Colin MacKenzie

Mount Eerie11 Old Songs of Mount Eerie(PW Elverum & Sun)Phil Elverum was The Microphones — the west coast embodiment of DIY, huge fan of Eric’s Trip — and one who eventually tired of his mostly obscure but critically acclaimed past. He left K records and started his own self-titled label. His newer music goes by […]

K-osJoyful Rebellion(Astralwerks)K-os is international, a sound not out of one specific neighbourhood. It’s a sound inspired by hip-hop; samples and beats are joined by flamenco guitar, sitar, organ. More Fugees than 50 Cent, Joyful Rebellion is just that, rebellious against the tired sound of hip-hop. This sophomore effort is more mature, complex and fun than […]

Sigur RosTakkGeffenFrom the cinematic, slow-build beginning to its hesitant and reluctant end, this album is epic. The band continues on its path of anomaly in the kingdom of commercial rock. Even more so than the enigmatic early days of Radiohead, Sigur Ros’ enormous popularity does not seem to make sense and yet it absolutely does. […]

SpoonGimme Fiction (Merge)It begins with the channelling of T. Rex. This is Spoon’s latest full-length release — the last was Kill the Moonlight — and Gimme Fiction arrives three years later as a pleasant surprise. They did not blow it. Among the din of many bands’ outright theft of 1980s post-punk, goth and new wave, […]

The RootsThe Tipping Point(Geffen)This album begins with one of The Roots’ greatest songs to date, “Star/Pointro,” their take on Sly Stone’s “Everybody is a Star.” This band was discovered playing on the streets of Philadelphia. Most of what they do is live, no samples, no loops, with one incredible drummer. Like Missy Elliott, The Roots […]

Sexsmith & KerrDesti-nation Unknown WarnerRon Sexsmith has joined vocal forces with long-time collaborator/drummer/ex -Rheostatic Don Kerr and created a recording that spends a great deal of its time revelling in an opportunity to explore Beatlesque duets and harmonies. This combination of elements hints at great potential and does not disappoint. Sexsmith has used this collaboration […]

Yeah Yeah YeahsShow Your Bones(Interscope)For the past two decades our ears have been in training for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ vocalist Karen O. Patti Smith, Kim Gordon, Sleater-Kinney and Julie Doiron’s Eric Trip days all tutored us in the ways of rock—earbud-imprinting vital data on our cilia. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Show Your Bones is […]

CaribouThe Milk of Human Kindness(Domino)Just so you know, Caribou is Manitoba’s new name. It seems that the very lame frontman for punk band The Dictators, Handsome Dick Manitoba, sued Dan Snaith (formerly Manitoba) for trademark infringement. This is Snaith’s first full-length recording under the new alias and it does not disappoint; sweet beats, tweets, twinkles, […]

Patti SmithTrampin ’(Columbia)The high priestess of New York has once again unleashed her poetry upon us. Smith, with collaborators Lenny Kay and Jay Dee Daugherty, has stayed the course; this album is classic, full of anger, yearning and passion. Reminiscent of some of the greatest moments on Horses and Radio Ethiopia, Trampin’ treads a fine […]

Black Rebel Motorcycle ClubHowlVirginIn the wake of Scorsese’s Dylan documentary No Direction Home, where more than three hours was spent letting us know just how the man was booed and booed when he chose to go electric-iconoclast, we have BRMC’s Howl. These three musicians will probably not be remembered with quite the same fervor for […]

DestroyerRubies (Merge)As a child, Dan Bejar was no doubt diapered with and laid down upon back issues of The New Yorker. He is a wordsmith. In the past he released a couple of mediocre tomes but now we have been gifted Destroyer’s Rubies, both refreshing and poignant. This is Dan Bejar’s seventh release and not […]