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July 2, 2007

New Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton - "The Bank"

Social Scene siren Emily Haines gave her impressive CV some extra padding with last year's Knives Don't Have Your Back, essentially her solo debut, fronting the Soft Skeleton. "The Bank" is track from that project's forthcoming EP, designed as a "companion piece" to that languorous effort -- and in a sample-sized serving, Emily's chilled out piano tracks are lovely and gripping. What Is Free To A Good Home? was recorded during the Knives session and is named after a poem written by her father Paul Haines, and you get the feeling throughout this is a project of personal expression, not necessarily musical rebellion (never fear Metric fans, paramour/musical mate Jimmy Shaw is the record's producer). "The Bank"'s steady shuffle and smoky horn arrangements see Em feeling kinda blue and looking for a new drug, a hotspot, or maybe just somebody to sit on the floor with her and listen to records. Can't imagine she'd have too much trouble there.

The What Is Free To A Good Home? EP together with Paul Haines's poetry collection Secret Carnival Workers on 7/24 via Last Gang.

Posted at 3:10 PM
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7 Comments

Knives Don't Have Your Back is one of my very favourites from 2006. Can't wait for the EP.

Posted by: Z at 07/02/07 5:12 PM | Reply
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I don't know who I have a bigger crush on, Emily Haines or Leslie Feist.

Posted by: Christopher at 07/02/07 9:37 PM | Reply
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Thanks for the heads up on Emily Haines. I can't believe that I listen to her yet don't know about her.

Posted by: Dat Nguyen at 07/03/07 4:05 AM | Reply
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Thanks for the heads up on Emily Haines. I can't believe that I listen to her yet don't know about her.

Posted by: Dat Nguyen at 07/03/07 4:06 AM | Reply
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it is still shocking how lame the dudes who post here are.

i wonder what % have ever kissed a girl?

Posted by: nick at 07/03/07 7:24 AM | Reply
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horn arrangements? isn't this a melodica?

Posted by: boogaloo at 07/03/07 12:15 PM | Reply
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Two different sounds, the first one sounds like two muted trombones to me. After that you are correct, that is a melodica. And might I add it is glorious.

I'm not sure I like the doubling or her voice here, her more sparse arrangements (such as "Crowd Surf Off a Cliff") can make you feel like you're actually there.

Posted by: TheExPat at 08/01/07 11:10 AM | Reply
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