David Bazan Care Undertow This is an interesting album, with an even more interesting title. Care. Simple, but also direct, almost an order. The theme of this album, spread throughout the lyrics is care…care for yourself but also, [...]
Mr Kitty A.I. Negative Gain This is what I had to say about Mr Kitty’s 2013 album Life: Twenty years from now I will listen to this with nostalgia and tenderness, and it will still ring true in my ears and my heart, it is one of the few [...]
Murray McLauchlan Love Can’t Tell Time True North Records No one could ever accuse Murray McLauchlan of doing the expected. He takes his time between records, has been part of a success ‘supergroup’ (Lunch at Allen’s) and does pretty much [...]
Blanck Mass World Eater Sacred Bones Records Blanck Mass presents us with a schizophrenic, maddening record that takes us on a roller coaster ride with intense heights and trance-like troughs. The opening track “John Doe’s Carnival of [...]
The Knitts Retreat Knitting Factory Records For those of us that have been going to see The Knitts’ live shows for years now, their debut album Retreat has been a long time coming. Over 6 long years. If you HAVE been seeing them in person during [...]
Slow Death Lights Slow Death Lights Independent The debut album from Slow Death Lights has been a long time coming. Their preceding single/EP came out two years ago, but this album has been worth the wait. Slow Death Lights is the album fans [...]
Various Artists T2 Trainspotting (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Insomniac/Interscope Records I don’t envy the writers/producers of T2 Trainspotting. They have a lot to live up to as do the producers of the soundtrack. The first movie, [...]
Lusine Sensorimotor Ghostly International Lusine, which translates from Armenian to English as “moon,” is the stage moniker of Seattle transplant and IDM producer, Jeff McIlwain. In his fourth full length with Ghostly International, McIlwain [...]
Glenn Skuthorpe See My World Independent This is album number five from the remarkable Nhunggabarra, Kooma, Muruwari artist (his definition).. If I was honest I would say the first time I listened to this album I was not all that impressed. I [...]
Why? Moh Lhean Joyful Noise Recordings The band Why? evolved from artist Yoni Wolf, who had been using that name while performing in California. Older brother, Josiah started working with Yoni, and Doug McDiarmind joined the fold. Yoni’s [...]
Holly Macve Golden Eagle Bella Union It’s hard to believe Holly Macve’s Golden Eagle is a debut album. Originally from Galway, Ireland, the 21-year-old singer songwriter exudes the confidence and control you’d expect from a veteran performer. [...]
Broads Vacancy Independent One of the joys of reviewing music is stumbling upon artists that you might not otherwise know much about or have to opportunity to hear. This band is a wonderful discovery for me. Broads is a Melbourne based band, [...]
Bill & Joel Plaskett Solidarity New Scotland Yard When attempting to make an album with your father, folk is the best choice of genre. It is one of the only types of music which transcends generations, acting as mankind’s favorite method of [...]
Emilia Up Current Records Emilia made her music debut in 2013. Since then, she has completed a full length album, and followed it up with an EP. During this time, while creating her music, she has also found time to complete her studies in York [...]
Paul Manchin Salutations Independent You may not have heard of Canadian singer/songwriter Paul Manchin until now, but chances are you will be hearing a lot about him soon, due to the release of his latest CD Salutations. Although having [...]
Leif Vollebekk Twin Solitude Secret City Records Four years since North Americana, Leif Vollebekk returns with his latest release and third record, Twin Solitude. The songs explore both interior and exterior aloneness, images of physical [...]
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah The Tourist CYHSY, Inc. Since their 2005 debut, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah haven’t had much to get excited about. They’ve gone through growing pains and the loss of band members, until the band truly was the sound of one [...]
Hippo Campus Landmark Grand Jury Music The full-length debut from Minneapolis-based Hippo Campus, Landmark, is a well-written, complex, and atmospheric collection of alt-rock tunes that not only makes the listener think, but is easy to simply [...]
The Skatalites Foundation Ska Sudio One Foundation Ska is the much anticipated reissue of a wonderful double CD set (Also available in vinyl), with recordings from the mid-1960s, the period in which The Skatalites were first active, before [...]
George Harrison The Vinyl Collection Universal Music Canada George Harrison…the quiet one, the spiritual one, the guitarist, The Beatles. I have always felt bad for John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and yes George Harrison because [...]
Asia Symfonia – Live In Bulgaria 2013 Frontiers Music SRL Asia formed in 1981 and was the supergroup for prog rock. But this was ‘pop’ prog rock, short(ish) songs full of hooks, strong melodies, harmonies and the occasional solos. Well [...]
No Joy Creep Top Shelf Records Montreal shoegaze band, No Joy, composed of the duo of Jasamine White-Gluz and Laura Lloyd, formed in 2009 and have released numerous EP’s and singles, along with three full-length studio albums – Ghost [...]
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard Flying Microtonal Banana ATO Records When a band seamlessly genre hops as much as King Gizzard does, it’s hard for one to categorize them. This is part of their allure. Since their formation seven years ago, [...]
Los Campesinos! Sick Scenes Wichita Recordings These guys are from Wales? Really? There is no way you would pick up on that fact listening to this, their latest album. This is their sixth album (for those keeping count) and their first [...]
