It was “1234” that made Leslie Feist a household name, but it took her an awfully long time to get to that last number in terms of albums, and Metals marks her return after a five-year hiatus. At first listen, the disc sounds suspiciously similar to a number of other[Read More…]
Articles by Alexander Hamilton
2011 Polaris Music Prize Preview
The Polaris Music Prize is awarded annually to the best full-length Canadian album released that year, independent of genre or commercial success. Loosely based on the UK’s Mercury Prize, the judges evaluate each year’s nominees based on their creativity, diversity, and artistic integrity. Past winners include Caribou, Fucked Up, and[Read More…]
Game of Thrones
sickchirpse.com Amidst all the madness of late spring season finales, television addicts like myself were treated to an unexpected surprise in HBO’s newest show Game of Thrones. Based on a critically acclaimed series of fantasy novels by author and screenwriter George R.R. Martin, Game of Thrones has been highly anticipated[Read More…]
The Evolution of Braids
alarmpress.com Fresh from the release of their first LP, Native Speaker, Braids is just finishing up the final leg of a North American tour. With a handful of shows scheduled over the next week in Canada and the U.S., Braids is set to play the tour’s final gig on Friday[Read More…]
It’s hard out here for a columnist
Over the past year we’ve spent a lot of time talking about different issues that we feel are important. This week we’d like to do something different. We’d like to tell you a little bit about ourselves to give you a glimpse into our world. What is it like to[Read More…]
These plays are short, but they still pack a punch
Opening this Wednesday at TNC Theatre, the 2011 Directors’ Projects are the result of a staggering amount of preparation, coordination, and dedication. Comprised of 11 separately staged productions, the festival is an excellent example of the advantages of student theatre. Each play runs about one hour in length and has[Read More…]
Chiddy Bang: The Preview
Chiddy Bang has been on the scene since February 2009, but they didn’t release their first single, “Opposite of Adults”—sampling MGMGMT‘s “Kids”—until a year later. Over that time Chiddy Bang has generated a lot of hype, becoming a widely played university favourite and lauded as everything from “a hipster’s wet[Read More…]
Matt & Kim: Sidewalks
Back with their third album, Sidewalks, indie rock favourites Matt & Kim please with their tried and true formula of shout-out choruses, heavy synths, and simple drumbeats. The songs on Sidewalks are just as good as previous efforts. The album opens with “Block After Block,” a tune filled with huge[Read More…]
Why deliberation is necessary
Saskia Nowicki Closing the fall season at Players’ Theatre, the cast and crew of Twelve Angry Men take on the daunting task of performing an American classic on the McGill stage. Based on the 1954 teleplay by Reginald Rose, Twelve Angry Men has been adapted twice for film, performed on[Read More…]
The show about writing a show
Something about musical theatre is inherently ridiculous. It has to do with the fact that, whenever you see people singing onstage, you can’t help but notice that you’re watching a performance. As Julien Silverman and Dane Stewart point out in their director’s note, there is a long-standing tradition of “self-reference[Read More…]
Antony and the Johnsons: Swanlight
Swanlight is the fourth release from singer-songwriter Antony Hegarty, and one that sees him moving in a new, subtler artistic direction. After making waves in the music industry with his second album in 2005, Hegarty and his band have become a critically acclaimed staple in the indie scene. It’s easy[Read More…]
Robyn – Body Talk Pt. 2
Part two of three in Swedish singer-songwriter Robyn’s Body Talk project continues what one can only assume is her mission to bring class and quality back to mainstream pop music. How is she doing this? The magic of Robyn’s music lies not in its form but in its execution. With[Read More…]
Pop Montreal
With hundreds of performers gracing more than 50 stages across the city, Pop Montreal can be downright overwhelming. The good news? That means there’s something for everyone. The full schedule can be found online (popmontreal.com), but here’s a list of some big names, up-and-comers, and special events worth checking out.[Read More…]
Easy A: good girl gone bad … sort of
Everyone loves a good comedy, and in that respect Easy A does not disappoint. The movie tells the story of a scrupulously ordinary high-schooler, Olive Penderghast (Emma Stone), whose clean reputation becomes unexpectedly tarnished when uber-Christian classmate Marianne (Amanda Bynes) spreads a rumour that she lost her virginity over the weekend. Although Olive was the one who originally started the rumour, this is quickly forgotten as the situation snowballs throughout the first half of the film.
Business Casual – Chromeo
Chromeo’s third album delivers the same blend of 80s synth-pop as previous efforts, replete with catchy hooks, tasty guitar riffs, and smoothly polished production. There’s nothing new about what P-Thugg and Dave 1 are doing, but there’s no denying that they are damn good at it.
Business Casual – Chromeo
Chromeo’s third album delivers the same blend of 80s synth-pop as previous efforts, replete with catchy hooks, tasty guitar riffs, and smoothly polished production. There’s nothing new about what P-Thugg and Dave 1 are doing, but there’s no denying that they are damn good at it.