-->Week End Wrap Up • 11.07.14

Nova Scotia Music Week showcasing artists Kim Harris, Carleton Stone, Adrian Morris, Adam Baldwin, and Like A Motorcycle paid a visit to Global Morning Halifax ahead of their festival appearances in Truro. See Kim’s interview & performance HERE, Carleton’s interview HERE, Adrian’s interview HERE, Adam’s interview HERE, and Like A Motorcycle’s interview & performance HERE.

The Truro Daily News features Kuato as part of their Nova Scotia Music Week coverage: “Kuato will be vying for Alternative Recording of the Year, Group Recording of the Year, Music Video of the Year, and Recording of the Year. They’ll also be performing at Champions Bar & Grill on Robie Street Saturday night. ‘I’m really looking forward to our show,’ said Toth. ‘It’s a great stage and there are some really heavy hitting bands – In-Flight Safety, Mardeen, Glory Glory, and Walrus.’”

Read the whole feature HERE.

The New Glasgow News talks to Kuato‘s bass player, Stephen MacDonald, about their Nova Scotia Music Week showcase: “When there’s a celebration of musical talent in the province, you don’t have to look hard to find a Pictou County native. Stellarton-born Stephen MacDonald, now a resident of Halifax, is the bassist for the band Kuato. The group is currently performing in Truro at Nova Scotia Music Week and MacDonald took a few questions about being a musician from Pictou County.”

Read the whole interview HERE.

Mixtape Magazine previews Nova Scotia Music Week: “Nova Scotia Music Week is a triple-headed creature featuring a festival with shows all over the host town, a conference with experts from all around the world covering all aspects of the music industry and an award show recognizing the accomplishments of members of the Nova Scotia music community. It has more of a conference/networking/party feel than something like Halifax Pop Explosion or SappyFest. This year the event takes place in the hub of Nova Scotia, Truro.”

Read the whole piece HERE.

BeatRoute on The Weather Station‘s What Am I Going To Do With Everything I Know: “Her new EP…is a delicate and prescient exhumation of what it means to fall in love. The record came together upon Lindeman realizing that she’d recorded bits and pieces in various locations over the last year that formed two triads of songs, with one side exploring the whirlwind that is falling in love and the other grappling with the self-doubt, confusion and cynicism that comes along with that.”

Read the whole feature HERE.

NOW Toronto on The Weather Station‘s What Am I Going To Do With Everything I Know: “Subtlety and calm are Weather Station mainstays, sometimes impeding momentum. Lindeman sings low much of the time, her lyrics coming out as hushed -confessionals and detailed observations against wafting slide guitar, brushed snare drum shuffles and acoustic guitar-picking. Midway through she explores her higher range, and that gives Seemed True (which features stunning fingerpicking and gorgeous harmonies) and Soft Spoken Man (with its surprising melodic twists) a welcome sense of liftoff.”

Read the whole review HERE.

PopMatters on Coyote‘s Proof Of Life: “‘Your House’ is interesting in that it has a ‘All My Friends’-style banging piano riff, complete with squiggly keyboards that you would ordinarily find on a Cars LP. It rises triumphantly, showcasing Coyote’s grasp of the anthemic. ‘Old News’ boasts a very ‘80s teen movie feel to it, and has a fluid groove that may get you tapping your foot to the beat. ‘Future Love’ offers a pulsating keyboard riff that transmutes into a funky rock ditty. Final song ‘Toothache’ is a slow and cold ballad, with stabby keyboards providing a counterpoint for a gently plucked acoustic guitar. Overall, the Proof of Life EP is strong stuff, and manages to sound somewhat original without breaking free of the groups that have inspired Coyote’s signature style.”

Read the whole review HERE.

Exclaim! on the Tom Fun Orchestra‘s new video for “Earthworm Heart” : “Nature can be cruel, and the Tom Fun Orchestra’s video for ‘Earthworm Heart’ reminds us of that fact in rather fantastical fashion. The animated clip for this folk rock shanty begins quite cutely, as a cat goes fishing with a rod while wearing a yellow rain jacket. Things take a very creepy turn, however, as the kitty gets drunk on liquid catnip, is chased by ghostly worms, and ultimately gets gorily feasted upon by birds.”

Watch the video HERE.

Killer Baby Tomatoes on Force Fields‘ Subtle Hanky: “The reclusive, instrumental Fredericton-based Force Fields have a new 7-inch out now on Noyes Records and Backward Music. It’s their first release after playing together for nearly a decade, and all that alone time seems to have glued these guys together, sculpting precise grooves on the a-side ‘Subtle Hanky.’ The track is mostly taken up by a mathy crescendo, building its way back to the wall of sound it started with.”

Read the whole piece HERE.

Exclaim! shares details of “New Life,“ the latest single from By Divine Right‘s upcoming tribute to Depeche Mode‘s Speak & Spell: “…the band have let loose an audio stream of them giving, ahem, new life to the synth-pop crew’s ‘New Life.’ More organic than its predecessor, the cover replaces vintage analogue synth-work with fuzz bass, live drums and the in-the-red danger of electric guitar. José Contreras likewise alters the arrangement by swapping Dave Gahan’s Brit accent out in favour of his own distortion-dusted vocals.”

Read the whole piece HERE.

Finally, here is a re-cap of some of our clients that have hit the !earshot charts this week:

-->Week End Wrap Up • 10.31.14

If you’re a frequent visitor to our site, you know that on Fridays we take the time to put together an overview of coverage that comes our way for our clients. But every now and then we like to shine a light on the people who actually create this content. When it comes to arts reporting, you’ll be hard pressed to find someone as committed to the cause of covering the unsung heroes of independent music as Vish Khanna.

Vish is known as a contributor to Pitchfork, Exclaim!, and Signal to Noise, and also for his radio work as co-host of the Mich Vish Interracial Morning Show on CFRU in Guelph, ON and as host of The Breakfast Club on CBC Radio 3. In 2013, Vish launched his own podcast: Kreative Control. Now approaching its 150th episode, the show has featured interviews with international heavy hitters such as Ronnie Spector, Thurston Moore, “Weird Al” Yankovic, and Steve Albini, Canadian indie mainstays such as Joel Plaskett, Mac DeMarco, Basia Bulat, and Shad, all while maintaining a focus on talking to up and comers such as Monomyth, Esther Grey, and Ought. Vish has also featured a number of Pigeon Row clients over the past few years. That list is below.

Recently, Vish undertook a Patreon crowdfunding campaign to make Kreative Kontrol financially sustainable. Currently there is no revenue stream for this podcast: “I’ve been doing it for my own fulfillment and to contribute to culture but it’s time to see if I can generate some kind of salary from all this work,” Vish wrote on his website last week. We here at Pigeon Row HQ are constant supporters of Vish’s work and big fans of his podcast. If you are too, or if you’re simply interested in supporting independent Canadian arts-driven media, please consider pledging a monthly amount to the show.

EP. #19 – Ian F. Svenonius
EP. #41 – Mike O’Neill
EP. #70 – Joel RL Phelps
EP. #72 – Marie LeBlanc Flanagan of Weird Canada
EP. #101 – Steven Lambke of Baby Eagle and Constantines
EP. #103 – Culture Reject
EP. #115 – Jeremy Gara & Samir Khan of Kepler
EP. #119 – Constantines
EP. #132 – Christine Fellows
EP. #142 – Ryan Hemsworth & BADBADNOTGOOD live at the Halifax Pop Explosion

And now on to our regularly scheduled programming:

AUX on Halifax Pop Explosion: “The music community’s dedication is seen in its ongoing battle to save the Khyber (and in setting up a new, if not much smaller, space in the North End, where Weird Canada held a HPX gathering to talk about issues exactly such as venue accessibility and arts initiatives and funding in Canada). You feel it when you squeeze yourself into CKDU’s tiny lobby for sets from Old and Weird and Soft Spot. And you’re encouraged to take it all in when the furthest distance between venues is a 10-15 minute walk—many of those walks very likely up Citadel Hill—and a scenic one at that. The way Halifax Pop is ultimately structured around supporting its own local scene—while bringing international heavyweights such as Danny Brown, Against Me!, and Zeds Dead in for the week too—is obvious, and infectious.”

Read the whole feature HERE.

Exclaim! on Danny Brown at the Halifax Pop Explosion: “On songs from his XXX mixtape, like ‘I Will,’ he threw the mic to the audience to test the extent to which his choppy bars have been heard and memorized. The crowd replied as best it could, but there was more reaction to ‘Grown Up’ and tracks from Old, especially ’25 Bucks’ featuring Purity Ring. The mere physical presence of an artist is rarely enough to carry a show, but Brown is one of the strongest solo figures in contemporary hip-hop and, as a result, he gave the best performance of the festival.”

Read the whole review HERE.

For a full list of Exclaim!’s HPX 2014 coverage, click HERE.

The Coast on Ghostface Killah and Raekwon at the Halifax Pop Explosion: “I happened to be standing in a small pocket of very small Wu-Tang superfans who completely lost their minds for the duration of the concert, which increased my own enjoyment drastically. That’s not to say the show wasn’t major, there was so much more energy from Ghostface compared to his last Halifax date in April. Starting the set with ‘I Can’t Go To Sleep,’ Raekwon and Ghostface were in good spirits, clearly full of love (or something) and funny banter.”

Read the whole review HERE.

For a full list of The Coast’s HPX 2014 coverage, click HERE.

CBC Music on Tanya Tagaq at the Halifax Pop Explosion: “Anyone who was expecting a run through of Tagaq’s Polaris Prize winning Animism on Saturday night would have been temporarily disappointed. Tagaq opted to do an entirely improvised set, instead. Working with a drummer and guitarist, Tagaq created a performance that was totally captivating. The juxtaposition of the guttural, primal throat singing — which Tagaq explained is meant to recreate the sound of the Northern landscape and the animals that live on it — and Tagaq’s haunting soprano singing voice was breathtaking. Watching her throw herself around the stage while singing, non-stop, for the better part of an hour was like going on a mental journey. When she stopped, there was 20 full seconds of silence while the audience recovered and processed what they’d seen. It was brilliant.”

Read the whole review HERE.

Ears and Eyes Online on Alanna Gurr and the Greatest State‘s Late At Night: “What her band…brings to her songs is an elegant, uncluttered ensemble sound, one that doesn’t distinguish itself through brute force or virtuoso playing. Instead, they deliver a professional, traditional style of accompaniment that discretely frames Gurr’s folksy vocal sound and earnest songwriting style. The result is something purer than alt-country; the kind of deep- roots authenticity indie music lovers long for these days. Gurr’s songs speak of painful separation and heartfelt attachment.”

Read the whole review HERE.

Argue Job on The Weather Station‘s What Am I Going To Do With Everything I Know: “[Tamara] Lindeman writes with a casual openness, a comfortable intimacy. ‘What am I going to do with everything I know?’ she asks. The firmness of her intonation here is a sharp contrast to the whispered tailings of her singing, the plaintive moan of steel strings longing for simplicity. Even as we tip on this fulcrum we are still more dream than reality. This is a record to savour and to internalize: stare into its surface until you recognize a reflection.”

Read the whole review HERE.

The Aquinian features Dan MacCormack and his new album Symphony of Ghosts: “MacCormack said he was able to relate to the characters and settings in the books because of where he’s from in Cape Breton, in a small industrial town like those mentioned in many of the books. ‘The way people deal with things emotionally, things like tragedy and globalization, are pretty common things in the Maritimes and especially small communities in the Maritimes,’ said MacCormack. The songs tell a range of stories from a logging community to a father-daughter relationship. MacCormack says he didn’t want to leave any ground uncovered. ‘For me, this was a labour of love. I wanted to take my time, I wanted to do a good job, not superficially use the works, so for each song I developed a unique concept.’”

Read the whole feature HERE.

Finally, here is a re-cap of some of our clients that have hit the !earshot charts this week:

-->Week End Wrap Up • 10.24.14

Metro Halifax features the Halifax Pop Explosion: “Mark Grundy, one of a trio who make up the experimental-pop ‘baby jazz’ Heaven for Real and play a free show at Gus’ Pub Saturday, said he’s been in the festival with various bands for a long time but over the last three or four years HPX seems to “be hitting a really nice stride” by using week-long bracelets and becoming more accessible. ‘It’s good for the city,’ Grundy said. ‘They cover some ground considerably.’”

Read the whole piece HERE.

Halifax Pop Explosion Executive Director James Boyle, and artists Vogue Dots and Ryan Hemsworth stopped by Global Morning Halifax to talk about this year’s festival. Watch the interview with James HERE, Vogue Dots HERE, and Hemsworth HERE.

Halifax Pop Explosion showcasing artists Kim Harris and Coyote paid a visit to CTV Atlantic ahead of their festival appearances. See Kim’s performance HERE and Coyote’s performance HERE.

CBC Music compiles a (mini) oral history of the Pop Explosion‘s best moments: “We’ve asked 20 musicians, writers, organizers and publicists — who’ve known the fest for years — for their most memorable HPX moment, from that 2004 Arcade Fire show that people are still talking about to the time Rich Aucoin played We’re All Dying to Live in sequence and had 80 people onstage in a church. They’ve also chosen a must-hear track from bands playing this year, to aid with your show-going indecisiveness.”

Read the whole feature HERE.

Exclaim! reviews shows by Austra, Single Mothers, Kuato, Solids, Lights, Tokyo Police Club, and TEEN at the Halifax Pop Explosion. For complete Exclaim! HPX coverage, click HERE.

The Chronicle Herald features Against Me! ahead of their sold-out Halifax Pop Explosion show: “Against Me! has taken control of its own destiny as well, leaving major label Sire Records after its 2010 album White Crosses for the artistic freedom of its own imprint Total Treble Music. The change is reflected in the buzz-saw ferocity of Transgender Dysphoria Blues. Grace’s clear, powerful voice is still firmly in place, and in her role as producer she’s managed to distill the band’s most exciting elements in a connected sequence of ripped-from-real-life songs.”

Read the whole feature HERE.

The Coast features Ryan Hemsworth in their Halifax Pop Explosion cover story: “Though most articles mention that he’s from Halifax—it’s easy to romanticize the idea of a world-famous producer and DJ getting his start in some wind-swept shanty on the coast of the Atlantic— Hemsworth moved to Toronto and has expressed that Halifax isn’t the most welcoming place for electronic musicians, something any struggling local would agree with. ‘I’ve tried to figure it out, I’ve never felt like people were turning their back on me, but there’s always been a stronger connection to bands and folk in our culture, it’s Maritime-ish,’ he says. ‘It’s such good fodder for writers—I’m either from Halifax or from the internet. Either way, it doesn’t really matter geographically, all of our shit ends up on the internet.’”

Read the whole feature HERE.

The Coast also featured lots of other Halifax Pop Explosion artists including City Natives, Teenage Kicks, Strange Attractor, Astral Swans, Mo Kenney, Tanya Tagaq, Mozart’s Sister, Gianna Lauren, Freelove Fenner, Against Me!, Sandi Rankaduwa, Jay Mayne & Thrillah Kane, Cam Smith, and Rich Aucoin. For complete HPX coverage from The Coast, click HERE.

Noisey features Vogue Dots and their new album, Mauka: “When listening to Mauka you can’t help but envision yourself on a sailboat at night, drinking whisky and pomegranate juice, playing a game of Kill-Fuck-Marry before taking off all your clothes and diving into the ocean. So, if that sounds as paradisiacal to you, there’s no doubt you’ll be spilling liquor and getting down to your skivvies to the sounds of Mauka on an imaginary schooner in no time…It’s not risky to prophesize the impending blowup of these guys.”

Read the whole feature HERE.

Quick Before It Melts on Vogue Dots’ “Way With Silence” : “Halifax NS-based electro-soul-pop duo Vogue Dots unveiled their latest single, the quivering, shiver-inducing ‘Way With Silence’ a few weeks back, and it is an intense trip. ‘Way With Silence’ comes from their second EP, Mauka, out today on Montreal’s Indica Records.”

Read the whole preview HERE.

Pop Matters on Vogue Dots‘ Mauka: “Their Mauka EP is their second extended play of the year, and the group makes shimmery, dark, foreboding synth music with guitars that sound a bit akin to Beach House – if Beach House managed to be on antidepressants…They have a distinguishable sound that brands them, with cooing female vocals and spiky guitars rubbing up against icy cold synth lines. All in all, Mauka is a work of art, one that makes you wonder how the band can stretch things further on a proper LP. It’s an appreciable appetizer for bigger and better things, and this group definitely shows that it is in vogue with the times, making an arresting brand of glitchy music.”

Read the whole review HERE.

Canadian Music Blog on Vogue Dots‘ Mauka: “Self-described as performing experimental pop, the sound is melancholy, melodic electronica with deep moods and dark ambiance. The pair has released 4-track EP Mauka, a strong followup from last offering Toska, released earlier this year. The new record is tighly structured with solid composition, and when Babette’s vocals smack the synth chill, the sonic landscape fills with frozen honey.”

Read the whole review HERE.

Music Blogged on Vogue Dots‘ Mauka: “Echoing Beach House and Purity Ring with just a touch of 90’s pop, it is a dreamy blend of shoe gaze electronic music Halifax. Mauka is the follow up to Toska (released May 2014) and may be short, but as always with Vogue Dots, it is quality over quantity, that gives quite the punch to the duos sound. Recording the initials stages of their release at Brooklyn Based Cascine Records (Pigeons and Planes, Wildarms, Southern Shores etc.) and adding the final touches at Sonic Temple and Echo Chamber in Halifax, the duo have quickly made ripples in Canada’s East Coast Music scene.”

Read the whole review HERE.

Southern Souls on The Weather Station‘s What Am I Going To Do With Everything I Know: “Lindeman’s voice feels a little richer and her narratives prove more idiosyncratic; in this way, the songs onWhat Am I Going To Do have more to offer, though they never do so outright. Lindeman unfurls her stories with great modesty bolstered by instantly memorable melodies. The morals here appear in minute details. Many of the songs revolve around absences: of words, of vessels, of understanding, of places to call home. What Am I Going To Do represents an intoxicating development, the sound of Lindeman coming carefully into her own and balancing, steady-footed, at new heights. With a full-length slated for 2015, this EP functions expertly as a teaser of the great things to come from one of Canada’s finest folk performers.”

Read the whole review