Caley MacLennan

Rise AgainstAppeal To Reason (Geffen)Now three albums into big-label territory, Rise Against is again weathering calls of sellout. But even though the band rose from the ashes of melodic hardcore’s golden children 88 Fingers Louie, Rise Against has never claimed to be anything. Instead, the band has simply explored their influences, be it punk, metal […]

[image-4]Published October 09, 2008.TV On The RadioDear Science(Interscope) TV On The Radio’s sound has evolved on their latest release, straddling the precarious line between art and accessibility. On the surface, the band has abandoned their initial vibe completely, trading the scratches and loops of OK Calculator for sometimes strolling, sometimes skipping rock grooves. Upon multiple […]

LagwagonI Think My Older Brother Used to Listen to Lagwagon(Fat Wreck Chords) It’s been about 15 years since Fat and Epitaph exploded, gaining international attention for the many bands that now form the pantheon of contemporary punk. With releases or tours from heavies like Pennywise, Millencolin and Face to Face, this year seems to be […]

Black KidsPartie TraumaticThe latest rush of new wave-inspired electro-pop seems engineered specifically for 30-somethings. Born in the ’70s, these kids muddled their way through puberty with help from the emotional, moody soundtrack of bands like Depeche Mode or The Cure. They then went on to find themselves through the gritty energy of grunge and noise.These […]

LadytronVelocifero RCAVelocifero contains what appears to be the standard elements of today’s electro-pop releases. “Burning Up” sounds like an Air tune. “Tomorrow,” with its orchestral layers of lush synth sounds, recalls the Pet Shop Boys. “They Gave You A Heart…” pounds with an edge that would have easily been called punk a couple of decades […]

The LodgerLife Is Sweet (Slumberland)Life must be sweet for The Lodger singer/songwriter Ben Siddal. How else could he consistently write songs that are so irresistibly cheerful? For their sophomore release, The Lodger attempt to deepen their sound, with a greater inclusion of instrumentation and down-tempo tracks. Regardless of their efforts, their sound still relies heavily […]

Cut CopyIn Ghost Colours(Modular Interscope) When Australia’s Cut Copy released its debut album, critics were apprehensive. Virtually all reviews heralded Bright Like Neon Loveas a remarkable album that was unfortunately too dance for indie rockers and too rock for dance fans. For In Ghost Colours, Dan Whitford and friends carefully arranged and mixed the album […]

[image-4]Published June 12, 2008.Mates of StateRe-Arrange Us (Barsuk) Recent MySpace features and cell phone ads have longtime fans of Mates Of States crying sellout. And while the saccharine sound of the band is undeniably accessible, they are definitely alternative as well. Mates of State are a happily married duo that expertly perform their layered sound, […]

WoodhandsHeart Attack(Paper Bag Records)Ontario has become a breeding ground for inspired electro-pop bands. Now internationally adored, Junior Boys, Caribou and Crystal Castles are bleeping and remixing a unique sound that seems both familiar and totally new at the same time. With the release of their new album Heart Attack, Toronto duet Woodhands are poised to […]

[image-4]Published May 22, 2008.Jason Mraz We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things (Atlantic)On the surface, We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things seems to follow the path laid out by the title: a tired idiom mildly rejuvenated with oddball relish. Mraz’s beach-guitar formula is filled with familiar hooks, making the album both cliche and catchy. […]

[image-4]Published May 29, 2008.No AgeNouns (Sub Pop)Driving the hype surrounding No Age and their Sub Pop debut, Nouns, is the sweeping style of the band. On tracks “Errand Boy” and “Keechie,” the wall of sound and shoegaze tendencies create hypnotic, but sometimes boring sprawls. Songs like “Sleeper Hold” and “Here Should Be My Home” recall […]