Certain bands remind you of certain things. Neil Young and campfires. U2 and a breach of trust. You get the idea. Rah Rah, an auspiciously named eight-piece indie-pop opera of a band out of Regina, Saskatchewan remind me of something even more vague and non-descript: colours. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Rah Rah,…
Category: REVIEWS
CD and DVD reviews
One Flesh, Twelve Gates
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Right away from the front cover, you get a gloomy, dark-type setting. This flows right into the CD where you definitely get a dose of what I like to call Gloom Rock. One Flesh and their newest release, Twelve Gates, offers up some darkly-layered gothic rock with some tinges of alternative & psychedelic…
The Hidden Cameras, Origin: Orphan
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Much is made of the fact that Joel Gibb and the rest of the Hidden Cameras are closely aligned with the gay movement within indie-rock. Yet on Origin: Orphan, the band’s 5th studio LP, one doesn`t hear so much an influence from Gibb`s personal choices as a spiritual influence. Long classified in the chamber-pop genre,…
Alberta Cross, Broken Side Of Time
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Comparisons in rock and roll are inevitable for two reasons: very often a band gets together because of a shared affinity for another band. And rock journalists are a stringently lazy bunch whose ears are often tweaked but connect the dots like young children. Without knowing the exact circumstances of what brought Alberta Cross, the…
The Echelons, Don’t Kiss Her Face
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First thing I see when I look at the front cover of The Echelons’ Don’t Kiss Her Face are two cartoon characters with serious sexual innuendos. One character is portrayed as an attractive woman all dolled up while putting lip stick on & looking at herself in the mirror. She is depicted as…
Meshell Ndegeocello, Devil’s Halo
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There are very few musical performers today who can be described as musical artists. Meshell Ndegeocello is one of the few though. The genre-bending singer who is one of the best bassists, male or female, of her generation has been releasing plenty of fine, yet underrated music for a good two decades now. Ndegeocello has…
Ryan Dahle, Irrational Anthems
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Limblifter was a fantastic Canadian piece of indie-rock folklore in the mid-90’s. The band practically shit out hooks. Though I was a little too young to appreciate them then, I can now consider Ryan Dahle’s debut solo LP, Irrational Anthems a blessing from above. Dahle, being one of the founding members of Limblifter hasn’t lost…
Joe Henry, Blood From Stars
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Upon first listen, Joe Henry’s blend of folk, blues and jazz on his 11th LP, Blood From Stars comes across as entirely too ambitious. The record struggles to find a happy medium and therefore, loses its groove very early on. Now, if chaotic is the spice which entices your tongue, then Blood From Stars might…
Sand Machine, Conference
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A Boston band that came out of nowhere a few years ago, Sand Machine has grown even stronger than their 2002 debut indicated. They caught on with the city’s indie crowd as well as with the older folks who enjoy classic rock. Neil Young and The Beatles were the influences they wore on their sleeves.…
K-Maxx, The Whole Woo Wop
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Okay, first off let’s clear up what the meaning behind the title means because I’m sure that’s what you’re asking yourself. K-Maxx states that The Whole Woo Wop is actually a slang term that means “all encompassing”. This pertains to all the emotions/feelings that have surrounded K-Maxx in the last few years. …
ANNA ROSE, ANNA ROSE
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All right. I’m basically a rocker at heart. If I have to listen to female singers, I prefer female rockers that can also deliver a ballad. After many years of listening to just about every genre on the planet, I’m very picky when it comes to personally judging female singers.…
Reign Lee, Broken Skylines
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This Hong-Kong based singer/songwriter, Reign Lee, is ready to take the music world by storm. Not only does Lee write and perform all of her songs on the new record, but she is also the producer of Broken Skylines. This multi-talented artist is definitely prepared to excite the minds of music enthusiasts everywhere!…
Kestrels, Primary Colours
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Maybe it was just where I grew up, but in high school, every band sounded the same. They were hookey alright, but their remotely relevant brand of pop-punk never sat well. There was something missing. Even in a sea of bands all playing at the same venue (The Dungeon, if you must know) not one…
Japandroids, Post-Nothing
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Buzz bands walk a very, very fine line. More often than not, the first thing your average music consumer hears is the hype before any substance. Immediately then, said listener adopts Grand Canyon-sized expectations. Especially when proliferated by a few certain tastemakers, the hype becomes so unmanageable that the artist risks imploding, often before a…
Rich Hope, Is Gonna Whip It On Ya
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Where do the blues come from? Is it a persistent hole in one’s soul that’s only filled by dirty jams in smokey bars? And if so, are the blues really that simple of a vocation? On Rich Hope’s debut LP, Rich Hope Is Gonna Whip It On Ya, the answer is a resounding no. There…
STEVE VAI, WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE
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First off, there are hordes of great, eye-popping guitarists roaming the stages across the globe. Steve Vai is in the upper echelon of these real life guitar heroes. Steve is a technical guitar savant, in the same vein as Jeff Beck. Steve always adds a little touch of something live, to make…
THE BEATLES, RARE AND UNSEEN
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This release is a documentary, featuring rare glimpses of the Fab Four, and dialogue by many of their associates like Tony Barrow (former press officer), Tony Bramwell (former roadie), Sam Leach (former tour manager), and noteworthy fans like Jerry Marsden (Jerry and the Pacemakers), and Phil Collins. A booklet is included with some early…
RANDOM STABBINGS & ARTLESS CRITIQUE, OCTOBER 2009
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Infected Mushroom, Legend Of The Black Shawarma (Adrenaline Records) Lot of blah-de-blah on the blogs and such about this not being (as expected in keeping with this Israeli electro duo’s original pigeonhole) psy-trance, probably owing to all the drum n bass that goes on (if you’re not a walking Wikipedia, DnB involves a lot of…
Slant, Slant
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If Tool and Jimi Hendrix had some kind of post mortem love child, it would be Slant. And if Tool, Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, and Nirvana could create a celestial collaboration, it would be Slant’s latest album, self titled “Slant”. “Slant” takes you on an epic journey of intricately skilled drum solos, nostalgic guitar riffs,…
Shannon Stephens, The Breadwinner
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I’ve been saying this to myself for awhile now, but I think I’m ready to get it out in the open: there aren’t two female singer-songwriter voices out there that sound alike. None. Every female voice, from those that hum a tune to those wailing down in Vegas share the same vocal chords. And Seattle-bred…
The Oranges Band, The Oranges Band Are Invisible
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Let’s all raise a glass for The Oranges Band. On The Oranges Band Are Invisible, the Baltimore smart-punk outfit combine blue-collar, everyman aesthetics with a sound that’s thick as nails. Tangibly reminiscent of some of the bands which have influenced them in some form or another, including Spoon and Guided By Voices, The Oranges Band…
The ETTES, Do You Want Power?
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The ETTES are a 3-piece rock outfit from Nashville, Tennessee and they are dropping their third album Do You Want Power? today. They deliver garage rock soaked in a 60’s beat-punk sound with heavy, distorted guitars and pounding drums. Lead singer Lindsay “Coco” Hames has a soulful 60s country voice not unlike Patsy Cline. Bassist…
Pearl Jam, Backspacer
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The legendary rock band Pearl Jam has been known for plenty of things throughout its near two decade career. However, one of its most publicized periods was when the Seattle band took on Ticketmaster back in the 90s because of the agency’s high ticket fees. While this battle proved to be unsuccessful, it did earn…
Jer Coons, Speak
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Jer Coons has plenty of things standing in his way of becoming a rock star. First off, he doesn’t reside where there is a celebrated music scene; he calls Burlington, Vermont home. Also, the 20-year-old probably can’t be called very hip as his forte is writing catchy pop songs with charming melodies. Despite this, Coons…
Ultimate Ears, 700
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I was fortunate enough to get a pair of Ultimate Ears 700 headphones. When I first opened up the package I was shocked at how little the ear plugs were. My girl can never find earphones that fit in her small ears so in that regard we had already found something we liked about the…
The Empty Mirror, Abstracted Catholic
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I just want to throw this out first, so it’s clear for everyone and that is that this new five-song set should not be called an EP. Rather a new release or “opus 2” is what lead singer, guitarist and producer, Grant Valdes, prefers. Opus numbering is an element of classical music and…
Tim Miller, Sessions Lamar
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This Dallas-based singer/songwriter, Tim Miller, brings you a disc titled Sessions Lamar. Acoustic/Folk/Rock are all blended together beautifully to make up crowd-pleasing music for the public. But this isn’t just your ordinary EP; this project is the highly anticipated follow-up to Miller’s successful record, Adelaide. This new EP features three songs from…
Amy Millan, Masters of the Burial
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It’s no grand coincedence that Amy Millan’s second solo LP, Masters of the Burial was released in late September. Depending on your geographical location (And if the Gods have been smiling on you, I suppose) late September is the time for lazy evenings spent soaking up every last bit of sun. And it’s damn near…
Octoberman, Fortresses
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If you could float through everyday with Octoberman’s Fortresses in your head, constantly on repeat, you’d probably share a comfortable grin with everyone you pass. That’s the effect that the potent, landscape-inspiring rhythms would have on you. They’re buoyant enough for one to constantly and comfortably keep their head above water. But when Marc Morrissette’s…
Elwood Emission, Ode to the Ego
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Elwood Emission is made up one creative-minded individual by the name of Lucy Kalantari. Her music includes a little bit of everything from elements of rock, jazz, new wave and industrial-goth. She blends all of these unique styles together by way of electronic synths, piano, strings, original vocals and even distorted ukuleles. …
Sprockets, Medicated Empty
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I have to be honest that when I saw the band title, Sprockets, I first thought of that hilarious bit Mike Myers used to do on SNL. But just as SNL isn’t as funny today, Sprockets is also proving to be no laughing matter with their new record, Medicated Empty. All jokes aside,…
PENS, Hey Friend, What You Doing?
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Poking their heads out from obscurity in London, all-girl noise-pop trio PENS is what you would expect to hear from sewer dwellering girls who have over time collected scrapped instruments and the recording equipment neccesary to make an album. But they aren’t, and they really don’t care how it sounds.“Hey Friend, What You Doing? is…
David Gray, Draw the Line
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Unless you’re an musical icon like Bob Dylan or an indie darling like Conor Oberst, being pegged as a singer-songwriter can be quite an albatross–particularly for one who writes mostly pop songs. David Gray probably knows this better than most because the critics haven’t always been kind to him despite his selling millions of albums…
Vangough, Manikin Parade
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With a name like Vangough, you’re assuming top-notch precision & artistry at its finest. Now, you and I know that one should never assume because it can make an ass out of you and me. But, in this instance the saying can stand as correct as this four-piece-band from Oklahoma is bringing high…
Sexstone, The Painful Side of True
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This Kentucky-based rock group is literally bringing The Painful Side of truth on this new record. You get a dose of the true rock & roll sound mixed with the harsh reality of life. You get a sense of pain & hurt, but done in such a lively fashion. Sexstone is made…
The Black Crowes, Before the Frost/Until the Freeze
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This past year has seen plenty of rock bands that ruled the 90s reunite in an effort to relive their past glories with some being much more welcome (Blur!!) than others (Creed??). Nevertheless, do not lump the Black Crowes in with this reunion bands. Sure, the blues rock band led by Chris and Rich Robinson…
Greg Wood, Self-Titled
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This Canadian rocker from Edmonton known as Greg Wood is ready to rock the spot all night long. With his kick-ass, electric guitar sound & voice full of brashness, passion and soul, Wood offers a winning combo. This record offers straight rock from the heart with hard-rockin’ grooves and then some more passionate,…
Michel Ackermann, Kite
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This Berlin-based singer/songwriter brings you a 4-song EP titled Kite. I have to mention the cover art due to its incredibly tranquil setting. I am seeing vivid blues skies along with plush, white clouds. The initial reaction of this scenery is a very peaceful feeling, which could definitely offer someone a calming effect. Now, let’s…
Nitin Sawhney, London Undersound
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“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.” -Alan Watts Very rarely does anything good come out of a terrorist attack (I distinctly remember that unfortunate collaboration between Nelly ( “I’m just kiddin’ like Jason”) and Fred “Don’t get me started” Durst,…
Imelda May, Love Tattoo
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With a voice that’s impossible not to fall in love with, and a heaping helping of Audrey Horn (Sherilyn Fenn) sex appeal; Imelda May can with your heart in a verse. This Dubliner rose to fame after being hand-picked by former founder-member of Squeeze; Jools Holland to appear on his show “Later… with Jools…