The Killers Wonderful Wonderful Island Records Wonderful Wonderful is The Killers’ fifth studio album, and their first in five years (Battle Born was released in 2012) . That does not mean they have not been busy during that time: there have [...]
Ummagma LCD Label Obscura/Somewherecold Records Ummagma is a duo based in Canada. The members are Canadian Shauna McLarnon (vocals) and Ukrainian born Alexander Kretov (instruments). The band have been releasing records since 2012, and have [...]
Various Artists SpongeBob SquarePants, The New Musical (Original Cast Recording) Masterworks Broadway/Sony Music Canada Where to even begin with this? The first thing to note is that SpongeBob SquarePants is a very funny show. As a father with [...]
Moses Sumney Aromanticism Jagjaguwar Moses Sumney has been on the music scene since 2014. In 2015 he issued his debut EP on cassette, Mid-City Island. The same year he issued a seven inch single “Seeds” b/w “Pleas” and finally 2016 saw the [...]
Van Morrison Roll With The Punches Universal Music It is hard to believe that Roll With The Punches is Van Morrison’s 37th studio album. The 72 year old singer is one of rock’s most prolific artists in rock today. His last album was 2016’s Keep [...]
Jon Langford Four Lost Souls Bloodshot Records I wanted to love this album. Jon Langford is a genius. This album was written and recorded in America during the Trump election — literally during and after the election. I thought this should [...]
Mount Eerie @ The Great Hall, Toronto September 20, 2017 Mount Eerie is Phil Elverum. It has always been his project and his brainchild. Now, it is just him. On March 24, 2017 the eighth studio by Mount Eerie was released, called A Crow Looked [...]
LONG VIVID DREAM A CONVERSATION WITH ASHKAN MALAYERI OF DISCOLOR BLIND As I begin my conversation with Ashkan Malayeri of Discolor Blind I cannot help but point out that he forgot to add the ‘u’ when he named his band. “Actually I researched the [...]
Ringo Starr Give More Love Roccabella Give More Love is Ringo Starr’s 19th solo album since The Beatles disbanded. People forget that at the time of The Beatles break-up, Ringo was not the odds on favourite for a successful solo career. His [...]
Bruce Cockburn Bone On Bone True North Records Bone on Bone is Bruce Cockburn’s 33rd album and his first studio album since 2011’s Small Source of Comfort. Cockburn has not mellowed in those years. He is still producing his brand of [...]
TRANSLATING PICTURES INTO SOUNDS A CONVERSATION WITH NEIL ARTHUR OF BLANCMANGE When I tell Neil Arthur, of Blancmange, that he is one of the hardest working musicians/artists that I know of, he just laughs. “I am happiest when I am working, it [...]
NO GAME PLAN A CONVERSATION WITH ELOVET Elovet (Ajaye Franklin II) is a new solo artist from Atlanta, Georgia. To date he has released two album length EP’S (8269416, 2016 and Rift, 2017) and two EPs (Crazy (Cover) and B-Sides Vol 1, both [...]
TAXI Intimacy Issues Independent Intimacy Issues is the debut EP from Ottawa native, Emma Lamarre, who goes by the name TAXI. The EP, Intimacy Issues features five very distinct songs from this young and talented artist. Working with Blinker the [...]
Jonny Lang Signs Concord Records Signs is Jonny Lang’s eighth album, and his first since 2013’s hugely successful Fight For My Soul. Since 1995 Lang has been building a solid fanbase that keeps getting larger with each release. Signs is going to [...]
Tori Amos Native Invader Decca I love Tori Amos and I look forward to each new release. However, her last few releases did not live up to her potential or, in my opinion, her talent. This has changed with her new album.Native Invader. This is [...]
Aaron Roche HaHa HuHu Figureight Records In 2012 I received a CD by a Brooklyn artist named Aaron Roche. The CD had the intriguing title !BlurMyEyes. It took some getting used to but I came to appreciate and love that album. Since then Roche has [...]
Julie & The Wrong Guys Julie & The Wrong Guys Dine Alone Julie, from Julie & The Wrong guys is Julie Doiron of Eric’s Trip fame (not to mention her numerous solo albums and other side projects). The Wrong Guys are Mike Peters and [...]
MAXIMUM VOLUME A CONVERSATION WITH AUTHOR KENNETH WOMACK Talking to Kenneth Womack about The Beatles and George Martin cannot be time limited. This man loves this subject and the music they created. Womack, the Dean of the Wayne D McMurray [...]
Discolor Blind Long Vivid Dream Republic Of Music Discolor Blind is a duo out of Montreal, and Long Vivid Dream is their debut EP. Ashkan Malayeri is the core of the band, producing, writing and performing most of the music. He was born in [...]
Kobi Onyame Gold Independent Gold is Kobi Onyame’s third album and his first since 2013’s Glory. Onyame is a Ghanaian artist who is currently based in the U.K. All of his music has been released independently and yet he has built up a sizeable [...]
OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres In the Dark) The Punishment Of Luxury White Noise Records Orchestral Manoeuvres In the Dark (OMD) are not a retro act. This band may have started close to forty years ago, but they continue to produce relevant, [...]
THE BEAT MAKERS: THE UNSUNG HEROES OF THE MERSEY SOUND A CONVERSATION WITH AUTHOR ANTHONY HOGAN Anthony Hogan is an author based in Liverpool and has written some of the most informative and unique books about the music scene in that city. By [...]
THE PUNISHMENT OF LUXURY A CONVERSATION WITH ANDY McCLUSKEY OF ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK I am on the telephone with Andy McCluskey of Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark (OMD) and I tell him I saw the band the last time they played [...]
The Sheepdogs @ CNE Bandshell, Toronto August 29, 2017 Nice, cool summer evening in Toronto, at the CNE. Nothing says the ending of summer quite like the CNE and evenings like this. By the time The Sheepdogs hit the stage, however, all thoughts [...]
