Joel Plaskett stripping back his sound on new album

Good morning Halifax!

With sunny skies expected this weekend, I’m sure many of us will be hitting the streets to dine, shop and just generally wander. Halifax is simply the best city for strolling, but you don’t have to take my humble word for it.

In fact, a new study ranks Halifax as the most walkable city in Canada for tourists. That’s right, we have been crowned the best city for pedestrians that love to explore cities on foot.

The study analyzed 21 cities in Canada using TripAdvisor listings to highlight the top 5 attractions per city, and Google Maps route planner to find out the distance, time and number of steps to visit the destinations on foot in one day.

And we won! So hold your head up just a little higher as you roam the streets this weekend knowing we’re the best!

With love and light!

– Julie

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: 🌦️ 19°

Tomorrow: ☀️ 20°

Next Day: 🌤️ 22°

7-day forecast

🚗 Driving, biking or busing today? Check out the current traffic conditions and ongoing road closures.

💨 Here is Halifax’s Air Quality Index and the smoke report.

MUSIC

Joel Plaskett stripping back his sound on his upcoming album, ‘One Real Reveal’

Halifax’s own Joel Plaskett is remaining tight-lipped about his newly announced album One Real Reveal, dropping on Sept. 13.

However, what we do know so far is that it will be Plaskett’s most open, vulnerable, and stripped-back album to date.

To top it off, it’s all been recorded on a four-track cassette machine using one microphone, produced solely by Plaskett.

“I started recording on my four-track cassette machine, and then just sort of decided that, you know, [I] had a bunch of these quieter songs, some of which have been written over the last number of years,” said Plaskett.

The self-imposed challenge has shifted the way he views music production.

“Once you have a limitation like that, it sort of helps you reign in the arrangements, but you can’t bury them,” he continued. “Sometimes it’s almost easier to add than it is to subtract, or to leave it be and be happy with it when you’re used to hearing things that are more fully arranged. I’ve done that a lot over the years.”

Plaskett spoke to The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer about his upcoming album, his new single “Rainy Day Janey”, and how it was all recorded on a four-track cassette machine.

🤔 Need To Know

🔥 Residents of Westwood Hills are still waiting for a second escape route a year after the Upper Tantallon wildfire burned through thousands of hectares and 151 homes.

🚨 RCMP suspect alcohol was a factor in an ATV accident that resulted in the death of a baby in Lunenburg Monday evening.

🎶 Don’t miss Eliana Cuevas & Jeremy Ledbetter at St Matt's on July 11 at the TD Halifax Jazz Festival with their jazz-infused, vibrant sounds.*

🎟️ Less than 2 weeks left to get your tickets for the Feed Nova Scotia 50/50! The jackpot already is over $12,000, don't miss your chance!*

*Sponsored Post

PODCAST

NEW Wanderer Grounds Episode: One For The Record Books

You may have noticed there’s a new Wanderer Grounds podcast in your feeds. In this very on time recap of last Friday’s game Matt and Martin take a look back at the Halifax Wanderers’ 2-1 road loss to York United which helped lay the foundation for the Wanderers to hold the dubious distinction of holding the record for the “worst start in CPL history.”

The two commiserate about the team’s performance so far and try to find answers to explain why Halifax hasn’t won a game. Is it the players? Is it coach Patrice Gheisar? Is it too early to start panicking? 

For answers to these questions, and more including: Clément Bayiha joins the Wanderers on loan, the Northern Super League, and a deep dive into the history of cockroaches listen to the latest episode.

🗞️ In Other News

🏥 A group of N.S. mothers who lost children to suicide want the province to follow Manitoba’s lead and make it easier for health professionals to share information with a patient's loved ones in certain emergencies.

🏀 A leader in the basketball community says the WNBA’s expansion with a team in Toronto is only going to grow the game in N.S.

⚖️ A N.S. mother is calling for more attention on the rights of victims and complainants after the court of appeal upheld a decision to stay sexual offence charges due to excessive delays in proceedings.

🏢 Tenants—mainly low-income—of a 29-unit rooming house on North Street have been told they will have to vacate by September. Dalhousie legal aid says the eviction appears to be part of a pattern being used to circumvent the province's temporary rent cap.

✈️ Halifax Stanfield International Airport is adding more direct flights to different countries year-round.

🗓️ Things To Do

Looking for something to do this week? Check out these Coast picks:

Scotia Festival of Music: One of the premier events in Nova Scotia’s annual festival scene this year promises to pack a punch. Halifax is welcoming over 20 of the world’s best classical musicians and dozens of talented young artists to an intimate, collaborative environment where the alchemy is just right for musical magic. | May 27-June 9 | Prices vary based on ticket package

Eastern Shore Cold Waters Seafood Festival: Eastern Shore culture is anchored in the coves, harbours, and inlets that form the wild shores where we live. These cold, clear waters yield some of the best seafood in the province, and this event celebrates that coastal connection in a big way! From contemporary dishes, to simple steamed shellfish, or tried and true traditional favourites, there's something for everyone. | June 1-2 | 11am-4pm

JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes: Lace up your sneakers and come join the largest fundraising event in Canada. The walk brings together the type 1 diabetes community to raise funds for research. It is a fun, engaging and inspiring family-friendly event and this year’s goal is to raise $3.7M nationally. The Halifax leg starts at DeWolf Park in Bedford. | June 2 | 10:45am

Have an event to share? Let us know at [email protected].

⚓️ What’s In The Harbour

➡️ The NYK Meteor container ship leaves Halifax for Southampton at 1am.

➡️ The Sunshine Ace vehicle carrier leaves Halifax for Yokohama at noon.

🛳️ The CMA CMG Christophe Colomb container ship arrives in Halifax from Tanger-Med at 3:45pm.

➡️ The Oceanex Sanderling container ship leaves Halifax for St. John’s at 6pm.

🛳️➡️ The Silver Arctic container ship arrives in Halifax from St. Pierre at 7:15am and leaves for St. Pierre at 6pm.

🛳️➡️ The Atlantic Star container ships arrives in Halifax from Norfolk at 5:20am and leaves for Liverpool at 7pm.

🛳️➡️ The Zim Virginia container ship arrives in Halifax from Valencia at 8:20am and leaves for New York at 10pm.

🛳️ The Hansa Sealeader oil tanker arrives in Halifax from Amsterdam at 11:40pm.

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🫖 Eastern Tear Bar is celebrating its second birthday all day Saturday. Drop by anytime for free cold brew tea and cupcakes. Plus, there will be prizes and discounts at their vintage market!

🐔 The famous chicken crisps are back in action at Studio East! Local chicken skins, seasoned, slightly battered, double fried and topped off with house hoisin, gochujang mayo and roasted garlic aioli.

👀 In Case You Missed It

🏫 The results are in and Peter Day has been elected over Shawn Hanifen as president-elect of the Nova Scotia Teachers’ Union–or NSTU–as of Wednesday, May 29. Day received just over 60% of the vote in his win over Shawn Hanifen, as 69% of the union voted in the electronic run-off ballot. Read the full story by The Coast’s Lauren Phillips on the new NSTU president and the challenges facing the union. 

🎤 After a music career spanning over two decades, Ian Janes is still finding new ways to craft a sound of his own.The next step in this evolution is Janes’ seventh studio album, WeakNights, where he blends his love of soul-pop with a vivid array of instrumentation—’80s style synths, Motown basslines, and even a song where two drum kits are interwoven to create a beat unlike any other. The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer talks with Janes about his new album and how it defies categorization.

That’s it!

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