Heavy meadowsheavy meadows(Dependent)On their second full-length disc, heavy meadows prove again they are one of the city’s best-kept secrets, filled with Seth Timothy’s lush arrangements of subtle textured folk that would make Nick Drake and Tim Buckley proud. Here their sound relies more on Timothy’s guitar and vocals of Virgil Muir, but the songs have […]
Trevor MacLaren
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Priya Thomas
Published October 16, 2003. Priya Thomas Songs for Car Commercials (Boiling Point) Songs for Car Commercials is an interesting collection of well-orchestrated pop that stretches out into some new and interesting realms. Thomas has the amazing ability to sample Nick Drake, Indian folk and Bruce Springsteen all on one record, plus the intellect to make […]
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The Ghost is Dancing
The Ghost is DancingThe Ghost is Dancing(Sonic Unyon)The Ghost is Dancing is one of the weakest orchestral rock and chamber pop bands to arise in the last 10 years. The music is fluid and players tight, but songs are underdeveloped and lack the soul of experienced songwriters. As well, they are treading into the territory […]
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The Sadies
The SadiesNew SeasonsYep Roc/OutsideThe Canadian kings of surf country add more psychedelic vibes to their 13th Elevators meets Buck Owens sound. Drops of old-school country mixed with trippy jams make old Grateful Dead records obsolete. New Seasons is not only one of The Sadies’ best it is quintessential listening for the future of alt-country.Trevor McLarencategories: […]
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The Bad Plus
The Bad PlusSuspicious Activity? (Sony)The Bad Plus is one of the finest bands of the new school of free jazz. Adding a rock and pop fusion while covering Black Sabbath, Blondie, Nirvana and Aphex Twin has made them one of the most loved and eclectic jazz trios. With disc number three The Bad Plus switch […]
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The Minus 5
The Minus 5 The Gun Album (Yep Roc)The Minus 5 is not really a band, per se. It is the brainchild of Fresh Young Fellows’ Scott McCaughey and usually features such luminaries as Jeff Tweedy (with and without Wilco), Peter Buck (with and without Mike Mills), Jon Auer of The Posies, Ken Stringfellow and scores […]
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She Wants Revenge
She Wants RevengeShe Wants Revenge(Geffen)She Wants Revenge is more music to file under the current post-punk revival. SWR takes on early New Order, Closer-era Joy Division and Depeche Mode while mixing in goth-driven misery. End-to-end the record is monotonous, but the music is both well-written and executed. The vibe is boorish and seems like a […]
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Kate Bush
Published December 08, 2005. Kate Bush Aerial (SonyBMG) It has been such a long wait, but Bush returns with a gloriously textured art-rock tour de force that recalls everything before The Sensual World. This is a double disc set of straightforward Bush, rather than another devoted to an entire suite. Majestic and surreal. Trevor MacLaren […]
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Brendan Benson
Brendan BensonThe Alternative to Love(v2)Brendan Benson’s debut One Mississippi was one of the greatest records of the ’90s. Yet on record number three he is still an underground cult figure. The Alternative to Love’s blissfully raunchy pop will hopefully change this. The disc is a no-holds-barred rip through the foundation of power-pop. Taking bits directly […]
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David Bowie
Published September 18, 2003. David Bowie Reality (ISO) Reality finds Bowie in the comfort zone of recalling his past. He works his way through his old catalogue with vigour, taking chunks from here and there. Heathen was Bowie’s best work in 20 years, while Hours was little gems buried in mediocrity. Reality suffers from that […]
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Plastic Japanese Toys
Plastic Japanese ToysGlitterati(Moonbabe Records)Plastic Japanese Toys have to come to show that Montreal has its own share of hideous bands. Taking on the cheesy and downright vulgar aspects of new-wave power-pop of the early ’80s, PJT is mind-bogglingly inane. Opener “Intro” features screams that seem to be sampled from a porno and right then the […]
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Luther Wright and the Wrongs
Luther Wright and the WrongsInstrumentality(Snakeye)Instrumentality harks back to the days when country backing groups (Buck Owens’s Buckeroos or Merle Haggard’s Strangers) would release instrumental albums without their respective leaders to show the talents of the musicians. Using a similar mode, this disc is a cut-and-paste of killer licks and ripping jams. Filmmaker Ron Mann asked […]
