by Sean MacKay, Managing Editor
Moreso than any other Scandinavian nation, Sweden has produced an astounding number of talented musicians from diverse musical backgrounds, many of whom have found varying degrees of international success.
Post the First CommentAntichrist: Chaos in Eden
Searching for method in the madness of Lars von Trier's latest film
by Alex Griffith, Staff Writer
Like all great directors, Lars von Trier is always ready to take a risk and make a movie we've never really seen before. Any cinema enthusiast would have had to be living under a rock to miss the avalanche of controversy that greeted his latest picture at every film festival on the planet. Yes, Antichrist is as outrageous and brutal as it has been described to be. But, unfortunately, that might be all there is to this bête noire.
An Education: beyond Oxford
Smart female lead takes her intellect out of the classroom
by Maddy Wall, Staff Writer
It is becoming more and more rare to find a film whose lead character is not only a smart, intelligent female, but also an active agent in the narrative. Yet An Education, adapted by Nick Hornby from Lynn Barber's memoir of the same name, does just that. This time capsule to 1960s suburban London tells a familiar coming-of-age story, but it does so in as un-Hollywood a manner as it can.
Four-part folk nostalgia
The Wilderness of Manitoba release promising EP
by Annie Bender, Film & Music Editor
The folk music scene in Toronto gets wider by the year, and Bruce Peninsula aren't the only folkies getting sentimental about Canadian geography. Urban nostalgia for the rural has become almost cliché amongst indie musicians these days. From a veritable army of plaid-clad fans to hopelessly romanticized tales about albums recorded in woodland cabins, the indie community is undeniably characterized by a desire to reconnect with a simpler lifestyle. These sentiments are clearly reflected in the music of emerging indie-folk band The Wilderness of Manitoba, whose debut EP Hymns of Love and Spirits was released on October 29.
Bishop Allen: El Mocambo's crème de la crème
Opening acts can't steal the show away from Massachusetts' headlining 'collegiate rockers'
by Hilary Lynd, Staff Writer
When the El Mocambo's doors open, it seems like just another night at this historic Kensington venue. I'm early and not many people have arrived. Yet I still feel the pre-gig buzz of excitement, as I just spotted Bishop Allen front man Justin Rice outside, taking a picture of the distinctive neon palm tree that marks the front of the venue. I grab a drink at the bar, and see Darbie Nowatka (keyboardist, string player and token female member) opening boxes of t-shirts at the merch stand.
King of Rap reigns on
No need for Jay-Z impersonators at the ACC this Halloween
by Meghan Lawson, Editor-In-Chief
There's a new king in town. "Elvis has officially left the building," proclaimed hip hop virtuoso Jay-Z at his sold-out Toronto concert on Halloween night. With his most recent offering, The Blueprint 3, hitting Billboard's number one in September, Jay-Z dethroned Elvis Presley for most chart-topping albums by a solo artist.
From Bethlehem to Illinois
Amreeka examines life in the West Bank
by Ramya Jegatheesan
This is not the familiar West Bank that is so often portrayed on the news. There are no suicide bombers or wounded children. No mobs of angry Arabs toting AK-47s. Not everyone is Muslim.
Thao Nguyen and crew get down in Toronto
The Get Down Stay Down rock the city with openers Portland Cello Project
by James Marsh and Natascha Malta
Have you ever wondered how the city of Toronto would fare in a contest that rates the enthusiasm of audiences in various cities? I know I can't be the only one who's ever stopped and thought to myself, "wouldn't it be great if a geographically neutral judge- perhaps the bassist for some touring San Francisco band- could rate sample audiences across North America using the Pitchfork scale of music evaluation?" Well, I have very good news for you, because when the Portland Cello Project opened for Thao and the Get Down Stay Down at the El Mocambo on November 1st, Get Down Stay Down bassist Will Thompson selflessly volunteered to step up and solve the debate once and for all. The Portland Cello Project took to their strings, and started to saw out the intro to "Hey Ya," and the audience began to sing what was probably the prettiest version of the Outkast song that's ever toured across the continent, and in the end Toronto earned itself a solid 8.8 out of 10.
