.” Or at least he used to be. Like the title of his latest release, Saxon, suggests, Wax is now a veteran reflecting on battles past. And certainly Hamilton-bred Chris Adeney, the man behind Wax, is a veteran of the […]
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Smooth sailing for A History Of
In its inimitable nautical rock ‘n’ roll style, A History Of smashes a bottle of champagne on the bow of its debut album, Action in The North Atlantic, November 14 at Club 1668, along with York Redoubt, Bad Vibrations and Cold Warps. The first full-length release by the band, Action in the North Atlantic expands […]
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Billy Bragg stays true to rights
A deft lyricist with a warm and compassionate voice, 51-year-old Billy Bragg has never been one to duck the inevitability of romance or the importance of protest. “I’m trying to provide people with different perspectives on things, but not just one particular thing,” he says by phone. “The people that I worry about are the […]
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No apologies from The Sorrys
Trevor Millet pulls at his scraggly salt-and-pepper beard before pausing: “We understand you, and thus we can make you feel better.” The Sorrys’ affable frontman is being facetious, but, given that the quartet has been dubbed “the elder statesmen of the Halifax music scene,” there’s some sage advice in there too. Although in their 40s, […]
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Truro’s Instruments make rare appearance
Truro’s INSTRUMENTS makes a rare appearance on Thursday, November 5 at The Paragon Theatre (with The Lodge and Dreamsploitation). Described as a “reclusive post-rock trio,” the group is set on making each show special. “We are really intent on doing things on our own terms,” says J LaPointe. “In a lot of cases that means […]
