Shawn ColvinThese Four Walls(Nonesuch)Colvin masterfully weaves tales of life, love and loss on These Four Walls, the most consistent release of her illustrious recording career. PerfeChuck Teeding the folk-pop sound that made her a household name in the mid-’90s, Colvin’s sixth studio effort shines with spotless songwriting and superb musicianship.Chuck Teedcategories: Best of the year […]
Chuck Teed
Posted inArts + Music
Bush Speak
Bush SpeakThe Curious Wit & Wisdom of George W. Bush (Shout Factory)George W. Bush’s mangled English is nothing new to most, so this collection of quotes set to patriotic American music is not exactly enlightening. But listening to nearly 10 minutes of butchered Bush quotes does raise two important questions: How was this man—obviously over […]
Posted inArts + Music
The End
The EndElementary(Relapse/Distort)Departing from the mathcore sound that made The End a household name in metal circles, Elementary showcases the band at its creative peak. The Mississauga-based quintet flirts with many styles on the album, yet manages to maintain a cohesive feel. Most impressive is vocalist Aaron Wolf, who shows an incredible range for someone better […]
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Guns N’ Roses
Guns N’ RosesGreatest Hits (Geffen)No wonder Axl Rose tried to block the release of Greatest Hits. First of all, it’s missing the vital singles “Night Train” and “Estranged.” Secondly, over a third of the songs featured are covers (“Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door, “Since I Don’t Have You”). And most importantly, many of Guns N’ Roses […]
Posted inArts + Music
Tanya Davis
Tanya DavisMake a List(independent)The best local release in recent memory, Make a List’s charm lies in Davis’ brilliant lyrical delivery. A mix of fragile melodies and solid spoken word, Davis effortlessly draws the listener into each song, where they are rewarded with tasteful musicianship and inspired poetry.Chuck Teedcategories: Local artist,Canadian artist,Best of the year (2006)
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Talent pool
When you think about current Canadian musicians on the world stage, there are a few names that immediately come to mind. Avril Lavigne. Nickelback. Arcade Fire. Feist. For better or worse—depending on taste—these artists are de facto representatives of Canadian culture, selling millions of albums and winning over countless fans while simultaneously waving the Canadian […]
Posted inLifestyle
Crying game
Pac-Man elbow. Space Invaders wrist. Back in the early ’80s, video-game addicts probably suffered from one of these overuse injuries—usually caused by the repetitive motion of jerking a joystick or mashing a fire button—at one point or another. The cure was quick and physically painless—a little rest and ice and you were good to go. […]
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Two Hours’ time
Alec O’Hanley can’t multitask. One ofTwo Hours Traffic’s singer-guitarists tries to give an interview while relaxing in his parents’ pool, but decides mid-sentence that cordless phones and chlorinated water don’t mix. “I’m distracted by this pool,” he says, water splashing in the background. “I should get out, actually. It’s too nice to concentrate.” O’Hanley deserves […]
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Tracking laughs
What’s in a name? Ask the people behind CBC’s latest reality show, Second City’s Next Comedy Legend, which airs on the network Tuesdays at 9pm. By adding the word “legend” to the title of the show—as opposed to a less laudatory word like “great”—one assumes the winner of the contest will immediately rise to stardom […]
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Lost in transition
While you read, listen to “Don’t go easy” by Jill Barber. Jill Barber’s 2007 East Coast Music Awards weekend was a coming out party that fans won’t soon forget. Building on the success of her 2006 release For All Time, Barber wowed audiences with a string of stellar showcases that left the entire conference buzzing […]
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Jay in the life
Comedy albums have enjoyed a resur-gence as of late. Both Tenacious D and Weird Al Yankovic recently hit the top 10 in the United States with their respective albums The Pick of Destiny and Straight out of Lynwood, while internet phenomenon Dane Cook has spent over a year on the charts with his double disc […]
Posted inArts + Music
Life’s a sketch
It is 7:45pm on Sunday night and the buzz in the air is palpable. Ginger’s Tavern is close to capacity as groups of young adults stream up the stairs on a minute-by-minute basis. By the time 8pm rolls around, there isn’t an empty seat in the house. The audience has gathered not to see a […]
