Archive for March, 2012

Olivier Jarda releases sophomore album

Wednesday, March 28th, 2012

Olivier Jarda

Born in Ottawa to Haitian parents, Olivier Jarda grew up mostly in Moncton where he was a part of local bands Ted Neely Beard and The Turnstiles. He later moved to Washington, D.C. to work as a climate policy analyst and now he resides in Halifax where he’s pursuing his music and undergraduate science courses. Got all that?

On Tuesday, April 10, Jarda will release his second solo record, Good Luck Cartel.

Jarda’s upcoming album, Good Luck Cartel, echoes the years leading up to his decision to take a step back from the din of American politics, and to return home to the Maritimes. The result is a collection of modern folk songs, some dressed up, some pared down, whose stories look back, look forward and try to describe the view.

Jarda recorded the album in Halifax over the last two winters with Charles Austin at Echo Chamber, and with the help of some very talented friends, including former Turnstiles band mates Peter Gorman and Jesse Griffith along with Nick Wombolt. The album will be released independently in Canada on April 10 and will be released on the independent label Jam Jar Records in the UK in May.

Track list:

01. Speed of Light
02. Diving Bell
03. Ship of Fools
04. Skinny Grass
05. Fiddle
06. Tendencies
07. Uncle
08. Piece of Fiction
09. We Broke Before the Hail
10. Into the Lake
11. Burning Valley

Old Man Luedecke to tour Canada

Chester N.S.’s Old Man Luedecke is about to embark on an intimate Canadian tour, bringing fans a taste of some new songs

Having just returned from recording in Nashville with Tim O’Brien, the two-time Juno award winning songster will  embark on a cross country tour, playing intimate venues and giving fans a chance to experience some of his new songs along the way.

Tour dates:

04/06/12 – Toronto, ON – The Great Hall w/ Deep Dark Woods
04/27/12 – Cow Bay, NS – Cow Bay Hall
05/03/12 – Hampton, NB – Vintage Bistro*
05/04/12 – St. Andrews, NB – Paddlefest – Main Tent
05/05/12 – Fredericton, NB – Charlotte Street Arts Centre*
05/06/12 – New Glasgow, NS – Celtic Circle Performing Arts Centre*
05/09/12 – Montreal, QC – Petit Campus*
05/10/12 – Burnstown, ON – Neat Coffee Shop*
05/11/12 – Wakefield, QC – The Blacksheep Inn*
05/12/12 – Wakefield, QC – The Blacksheep Inn*
05/13/12 – Picton, ON – The Acoustic Grill*
05/15/12 – Guelph, ON – The Bookshelf E-Bar*
05/18/12 – London, ON – London Music Club*
05/19/12 – Hamilton, ON – Hamilton Place*
05/28/12 – Winnipeg, MB – Park Theatre*
05/29/12 – Regina, SK – Artesian*
05/31/12 – Saskatoon, SK – Christ Church Anglican*
06/01/12 – Edmonton, AB – The ARTery*
06/02/12 – Calgary, AB – The Palamino*
06/03/12 – Penticton, BC – Dream Cafe*
06/04/12 – Nelson, BC – The Royal*
06/05/12 – Vancouver, BC – St. James Hall*
06/07/12 – Victoria, BC – Wood Hall*

*w/ Del Barber

Music is awesome: a love letter

Friday, March 9th, 2012

(NOTE: What you’re about to read is long, rambling and completely self-indulgent. While basically everything I’ve written on this blog is to help promote east coast Canadian bands, this one is purely me writing about me and my love for music — the good, the bad and the ugly. I originally wrote this last summer, fueled by a few beers, simply to throw on Facebook for some friends to read. But I still think it’s the best thing I’ve written in a long time, and that’s kind of sad considering I write stuff for a living. Here it is, unedited except for changing “my fiancée” to “my wife.” Some of you may get it, some may not – but if you love music right down to the core of your being, I think you’ll understand my inner crazy. Feel free to drop me a line at eastcoastnoise@gmail.com – Cheers, Eric.)

Music is awesome. I don’t know how else to describe it.

I thought of the ‘power of music’ last week when I was at the gym, doing chin-ups. Now, you should know, I suck at chin-ups. If I do a few sets of a half-dozen, I’m having a great day. So, AC/DC’s ‘Girl’s Got Rhythm’ comes on the radio, and I come to life. I have a burst of energy listening to the band’s driving little tune from ‘79, and pull out a good set of chin-ups, which felt great.

The next song comes on – I forget what it was, but it was wholly underwhelming – and drains the life from me. Have I mentioned that I suck at chin-ups?

I move on, probably just to think about anything but crappy chin-ups, and I think about how music is such an incredible force. A song can lift you up, drop you fast, give you energy and slow you down. It can bring back memories, those you wish to remember and those you don’t, and it can provide a backdrop for new ones to be created. It can even make you speed, if you don’t watch yourself.

When I was in high school, I could hardly tie my shoes in the morning without a song playing.

While in college, I walked to work all the time, and it was a fair hike. My Sony Discman (probably my third or fourth by this point) was my companion, and it finally died on me one day. I left work for 20 minutes and walked across the street to the only electronics store in town and plunked down a solid $200 I didn’t have on a new Discman. Beer, food and coffee be damned – I wasn’t going without music. (Truthfully, I don’t think I quit drinking beer for any length of time … maybe the length of my shift …)

Today, music still follows me wherever I go. I listen at work when I can, I’m constantly rotating CDs (yes, CDs) in the car, and if I’m washing dishes, working out or just sitting around, music is there.

My wife sometimes asks how the hell I can go from listening to the earliest, thrashiest Metallica to the honky tonk of Dwight Yoakam to the new wavish pop of The Sounds to the lush beauty of Sarah Slean, all in one sitting. Then, I’ll put on the dumbest horror rock you’ve never heard in Wednesday 13 (who offers such classics as Elect Death for President, Till Death Do Us Party and I Love To Say F*ck) . Truthfully, I have no idea how it all works, but I love it anyway. No one ever said it had to make sense.

Music started for me way early in life. There’s an old VHS my parents have from my brother and sister’s first birthday party. I can be spotted in this, dancing to Steve Earle’s ‘Sweet Little ’66.’ I grew up with a love for my father’s country music, mostly Alabama and Earle (who I’ve returned to in recent years and think is the greatest songwriter out there).

Somewhere along the way, I (more…)

Dale Murray plans new solo effort

Tuesday, March 6th, 2012

Dale Murray's next solo record comes out March 27.

Later this month, Nova Scotia’s Dale Murray — musician, producer and talented guy whose name pops up every time I turn around — will release his album Dream Mountain Dream. The album comes out Tuesday, March 27.

A former member of Cuff the Duke and The Guthries, this is Murray’s first solo release since 2005’s Brighter Lives, Darker Side. It was recorded in his rural home in Port Howe, N.S.

Murray has spent the last few years backing artists such as Hayden, Joel Plaskett, Buck 65, Blue Rodeo, Matt Mays and Christina Martin. He was a member of Cuff the Duke for the recording of their albums Sidelines of the City (2007) and the Juno Nominated Way Down Here (2009). Murray also played an important creative role in the recording of their 2011 release Morning Comes (2011).

Download the first single by right-clicking here.

Paper Beat Scissors’ self-titled album hits the street

Relocated Brit Tim Crabtree has been making waves performing as Paper Beat Scissors since 2008 following a move to Halifax. This week, he released first record which features a who’s who of folk and indie musicians — Tanya Davis and Rose Cousins appear alongside Pietro Amato (of the Luyas, and Bell Orchestre) on French horn and Sebastian Chow (of Islands) on violin. Mike Feuerstack (Snailhouse, Bell Orchestre, Land Of Talk) pulls everything together as instrumental accomplice and co-producer.

A press release for the 11-track record, from the fine folks at Forward Music Group, says, (more…)