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Now here’s a retro sound that hasn’t been exploited to death: the buzzsaw guitar pop melodies that the Jesus and Mary Chain and My Bloody Valentine pioneered in the mid-80s. New York’s The Pains of Being Pure At Heart (POBPAH for short) have loaded their album with Beach Boys-like pop tunes that are layered with fuzzy, distorted guitars. Opening track “Contender” best exemplifies this, a short little number with a thrashing beat and churning wall of guitar noise. “Come Saturday” turns the amps up to 11, mixing nicely with the soft, lush duo vocals of keyboardist Peggy and guitarist Kip. The two of them definitely have that charming quality like MBV’s Kevin Shields and Bilinda Butcher. Their soft, mellow vocals give the album an instant mopey emo feel. While the album reminiscences towards the early days of shoe-gazing, “Stay Alive” sounds eerily similar to Ride’s “Vapour Trail,” released in 1990, complete with jaggly guitars, uniform drum beat and gentle vocals. Overall though, POBPAH have released a fine album that mines a genre worth returning to over and over again. http://www.myspace.com/tmdparty - Jon Brazeau
Nobody knows folk-noir like our counter-parts from the west, and Pale Air Singers prove that yet again with their self-titled debut. This ten-track collaboration between Calgary-based The Cape May and Victoria-based Run Chico Run poetically lays down a fictional narrative of a man who murders his lover’s husband, goes to jail and escapes. The tale, however, is not told in order. Instead it opens the scene with the protagonist escaping prison in the track “Convict Escapes,” which features vocals from Pat Flegel of Calgary band Women and brother of Matt Flegel of The Cape May. With lyrics as eloquent as “The body moves like a marionette staggered on the ground” in the final track “Blind Watchmaker,” it is astounding to discover that the entire album was recorded in two ten-day sessions; one in Calgary and one in Victoria. In the track “Swill and Grits,” lead singer Clinton St. John warns, “there is no lock that will keep you like his grip.” In all likelihood he was referencing the strong musical and lyrical grip that Pale Air Singers have on its listener. http://www.myspace.com/paleairsingers - Melissa Kim
Dreamy with a wonderfully lazy charm, shoe-gazers Panda Riot have unveiled their newest EP Far & Near to waiting fans. This latest collection holds an assemblage of uncomplicated melodies, captivating lyrics and a brilliantly droning electric backdrop. The Chicago based and self-proclaimed ‘dreampop’ band continue their uniquely unusual musical style first shown on their 2007 debut She Dares All Things. Without any signs of fading from the modern independent music scene Panda Riot’s strength in both songwriting and studio production only seems to have improved over the four-year gap. Rebecca Scott’s soft and alluring vocals combine with straightforward guitar riffs and drum-machine backgrounds, creating a beautiful and perpetually floating barrage of sound. “Julie In Time” sets the pace for the EP, not demanding of the listener anything but to become washed away in a seemingly endless torrent of electric grind. “Motown Glass” continues the flow of musical innocence with a simply elegant and beautifully produced sound that steadily maintains itself. Up-tempo, developing tracks such as “When You Said – When I Said” and “16 Seconds” provide evidence of the band’s ability to transform the simplest of melodies into an increasingly explosive electric repetition of sound – a repetition that never seems to drag on or become remotely mundane. “Parallax” provides arguably the most unique song on the album with an ambient instrumental element that might have been better suited as a closing track on the EP. A closure that “16 Seconds” seems to overshoot. Either way, the six-song collection on Far & Near proves that the shoe-gazing genre is very far from at its end. http://www.pandariot.com/handmade/main.html — Stephen Lussier
The Paparazzi is headed by guitarist and vocalist Erik Paparazzi, who is also the bass player in Cat Power’s band, Dirty Delta Blues. On their new album, Rococo, The Paparazzi alternate between both soothing and powerful folk rock to deliver memorable tracks featuring a variety of instruments. For example, the album’s first track, “…and away we go”, features Erik Paparazzi sighing and humming over soft, fluid violin and gentle guitar. This track suits the album’s cover art (where a female body holds onto a long string attached to a balloon, which is actually her head) perfectly: the melody is soothing enough to get one’s head lost in the clouds. However, Rococo’s second track, “hi”, brings the listener back to reality with catchy, upbeat folk rock. The song also has a jazz-influenced edge, created by some well-placed keyboard riffs near the beginning of the song. On “hi” and other tracks, Erik Paparazzi’s voice is perfectly suited to the band’s music and sounds like a slightly higher, raspier version of Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy. As a result, on the song “hi”, when Paparazzi sings “take it easy,” the listener has no problem doing exactly what he says. Rococo is a great album, and does cool, chill-out music very well. http://www.myspace.com/paparazziworld — Jess Harris
On their new LP, Chivalry’s Dead, The Paper Cranes sound familiar. It’s one of those situations where you can’t quite put your finger on but you feel like you’ve heard the album before. Considering that Chivalry is — to put it plainly — an accessible dance-punk record by an accessible dance-punk band, it’s not really surprising. Vocalist Ryan McCullagh sings like an Englishman and his wife, Miranda Roach, plays keyboard like a hot band nerd and their fellow band mates have sequestered musical personas in similar ways, typical of the dance-punk/glam rock genre. Don’t get me wrong, Chivalry’s Dead is a solid record, made by a bunch of people whose creative sensibilities and ultimate goals seem indistinguishable and it’s a well-executed record, but it’s nothing new. Still, it makes for perfect, high energy party background music and what’s more flattering than having people hang out while listening to your band? http://www.myspace.com/thepapercranes — Jessica Carroll
Winnipeg’s Paper Moon admits they do things slowly, refusing to sacrifice quality with each record they release. With four years between their first and second albums, the three-year break before Only During Thunderstorms has given time for the band’s growth and maturity. Although Paper Moon retain their simple, light-hearted melodies and charming vocals, the album’s new rock and roll edge comes through the addition of synthesized riffs and driving drum beats, particularly on songs such as “What Are You Going To Do With Me” and “Where Did All Our Time Go.” Produced by up-and-comer Ryan Worsley, the result is an enchanting album that will appeal to both new and old fans alike, and will stick in your lead long after listening. Paper Moon has the ability to continuously write pop songs that are sweet without being sappy, cute without being cheesy, and leave you tapping your toes. http://www.myspace.com/papermoonmusic - Heather Adamo
Eight years ago, Parkas was just paving the well-trodden path that fans of the Toronto band would come to rely on. And while most bands might instead pat themselves on the back and take a temporary hiatus at a mid-career point, Parkas have decided to throw in the towel altogether by releasing their third and final LP, cunningly titled You Should Have Killed Us When You Had the Chance. Already garnering praise for being their boldest, loudest effort, this 12-track swan song, we’d imagine, is intended to burn out rather than to fade away. Okay, enough with the rock legend references, let’s get to the meat of the matter. The first track, “Don’t Say No,” starts out with a staccato indie rock guitar line and whiney, boyish vocals — then the chorus kicks in and it’s smooth melodic sailing for the majority of the following tracks. While the rock ballad-sounding “Les Fleurs Du Mal” could be a replica for mid ’90s alternative rock, à la Matthew Good Band, the more upbeat tracks such as “Muscle Memory” and “The Gang’s All Gone” pack a twangy punch like what the punk offspring of Blue Rodeo might sound like. The standouts, however, are the Stones-sounding “Isolation Pay” and “Waxwing,” with its New Wave synth lines and beat. With most tracks well below the four-minute mark, this makes for a fast and easy listen that nevertheless leaves us with is an impression of a band that had a great time while it lasted. http://www.myspace.com/theparkas — Chloe Vice
Passion Pit won a lot of fans earlier this year and now their first full-length album, Manners, has kept all their loyal followers ensured the hype was justified. The album embodies a strong sense of what makes electro-pop dancy, what makes indie rock care free and fun and those combined elements make some of the most infectious beats and catchy lyrics you’ll hear all year. “Little Secrets” starts the record off with a pretty solid start. Simple synth and background chants keep the vibe catchy and happy. “The Reeling” was definitely a good call for a single; the vocals are sharp and the synth parts are very tame, which makes for a good dance single. The record’s strong points are definitely the dance tracks. Manners shows that these boys know how to hone into what make sub genres awesome and totally mess up the scales of music in the best way possible. http://www.myspace.com/passionpitjams - Max Mohenu
Yes, Past Lives is made up of 75% former Blood Brothers, but get over it — the group sounds like something else. It’s like when bands live long enough to have distinct “older stuff” and “newer stuff”; you need to think of them as different acts. The band’s first LP, Tapestry of Webs, is a moving landscape. There are fields of rawness, mountains of psychedelia and oceans of Ohs, all characterizing different aspects of the globe that is this album. It is an experiment filled with different rhythmic textures (“K Hole” vs. “Hex Takes Hold”) and long, drawn-out vocals balanced by a few staccato-like moments (“Falling Spikes”). Some songs are moody and psychedelic, beckoning ears for intricacy and others won’t let you listen closely without dunking your whole head in. The fact that this is a moving landscape is what gives this album its best quality; diversity. It lets you listen in one go. You don’t get tired near the end of the album because it’s constantly changing. The band offers vocals in both high and low registers while the rhythms bring punk and even African-like beats. Think about it this way: do you want to spend 46 minutes looking at a photograph or 46 minutes watching a film? http://www.myspace.com/pastlivesmusic — Robert Vandrish
The new effort put forth by Glaswegian ’80s experimental act The Pastels along with creative collaborators Tenniscoats of Tokyo, is a thing of confluent beauty. If Belle & Sebastian and Deerhoof made a baby, it would burst from the womb sounding like this. Tenniscoats vocalist Saya Ueno’s sing-songy Japanese or English-spewing voice meshes perfectly with the xylophone and flute that appear consistently on the album. The Pastels’ Stephen McRobbie also provides his famously awkward vocals on many songs, which continue to couple well with the light drums and simple chord progressions made famous by the band. Two Sunsets is a summertime gem; the record’s ambient flawlessness lies undoubtedly in the fact that although its bands come from music scenes on opposite ends of the world, and although their respective sounds are different, they seem to possess the same laid-back, unassuming, musical virtuosity, which created a surprising, but successful combination. http://www.myspace.com/thepastels — Jessica Carroll
Jazz lovers need not be reminded of the masterful hold guitarist Pat Metheny has on his craft, but in case anyone out there in Bebop land let it slip their mind, pick up a copy of Question and Answer. The album was originally released in 1989 on Geffen but has been reissued and remastered by Nonesuch. Accompanied by Dave Holland on bass and Roy Haynes on drums, the album features a mix of Metheny’s own compositions and those of the great players that influenced his style. Right of the bat, you’re hit with incredible tone and his grasp over the changes allow him to really speak with the guitar. The tightness between the trio is obvious. There are some great moments when Haynes comes out of the woodwork, reminding everyone who’s really boss, teasing the tunes with a variety of feels and turnarounds. A definite album highlight is “Change of Heart,” in which melodic and harmonic perfection backed by polyrhythmic time set up a beautiful chaos. By the time you get to the final track, “Three Flights Up,” your head may or may not be spinning but you’ll definitely find the fast tempo mixed with background strings and a synclavier trippy. It’s no wonder they decided to leave it at nine expertly crafted works of art. -Melissa P.
The Bachelor’s initial reception has been nothing short of epic but in all actuality, it’s a record that can be better in a lot of ways. A lot of what made Magic Position such a hit is Wolf’s candid songwriting, incredible use of multi-instrumentals and vivacious theatrical style. The Bachelor may have some of that, but it’s definitely far from being a hit record. “Vulture” is such a mess of a song. The track gets points for being a bit more synth-based and crazy but considering that’s all the song has going; the song just gets synthier and a lot more unbearable to listen to as it goes. The title track has very beautiful lyrics and something about Wolf’s performance of the track is a lot more masculine, which is somewhat endearing and has a different feel than his other songs. The record’s initial flaw is that it is a little chaotic in the area of song structure and there comes a point where after one listen, it becomes apparent that it will only be a matter of time before the record looses its touch. Hopefully the second part of the record, The Conqueror, will live up to its moniker in 2010. http://www.myspace.com/officialpatrickwolf - Max Mohenu
Far from an abject failure, All Together has few songs that don’t at least have some interesting ideas, and in the latter half of the album where low points “Jenny Ono” and “Tragedy” are found, the song lengths are kept forgivingly short. The problem is that the adventurous nature present in even many of their mistakes along with their obvious virtuosic chops seem to add up to a product that is at its best somewhat uneven, and at its worse inane and unlistenable.
It’s almost impossible to write an unbiased review of a Pavement compilation. It’s also unfair. Pavement is the epitome of the term “indie rock band.” Although they had a brief flirtation with the mainstream in 1994 with the single “Cut Your Hair” (its off-beat video was played on MTV), in the spirit of their typical ’90s slacker tunes, it was like the band shrugged off success. Whatever. They didn’t need it anyway. Pavement disbanded just as the ’90s came to an end but like their fellow indie rock gods — Dinosaur Jr., Pixies, Sunny Day Real Estate, etc. — they’re back on tour and hitting the festival circuit. Quarantine the Past reminds us about Pavement (as if we forgot) and introduces new listeners to what all the fuss (and lo-fi guitar fuzz) was all about. Chances are if you’re a serious fan, you already own the deluxe remastered editions, the EPs and the vinyl re-releases (on 180 gram), thus a collection with “Gold Soundz” and “Here” probably won’t do much for you. Still, this album is loaded with gem after gem. The songs have held up well and “Stereo” still features one of the greatest verses of all time: “What about the voice of Geddy Lee?/How did it get so high?/I wonder if he speaks like an ordinary guy.” And not everything has been culled from the band’s five studio albums; “Shoot the Singer (1 Sick Verse)” and “Frontwards,” from the flawless Watery, Domestic EP, are here too (that’s half the EP right there!) At 23 songs and well over an hour, this is quite the compilation and belongs in your collection. Simply put, if you haven’t listened to Pavement, you’re not an indie rock fan. http://www.matadorrecords.com/pavement/ — Jon Brazeau
Categorizing Pendulum as a drum & bass artist is somewhat of a misnomer, especially at this particular time in the band’s career. Immersion is the recent full-length release fronted and produced by Australian artist Rob Swire and it’s the most detached that he has ever strayed from the straight D&B sound that he was once renowned for. Once recognized as one of the more prominent drum & bass artists with his 2005 release Hold Your Colour, the music has since then taken drastic directional change and has caused Pendulum to slip into an entirely different category altogether. Immersion is an album that presents identity issues that must be addressed — issues that yet again question his latest genre switch-up. Elements of dubstep, electric rock and heavy house-music overtones now saturate Pendulum’s music to the point where the musical identity has now become blurred beyond any facet of clear distinction. With this, their third full-length studio offering, many of these secondary elements have been strongly incorporated. The resulting sound still holds a lot to offer to existing fans as well as the new fanbase that they appear to be baiting. The mainstream element of electronic/electric rock holding most of Immersion together has caused the music to evolve beyond any single genre restriction. However, this lack of musical structure introduces too much to the listener, creating a confusion of genre-breaking which seems almost displaced at times. Prime examples stand out on Immersion when Pendulum breaks free from their D&B roots with harder, more rock-oriented tracks such as “Comprachicos” or “Self vs Self”; the latter of which actually features a guest appearance by Swedish melodic death metal artist In Flames. With songs such as these and similarly overtly produced pieces, Immersion becomes an unassembled puzzle — an assortment of randomly identified tracks and guest collaborations which make it feel more like the side-project of an accomplished producer than that of an artist’s fully designed album. Content structure aside, the album still contains many highlights which strongly prove Swire’s worth as a talented musician, singer and producer. For this reason alone Immersion holds more than enough water to certainly warrant a scrutinized listen. http://www.myspace.com/pendulum —Stephen Lussier
Long Live Pere Ubu is the latest release from the infamous avant-garde musical group whose antics have made them a staple in the ultra-underground scene. Like their previous albums, the record maintains extremely theatrical elements that border on the abrasive, featuring haunting voices and sound effects that result in the musical equivalent of bold art-house cinema. Though each song holds its own musical identity, at times it’s hard to decipher between each piece, making the concept of the album seem more imperative than the actual music. The record will undoubtedly appeal to existing fans and those open to the utterly unique and startling but the unconventional premise of Long Live Pere Ubu will fail to draw new listeners (or perhaps those simply less versed in the modern and avant-garde) who still long to relate to their favourite bands. — Anne T. Donahue
When Writer’s Block dropped two years ago, Peter Bjorn and John garnered a lot of attention for their wonderful pop songs and awesome live shows. Living Thing takes their sound into a different direction, without taking away from the very cutesy Swedish sound they have. “The Feeling” is clapped filled, catchy, and highly addictive. “Nothing To Worry About” is by far the most versatile track on the record. The energy is very dancy – almost club dancy – but still very grounded and well constructed. A lot of the album’s strong points are in the production and songwriting, which is definitely something Writers Block lacked in certain parts of that album. Overall, the album stays consistent throughout and will definitely be on repeat for a few days. http://www.myspace.com/peterbjornandjohn - Max Mohenu
Sometimes a band can write great, emotional music but the singer can’t evoke any emotions through their lyrics or in their performance; lucky for you this is not the case with Peter Wolf Crier’s new album Inter-Be. I cannot say enough about Peter Pisano’s performance on this record because his singing style and lyrics make this album really special. There aren’t many singers who can sound tame and distant on the album and yet have such a substantial impact on every song, rather than fade into the background. I could keep praising Pisano’s work on this album but I couldn’t undermine the work of his band mate Brian Moen, because together, this duo has written beautiful music for Inter-Be. “Demo 01” is a sombre song with beautiful melodies that gradually layered over the main guitar part whereas a song like “For Now” is an upbeat song that manages to sound ominous. Then there’s the song “You’re So High”, where the band employs a Beatles pop sound. The most important aspect of the instrumentation is that it provides Pisano with the necessary tones to work within to give a sincere, and truly remarkable vocal performance; and therein lays the essence of Peter Wolf Crier and what makes them such a joy to listen to. http://www.myspace.com/peterwolfcrier —Joseph Fava
The whole is not always a sum of its parts. Featuring members of several respected groups, including Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, TV on the Radio, L’Trimm, Calla and The Dap-Kings, this debut album by the New York assemblage was a weighty endeavor from the get-go. Although a decisive nod to 60s and 70s groove, soul and funk (think Isaac Hayes and Roy Ayers), there’s a clear pop sensibility in the songwriting — complete with doo-wops, relatively lowbrow lyrics and Billy Joel inspired piano phrasing. If not quite “organic” in its attempt at soul, the songs are certainly rooted in catchy beats and supported with solid musicianship. Album highlights include an animated opening track — which would make a worthy selection for a Blaxploitation soundtrack — and “Baby,” which sets itself apart in the latter half of the album by impressively incorporating a flute solo and Luther Vandross-style vocals. Overall, this debut effort is a reasonably decent collection of tracks by innovative, talented artists but there’s something missing that keeps it from living up to its anticipated potential: a general lack of kahunas. Perhaps the pre-awarded title “phenomenal” was a bit presumptuous? http://www.myspace.com/phenomenalhandclap — Erin Klassen
Ever wondered what an impoverished Vampire Weekend would sound like without their usual quirky production and the charm of Ezra Koening? Brooklyn trio Phil and the Osophers must have made their sixth full-length release a concept album exploring that very question. The Vampire Weekend vibes creep into the percussion by the third song, “We Have All Summer,” and the next track, “Mayan Calendar,” unabashedly broadcasts Vampire Weekend-esque African elements; a trend that continues until the eleventh and final song, “Well Being,” with the occasional harmonica thrown into the mix as a half-hearted distraction. The vocals are poorly recorded and often muffled throughout, and if they were recorded in a clear and more pristine manner, it would have done the album a lot of favours. Perhaps this band should have stuck to philosophizing about Vampire Weekend related hypothetical projects instead of executing Parallelo. http://www.myspace.com/philandtheosophers — Melissa Kim
When you take Matthew Houck’s (Phosphorescent) previous LPs into account, it seems kind of like a record like this could be very good or very bad. Houck is definitely a huge Willie Nelson fan from the sound of this record. “Reasons to Quit” is very well done and almost evokes that same spirit that made every lyric ever written by Nelson a gem. “It’s Not Supposed to Be That Way” has that country element, but more of Houck’s folk side definitely gives this song a new feel. The record as a whole is very beautiful and fans of Phosphorescent will definitely have a new love and admiration for Houck’s ability to step into the cowboy boots of a country legend and make a record that will be hard to forget. http://www.myspace.com/phosphorescent - Max Mohenu
Dark and unsettling, Become Secret would be home in any silent black and white vampire movie. Picastro is the brainchild of Toronto based singer-songwriter Liz Hysen, who is accompanied by several guest vocalists and musicians. The album’s predominant use of the cello and piano create a simplistic repetitious sound that ensures Become Secret is one of the most eerie and sinister sounding records you have ever heard. Although the album may be somewhat forbidding, there is a beauty in the melancholic mix of instruments and vocals. The sound of the piano in the opening of “Twilight Parting” conjures visions of a self-playing piano in an old abandoned manor. Coupled with Hysen’s haunting vocals, and the light strum of the cello, this song is truly menacing and the perfect choice of song for what is to come. “A Dune a Doom” varies between disjointed patterns and the screech of electronic noise, simultaneously with the foreboding assault on the piano. Songs like “Pig & Sucker” and “Neva” sound, to some extent, like traditional folk with their simple acoustic guitar lines but the sound of the cello scratches in and envelopes you in an ill-omened atmosphere. The most lingering and haunting song is definitely “A Neck in the Desert.” This song is where we finally see the vocals match the creepiness of the music. The vocals cry softly around you like spirits, and the urgency of the bass note pushes throughout the song, and when it’s over it leaves you stimulated like after emerging from a haunted house as a child. Become Secret is wonderfully avant garde and is a definite worthwhile listen. It’s a fair assessment to say that it may possibly be the only album to make you look over your shoulder while listening. http://www.myspace.com/picastro — Laura Ciampa
Released only on this side of the Atlantic Ocean, The Pigeon Detectives’ latest release features tracks from their previous two LPs as well as a new version of “I Found Out.” Frankly, those tracks should have stayed where they were as The Pigeon Detectives have taken the Libertines model for indie rock and have done nothing to make it sound fresh and new. Simple, repetitive guitar riffs make even this short, four-track EP sound boring. While the songs have a bit of a catchy feel, they’re quite shallow, especially “I’m a Liar,” where “here” is rhymed with “hear” and “here” in the chorus. The Pigeon Detectives E.P. is average at best, bland at its worst and not worth the effort to check out. http://www.thepigeondetective.com - Jon Brazeau
Pink Mountaintops’ third release plays like an internal monologue of a frustrated man as he eyes his lover throughout the day; the birth of communication issues in a relationship to say the least. For example, in the first track “Axis: Thrones of Love,” vocalist Stephen McBean asks, “How deep is your love? Yeah, tell me how deep is your love? And how have you been making a scene?” Then in “Vampire,” he begs “Kiss me. Please kiss me. I’m done turning blue.” This ten-track psychedelic folk rock side project by the lead singer of Black Mountain discovers the nuances of romance from a very narrow if not demandingly lonely perspective. Pink Mountaintops may prefer to be outside of love, but it is guaranteed that this release will keep this project in with the indie in-crowd. http://www.myspace.com/pinkmountaintops -Melissa Kim
Sweet without being twee and sad without being depressing, +/- have produced a fourth album that is easy listening pop/electro/rock. Xs on Your Eyes is a tight 11 songs in 48 minutes, showcasing skilled musicianship and effort in the midst of two of the Brooklyn-based band members’ having their own children and the third being Kelly Clarkson’s touring drummer. The vocals are reminiscent of a softer and slightly peppier Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie, and the instrumental arrangements give birth to the lovechild of Nada Surf and The Hylozoists. - Melissa Kim
If you’ve been holding your breath waiting for another album by The Postal Service, you’re probably dead by now. For those just holding something else, Brooklyn’s Plushgun will satisfy your demand. “Just Impolite” could be a spiritual successor to The Postal Service’s “Such Great Heights,” featuring catchy keyboards and a bouncing drum beat. “A Crush to Pass the Time” has a more danceable drum beat and New Wave-inspired keyboards, sure to make the indie rock crowd bounce along and shake their tails. Daniel Ingala’s soft, breathy vocals also deserve a nod as they are a charming, pleasant treat to hear. Indie electronic fans should definitely track this one down. http://www.myspace.com/plushgun - Jon Brazeau
Polly Scattergood’s self-titled debut album can only be summed up in one word: magnificent. Her lyrics pierce like a black arrow but the beauty of her voice is so enchanting, you’ll find yourself drawn into all her stories as the album progresses. “Untitled 27” showcases Polly’s amazing vocals, especially in the way she drones and then rises up and finally climaxes. “I Am Strong” has some great piano parts, which make the song very dreamy. “Unforgiving Arms” has a feel similar to “Cibo Matto,” but the lyrics are a little catchier than some of the others. “Bunny Club” starts out very lo-fi and then kicks it up a bit; the lyrics are quirky and the song is incredible. The album depicts love and sadness in a way that’s both endearing and captivating. A debut like this will definitely keep this young lady on everyone’s radar. http://www.myspace.com/pollyscattergood - Max Mohenu
Pompeii’s sophomore effort, “Nothing Happens for a Reason,” reads like the basic plot line of a novel; introduction, rising action, climax, denouement, and conclusion. The first track, “Where We’re Going we Don’t Need Roads,” is strictly instrumental as if setting the scene before properly making the acquaintance. The following song, the stand-out track, “Rabbit Ears,” draws on the exceptionally Copeland-esque vibe that they keep encountering. The album’s energy builds until it reaches the passive aggressive yet bittersweet musings of the seventh song, “Ready/Not Ready.” The remainder of the album falls into a more sombre setting until the title track bids adieu with the moral of the story. This four-piece band from Austin, Texas falls easily into the same genre as two of the acts that their producer has worked with: Jack’s Mannequin and The Rocket Summer. What sets them apart is the consistent guest cello on this album, which one can be sure happened for a reason. -Melissa Kim
When brothers Paul and Michael Murphy found themselves with too much time on their hands in 2008, they decided to make their mom possibly the best gift any parent could receive: an album of dreamy acoustic tracks dedicated to their family members. Revisiting the material almost a year later that Paul, the frontman of Halifax’s Wintersleep, wrote and played, and that Michael recorded and mixed, resulted in nine melancholic tracks that are like a musical version of a family photo album. Paul has become known as a masterful lyricist and the deeply personal material is featured beautifully in the pared-down quietness of the instrumentation: an acoustic guitar, banjo, organ, or piano are what mainly accompany Paul’s tenor vocals. Common themes to the tracks are remembering (and forgetting), and the devastation of growing old, which is further exemplified in the repetition of certain lines throughout most of the songs, such as “are you in outer space?” in the song “Eclipse” and “lie down” in the song “The Coroner.” The effect of repeating such burdening lines over and over has a meditative quality to each song, but it also provokes a frustrating resistance to the listener, like momentarily wandering inside the mind that is cloudy with Alzheimer’s, only to witness such devastation full on. Heartbreakingly beautiful, as is the certainty of our mortality, Postdata’s self-titled album documents the generations of a family and celebrates those who are still with us. http://www.myspace.com/postdiddy — Chloe Vice
The self-titled debut album by electro-rock group Purr is a victorious first step onto the techno music scene. From the guitar-heavy, fast paced anthem “Save Rock and Roll” to the slow industrial drone of “Spitfire”, this album travels across the board, from techno to rock, successfully conquering the fusion of the two genres. There are even some great surprises. The opening track, “Space”, features a bridge dominated by a horn section backed by some record scratching. Heavy and dynamic, each song explodes into a flurry of raw energy. No two songs sound even remotely alike, as this album showcases the artistic and creative genius of each of the three band members. This album is an explosion of cosmic energy backed by electronic beats, proving that Purr will make a name for themselves in techno-rock music world. www.makemepurrr.com - Bethany Hansraj
This British trio have drum and bass dance floor grime-rock pinned to the ground after a good crowd-surfing. The Qemists fully captured that sentiment with their track “Dem Na Like Me,” which features Brit-rapper Wiley, mentor of fellow Brit-rapper Dizzee Rascal. Although mildly repetitive, the song would make any club fester to boiling point. The entire album has a good bustling energy to it, one that would be exciting to see play out live, strobe lights included. The Qemists are a bass, guitar, and drums trio; leaving no room for an in-house vocalist. All vocals on this album are guests, yet it does not hinder their sound or their musical identity. The Qemists have cooked up a good fusion of genres, lab coats intact. http://www.myspace.com/qemists - Melissa Kim
- Joe Veroni
The fourth country-folk album from Rae Spoon, Superioryouareinferior, covers the territories of territory. Songs deal with landscape and place and the workings of the human heart within them, a familiar theme of the traditional folk form and for a folk artist from the Canadian prairies such concerns are evidently prominent. The exterior of the natural world, from the grandeur of the Great Lakes to the wild grace of its feral inhabitants, figures heavily, as does the equally huge interior of the emotional and the profound. On a superficial level, it would be easy to write off Rae Spoon as just another rootsy local country artist, who is a member of the legion of rootsy local country artists that plough in the same well-furrowed folk field, if it wasn’t for the fact that Rae has a unique voice (as a transgender country singer) and incorporates an arsenal of electronic and electric elements into the more customary use of strings and the acoustic. http://www.myspace.com/raespoon -Christian Martius
Going Steady is the debut album from Rah Rah, a six piece band hailing from Regina. A multifaceted album, every song on Going Steady is a unique creation that sets itself apart from the rest of the album, not to mention the rest of the indie rock scene. Taking a cue from Arcade Fire's Funeral, their sound is unmistakably indie, while marking the beginning of a new wave in the scene. It might be the driving drums paired with gentle harmonies or the vintage guitar riffs with orchestral violins. Either way, the result is the sort of whimsical sound that inspires nostalgia. Their lyrics are clever, quirky and ultimately sincere, like looking through an old notebook and reading love letters that were never sent. http://www.myspace.com/rahrahband - Bethany Hansraj
“Troubadour” and “Ramblin’ Jack Elliott” go together like peanut butter and jelly and Elliott continues that practice on his latest album, A Stranger Here. Playing a selection of Depression-era blues songs (six of the 10 tracks have the word “blues” in their title), and combined with Elliott’s veteran vocals, the album only adds to Elliott’s legendary status. With the current cloudy economic climate, the moody, dark feel of the album works well today. With sparse instrumentals, Elliott’s “ramblin’” vocals lead the songs, like opening track “Rising High Water Blues.” It seems appropriate for Elliott to be singing a song called “Rambler’s Blues” and the song fits nicely in the mix. For younger listeners who only know of Elliott by name, this album serves as a good introduction to his career and fans should enjoy it too. http://www.myspace.com/ramblinjackelliott - Jon Brazeau
The Ravenna Colt’s debut album, Slight Spell, showcases very moody songs with plenty of reverb and sorrow. The album starts extremely slow-paced with simple instrumentation, creating a nice buildup for what’s to come. Acts such as Great Lake Swimmers, Justin Rutledge and The Verve come to mind when listening to this album. Some standout songs: “According to the Matador” is a great upbeat pop rocker with the best lyrics of the album, “shake it while you can, sleeping’s for the dead,” which appear in the catchy, upbeat chorus. “Now to Begin” is a beautifully peaceful track that puts the listener in the songwriter’s headspace with it’s descriptive and colouful lyrics. “Forsake and Combine” is a tune with a great mix of ’60s rock, jam band and power pop. http://www.myspace.com/theravennacolt — Andre Skinner
The Raveonettes continue to perfect their sound with the release of In and Out of Control, the third album from the Denmark duo who gained both notoriety and credibility following the release of 2007’s acclaimed Lust Lust Lust. However, unlike Lust’s coupling of hard guitar and (seemingly) light-hearted tracks, the band’s latest record boasts breezy mellow synth-rock that embraces the lyrically dark and heavy. Using a catchy pop formula to convey the horrors of sexual assault on “Boys Who Rape (Should All Be Destroyed),” vocal nonchalance conceals the heaviness of “D.R.U.G.S.”, while the melancholy undertones of tracks like “Oh I Buried You Today” and “Gone Forever” are masked by instrumental smoothness that mimics some of music’s greatest musical mourners. The track listing in itself proves the band has undoubtedly endured notable pain and grief but regardless of their emotional baggage, they successfully address their issues without coming across as a whiny emo act. As a result, the record will appeal to existing fans but will draw new listeners who will undoubtedly be intrigued by The Raveonettes impressive ability to combine both the light and heavy. http://www.myspace.com/theraveonettes — Anne T. Donahue
If your idea of fun includes whiny lyrics and repetitive, generic pop-punk, then The Real Deal certainly is the real deal. By branding themselves as “fun,” The Real Deal oddly negates the confrontational nature of their entire album; they’re the musical equivalent of that jerk who insults you and then writes it off with a hasty and useless “no offense.” Certainly, their kind has been successful and fun before, but the problem is they stray so little from “their kind.” The combination of reggae, ska and punk with playfully angry, shouting lyrics and nonstop energy has been previously explored at least a few thousand times but all of this would be excusable, provided they sounded somehow distinct. Recommendations for the willing few: “Rebel Chant” is the least aurally offensive, while, fittingly, “Another ‘Another Fuck You Song’” is the most. Its proudly petulant (read: juvenile) lyrics might be fun for the under-14 set whose musical balls haven’t yet dropped but fun for all? Not quite the real deal. http://www.myspace.com/therealdeal - Sally Walker Hudecki
Fraught with sociological statements and wonderfully creative eccentricity, Recoil’s Selected holds a wide expanse of well-known contributing vocalists, memorable riffs and entertaining messages. Ex-Depeche Mode member Alan Wilder has compiled what he calls some of his “personal favourites” from his pet-project’s almost 25 year catalogue. First conceived as a solo venture in 1986, Wilder had evolved the concept of a non-popular outlet of his music into something much broader conceptually than the Mode had ever allowed him. With three studio albums released while still with both bands, notoriety of the new project began to take off for him in great stride. After leaving the electronic-pop quartet in 1995 he committed himself full-time to Recoil and has since released a widely gapped string of three more full-length albums that have been hailed as possessing enormous creative and artistic appeal. Grouped together in a manner that he himself has deemed to be a “cohesive and total listening experience,” Wilder has assembled the pieces of his own puzzle into what can now be described as an orderly and successfully consistent collection of music. Not an easy thing to achieve based on the amount of time that the band spans, Recoil’s music combines together in this assemblage into what can now be described as a new full-length album — but of old music. Hearing songs that range from such memorable tracks as “Faith Healer” from 1992’s Bloodline intermingled with later songs such as “Prey” from the 2007 album subhuman not only give newcomers a glance at what Recoil has been able to accomplish since the post-Mode era but also gives existing fans of the band a new semblance of order to the already known music. — Stephen Lussier
48 musicians. 16 weeks. One house, one producer, one album. Record Of The Week Club sounds like the greatest reality show ever only you will never be embarrassed to admit your love for it. Mike Petkau ambitiously invited strange and varying combinations of musicians over, offering them little prior knowledge except that they would be recording one song each night. The result, without exception, is completely astounding. If ever anyone questions whether the whole can be greater than the sum of its parts, throw this CD at them and run, lest they explode immediately in musical ecstasy. The premise sounds completely ridiculous, pretentious and scattered but through some kind of unlikely magic this album is as cohesive as its lineup is not. Somewhere in this strange premise, the artists (including jazz musicians, solo artists, an Inuit throat singer and members from many bands, including The Weakerthans) found common ground, a mysterious intersection of shared purpose and artistic vision. From that pinnacle of unexpected combinations, Petkau has teased out song after song that is catchy, interesting, and by turns raucous and haunting but always as accessible as if you’d just happened across it in the next room. http://www.myspace.com/recordoftheweekclub - Sally Walker Hudecki
Duluth, Minn. natives Retribution Gospel Choir are described as possibly being the fittest band on Earth. Marathon runners and swimmers are they and semi-pro athletes they have been. Simply put, this trio of Alan Sparhawk, Steven Garrington and Eric Pollard is ripped. Forming in 2007, RGC’s sophomore album, 2, and the first with Sub Pop, has the ability to soar up into fist-pumping anthemic rock songs but listeners be warned: if you’re familiar with singer/guitarist Sparhawk and bassist Garrington’s primary band, the slowcore movement poster child Low, you’ll be in for a few surprises. First, RGC is a straight-up rock band that verges on the psychedelic throughout the majority of the 10 tracks on 2. Also, this album was produced by L.A. up-and-comer Matt Beckley of Britney Spears and Paris Hilton sex bomb techno-pop infamy. And although these seem to contradict one another, technologically-speaking, there is an inventiveness to the overall quality of the album’s production, like a hi-fi body buzz that at once feels warm and inviting while at the same time producing icy cold chills up your spine. Heavy guitar chugging with loads of reverb and steady 4/4 timing throughout most of the tracks makes this album fairly consistent, but also a bit nostalgic for the earlier days of Sub Pop (think Screaming Trees). All in all, a meat and potatoes effort, but what else would you expect from the Midwest? http://www.myspace.com/retributiongospelchoir — Chloe Vice
Singer-songwriter Regina Spektor continues to woo fans with Far, the pretty and melodic follow-up to 2006’s breakthrough Begin to Hope. Though the Soviet-born musician fails to stray from her usual piano-based formula, she succeeds in maintaining the charm and simplicity that originally launched her career. Her first single off the album, “Laughing With,” is a delicate track that incorporates elements of Spektor’s Jewish upbringing, as does the “Hallelujah” chorus of “Human of the Year,” a ballad that continues to maintain the artist’s religious background. However, as poignant and philosophical as Spektor becomes at times, tracks like “Folding Chair” — which includes mimicked dolphin sounds — or “Dance Anthem of the 80’s” seem like they’re trying much too hard to be endearing, leaving listeners slightly off-put as the singer strives for adulation. However, regardless of lyrical choices or animal impersonations, Spektor is an undoubtedly talented musician, with her piano accompaniment often redeeming songs that seem far too young for the 28-year-old artist. As a result, Far will please existing fans and draw listeners looking to bask in lovely simplicity but the record may not necessarily score well with audiences who are a little more jaded and looking for something a little more raw. http://www.myspace.com/reginaspektor — Anne T. Donahue
Richard Hawley’s sixth studio album, Truelove’s Gutter, delivers like a haunted confessional addressed to a long lost lover. Is this the same rough-looking, yellow-toothed Britpop guitarist who belonged to such ’90s bands as Longpigs and Pulp? Hawley’s songs have so much depth and maturity; in Truelove’s Gutter, he produces an album full of velvety secrets, his deep voice revealing itself like a luxurious lullaby. It’s difficult to single out any one song — each track is like a chapter in a novel and the album unfolds at a decidedly steady pace. Those who are drawn to singer/songwriters like Ron Sexsmith and Daniel Lanois will be wooed by Hawley’s bold honesty and intoxicating sound. Hawley’s arresting lyrics would rival Leonard Cohen’s best: “Maybe I will drink a little less/Come home early and not complain about the death/And give you flowers from the graveyard now and then/For your lover give some time.” Melancholy, elegant and softly seductive, Richard Hawley has just earned himself a coveted spot on my Sunday morning playlist. http://www.myspace.com/richardhawley —Erin Klassen
As Richard Swift himself notes in the opening of his newest album, The Atlantic Ocean, he’s “part of the scene.” Indeed, Swift has accessorized his simplistic compositions with all the trimmings of the proverbial “scene”: he’s got the synths, the self-deprecating lyrics and all the right associates (Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy and Pat Sansone, Walkmen engineer Chris Colbert, musician Casey Foubert of Sufjan Stevens fame, producer Mark Ronson, Ryan Adams, and Sean Lennon). The question is, does Swift transcend the trappings of “the scene” enough to distinguish himself? Certainly, his songwriting skills deserve praise, for each and every one of his songs reach a point of catchiness-overload, at which time you know there is no way you’re getting out of this album without its jaunty, pop-drenched hooks deep in your gray matter. Also, the stylistic range of Swift’s inclusion is impressive: “The Atlantic Ocean” delivers a shot of neon-bright, smooth electro-pop, while strings blend with latter-Lennon style sweet bounce on “The First Time,” and “Bat Coma Motown” manages to fit seamlessly into the rest of the album, yet flood with gentle horns. The Atlantic Ocean may, with all its scene cred, sound overdone in theory, but in practice, it is a charming and upbeat pop sampling. http://www.myspace.com/richardswift - Sally Walker Hudecki
Sometimes We Must Change Shape, the sophomore release from Vancouver native Roche Limit (a.k.a. David Righton), is a chameleon. While the album is sandwiched between electronic opening and closing songs, it shifts and develops throughout its 12 tracks to present ambient, poppy, indie rock and quirky influences. Despite the heavy use of synthesizers throughout much of the album, an equal emphasis is placed on Roche Limit’s primary influence: Beck. In his biography, Righton describes, “Roche Limit is what Beck would be if Beck still sounded like Beck.” This is prominently displayed through tracks such as “Take the Party” and “Greed.” Contrastingly, “Cereal Offender” offers quirky background vocals and instrumentation. Sometimes We Must Change Shape is an album that must be listened to in its entirety to catch each of its many identities and presents a variety rarely heard in music today. http://www.myspace.com/rochelimit - Heather Adamo
The Rosebuds, recent Spin.com’s artist of the day, have just released their newest LP, Life Like. The male/female duo of Ivan Howard and Kelly Crisp create melodic, sing-song tracks that embody a youthfulness that most artists shy away from. The Rosebuds are that rare child who manages to be both adolescent and mature at the same time. The album begins with the intense politically-driven tracks “Cape Fear” and “Bow to the Middle” and cools into the tracks “Nice Fox” and “Hello Darlin’” which embrace back-up vocals and sounds reminiscent of a Brady Bunch episode. Perhaps the most exciting thing to come out of this album is the mash-up of the title track “Life Like” with rapper T-Pain’s “Can’t Believe It.” The track is titled “Can’t Believe It’s Life Like” and can be downloaded off The Rosebuds MySpace page. The Rosebuds intensely eerie backbeat mixed with T-Pain’s lyrics is a must hear. Overall, Life Like is a new-age tour de force that is likely to raise the Rosebuds up in the ranks of Indie-rock royalty. myspace.com/therosebuds -Allison Smith
Featuring Sparks’ artists Spiral Beach, the priddle concern and Son Of Dave as well as artists like The Two Koreas and Nathan Lawr And The Minotaurs, Royally Sparked is a nice compilation of Canadian bands deserving of more acclaim. With eight bands and 16 tracks (two tracks per band), the compilation gives a nice sample of each band and what to expect. The Two Koreas’ “Return to Oslo” and “Cheeky Snaps” are both feel-good, head-bobbing rocking tunes. The two tracks from the priddle concern are what you would expect from a former member of Broken Social Scene: well-produced, guitar-driven rock songs with a few guest stars added to the mix. Spiral Beach will have you bouncing too with their youthful, upbeat tunes, especially “Rocket Fuel.” The album also features more laid-back, country-flavoured songs from Yonder and the acoustic delight of Jay Sparrow. With a little bit of everything on the Canadian indie rock scene, Royally Sparked is a good heads up if you’re looking for something new. Sparksmusic.com -Jon Brazeau
One part random name, one part Toronto suburb, one part 16-minute E.P., one part Dave Monks, and another part endearing indie rock: that is the formula that made indie darlings Tokyo Police Club. Ruby Coast grabbed that formula and took it a little too far with their debut E.P. The Aurora-based band had TPC vocalist/bassist Dave Monks produce Projectable Collections and their wish to be everyone’s favourite New Marketers could not be articulated any louder if their keyboardist talk-yelled his background vocals. Oh wait, he actually does. With the exception of the awkward voice cracking in the first track, “Television,” Projectable Collections is a consistent E.P. However, it would have been more interesting to see if these puppets could stand on their own had Monks cut the strings. Until then, TPC’s waves of fame will only continue to crash upon a certain Ruby Coast. myspace.com/rubycoast —Melissa Kim
Featuring an assortment of Halifax musicians, Ruby Jean & the Thoughtful Bees’ self-titled album is an impressive debut for a Canadian electro-dance collective. Ruby Jean is actually Rebekah Higgs, known more in alt-country circles than dance clubs, and her vocals shine on this album. As is the case among the dance genre, the vocals loop constantly with the drum beats, (i.e. get used to hearing the phrase “you don’t miss me” a lot on the opening track “You Don’t Miss Me”) but Higgs’ vocals are a pleasure to hear over and over again. Colin Crowell is the brains behind the production and has crafted a fine mix of bleeps and beats. Keep an eye out for this band in the future as these bees will sting you. http://www.myspace.com/rubyjeanandthethoughtfulbees - Jon Brazeau
Imagine a collaboration between Chris Martin, Shep Pettibone, and William Orbit, complemented ever-so-lovingly by synth effects plucked out at random by daughter Apple of the aforementioned Coldplay lead singer, and you get New Zealand-based, self-described “indie pop” band, The Ruby Suns. While their label status (they’re represented by both Sub Pop in the U.S. and Lil Chief domestically), along with their extensive touring itinerary pledges to their popularity, Fight Softly was the sort of listening experience that undoubtedly has to be accompanied by the ingestion of psychedelics — and plenty of them, at that — in order to really “get.” In a word, it’s just “weird.” Accordingly, the album’s interior artwork, which looks as though it was completed by a very disturbed four-year-old, aptly represents The Ruby Suns’ sound. But I guess I should’ve known better when the primary reason I chose to review this album was based on its inclusion of a track entitled “Olympics on Pot.” I wonder was this pot the band speaks off laced with anything else? When it comes to tactics for violent regimes, as the title alludes to, the band’s specialty is clearly “psychological warfare.” I know I could barely make it past the 20 minute mark without becoming seriously agitated. http://www.myspace.com/therubysuns — Rose Cora Perry
After taking more years off than most bands endure, Rumble Devils are back with their second album, Diablos Guapos. In fact, it’s been so long that we might as well treat this record as a debut. The trio hail from St. Catharines, ON, but their sound is equal parts punk and rockabilly that lend the band a decidedly southern flavour. Diablos Guapos — handsome devils — is 13 songs about boozin’, drivin’ and not least of all womanizin’. “Whiskey” is a methodically pounding headache of a track about one man’s love for double-shots of corn-based liquor. “King and Queen” is the world’s most god-awful ballad but somehow that’s a good thing and you can just see a tavern full of domestic beer bottles held high in cheers to mopey memories. In stark contrast is “Kids These Days,” a punked-up tune about rock ’n’ roll falling out of favour with today’s youth — something that doesn’t sit well with Rumble Devils. And so this trio dedicate themselves to creating anthemic drinkin’ sing-alongs. This is sure to be a raucous concert if you get the chance to see the boys live. http://www.myspace.com/rumbledevils
Featuring previously recorded material and seven new songs, Said the Whale more than live up to their name. The Vancouver band’s melodies have a spacious, nautical feel to them. “This City’s a Mess” is a charming opening track, with pleasing harmonies softening up the crashing cymbals. “Howe Sounds” also delights, with a fairly mellow guitar riff that’s complacent and fitting with the lyrics, “let’s go back to the coast, baby, westward to the ocean.” The band continues their fascination of the coast on “The Banks of the English Bay.” Not surprisingly, lead songwriter Tyler Bancroft worked on his father’s tugboat. If you can’t make it to Vancouver any time soon, this album will make you feel like you’re almost there. http://www.myspace.com/saidthewhale - Jon Brazeau
The opinions about Santogold’s impressive debut album may have been tainted by all the meaningless M.I.A comparisons but the record is solid, consistent and showcases Santi’s versatility as an artist. “Shove It” fuses early ska sounds with banging beats and an appearance by the infamous XXXChange from Spank Rock keeps the song hot right till the end. “My Superman” has a sexy R&B rhythm with awesome wordplay to match. “Starstruck” probably best displays Santi’s ability to cross genres; everything from grime, electro and hip-hop soul makes this song flawless. The record may have taken a ride on the hype machine for a little bit but with a debut like this, Santogold’s star will only continue to rise. http://www.myspace.com/santogold -Max Mohenu
After a seven-year respite, Sarah McLachlan is back with her eighth studio album, excluding her 2008 “best of” release. The opening track, “Awakenings”, teases the listener with tastes of her older, relatively up-tempo and edgy work (e.g. “Vox”, “Into the Fire”), but only for the first two verses. McLachlan then turns to the arena-(soft)rock sound we have come to expect from the matriarch of Lilith Fair. Her first single, “Loving You Is Easy”, features repetitive perky piano chords more akin to a Chantal Kreviazuk than a Tori Amos or Regina Spektor. From here, the album loses momentum. With few exceptions, McLachlan appears to be catering to her easy listening audience by substituting musical and lyrical depth for accessible melodies. However, such is the formula of selling records and drawing crowds and I predict Ms. McLachlan will be achieving both. Laws of Illusion is uninspired and often listless, but consistent. Easy background music for your Mom’s dinner party. http://www.sarahmclachlan.com/ca/home —Chantelle Renee
http://www.myspace.com/scottmacleod - Joe Veroni
Sean Bones sure knows how to create a side-project that is a truly personal undertaking. While his band Sam Champion is determinedly an indie pop act, his debut solo album, Rings, ventures into a style that the artist has never before publicly expressed an interest in: reggae. The brainstorm for the genre switch seems to be based on the collaborative creation of a beach-inspired lifestyle brand, S/S Friends, with his girlfriend. Their brainchild also included the release of Bones’ first solo EP — which shares a name with the line — and included Rings’ “Easy Street”; it’s obvious that Bones’ developed a thirst to create more airy, summery reggae music. While the syncopated bass lines put forth on Rings are definitely evocative of the laid-back reggae so popular in the 1970s, Bones also uses classic surf rock elements like whammy guitar riffs and heavy spaghetti western style outbursts that make the record feel decidedly contemporary; Bones’ whiny but masterfully nuanced vocal delivery meshes flawlessly with the aforementioned elements. To put it plainly, Rings pairs well with a bottle of tequila, humidity, a beach campfire and zero inhibitions. http://www.myspace.com/seanbones — Jessica Carroll
One-fifth of Black Moth Super Rainbow, Maux Boyle releases her debut solo effort, Periphery. The Seven Fields of Aphelion utilizes classical instruments like the piano and fuses them with vintage synthesizers. The result of this musical marriage creates an evocative and delicate sentiment and its ambient synth sound suggests an ’80s inspiration. However, the use of piano in songs like “Sunburst Chemicals,” “Lake Feet” and “Mountain Mary” add a somewhat affecting touch to the music that is further evolved than the music of the ’80s. These wordless stories sound warm and intriguing at times but the album almost feels like it’s missing an indefinable feature of some kind. One interesting quality that must be noted about Periphery is the way each song corresponds with the title of the track. It’s almost as though an unknown story is coming to life through the music. Periphery is a definite candidate for an interesting listen every now and then. http://www.myspace.com/thesevenfieldsofaphelion — Laura Ciampa
Named Toronto’s Best Record Label by NOW Magazine, Paper Bag Records releases a 12 cover collection in honor of their seventh anniversary. This Canadian-owned record label is known to release quality international and Canadian music alike from a variety of genres. And speaking of variety, this 12-track collection is the epitome of the word diversity. The collection starts out with a cover of famous ’90s one hit wonder “How Bizarre” by OMC, tackled by CFCF. This heavily-synthesized ’80s sense to the song really lends a distinctive feel as compared to the acoustic guitar and percussion of the original. However, this cover lacks the fun of the original and if you’re waiting for it to pick up, well it doesn’t. A surprising highlight would have to be “Gamma Ray” originally by Beck but done here by Laura Barrett. The song has a dream quality to it and Barrett’s voice borders on a mix of Minnie Riperton’s ’70s hit “Lovin’ You” and Minnie Mouse. Her unique voice is intriguing and begs you to listen, along with the constant beat of what sounds like a children’s toy piano. Next, we have a cover of “I Want You” from none other than Bob Dylan. 8 Rock Plaza Central has to be recognized for covering a Dylan song but their version lacks. A great cover is one that makes you forget you’re listening to a cover, it becomes their own, but this version makes us yearn for Dylan’s off key twang. Seven Year Itch, on a whole is a great listen for those who like “a little bit of everything” and is not to be hidden in a brown Paper Bag. http://www.myspace.com/paper_bag_records — Laura Ciampa
It’s bluesy. It’s growling. It piques the interest immediately. So why does Shane Philip feel the need to ruin his music by singing sometimes? Shane, dude, seriously, just stop it with the Jack Johnson impersonation. You’re better than that and most of Live at Baker Studios proves it. “Triple Shot” and “Breakdown” are tribal, entrancing and remarkably danceable considering that all you’re hearing are hippie drums, guitars, a didgeridoo and Philip’s unique brand of vocable growling and barking. On “How Could You Know,” Philip sings again, but I’ll let him off the hook this one time because of the song’s fierce groove and rugged guitar work. The payoffs of Live at Baker Studios are tremendous, but it’s impossible not to mention just how terrible the laid-back “Sweet Ocean” is. Oh yeah, Shane, one more thing: just because you call white boys out for being “wannabe Rastas” on “Cool Clouds” does not somehow make it alright for you to sing a shitty reggae tune. But besides the few serious shortcomings, this is a really solid album worth checking out. - Joe Veroni
Shannon Stephens isn’t out to start any fires or change the world. In fact, she recorded her sophomore effort, The Breadwinner, on a laptop in her living room. Stephens has a breezy, pleasant voice — and much like Norah Jones, she successfully bridges a smooth, jazz quality with a sweet pop melody. That said, this is decent bathtime music and not much else. Despite the recent buzz that Stephens is a long-time friend of Sufjan Stevens (no relation), they have little in common musically. The Breadwinner is a collection of sleepy, girlish ballads which fall flat as the album presses on. The final track, a silky rendition of “Seems I’m Never Tired of Lovin’ You” (and the only song on the album not penned by Stephens), is perhaps the most interesting: country-esque, sexy, and sung with a stripped down vulnerability. Overall, Stephens has potential to be much more — and leaving her living room might be the first step to producing something more worthwhile. http://www.myspace.com/shannonstephens — Erin Klassen
Slumping in Your Murals, the fourth release from Halifax’s Share, further expands on the band’s Canadian roots with their throwback to classic sounds, producing a likeable mix of rock and folk and leaving listeners relaxed and satisfied. Reminiscent of summer evenings spent on a patio with friends, the record succeeds in maintaining interest but fails to command the attention at times it deserves. “Maybe Always” — a simple but heartfelt acoustic duet with fellow Halifax musician Jenn Grant — conveys the confusion of a relationship in peril, while “Awake at Dawn” and “Penmanship” carry on the reflective feelings established by earlier tracks with lyrics conveying the pain of love lost. However, regardless of the feeling attached to the album, it misses the heart needed to evoke the emotion required to make Slumping in Your Murals truly memorable. The record is competent and Share’s efforts are obvious, but at times — despite the overall solidity of the album — you long for the thing that will set Share even further apart from those that surround them. http://www.myspace.com/sharetheband — Anne T. Donahue
Taking a step towards today’s more formulated harsh-industrial music, Shiv-r makes their position known in the world of underground music with their debut, Hold My Hand. Modeled after similar aggrotech artists of recent years, Shiv-r puts together a sound based on a mixture of everything from angst-filled techno to blatantly abrasive industrial roughness. For a taste of what is typical in today’s darker industrial music scene, one can easily listen to and accept Shiv-r with the grain of salt that obviously accompanies them. They prove with Hold My Hand that a hybrid of club-infused synthetic beats and gut-wrenching, dark vocals can maintain strong appeal both to a nighttime dance crowd as well as to avid headphone-listeners of the heavier electronic music scene. The Australian duo of Lee Bulig and Pete Crane manage to fuse together elements from all facets of today’s underground electronic soundscape and reassemble them back together — albeit forgivably cliché at times — in a successful manner which goes above what a band can typically do with their first album. The most interesting point of fact about the combination of these two artists is that since 2007 they haven’t actually been living in Australia but instead hold separate residences in different parts of the world. Bulig resides in Bangkok, Thailand while Crane calls London, U.K. his home. The two, however, have been collaborating together over this distance for over 10 years now and are very much in sync with each other’s skills. Gothic-industrial undertones highlight the mostly aggressive level of danceable music highlighted on this collection, grounding it with moodiness that counters the heightened energy levels accomplishedly. The flow of homogeneousness in Shiv-r’s music style maintains itself superbly, but with enough diversity to maintain interest for any listener. Whether a fan of the harder industrial sound or simply just a curious audiophile who wants to break out of their shell a little, Hold My Hand is the one album that will cater to both with its formulated electronic harshness as well as its accessibility to anyone who yearns to hear something from the other side of the door. http://www.myspace.com/shiverindustrial — Stephen Lussier
When Stolkholm’s indie rockers Shout Out Louds decided in ’08 to start on the follow up to Our Ill Wills, it seemed as though it was, well, work — as in a lot of it. The majority of the album, written by singer Adam Olenius on acoustic guitar, synthesizer and GarageBand met with approval after beaming his bandmates songs across the globe (due to Olenius hiding out in Melbourne, vocalist and keyboardist Bebban Sternborg sojourning in L.A. and the remaining three members manning the fort in Stockholm). Two time zones later, the band reassembled in Seattle to enlist Phil Ek to produce. Before you can say that a Band of Horses kicked this five piece in The Shins, obvious comparisons made to the overall production on Work is largely due to Ek’s careful ears and knowing what sounds right — he did that for the two aforementioned bands as well. That’s not to say that there aren’t some great standout tracks on Work because there are, such as “Walls” with a marching beat chugging the melody along, or the dance number “Fall Hard,” replete with jangle guitar and horn section combo. Yet for all of Shout Out Loud’s weaknesses, namely writing songs that sound like someone else’s (the string arrangements in “Play the Game” and “Moon” could be lifted from Arcade Fire’s repertoire) some tracks are great commercial radio pop songs that could employ them as a band for a while longer. — Chloe Vice
Picking up where Lipps Inc. of “Funkytown” fame left off, the second full-length album by Edmonton six-piece Shout Out Out Out Out is nothing more than cheesy electro wannabe disco pop. Not even rapper and city-mate Cadence Weapon nor label-mate San Serac, who are featured on “Coming Home” and “One Plus Two Plus Three” respectively, could salvage any sense of decency from their contributions to the album. All 10 tracks are between four and nine minutes long, culminating with the final/title track which lasts over 10 minutes. Although it is acknowledged that songs of this dance genre do take their time with pacing, the cheap synths and sloppy beats maintain a running-in-place mentality instead of steadily picking up the pace throughout each track. Lyrically, the songs are incomprehensible because of the tweaking that the vocals have undergone. However, the song “Remind Me in Dark Times” is not as odious as the others despite its nine-minute duration. It seems like Shout Out Out Out Out should have considered reintegrating into society before they thought about Reintegration Time. http://www.myspace.com/shoutoutoutoutout - Melissa Kim
They were named “Underground Artist of the Year” in 2007 by Spin Magazine, “Band of the Year” in 2008 by Real Detroit Weekly, and are out with a fresh album this summer. The Silent Years have come out with their forth album titled The Globe. The new CD has been described as “…a collection of songs which reflect on humanity and human experiences itself.” It’s a beautiful album, which gives off a lot of Radiohead, Sigur Ros, and Wilco-esque vibes and influences. Lead singer, Josh Epstein has a gorgeous and passionate voice that will make you want to listen to this album from beginning to end. - Danielle Cowie
It’s hard to believe that Toronto’s Queen Street was once — like the Yonge Street of long ago — a haven for working class musicians with a penchant for country and western. Very shortly after groups like Blue Rodeo and Cowboy Junkies hit, Skydiggers burst onto the scene with their own rootsy brand. The songs of regret, love and travelling, played with Byrdsian guitars, made the group a bar band sensation. The 20 years of recording and touring have resulted in a sound that spans the Northern landscape from the Rockies to the Maritimes, making the Skydiggers one of a few supremely Canadian bands. While the 22 song track list may seem daunting, the shifts in direction made over the years are subtle enough to keep the music interesting but never jarring. Whether it’s a pleasant Sarah Harmer duet, or the comfort of “I Will Give You Everything,” if just one track hits you, the rest will suddenly hook you. For those who have all of their albums, this also features cassingle B-side “Good King Wenceslas,” re-recordings of several songs including a “A Penny More,” and a bonus six-song DVD recorded at Toronto’s Dakota Tavern. http://www.myspace.com/theskydiggers — Daniel Demois
Attention all Slackers lovers! These guys are back again with another stellar album called Self Medication. The Slackers aim to please and very much succeed in doing so. The musical variety on this album (reggae/ska/rock/soul) is very good and they definitely pull it all off. But how couldn’t they? They’re the Slackers! The first track, “Everyday Is Sunday” is definitely a song that deserves a dance on a beautiful sunny day with its awesome upbeat tempo that is followed by a chilled horn section. This beautiful album is definitely worth investing in. All you need to do is hit your play button and let these experienced musicians do the rest in wooing you. -Danielle Cowie
Vernacular Violence, the new 5 song EP from Toronto artist Slim Twig (who in true eccentric fashion writes and plays all the music himself) shows a lot of potential and many possible direction he could take in the future. A sense of high drama, along with insistently lo-fi drum machine patterns are the common threads that tie these brilliantly dark melodic pieces together. “White Fantaseee” is the strongest and longest track, and in particular brings to mind Bauhaus in more ways than just Slim Twig’s Peter Murphy-esque voice, and reinforces the notion that reverb is for sad people. Another stand out on this exceptional but brief offering is “Tormen”, making use of plucked violins, surf noise guitar and a fun little demented organ that that perfectly suits his unique vocalizations and dark lyricism. Slim Twig is a singular artist making unique music, and this EP sets the bar very high for any future foray into recording that he may make. http://www.myspace.com/slimtwig
Summarizing this first effort, the Charlottetown-based group titled The Healing Power of Injury, into just one word, “consistent” is what instantly comes to mind. From start to finish, the album has a consistent drone, offering very little variety from one song to the next. Successful albums are always built on the foundation giving the listener enough variance in content while remaining true to the artist's sound. There is a silver lining with songs like “Ghost Believah” and “Even Brothers,” but beyond those the album lacks innovation despite the technically sound musical abilities of this five-piece band. http://www.smotheredinhugs.com/ - William Self
Former Crash Test Dummies man, Benjamin Darvill’s third album of harmonica-led 21st century blues, (called, naturally enough, 03) is an interesting mix of old-time southern delta harmonics and fresh urban funkiness. Much like the early work of Beck or the fusion of gospel and house appropriated by Moby, Darvill manages to dress the directness of the hollering folk narrative in the finery of a hip hop or a modern rhythm and blues sound. Like the song title “Old Times Were Good Times” states, or the overhaul of War’s “Low Rider” reiterates in its faithful reinterpretation, looking back to look forward may not necessarily be a bad thing. But the funky party flavouring, with its ever-present ‘get down and boogie’ vibe, overstays its welcome a little when it lasts for as long as this album. Son of Dave may growl convincingly like a whisky-soaked broken bum and play like a man in league with the devil but these talents barely exploit the cathartic power of the blues to reflect on something a bit more soulful than having a good time, which is a shame, because a few shifts in the emotional tone could work wonders. - Christian Martius
After essentially spearheading the revival of country-infused rock with Uncle Tupelo in 1990, Jay Farrar remains one of the most prolific artists of the alt-country movement. After pursuing a brief solo career, Farrar re-established Son Volt in 2004. American Central Dust, the band’s third album in four years, comes together with slightly more ease and instincts fully intact. In Kerouac-ian fashion, American Central Dust sprawls itself out like rolling countryside; Farrar’s songs take us on the road with loose phrasing which gains momentum with pedal steel accents, sobering lyrics and heart-heavy themes. Without need for affected twang, Farrar has a soothing voice that is naturally suited to country; he is a remarkable storyteller. This is not whiskey-drinking country music, instead it would be happily paired with a cup of coffee on the porch while watching the sunset. Album gems include the lonesome, swaying “Exiles” and the unadorned ballad “Cocaine and Ashes”, a song inspired by Keith Richards (who self-reportedly snorted his father’s ashes): “I snorted my father and I’m still alive/I did it because that’s how it is done/I’m the same as everyone, I’m just kind of lucky.” Mixed by producer/artist Joe Henry (credits include Betty Lavette, Solomon Burke and Loudon Wainwright III), the result is a sound which is not overly produced or glossy but beautifully laid bare, warmly layered and wonderfully wistful. http://www.myspace.com/sonvolt — Erin Klassen
At his Mod Club show last year, Norwegian indie pop artist Sondre Lerche serenaded a crowd of young girls with a few preview tracks from his new album, Heartbeat Radio. The record illustrates the beautiful, blissful, and really innocent side of being in love. Sondre Lerche uses really interesting metaphors in “Words & Music.” Lerche refers to love as sometimes being like punk rock and soul. His use of wordplay is beautiful and the song shows growth in his songwriting. The title track is an amazing listen. An upbeat acoustic song with a little bit of violin in the hook, you can’t go wrong with that. The strong points in the album are definitely the songwriting and the growth. His previous album, Phantom Punch, showed that Lerche knew how to write a few good pop singles, this record sees him taking the same fun, catchy elements of Phantom Punch and, with a few new kicks and flips, making a record that is amazing from start to finish. This record is an anthem for lovers and for men who may need a few lessons in sweet talk. http://www.myspace.com/sondrelerche — Max Mohenu
The Soundtrack of Our Lives’ The Immaculate Convergence is an album that you have probably heard in one form or another. It is mainstream pop at its most predictable and features verse-chorus structures, uplifting melodies and impersonal lyrics. If I had to compare this band to another mainstream pop rock band it would the Foo Fighters, only not as loud or intense. The first track, “The Passover,” is as unimaginative as one would expect a pop song to be. A bright chord progression plays continuously while the rest of the band builds with more instruments and silly, cheesy lyrics like, “accept the change because it’s not so strange,” that are used only for the sake of rhyming. The next track, “Take Me Back,” continues the bad lyric trend that the band can’t seem to break. Singer Ebbot Lundberg tries to sound poetic with further juvenile lyrics like, “take me back, if you want to believe.” He seems to be under the impression that excessive repetition of bad lyrics will make them sound more meaningful, but they just become increasingly meaningless as the song goes on. To continue going through each song on this EP would only serve to reinforce what I have already said. The similar and repetitive lyrics, bright, happy melodies, and boring, basic structures on The Immaculate Convergence are over-bearing enough to make you sick to your stomach. — Joseph Fava
The Spades’ Subatomic was produced by The Tragically Hip’s Gord Sinclair and mixed by Grady’s Gordie Johnson and boy does it show. The guitar-crunching opening to “Tear it Apart” was completely expected, kicking off a 10-track album of Canadiana. Singer/guitarist James McKenty’s vocals soar with authority on the track, which is another highlight. You could probably picture him pumping his fist when he’s not strumming along. “Standing in the Sun” is a straight-forward Canadian rock tune that’s catchy enough for the radio. Following more mean riffs, “The Only One” mellows things out with acoustic guitar and gentle piano, which is a bit of a welcomed pace after the onslaught of rock. If you like The Trews, then you should definitely keep your sights set on The Spades’ third album, Subatomic. — Jon Brazeau
Nestled comfortably in the familiar category of electro-pop we’ve come to know well this past year, Spirits have put their best foot forward and earned rank with their debut album. Sounding like a discothequed Arcade Fire, Spirits produce a surprisingly refreshing take on the same club-friendly throwback sound which has already been tackled several times (MGMT, Ladyhawke, Franz Ferdinand). What’s more, the diverse range achieved in their songwriting is remarkable — from the aching howl (ala Crowded House) of “Into Gentle Arms” to the ecstasy-laden Ian Curtis-like vocals on “For the Love of Money,” the songs are distinct enough to exist outside of the 10-track dance mix. “Heart Pump,” despite sounding a bit like a Hall & Oates tune, successfully pounds out a wicked dance beat. Although vocals on “Forbidden Flame” and “Black Swan” get a bit carried away with Bono-esque intensity, gutsy guitar riffs make these tracks quite palatable. The only disappointment: rated a biddable PG for negligible heavy-petting and for not including as many references to latent-homosexuality as one might like. http://www.myspace.com/SPIRITS — Erin Klassen
http://www.myspace.com/spookeyruben - Joe Veroni
“Before Destruction,” the first track on Spoon’s latest album, Transference, features a drawn out, faded guitar that makes you wonder when their irresistible pop rock sound is going to kick in. While the beat does pick up, it never reaches their signature level of catchiness. By the time the second track, “Is Love Forever?” begins, it becomes clear that Spoon has changed. While the first two tracks contain elements of the Spoon that we are used to, they feature a grittier sound that has moved more down the spectrum towards rock and away from pop. On many of the album’s other tracks, Spoon further surprises the listener by incorporating strange echoes, harsher beats, crowd samples, and a generally stranger, more experimental sound than the audience is used to. On the whole, Transference feels a bit mixed up and off-centre from a band known for their tight, precise sound. However, the album becomes more and more compelling with each listen, as preconceptions for the band start to fade. The album’s stranger moments become attractive and daring as the listener settles in to Spoon’s new sound. — Jess Harris
When people discuss bands like Sigur Ros and Broken Social Scene, there’s no reason Stars Like Fleas shouldn’t be spoken about in the same breath. The Ken Burns Effect, SLF’s ambitious second album, is more than good enough to prove they should be kept in pretty elite company. This is a brooding album, often starting out slowly and peaking into a strange chaotic bliss. Stars Like Fleas have a rare talent of being able to impress not only with their massive scope of sounds but also with near-empty spaces that are comfortable and serene. “Karma’s Hoax” hits a frenzy before slowing down and fading out completely, giving the listener time to adjust before “I Was Only Dancing” slowly kicks in and morphs into a dazzling pop song. The driving force behind the band is singer/lyricist Montgomery Knott and multi-instrumentalist/producer Shannon Fields but there are also eight other official members of the band. However, there are another 20 people who appear live and during recordings such as “See for the Woods,” a tremendous effort, features a choir reminiscent of the Polyphonic Spree. The Ken Burns Effect is an album full of comfortable grassy knolls that lie in the shadows of frantic peaks. http://www.myspace.com/starslikefleas -Joe Veroni
- Jeff Chow
Girls Come To is absolutely impressive. Still Life Still has made something obvious with this record, which is they didn’t come this far to play around. The record’s vivacious, racy and drum-heavy indie power pop embodies a strong sense of dedication and musical promise. With the help of Martin Davis, Kevin Drew has produced what could be the foundation for six young upcoming musical veterans. The lyrics in “Kids” definitely hits home for anyone who’s felt out of place growing up. “Pastel” is an You Forgot It in People revival song; the song just makes you feel like the first time you listened to that record, which for most would be a feeling of sheer bliss and awesomeness. The record’s strongest and most admirable point is the songs themselves. Consistent songwriting has allowed these boys to develop a pristine ear for what makes good pop songs amazing. Overall, Still Life Still will undoubtedly ascend anyone’s expectations and continue to be as humble about it as possible. http://www.myspace.com/stilllifestill — Max Mohenu
Former Cave frontman Stove Bredsky's second solo album The Black Ribbon Award is a psychedelic mix of techno and grunge. It is a far-cry from his first album, Ole Sunday, which featured an acoustic line-up. While The Black Ribbon Award does feature somber, acoustic pieces like “gOrange Sunshine Medicine”h, it eventually builds to driving, grunge-metal songs like “gScatterbrain”h. But no matter how the sounds of each song varies, they all uphold the eerie, brooding atmosphere that Bredsky works so hard to establish in his intro, “gBlue Seclusion”h. Across his 18 tracks, Bredsky produces a great variety of songs in a variety of genres, each adhering to the overall unsettling mood of the entire album. The Black Ribbon Award re-establishes Bredsky as an innovative solo musician with an original vision and solid execution. www.hydrahead.org/hh/stove_site/ - Bethany Hansraj
State of Grace is the newest album from the Street Dogs, a punk-rock band started by The Dropkick Murphys' former frontman Mike McColgan. The opening track, “gMean Fist”h kicks the album off ith driving punk rhythms but not all of the album follows suit. While “gRebel Song”h and “gSan Patricos”h are heavy punk anthems, there are also a few softer rock songs that lean more towards the alternative rock side of the coin. State of Grace provides a mix of upbeat punk, slower alternative rock and even a couple of ballads, but each maintains the Celtic undertones for which Mike McColgan's is known. For fans of The Dropkick Murphys and the like, State of Grace will leave you satisfied, while inviting a new audience to take part in the Boston and Celtic punk scene. http://www.street-dogs.com/ - Bethany Hansraj
An album completely funded by their loyal fan base across the globe, Stripmall Architecure releases their new album, Feathersongs for Factory Girls. Members Rebecca and Ryan Coseboom’s little side project away from Halou is an even further exploration of their sound. The first song, “Radium Girls,” is a combination of Rebecca’s delicate voice and almost sinister sounding electronic beats. The second track from the album, “Is This Science,” features lyrics that really make this song entrancing. This track leans more towards the dream pop feel, whereas “Radium Girls” lends more to a radio-friendly nature. The standout track has to be “There’s Only So Much Light.” Rebecca’s ethereal and soft voice combined with the supple sounding music is utterly gratifying. They somehow make this yielding feeling sound absolutely heartbreaking and delightful at the same time. This album will certainly please a wide audience of music lovers, and is definitely exciting. Rebecca Coseboom’s hauntingly beautiful voice will stay with you, even after the first listen. http://www.myspace.com/stripmallarchitecture — Laura Ciampa
Let the nominees for the 2010 Polaris Music Prize begin as we already have our first contender. It might seem far-fetched for an album to top the critically-acclaimed releases Shut Up, I Am Dreaming and Random Spirit Lover, but Sunset Rubdown has managed to do just that. The Montreal-based band’s latest album is simply stunning and never disappoints. The album opens with “Silver Moons,” a lovely indie rock song that serves as a perfect appetizer for the entrée that is the rest of the album. “Idiot Heart” (available as a free single on Jagjagwar’s website) feels like the band naturally gels together and is a pleasure to listen to. And the vocal mixture between frontman Spencer Krug and “Jane of all trades” Camilla Wynne Ingr? Just splendid. They’ll surely have you singing along to “Apollo and the Buffalo and Anna Anna Oh!” As you can probably tell by the song title, Krug is still his usual eccentric self. But with more poppier, upbeat songs, the album feels like a breeze and not a chore to listen to. Even the closing track “Dragon’s Lair”—which clocks in at over ten minutes and comprises more than a fifth of the entire album—is just epic. You would be crazy to miss out on this one as Dragonslayer is a completely enjoyable album and one of the year’s best. http://www.myspace.com/absolutelysunset — Jon Brazeau
“If you don’t like Supersuckers, you don’t like rock-n-roll,” said Lemmy from Motorhead and he’s goddamn right. Get it Together is the band’s 10th studio release and first since 2003’s Motherfuckers Be Trippin’. Now, that lengthy layoff isn’t to imply the Supersuckers haven’t been busy, they are after all the hardest working band in rock-n-roll. They’ve released a crateful of live and rare material, are constantly collaborating with other musicians and are engaged in a never-ending tour that would make Bob Dylan proud. Considering their hectic schedule, it’s a minor miracle a proper studio album is being released at all. But Eddie Spaghetti and company knew they had to release a kickass album to coincide with the band’s 20th anniversary. Get It Together is just that record and features a bit of everything you’ve come to expect from the Supersuckers. The songs “I’m A Fucking Genius” and “What It Takes” revel in the band’s classic full-throttle rock sound, while “Breaking Honey’s Heart” pulls out the harmonica for that unique brand of Supersucker country ballad that we all know and love. These boys have been proving for two decades they’re in tune with the kindred spirit shared between punk and country that allows them to create intense rock-n-roll records and perform even more intense concerts. Check this record out and then step over your own grandmother to see these guys blow the ceiling off of any venue. -Joe Veroni
Astro Coast, the debut album from Florida’s Surfer Blood, is quickly becoming one of the year’s most talked about releases (of course, it is only January). Nevertheless, the hype surrounding the album is well warranted. With songs like “Take it Easy” and “Fast Jabroni,” the band combines laid back, too-cool-for-school lo-fi guitar buzz with charming pop sensibilities last appreciated when The Shins changed your life. Despite the band’s lack of surfing, there is an undeniable influence, with Pixies-style surf rock riffs. Lead single “Swim” descends (or ascends) into Dinosaur Jr. territory with swirling guitar distortion layered over a head-bobbing pop tune. “Anchorage” — driven by singer John Paul Pitts’ soft vocals and crunching guitar riffs — feels like a hidden gem buried near the bottom of the album. If you need an album to melt your icy heart after Blue Monday (aka the worst day of the year), then this is it. http://www.myspace.com/surferblood — Jon Brazeau
It would be easy to jump into Love and Desperation expecting to dismiss the album as a cash-grab by another indie super-group. Thankfully this couldn’t be further from the truth. Yes, Sweet Apple is comprised of J. Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. and members of Cobra Verde and Witch, but the seasoned indie rock vets have released a solid debut album that stands apart from the achievements of the individual members of the band. However, Love and Desperation is not a bushel of sweet apples, rather an exercise in catharsis as guitarist and lead singer John Petkovic wrote the album in reaction to the death of his mother. The album is comprised of big stadium-sized guitars (“Flying Up a Mountain”), juicy bass lines (as on the melancholic “Hold Me I’m Dying”) and the rambunctious drumming of Mascis (most prevalent on the opening track “Do You Remember”) which have all been combined to shed grief through the mighty powers of rock ’n’ roll. Sweet Apple comes across like a raw version of the Foo Fighters, and whatever you think of the music . . . at least there’s some classy lookin’ dames on the cover. http://www.myspace.com/sweetapplesongs — Joe Veroni
If you’re not familiar with The Swell Season, well, you should be. Irish musician Glen Hansard and Czech singer/pianist Markéta Irglová have been raising their profile on the international scene since starring in the Irish film Once and they even parodied themselves on The Simpsons. Strict Joy is their third album, following their 2006 self-titled debut and the 2007 soundtrack to Once. Don’t be fooled, there is a full band joining the duo to help flesh out their folk sound. On opening track “Low Rising,” Hansard’s vocals have a pleasant Dylanesque quality (not to be confused with a Dylanesque quality, although the band did cover “You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere” for I’m Not There). “Feeling the Pull” sees Hansard’s vocals sound unique and he’s joined with an upbeat Celtic-flavoured acoustic guitar and closing with another Dylan trait: a harmonica. “In These Arms” is a lush song that sees the band come out of their shell and delight with their originality. Hansard and Irglová’s vocals blend together nicely during the song’s chorus and give it a warm feel. “The Rain” builds on a meteoric rise, concluding with an infectious drum beat and strings. Irglová’s vocals take centre stage on “Fantasy Man” and they’re certainly a treat. From start to finish, Strict Joy lives up to its name as it’s a strict joy to listen to. http://www.myspace.com/theswellseason — Jon Brazeau
Hailing from Regina, Saskatchewan, and with a sound as big as the Prairies they’ve grown up in, Sylvie has released their second full-length album, Trees and Shade Are Our Only Fences. It’s been three years since their 2005 debut album, An Electric Trace, but Sylvie has stayed true to their post-punk roots and indie-pop sensibilities. Trees and Shade Are Our Only Fences contains 11 vast and dramatic tunes that are headed up by Sylvie’s stellar rhythm section. Jeff Romanyk’s drums never disappoint while Erin Passmore’s synth wanders playfully through complex melodies. Album highlights include “Please Make it Home,” “Breakout for Summer” and “She Sells Sea Shells,” all tracks that are sure to dazzle during Sylvie’s renowned live performances. http://www.sylviemusic.com/
While the Foo Fighters plan to record their seventh studio album later this year, Foos drummer Taylor Hawkins has unleashed this underrated gem of a record, mixing together the poppy delight of Queen and the laid back cool of Queens of the Stone Age. “Not Bad Luck” begins the album with Freddie Mercury-like vocals and falsetto harmonies along with a bouncing beat. But don’t picture Mr. Hawkins grabbing the microphone and wailing. While Dave Grohl took the leap from behind the drum kit in Nirvana to be the frontman in the Foo Fighters, Hawkins remains on the drums here while also handling vocal duties. “Your Shoes” is more of a straight-forward alternative rock tune but “Way Down” returns to the poppy ’70s rock flavour, complete with Queen’s Brian May doing what he does best: rocking out on the guitar. “Hell to Pay” cools things down with a smooth beat and softer vocals, making you feel like you’re out for a summer drive. “Summertime”, appropriately, carries that same vibe, albeit with a faster charge. “Don’t Have to Speak” features an acoustic guitar but then the electric kicks in and it’s right back to the show. Hawkins shows his influences well, combining to create a fresh album that should get a few spins during your May 24 long weekend. http://www.myspace.com/taylorhawkinsandthecoattailriders — Jon Brazeau
Merge Records has added yet another gem to its label: Telekinesis’ stellar self-titled album. Telekinesis is the brainchild of Seattle’s Michael Benjamin Lerner and the album is a poppy alternative release that will leave you wanting more. The album starts off with the acoustic-feeling tune, “Rust,” a sweet song with soothing, therapeutic, and easily likeable vocals from Lerner. Track three, “Tokyo,” is definitely catchy and shows Lerner’s love for Japan, even though he has never visited the country. Overall, these 11 tracks do not disappoint. http://www.myspace.com/telekinesismusic - Danielle Cowie
Winnipeg’s Telepathic Butterflies, led by singer/lead guitarist Réjean Ricard, perform guitar pop so pure that it is hard to believe they exist in this century. The music on their third album Breakfast In Suburbia brings to mind some of the great UK bands of the sixties such as The Beatles and The Zombies without imitating them or turning to empty nastalgia, rather using the sound of that era as a launching pad for the band’s own unique vision. The melodies are consistently strong and the guitar leads avoid clichéd patterns and challenge the listener in a pleasant fashion such as on album standout “Telescope”. Far from being a one-man-show however, Ricard is backed by an able band; specifically drummer Jacques Dubois who brings a fresh, simple approach to his instrument that propels the music especially on songs such as “The Trouble With Keeping Up With The Joneses” and “Mr. Dysfuntionality”. As hinted in the title, the album is about suburban living in the 21st century - finding beauty in the minutiae of neighbourhood gossip and the shattered dreams of a man going through a midlife crisis, elevating its subject matter through the beauty of the music. This brings us to the major issue with Breakfast in Suburbia: The vinyl LP version of this record is a concept album with 8 more songs and a completely different sequencing. Considering that double LP version is on a limited run of 500 copies there is a good chance many may never hear it in its full form with the original story arc intact. Still, even though most of us will never even hear the full album, the shorter CD version still qualifies as one of the best records to have come out this year, and is a definite must-listen for anyone who likes music, period. Orlando da Silva
http://www.myspace.com/thetelepathicbutterflies — Andre Skinner
Thee Oh Sees mix together garage rock and lo-fi fuzz with a twist of psychedelic jam (they are from San Francisco after all). Warm Slime is their sixth album since 2006, not to mention EPs, split EPs, singles, you get the picture. Vocalist/guitarist John Dwyer is quite active and is probably working on the follow-up as you read this. The title track opens the album and clocks in at 13 and a half minutes, nearly half of the album’s length, which gives you enough time to try and decipher the repetitive lyrics. While the length of the song may scare you at first, it somehow doesn’t feel boring hearing the same bass note over and over again. And if you have the patience, it’s almost a reward to hear the rest of the album. Not to worry, the other six tracks are all under four minutes each. “I Was Denied” is more of their usual style, more in the lo-fi, echoing vocals camp. “Everything Went Black” has a marching, bouncing beat, with Dwyer and Brigid Dawson playing off of each other in the vocals department. “Castiatic Tackle” adds a bit of surf flavour to the guitar (again, not surprisingly given where they’re from). “Mega-feast” and “7 MT Work” sound like they were recorded in the 1960s; discovering them now in a dungy vinyl record store where you have to ask the clerk who they are. Take that as a good omen and check them out. — Jon Brazeau
All Aboard Future is the latest album by Brooklyn’s These Are Powers and to be honest, it’s an “interesting” listen to say the least. “Adam’s Turtle” definitely has some elements that are bearable, but the song is linear and Anna Barrie’s vocals are extremely average and boring. “Glass Blocks” has a little more life than the rest of the record but still lacks anything that would really draw you into the song. The record’s main flaw is their need to push this faux obscure aesthetic and drifting from style to style with no real direction. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Heartsrevolution are amazing bands but when three random hipsters try to blend the two together in the most untalented way possible in hopes of forming something concrete; the results are equivalent to receiving slow and painful torture. http://www.myspace.com/thesearepowers - Max Mohenu
If the producers of 300 intend to make a sequel to their film (301 perhaps?) an appropriate soundtrack for that film would be Hidden. Tracks like “We Want War,” “5” and “Attack Music” use high intensity, loud volume, energetic percussion, and ominous melodies from the instruments and choirs to create a very epic-sounding album. However, there are also some tracks that are surprisingly tame. “Hologram” is a relatively happy song featuring bright melodies from the piano (even though the piano sprinkles in dissonant chords here and there) and familiar pop rhythms from the vocals and drums. “Canticle” is a brass piece that sounds like it came out of the Romantic-era of classical music and is a welcome change from the epic, movie-soundtrack songs that dominate the album. Although the tones of most of the songs on the album are similar, the band uses a variety of brass, woodwind, percussion and electronic instruments to distinguish one track from the other. The downside of the album is singer Jack Barnett’s voice, which lacks the presence the music has and fails to carry the weight of the songs he sings in. Also, Barnett’s lyrics, which attempt to sound imaginative and cryptic, occasionally end up sounding silly and nonsensical. For example, he sings, “Inside the pyramid, deeper in it, hidden exit after Osiris/All the stars are swords, I’ve never been so sure.” With the exception of the singing and lyrics, Hidden is a good album. http://www.myspace.com/thesenewpuritans — Joseph Fava
This Is A Standoff aren’t strangers begging for trouble, naming their second full-length album Be Disappointed. If a moody, intense album drowning in melodic punk is what you’re looking for, you won’t be disappointed. The boys are out in full force and the result is a vigorous, refreshing punk rock rendezvous. Although, save it for a day when you’re ready to consent to a riotous assault otherwise, by the time of the last fading note of closing track “Trails of White,” you’ll feel like the poor rag they use to wipe up the gob, sweat and booze off the floor after a crazy punk show (here’s hoping, they do, in fact, wipe it up). The environmentally-conscious lyrics throughout the album commendably add relevance that harks back to the politically aware origins of punk. The songs are fun in a head-smashing way, particularly “Everything We Take” and “No Thanks,” which are catchy and include catchy changes. Although the drums, while amazingly speedy, occasionally sound like a piece of paper in a fan, overall this is a worthy and appealing spit in the face to the generic pop-punk of today. http://www.myspace.com/thisisastandoff - Sally Walker Hudecki
Witchita Recordings has just announced the opening of their U.S office, which means after months of hype via the Internet; Swedish indie darlings Those Dancing Days’ debut album, In Our Space Hero Suits, will be released in North America. The album is a solid debut that is sugar, spice, and everything nice. “Those Dancing Days” is cute, catchy and vivacious enough to keep your indie pop sweet tooth intact. “Hitten” is probably the most beautifully written song on the record; you definitely want to listen to it word for word. “Space Hero Suits” is a very interesting love song. You wouldn’t really think one could use as many space metaphors as they did, but they all worked in the cutest way possible. These girls are riding hard of the momentum this record built in the U.K last year. With Lykke Li’s dominate reign in North America well documented, this record will be sure to once again raise the bar in the Swedish indie scene. http://www.myspace.com/thosedancingdays - Max Mohenu
The Tom Fun Orchestra is a nine-piece Nova Scotian band that mixes bluegrass, Celtic and traditional East Coast influences on their debut album You Will Land With A Thud. Despite press coverage touting the band’s “new East Coast sound,” there’s not much newness going on here. That being said, if East Coast sound is your bag, these guys are rocking it well and trying to do it theatrically too. The band’s a definite handful for the ear with lead singer Ian MacDougall's intense, unwavering Great Big Sea-gruff voice, this one’s not an easy listen. There is a brief soft moment at the end of the album, but generally, every soft moment gets summarily wiped out by the overwhelming band size and sound. Tom Fun would likely be a romping good time to catch in a pub full of people, drinking pints and dancing their faces off on their native Cape Breton Island—if they could find a stage big enough to fit them, of course. - Aurora Prelevic
Tiga’s latest, Ciao!, was created for an exclusive all-night intergalactic after party populated by the silver lamé-clad children of David Bowie and Iman, extraterrestrial-runway-model-extraordinaires. Or if it wasn’t, it sure as hell sounds like it. From start (easily a highlight: the slick and futuristic “Beep-Beep-Beep”) to finish (the epic “Love Don’t Dance Here Anymore” that could almost be an album of its own right) Tiga has created a distinctive and devastatingly cool electronica dance party. Unfortunately, at points (“Mind Dimension,” “Overtime”) it seems to be one of those parties that is so cool that it’s, in fact, cold and everyone secretly hates each other. However, this futuristic steeliness is tempered by hipster-esque knowing humour (highlighted on “Sex O’Clock”), and, paradoxically, more haunting, complex compositions (“Speak, Memory,” “Gentle Giant”). In other words, Tiga’s is a dance party where you have to get the jokes but don’t laugh too hard at them. You better be cool enough not to get chilled. If so, Ciao! has all the smoothest moves in the galaxy. http://www.myspace.com/officialtiga - Sally Walker Hudecki
Further embracing their non-conventional pop rock sound, Times New Viking has released Born Again Revisited, the follow-up to their 2008 critical smash, Rip It Off. Tracks like “No Time No Hope” successfully capture the enthusiastic and fast-paced sound the band has become famous for, while “Something More” and the title track seem to flaunt a harder and stronger edge, which allows the band to evolve creatively while undoubtedly pleasing existing fans. Times New Viking’s talent is evident through its renowned static sound and loud guitars — the album plays more like an old record or cassette — and the lyrics boast enough melancholy to reel in even the most jaded listeners. Although the hard-rock-meets-indie sound has become increasingly popular thanks to bands like The Kills, the Ohio trio remains distinctive; maintaining its own unique qualities while managing to fit into the indie world. http://www.myspace.com/timesnewviking — Anne T. Donahue
The fact Tin Star Orphans’ newest release, yonder, is named for the previous incarnation of the band is perfectly fitting, considering the album’s heady nostalgic tone. The mostly upbeat, occasionally sweeping and ever-swinging songs feel like distilled, captured memories that have never belonged to you. What could be a simpler lovechild of alterna-pop and twanging tendencies is redeemed by frontman Zachary Bennett’s raw and yearning voice, poignant lyrics, sudden and surprisingly crunchy guitar (like on the stomping and catchy “Jesus Freaks”) and the indispensable horn and string sections. The first half of the album seems to bleed together in a building jam, reaching a climax in “Chinese New Year/You Got It,” which manages to gently fold Roy Orbison’s hit into the last half without losing momentum. The acoustic intimacy of the following “Miss You” strikes the moodier tone that hangs on through until near the very end. With yonder, Tin Star Orphans have masterfully crafted a layered, Stars-like sonic experience that showcases their ability to twang not just their guitars, but on heartstrings too. http://www.myspace.com/tinstarorphans - Sally Walker Hudecki
For anyone who’s a first time listener of Tina Dico, you’re in for quite a ride. Count to Ten is the exclamation point on her career, not to mention her most personal record to date. “Cruel to the sensitive kind” is a song that tugs at your heartstrings almost immediately. “Count to Ten” has that sugary sweet sound, but with a smooth folky feeling. “Sacre Coeur” has powerful lyrics, amazing harmonies and raw emotional depth, which are all things that make for a powerhouse hit single. “ Night Cab Epilogue” is a little bit more laid back and similar to her Zero 7 days, which is a good way to end the record. Overall, Tina’s ability to convey beauty through her words makes Count To Ten an amazing spiritual journey. http://www.tinadico.com - Maxwell Mohenu
Toronto DJ duo Jeffrey Addison and Gavin Rough, a.k.a. TMDP, have been making a name for themselves in the local club scene and were featured in Now Magazine’s cover story on the “future sound” of the city. Proving they can create music as well as they spin it, the duo have released this self-titled debut album. Mixing together modern beats with retro-inspired synth riffs, they’re certainly not the first to come up with the combination (Daft Punk has been doing it since the mid-90s) but TMDP sure know how to make it work. “Fixed Wing” is a mellow, relaxed tune good for either dancing or just bobbing your head. “Montage” is catchy enough with its guitar jingle that it almost become infectious. With a hot, attention-grabbing debut album, it’s only a matter of time until TMDP become as well-known as MSTRKRFT. http://www.myspace.com/tmdparty - Jon Brazeau
Bass player Thomas “Tommy T” Gobena from the gypsy punk band Gogol Bordello soars into uncharted territory by releasing his first solo effort entitled The Prester John Sessions. Hailing from the ancient country of Ethiopia, his new album is rooted in his love to bring Ethiopian culture and music to the world. A contemporary spin on the Ethiopian sound, The Prester John Sessions reverberate an ancient world’s story with Tommy’s rhythmic and bluesy quality to create an easy and enjoyable listen. “The Call,” the second track on the album, conjures visions of warm night air on your face, swaying to the reggae-inspired music, which seems odd for a song featuring an organ, but nevertheless the case. Tommy’s vocals softly compliment the rhythm, never going too far like he has something to prove, which is a wonderful revelation on the album as a whole. “The Response” and “Eden” feature vocals from Ethiopian vocalist Gigi. Her voice not only fits magically with Tommy’s inspiration but proves that if this is the kind of powerhouse sound coming out of Ethiopia, then we applaud Gobena’s efforts at bringing it to the forefront. The standout song on the album has to be “Oromo Dub.” The crescendo of horns and the chant-like vocals in the background cause the listener’s body to just want to move with the music. Tommy T has really created a masterpiece of feel good music that will not only be a gem in any music collection but creates a call to explore Ethiopian music further, which was his goal. It is safe to say he has accomplished it marvelously. http://www.easystar.com/releases/show/25 — Laura Ciampa
Canadian hip hop has definitely taken a few turns in the last few years. Torch’s new release, Psychodelic, reeks of the same brash, overcompensating, embellished version of life on the streets. “Dump Ya Body” keeps things “street” focused from verse to verse, talking about Torch’s trials and tribulations. Sadly, it seems like a lot of talk without connecting to you, which is what makes good hip hop. “Temptationz” is supposed to be sexy, but it’s basically Torch’s list of sexcapades, which could actually be useful upon his visit to the doctor. The album definitely brings poignant new meaning to that saying “separating the men from the boys.” Torch isn’t bad, but it seems like the extend of his lyrical abilities are his unintelligent use of the N word, his poor grammar and it may take a little more living on his part to solidify his “street” persona. - Max Mohenu
In the five years since experimental rock gurus Tortoise released their last album of new material, 2004’s It’s All Around You, a lot has happened in the music world. Any band formed in the first half of the 1990s would inevitably struggle to remain relevant over a decade later — particularly in a world where music has become cheap to make, easy to distribute and therefore overwhelming to find by new listeners. Although Tortoise’s incorporation of recurrently trendy synth elements make their brand of rock fit in amongst the music of the day, it is their innovative compositional style and the way these elements are used that continue to set the band apart from their contemporaries. Beacons of Ancestorship is, at times, a dance-party opus, with a driving beat and poppy melodic lines that are sure to bring listeners to their feet. As a whole, however, the album plays more like classical music than rock, pop, or dance, using instrumental development to create rises, falls, depth and diversity within each track and across the record in its entirety. The second half of the album nearly abandons its opening upbeat ambiance entirely, moving to darker sounding tracks that demonstrate that no matter how much time passes, Tortoise manages to do something a little bit differently than everyone else. http://www.myspace.com/tortoise — Heather Adamo
Now here is an album that doesn’t live up to the title “Low Fidelity,” and that’s a good thing, if you are into refined production, expert mastering and thoughtful arrangement. These 10 tracks of sassy soul showcase the bluesy vocal stylings of a strong woman who knows how to “say no to low fidelity,” a smirking comment on the elasticity of love. With attitude and grace, Levasseur convincingly pulls it off with her “Big Fat Mouth” giving us love lessons straight from mamma, about how the “Good Ones Never Share.” While this songstress knows how to write a clever, funky blues ditty, it’s worth mentioning her stellar interpretations of “Help Me Over” (by Corin Raymond and Sean Cotton of the Undesirables) and “Talk to Me Babe” (by Bob Snider). Also noteworthy are the horn parts arranged by Levasseur, John Elliot (bass), Michelle Josef (drums), and guitar parts split between David Gavan Baxter, Sean Cotton, Brian MacMillan and Donne Roberts. Paul Reddick makes a cameo appearance on harmonica and we hear some sweet keyboard sounds throughout from Derek Downham, Julian Fauth, Bill King and Levasseur herself. Perhaps the best treat on this album is the choir of local musicians singing on the finale, “Amen,” which has major soundtrack potential. If the music she writes reflects one half of who she is, you could be sure that Levasseur is a girl who knows what she wants and won’t settle until she gets it. http://www.treasalevasseur.com/ - Jennifer Claveau
Dear lazy hipsters who haven’t yet moved on to more obscure tokens of coolness: never fear, The Tremulance is here. Lest your people dread extinction (like the dodo bird that is the Polaroid) Abbotsford, B.C.’s Jamison has arrived with all the synths, self-aware lyrics, and pseudo-poetic album art you could ever stockpile into your Urban Outfitted Hipster H.Q. Arriving potentially late to the scene, the album could have been a success with a ditching (even momentarily) of the clichéd trendiness that functions to disconnect us from any kind of real emotion or barring real emotion, even just catchiness. To be succinct is truly the winning quality of catchiness, and catchiness is the winning quality of successful pop music, which is what this album is presumably trying to be. Unfortunately, Jamison’s affliction seems to be the lack of ability to let his compositions rest without overwrought synthetic production. “You Got the Girl,” featuring Juno Award winner Lights, is the most weighed down by this. Luckily, a more pure, streamlined and powerful sound jumps in right at the end of the album (“Song for Tom Fox” and “It Still Gets Dark Here Too Early”). Of course, if your motivation is to be one of those sad/deep hipster editions who are so cool on the dance floor but never smile, blast The Tremulance’s Polaroids, it’s exactly what you’re looking for. http://www.myspace.com/thetremulance - Sally Walker Hudecki
We can feel the angst — in a good way. Actually, this is most likely the only commonality between the musical selections of this soundtrack and the demographics of the film’s viewers. It’s quite difficult to believe that the readers of the Twilight saga have ever heard of Fanfarlo or are die hard fans of The Black Keys. However, shockingly Alexandra Patsavas (Gossip Girl, Grey’s Anatomy) has worked with Eclipse director David Slade to compile an impressive tracklisting of some fantastic artists. Muse contributes the most highly publicized single, “Neutron Star Collision (Love is Forever)”, and their video is featured on the album’s website. Yes, the album has its own website. These people are not new to marketing. In addition to the high energy Muse track is a haunting piano ballad from Sia, a dark and forceful Florence + the Machine contribution, and a lead track from Metric that sounds like the character Bella’s theme song. The Bravery, The Dead Weather, and Vampire Weekend also contribute new material. Twilight fans: please get into this music (if you aren’t already). Twilight haters: don’t hate the soundtrack too. http://www.eclipsesoundtrack.com/ —Chantelle Renee
Although Twin Sister’s Vampires with Dreaming Kids EP features only four tracks, it’s an extremely promising debut from the New York-based band. The first track, “Dry Hump,” begins with a slow acoustic guitar, before adding in bright flourishes of distortion. Singer Andrea Estella channels Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs as she fills in an abrupt pause with a delightfully off-key invitation: “If you’re all alone, bring over your bones.” The EP’s second track, “Ginger,” is a heartfelt ode to redheads that brings the Jesus and Mary Chain to mind. Next, the brief and beautiful “Nectarine” moves away from distortion and features a male lead vocal over acoustic finger picking. The EP finishes with the absolute gem “I Want a House.” It’s bright, catchy, switches time signatures and features backing vocals by the entire band. Throughout Vampires with Dreaming Kids, Twin Sister expertly balances between shoegaze and structured pop, delivering an album with just enough ambience and just enough coherence. The band has another EP, Color Your Life, coming out in March. — Jess Harris
Produced by fellow Maritimer Joel Plaskett, the third full-length album from Charlottetown’s Two Hours Traffic certainly has a Plaskettesque charm to it, at least for the first few tracks anyway. With catchy, upbeat melodies, “Noisemaker,” “Wicked Side” and the title track open the 11-track album on a positive note. Plaskett himself also makes an appearance on the record, providing vocals, guitar and percussion help. Unfortunately, around the middle of the album, the songs begin to drag on as acoustic guitars come to the forefront and Liam Corcoran’s vocals tend to play out rather than jump up and take notice. Fortunately, “Happiness Burns” is a nice return to form near the end of the album and piano ballad “Sign a Little Hymn” closes out the record in soothing fashion with good harmony on the background vocals. All in all, Territory hits the mark in the realm of Canadian power pop, something not seen since the mid-90s when another East Coast group (Sloan) dominated the airwaves. http://www.myspace.com/twohourstraffic — Jon Brazeau
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The Pains of Being Pure At Heart 
Pale Air Singers
Panda Riot 
The Paparazzi
Pendulum 
Peter Wolf Crier
Parallelo
To Willie
Become Secret
The Pigeon Detectives E.P. 
Outside Love
Xs on Your Eyes
Pins & Panzers 
Nothing Happens for a Reason
Postdata
Join the Q
In My Head It Works 
Superioryouareinferior
Going Steady 
A Stranger Here 
Recoil 
2 
Far
Truelove’s Gutter
The Atlantic Ocean
Royally Sparked 
Projectable Collections
Diablos Guapos
Howe Sounds/Taking Abalonia 
Sarah McLachlan
The Seven Year Itch - Covers Compilation
Live at Baker Studios
The Breadwinner
Slumping in Your Murals
Shiv-r
Work 
Reintegration Time
03
American Central Dust
Heartbeat Radio
SPIRITS
Mechanical Royalty
Transference
Girls Come To
The Black Ribbon Award
Feathersongs for Factory Girls
Dragonslayer 
Get It Together
Astro Coast 
Strict Joy 
Taylor Hawkins & the Coattail Riders 
Telekinesis 
The Telepathic Butterflies
Thee Oh Sees 
Be Disappointed
In Our Space Hero Suits
Born Again Revisited
yonder
TMDP 
Psychodelic
Low Fidelity 
Polaroids
Various Artists
