Trevor Savory

Memphis BleekMADE(Roc-A-Fella)With Jay-Z stepping down, Roc-A-Fella Records has to elevate an artist to become the label’s new marquee name. Who better than Memphis Bleek, handpicked by Jay-Z as Roc-A-Fella’s first signee? MADE is entertaining, but not overly substantial—more raps about the streets, bling, bitches and blunts. The album soars when Memphis is bringing it hard, […]

Thom YorkeThe Eraser(XL)Fans of Radiohead’s more recent work will feel right at home with frontman Thom Yorke’s debut solo disc. Though The Eraser is surprisingly accessible, it’s still a long way from a commercial recording. Technology continues to provide Yorke’s haunting vocals with an intricate tapestry of bleeps and boops, seamlessly interwoven with organic instrumentation […]

Birdman & Lil’WayneLike Father, Like Son(Cash Money/Universal)“Stuntin’ Like My Daddy” was the lead single to be released from Like Father, Like Son. The expectations have never been high for any previous Cash Money releases, which was also the case with this album, but it turned out to be one of the biggest surprises of 2006. […]

SloanA Sides Win: Singles 1992-2005(Sony BMG)A Sides Win: Singles 1992 – 2005 is Sloan’s first foray into the realm of the greatest hits/singles compilation (on what grounds is a single considered to be a greatest hit?). After releasing seven studio albums (from Smeared to Action Pact), one EP (Peppermint) and a double live album (4 […]

G. LoveThe Hustle(Brushfire)G. Love has a knack for knowing how to chill. Their unmistakable blend of funk-infused folk-rock is the kind of music you want to have spilling from your speakers while you’re unwinding on a beach watching the sun fall below the horizon. G.Love’s first release on Jack Johnson’s label, Brushfire Records, is an […]

Chantal KreviazukGhost Stories(Sony BMG)Seeing that the latest Chantal Kreviazuk record was produced by her hubby Raine Maida, one might conclude that this would be all kinds of suck—Kreviazuk has unleashed some of the most overwrought pop drivel in recent memory. But thanks to the unexpectedly light touch of Mr. Maida, Kreviazuk’s vocals are allowed to […]

Kim MitchellAin’t Life Amazing(Alert/Koch)He may not be particularly cool or extraordinary, but one thing is for sure—Kim Mitchell has been a staple of Canadian rock radio for nearly 30 years. His brand of cheesy, over-produced rock has earned him a soft spot with tracks such as “Patio Lanterns,” “Go For a Soda” and “I Am […]

VariousA Winter’s Night (Nettwerk)The songs selected for most holiday albums are generally overplayed and grate relentlessly on our already frazzled nerves. Luckily on this Nettwerk compilation the songs aren’t necessarily traditional tunes or artists. The prerequisites are bound to show (Jack Johnson’s “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” or Avril’s “O Holy Night”) but there are also […]

OrgyPunk Statik Paranoia(D1)Dark, ominous and lurking somewhere between Korn and Marilyn Manson is Orgy, who have returned with the follow-up to 2001’s ill-received Vapor Transmission. Punk Statik Paranoia is sharper, more melodic and more focused on craft. Their brand of glammed-up industrial rock is sharp and biting without being excessive. Hopefully Punk Statik Paranoia will […]

StabiloHappiness and Disaster(EMI) Chalk this one up as nothing more than a guilty pleasure. Stabilo’s major label debut Happiness and Disaster hits the same stumbling blocks as its predecessor, the 2004 EP Cupid. Happiness and Disaster is overall a better album than Cupid, but that’s not saying much—the catchier, more hook-laden tracks are enjoyable, but […]

Matt Mays…When the Angels Make Contact(Sonic/Warner)Mays continues to follow in the footsteps of Neil Young, attempting to expand his repertoire beyond the roots/folk-rock sound, dabbling in both electronica and hip-hop. The title track reflects this new approach, thanks in part to Buck 65’s guest spot. …When the Angels Make Contact is unusual in the fact […]