QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE ALIVE IN THE CATACOMBS MATADOR RECORDS Following an early series of screenings at select, independent cinemas across the world – including Toronto’s Royal Theatre – and the digital release of their concert film, Alive In [...]
XOL MEISSNER EXCESS OF LOSS INDEPENDENT If you stick only to the face value of some information, it just might take you to a wrong track, and there is quite a bit of that here. First of all, Xol Meissner is an alias for a Swiss-born, NYC-based [...]
KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD PHANTOM ISLAND P(DOOM) RECORDS So, where have the Australian mavericks gone so far in their explorations? From all things heavy to the outskirts of microtonal and spiritual jazz, while cramming as many albums [...]
YAWN WISH I COULD’VE KILLBEAT MUSIC If you think that crafting close to perfect pop music is easy, then you’ve got things all wrong. Pop has a set of formulas you have to respect, and being inventive and doing it right within those [...]
NORMAN GREENBAUM SPIRIT IN THE SKY CRAFT RECORDINGS In 1967, a band with the unusual yet era appropriate name of Dr. West’s Medicine Show and Junk Band had a minor hit with the novelty song “The Eggplant That Ate Chicago” (it lives up to [...]
EMPANADAS ILEGALES SANCOCHO TRIFÁSICO WE ARE TIME Vancouver-based seven-piece band, Empanadas Ilegales have returned with their third full-length album – their first studio record since 2022’s Creepy Mambo – Sancocho Trifásico. Recorded in [...]
BEATIE WOLFE & BRIAN ENO LUMINAL VERVE RECORDS Luminal is the second of two new albums by Mr. Brian Eno, both of which are collaborations with Beatie Wolfe. Eno has been very busy of late. Since 2024, Brian Eno (producer, musician, artist [...]
BRIAN ENO & BEATIE WOLFE LATERAL VERVE RECORDS Since 2024, Brian Eno (producer, musician, artist extraordinaire) has released four albums, five if you count all the EPs. He is adding two more to his catalog. On this album, (and on the [...]
CYPRESS HILL & THE LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA BLACK SUNDAY LIVE AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL MERCURY STUDIOS MEDIA In 1996, an episode of The Simpsons featured a bit where Cypress Hill may or may not have in fact ordered The London Symphony [...]
LIFEGUARD RIPPED AND TORN MATADOR RECORDS If you are a fan of noisy, full-throttle garage punk, then Lifeguard is for you. The band, comprising Asher Case (vocals and bass), Isaac Lowenstein (drums and percussion), and Kai Slater (vocals and [...]
STEVE MARRINER HEAR MY HEART CORDOVA BAY RECORDS Veteran blues musician and producer Steve Marriner proves that Canadian blues is alive and well, with the release of his new album, Hear My Heart. Well-known as a founding member of the JUNO [...]
PEACEFUL FACES WITHOUT A SINGLE FIGHT GLAMOUR GOWNS Quite a few so-called singer-songwriters take a trip down a lush baroque pop lane, and that seems just the right place for multi-instrumentalist and composer Tree Palmedo and his latest album [...]
VARIOUS ARTISTS MARC URSELLI’S RAMONES (REDUX) MAGNETIC EYE RECORDS Ramones embodied the underground scene with their distinctive sound and style, influencing generations despite their limited commercial success. Magnetic Eye’s Redux [...]
PULP MORE ROUGH TRADE RECORDS Britpop legends Pulp have finally returned with More, their first album in 24 years. The long stretch between records is no problem. Jarvis Cocker and company deliver one of their finest records with More. Pulp fans [...]
DAVID J HASKINS THE MOTHER TREE EROTOTOX DECODINGS David J Haskins’ new album, The Mother Tree, is a companion to his new book of poetry, Rhapsody, Threnody & Prayer. The album, The Mother Tree features David J Haskins reciting five poems [...]
DUSTY SPRINGFIELD LONGING REAL GONE MUSIC By 1974, Dusty Springfield had proven herself as a singer, performer, pop star, blues singer or whatever she wanted to do. She had had numerous hits, but like a lot of the 1960s artists, she struggled [...]
BRIANA MARELA MY INNER REST INDEPENDENT It has been a while since composers of what is considered modern classical music have adopted elements of other musical genres that are also considered as modern – whether it is rock in its [...]
MOTHER MOTHER NOSTALGIA WARNER RECORDS Mother Mother’s new album Nostalgia delivers the retro spark fans have been craving. It’s everything we love about the band, with tracks that nod to their original sound while embracing bold, fresh ideas. [...]
WOLVES AT THE GATE WASTELAND SOLID STATE RECORDS At times, becoming ensnared in the labyrinth of your own mind can be the most suffocating experience imaginable. It’s as if your thoughts conspire to overwhelm your entire being, drowning [...]
LETTERS FROM TAYLOR STILL ASKING INDEPENDENT It is a bold move to have your debut EP with two prominent covers right up front. It might indicate that you don’t have much faith in your originals. Yet, that is not a worry that Calgary, Ab [...]
RAIN PARADE CRASHING DREAM (DELUXE REISSUE) LABEL 51 RECORDS Paisley Underground flourished in Los Angeles in the 80s as a response to cotton candy electro dance that was dominating the charts at the time (think Kaja Goo Goo) and punk not going [...]
B-MOVIE HIDDEN TREASURES WANDERLUST/CARGO B-Movie released their debut EP on a small, independent label in 1980. By 1981, they were signed to Some Bizarre Records and were part of the early 1980s electro-beat/New Wave/Post-Punk scene. Sadly, [...]
AVA McCOY DRAGONFLY ACROPHASE RECORDS As a singer songwriter, how do you fit Pacific Northwest countryside (Oregon, to be precise) along with New York City as a somewhat stark contrast? Ava McCoy seems to be able to do that on her latest album [...]
FOXWARREN 2 ARTS & CRAFTS One of the leading singer-songwriters in Canada right now is Andy Shauf. Most Canadians probably know Shauf from his solo career, with albums like The Neon Skyline and The Party. Shauf is also part of the band [...]
