Dance Movie

Halifax sounds a wonderful, fun, and generous place (similar to how Hollywood is portrayed at the end of the Fallout Boy episode of The Simpsons). I imagine it's full of bake sales and road hockey games; where bands help each other out by frequenting their gigs and offering up their instruments when a fellow musician breaks a string. At least this is the impression I got from Dance Movie's show Wednesday night. Perhaps everyone was in a good mood at finding themselves in attendance. They certainly can't be faulted for smiling as the 3-piece tore through their brand of dirty country indie pop the sort of which Jenny Lewis would be proud. Not surprising to hear vocalist Tara Thorne hold the Rilo Kiley singer with such regard. The influence is noticeable, not only in songwriting but also in stage presence, with Thorne displaying a mesmerising intensity. - Gavin Crisp, Shaw.ca

Another walk down Augusta avenue brought me to Handlebar, which was apparently hosting a Halifax Pop Explosion showcase. I was there specifically to see Dance Movie, whose album Interlopers was one of my favourite records of 2012. They did not disappoint—in fact, if I had to choose an unofficial “winner” of all the acts I saw last night, they would be that winner.

It always stuns me how differently bands can play with the guitar/bass/drums model. Dance Movie choose to attack their craft with utter passion. Tara Thorne’s powerful voice always brings to the air the raw emotions of her songs; thank god they didn’t play “Threw It Away For Karen O” or I might have actually started crying uncontrollably. The instruments got louder as the songs dictated; they could be quiet during quiet moments and loud and proud during the moments that needed them to be that way. The set drew from seemingly quite a few sources, though several were from Interlopers like “Snow Heart,” “Blow Out the Candles Before You Leave” and “Big Talker.”

Thorne also proved to be quite personable, talking about going to see a “very expensive” Postal Service show the night prior and talking about her unabashed love for Jenny Lewis and (apparently) The Killing. “We love TV in this band,” Thorne said at one point. - Michael Thomas, Gray Owl Point

Living somewhere between the beautiful warble of Christine Fellows and the drastic vulnerability of Karen O, Tara Thorne’s voice is as real and perfect as anything indie pop has heard in the last decade. - Nicholas Friesen, The Uniter

If this were the actual original sound track to a real dance movie it would be a movie about doing sad dancing at a ghost prom. - Roctober (Chicago)

What makes Interlopers so thrilling is in part thanks to its unpredictability. It’s like a musical Jenga tower- at any moment it could crash, and for some people that’s the best part of building one. By this I mean a song that can start off sweet and quietly can morph into something grand. - Michael Thomas, Gray Owl Point

Then it was time for Halifax's own Dance Movie, which on this night consisted of... well, pretty much singer and guitarist Tara Thorne, with Denise Williams sitting in on drums. Their MySpace mentions three band members, and I do know Denise is only sitting in on half the shows of the tour they're on together, so my guess is the actual drummer just couldn't make the first part of the tour. But Tara has a good enough stage presence to pull off whatever setting she chooses—alone, as a duo, or in a band. Her songs hold up too, and the Former Lady Of The House actually thought she had been the best performer of the evening, with the best songs, one of which is set to play in the upcoming season of Degrassi. It was like witnessing a cross between old-time Soul Asylum (in the days where Dave Letterman called them "the best live band in America") and Death Cab For Cutie when they, themselves, were good. All-pro, all good, right there. - Sebastian Hell

Three exceptional songs in fifteen minutes of pensive and eloquent folk-cum-pop. The Nova Scotia three-piece create an exciting but mellow take on a non-traditional folk that doesn’t attempt to take it to new heights but instead refines and evolves the essentials: lyrics, melody, beauty.

The real charm in Bask is found in the subtlety of it, in the high reverb pads, the unintrusive guitar, and the thick and clean bass and sparse drums. And of course the voice. Tara Thorne’s voice is everything that Canadian alternative pop has promised us all but failed to quite deliver. She is so soft but unfaltering and precise, delivering a faultlessly aesthetic triumph.

Add a dash of pizzicato strings here and there, plus a dash of electric guitar then you have a true triumph. - Ricky Tanner, Here Comes Everyone

Thorne is obviously an educated woman, but as she proudly shows on the interesting fictional love affair/crime spree ("Carjack My Heart") her love of pop culture – especially Gilmore Girls – and nerdiness are more important to her songs than the hottest trends or crafting songs to impress journalists.

The most pleasant surprise about the 16-minute EP was the clean and crisp sound the band delivers. Thorne is a relatively new musician, but patience and Amelia Curran‘s production eliminate the stumbles I heard on stage and the impact violinist Kinley Dowling brings to the band is crucial. Her deft bow work really helps thicken the mix and helps bridge the gap left by the quiet/loud/quiet/ arrangements Thorne prefers; and it’s those arrangements really help make this EP bigger than it has the right to be. - Bryan Acker, Herohill.com