LEEROY STAGGER PILGRIMAGE CORDOVA BAY RECORDS So, is there a difference between Americana and Canadiana? Sure, musically, the two are like twins, but even with twins, there are visible (or in this case, audible) differences, and no matter how [...]
MAD IRIS MAD IRIS BA DA BING RECORDS Since 2024, Toronto’s Mad Iris has been releasing singles that play with a post-grunge meets shoegaze vibe. In the last year, the band has released three singles – “Daisy, Don’t Take My Baby,” “Poor [...]
THE ALARM TRANSFORMATION TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY RECORDINGS This is a rather difficult review, not because there is any question about the quality of the music in the package, but because this is Mike Peters’ farewell. I bought The Alarm’s [...]
DOUBLESPEAK DOUBLESPEAK LONDON RECORDS Doublespeak is a supergroup of three influential and much-loved electrobeat artists from the past 40 years. Neil Arthur (Blancmange, Fader), Vince Clarke (Yazoo, Depeche Mode, Erasure), and Benge [...]
J.C. THOMAZ AND THE MISSING SLIPPERS J.C. THOMAZ AND THE MISSING SLIPPERS SLOVENLY RECORDINGS From Rotterdam, NL, comes the gritty punk/post punk of J.C. Thomaz and The Missing Slippers. Reportedly this debut album was two decades in the making [...]
THE CRANBERRIES EVERYBODY ELSE IS DOING IT, SO WHY CAN’T WE? (33rd ANNIVERSARY EDITION) ISLAND RECORDS There’s something achingly beautiful and achingly sad about hearing these songs all over again on the 33rd (a peculiar choice, but perhaps [...]
HUSH FOR DOLLY SIMONE RECORDS How do you craft a debut album to make exactly the right impact? Do you rush into it while the inspiration is red-hot, or do you take it slow to make sure everything sounds exactly as you envisioned? For Montreal [...]
FUTURE ISLANDS FROM A HOLE IN THE FLOOR TO A FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH 4AD Has it really been two decades since Future Islands found their way onto the airwaves for the first time? It certainly has, and From a Hole in the Floor to a Fountain of Youth is [...]