Al Tuck returns to the road

June 30th, 2011

Al Tuck

Now based on Prince Edward Island, the critically acclaimed Al Tuck got his start in Halifax in the mid-‘90s during the east coast boom of the day. Leading the way, of course, was Sloan, who released Tuck’s first two records via their label, murderrecords.

Tuck has continued to carve out his own musical path over the years. His most recent release Read the rest of this entry »

Fridays with … Scott Nicks

June 11th, 2011

Scott Nicks

Originally from Truro, N.S. and now based in Halifax, Scott Nicks has been steadily building his name in the east coast music scene.

Nicks released his a five-song demo recording in late-2006 and followed it up with the full-length, A Song for Tuesday Blues, in 2008. For that recording, Keith Doiron (bass) and Jordan Murphy (drums) were added to The Scott Nicks Band. Brad Lahead of Long, Long, Long also performed on the record.

In December, the band released a new record, Slowly, and recently added guitarist Justin McGrath to the group while Billy Habib Taylor (Tupperware Remix Party) fills in on bass while Doiron is in school.

The group is now focused on touring as much as possible and has shared the stage with the likes of Old Man Luedecke, Mathias Kom and Kim Barlow (Spring Breakup), Hooded Fang, Maylee Todd, Michou, We Are The City, Aidan Knight and others over the years.

The band just got back from a tour of Quebec and Ontario, and Nicks joins us this week for a chat: Read the rest of this entry »

Motorleague and more release videos

June 1st, 2011

Lots of goodies this week folks, as several east coast bands have released new music videos for their respective singles. Plus, Fredericton, N.B.’s Olympic Symphonium has posted a video of the band performing a new track on a rooftop in Denmark and much more.

Read on …

Eric

Motorleague releases new single, ‘Good Men’

Moncton’s The Motorleague has released a new CD single and video (below) for Good Men, one of the tunes from the band’s next album, Acknowledge, Acknowledge. The album is expected to be released later this year.

Meantime, the single hits stores on June 14, and it boasts two tracks not available anywhere else (including an acoustic version of the band’s most recognized tune, Hymn for the Newly Departed).

And what’s extra cool – the boys are donating a portion of the sales from the single to Cystic Fibrosis Canada.

New Neon Highway single at radio

Also coming out of Moncton, Rik Reese & Neon Highway have released a new single to Canadian country radio, All For Me (video following the turn).

The band has a monster summer ahead of it, where Read the rest of this entry »

Fridays with … BackYard Devils

May 27th, 2011

Moncton's The BackYard Devils release their debut album tomorrow.

I didn’t know a thing about The BackYard Devils when I accidentally happened upon one of their shows maybe a year ago, but the band was tearing it up in Moncton’s Plan B Lounge.

Playing a mix of bluegrass, folk and country, the band sounded tighter than they probably should have, considering they’d only been together a short time.

The band formed when Erik Arsenault decided to move back to New Brunswick from out west. Brother Remi flew to meet with him for the long drive back, and on the way, they decided to start a band, later recruiting Christien Belliveau and Dillon Robichaud.

The band’s self-titled debut album was recorded over three cold nights in January, with country musician George Belliveau at the helm in his Studio Belivo. Featuring 13 tracks (12 originals along with a Jimmie Rodgers cover), the whole thing was recorded live off the floor with few overdubs.

Tomorrow night, the Moncton-based four-piece launches its debut at The Igloo Beverage Room, 300 Elmwood Dr., Moncton. The show starts at 9:30 p.m. with special guest singer-songwriter Julie Aubé. Entrance for tomorrow’s show at the Igloo is $5 at the door. Copies of the CD will also be on sale for the special price of $10.

Erik Arsenault joins us this week for a chat … Read the rest of this entry »

Fridays with … David Myles

May 20th, 2011

David Myles (by Mat Dunlap)

Fredericton native David Myles has built a reputation as a great songwriter, blending folk, blues and jazz in recent years (he’s also known for just being a really nice dude), but as great as his albums are, it’s a special treat to see the guy play live where his warmth, charm and showmanship really go front and centre.

So if you haven’t heard already, you’ll be happy to hear that Myles’ new album, Live at the Carleton, was released a month ago. It was recorded over four nights at the Halifax bar/restaurant. Perhaps the coolest part was, Myles and the band – Alan Jeffries on guitar and Kyle Cunjak on bass – didn’t know the gigs were being recorded.

As Myles explained on his website, “… at the end of the four nights, Jonathan Cornwall, the Carleton’s sound man, handed me a memory stick and said ‘here you go, I recorded all four shows!’ Beautiful. What better way to make a live record. No chance to over think things or get extra nervous just cause we knew it was being recorded. We didn’t. We just played, had a blast and, as the sweet result of Jonathan secretly pressing ‘record,’ have a live record that I’m really excited about. I hope you enjoy it.”

We caught up with Myles recently as he was about to hit the road … or, the air, I guess, on a trip overseas for several dates in England … Read the rest of this entry »

Plaskett to release rarities collection

May 17th, 2011

Joel Plaskett's latest album is a collection of rare tunes.

In 2009, Joel Plaskett challenged us with a great big three-disc album (titled Three) that still managed to be really, really enjoyable. This time he’s aiming for really, really long titles. On Tuesday, June 14, the Nova Scotia songwriter releases a solo-career spanning collection of rarities, EMERGENCYs, false alarms, shipwrecks, castaways, fragile creatures, special features, demons and demonstrations via his own label, New Scotland Records.

Since releasing Three, Plaskett has Read the rest of this entry »

Burning Hell launches Flux Capacitor

May 10th, 2011

Mathias Kom is singer/ukelele player in The Burning Hell.

Newfoundland-based The Burning Hell, led by songwriter/ukulele player Mathias Kom, have released new record Flux Capacitor (weewerk records). A really neat record with a rag-tag mix of sounds and lyrics about the late-‘80s (remember when John Stamos played for the Beach Boys), pirates and beards. Honestly.

The new record was recorded and produced by James Anderson in Newfoundland, mixed by James Anderson in Toronto and mastered by Harris Newman in Montreal. It features Read the rest of this entry »

Jill Barber finds her sound

April 29th, 2011

Jill Barber (Photo by Ivan Otis)

Singer-songwriter Jill Barber found “her” sound. You might be scratching your head at that statement; after all, she’s on her fourth critically-acclaimed album (Mischievous Moon, released on  April 5) and has endeared herself to audiences everywhere she has performed.

But Barber, in an interview last week with East Coast Noise when she was touring Quebec, says she feels she found “my true voice” on her last record, Chances (2008).

“In retrospect, my earlier albums, which I’m really proud of, I feel like they were more experimental,” she says. “Not experimental in genre, but I know Read the rest of this entry »

Racoon Bandit heads to the hills

April 28th, 2011

Racoon Bandit

Charlottetown’s Racoon Bandit (Fraser McCallum, Adam Gallant, Roger Carter and Scott Gallant) is set to release its 12-song production, Into The Hills (Collagen Rock Records), on Tuesday.

“This collection of songs shares some common ground with our first album Campcraft, with plenty of story-songs and folk tales like the River Song and Wooly Toque,” says MacCallum. “However, it also Read the rest of this entry »

East Coast Music Award winners

April 17th, 2011

East Coast Music Awards 2011 music award winners, presented only a few hours ago in Charlottetown:

Alternative Recording of the Year: Slowcoaster – The Darkest of Discos
Blues Recording of the Year: Matt Andersen – Piggyback
Children’s Recording of the Year: Rik Barron – Over in the Meadow
Classical Recording of the Year: Measha Brueggergosman – Nights and Dreams
Country Recording of the Year presented by Cavendish Beach Music Festival: Meaghan Blanchard – Chasin’ Lonely Again
DVD of the Year: The Trews – The Trews Acoustic – Friends & Total Strangers (Director: Tim Martin)
Bell Aliant Fan’s Choice Entertainer of the Year: Chris Colepaugh & The Crew
Bell Aliant Fan’s Choice Video of the Year: Highway of Heroes (Director: Tim Martin).
Female Solo Recording of the Year presented by Budget Rent-A-Car: Rose Cousins – The Send Off
Folk Recording of the Year: David Myles – Turn Time Off
Francophone Recording of the Year: Lennie Gallant – Le Coeur Hanté
Gospel Recording of the Year: Chelsea Nisbett – Anchored Roots
Group Recording of the Year: The Once – The Once
Instrumental Recording of the Year: Gypsophilia – Sa‐ba‐da‐OW!
Jazz Recording of the Year: Dwayne Cote & Duane Andrews – Dwayne Cote & Duane Andrews
Loud Recording of the Year: The Fed Pennies – Brain Disaster
Konica Minolta Male Solo Recording of the Year: Matt Andersen – Piggyback
Pop Recording of the Year presented by Coca-Cola: Meaghan Smith – The Cricket’s Orchestra
R&B/Soul Single Track Recording of the Year presented by BMO: Chelsea Nisbett – Anchored Roots
Rap/Hip‐Hop Single Track Recording of the Year: Ghettosocks – Don’t Turn Around (feat. Edgar Allen Floe)
FACTOR Recording of the Year: Wintersleep – New Inheritors (Producer: Tony Doogan)
Rising Star Recording of the Year: The Stanfields – Vanguard of the Young and Reckless
Rock Recording of the Year presented by Roland Canada: Chris Colepaugh & The Crew – Missed a Page
Roots/Traditional Group Recording of the Year: Ennis – Lessons Learned
Roots/Traditional Solo Recording of the Year presented by Purity Dairy: Dave Gunning – A Tribute To John Allan Cameron
Vibe Creative Group Single of the Year: David Myles – Need A Break (Producer: Joel Plaskett)
SOCAN Songwriter of the Year: Rose Cousins – “I Were the Bird” (Performed by: Rose Cousins)
World Recording of the Year: The Idlers – Keep Out

ECMA 2011 Music Award Winners:

Alternative Recording of the Year: Slowcoaster – The Darkest of Discos

Blues Recording of the Year: Matt Andersen – Piggyback

Children’s Recording of the Year: Rik Barron – Over in the Meadow

Classical Recording of the Year: Measha Brueggergosman – Nights and Dreams

Country Recording of the Year presented by Cavendish Beach Music Festival: Meaghan Blanchard – Chasin’ Lonely Again

DVD of the Year: The Trews – The Trews Acoustic – Friends & Total Strangers (Director: Tim Martin)

Bell Aliant Fan’s Choice Entertainer of the Year: Chris Colepaugh & The Crew

Bell Aliant Fan’s Choice Video of the Year: Highway of Heroes (Director: Tim Martin).

Female Solo Recording of the Year presented by Budget Rent-A-Car: Rose Cousins – The Send Off

Folk Recording of the Year: David Myles – Turn Time Off

Francophone Recording of the Year: Lennie Gallant – Le Coeur Hanté

Gospel Recording of the Year: Chelsea Nisbett – Anchored Roots

Group Recording of the Year: The Once – The Once

Instrumental Recording of the Year: Gypsophilia – SabadaOW!

Jazz Recording of the Year: Dwayne Cote & Duane Andrews – Dwayne Cote &

Duane Andrews

Loud Recording of the Year: The Fed Pennies – Brain Disaster

Konica Minolta Male Solo Recording of the Year: Matt Andersen – Piggyback

Pop Recording of the Year presented by Coca-Cola: Meaghan Smith – The Cricket’s Orchestra

R&B/Soul Single Track Recording of the Year presented by BMO: Chelsea Nisbett – Anchored Roots

Rap/HipHop Single Track Recording of the Year:  Ghettosocks – Don’t Turn Around (feat. Edgar Allen Floe)

FACTOR Recording of the Year: Wintersleep – New Inheritors (Producer: Tony

Doogan)

Rising Star Recording of the Year: The Stanfields – Vanguard of the Young and

Reckless

Rock Recording of the Year presented by Roland Canada: Chris Colepaugh & The Crew – Missed a Page

Roots/Traditional Group Recording of the Year: Ennis – Lessons Learned

Roots/Traditional Solo Recording of the Year presented by Purity Dairy: Dave Gunning – A Tribute To John Allan Cameron

Vibe Creative Group Single of the Year: David Myles – Need A Break (Producer: Joel

Plaskett)

SOCAN Songwriter of the Year: Rose Cousins – “I Were the Bird” (Performed by:

Rose Cousins)

World Recording of the Year: The Idlers – Keep Out