Trevor Savory

Neko CaseThe Tigers Have Spoken(Mint)The pairing of Neko Case with her pals The Sadies is pure genius. While The Tigers Have Spoken only whets our appetites for a new disc from Ms. Case (tentatively scheduled for the spring of ’05), it certainly satisfies. This 12-track compilation of live tracks was culled from seven shows in […]

AlexisonfireCrisis(Vagrant)Screamo isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. But if you can manage to get past George Petit’s screaming and sink your teeth into the instrumentation and/or Dallas “City and Colour” Green’s vocals, it’s easy to see why Alexisonfire is so beloved. Though previous release Watch Out helped to raise the band’s mainstream profile, they are not […]

Dolores O’RiordanAre You Listening?(Sanctuary)It’s like visiting an old friend you haven’t seen in years. Dolores O’Riordan, frontwoman of the Cranberries, hasn’t been heard from since the release of 2002’s Bury the Hatchet. Fans of the band will feel right at home with O’Riordan’s familiar Irish brogue, falling sonically someplace between Björk and Tori Amos. While […]

Mos DefThe New Danger (Geffen)Mos Def isn’t your typical hip-hop artist—he transcends the genre barriers with a brand of socially aware hip-hop that’s eluded the mainstream thus far. His style of music incorporates a variety of different genres, which makes The New Danger a disappointing outing—it’s far too disjointed to hold down a steady groove. […]

Social CodeA Year at the Movies (Interscope)Social Code isn’t going to win any awards with their sophomore album A Year At The Movies. It’s an average, melodic, angst-filled record which will appeal to the legions of hoodie-clad kids out there. Think of an emo Puddle of Mudd, or a pop-punk Three Days Grace. Tunes like […]

Matt Mays…When the Angels Make Contact(Sonic/Warner)Mays has established himself as a younger Neil Young-esque roots rocker but …When the Angels Make Contact proves that he’s much more than a one-trick pony. This album showcases an edgy and eclectic rocker—Beck-ish, if you will—spreading his wings and giving his band the night off.Trevor Savorycategories: Local artist,Canadian artist,Best […]

ChamillionaireUltimate VictoryMotownThere is a fine line between making pop culture references and simply dropping names. Unfortunately, Chamillionaire fails to recognize where that line is drawn. Ultimate Victory is overshadowed by the fact that this talented emcee feels the need to recite a laundry list of names throughout the disc. It would be one thing if […]

The TrewsDen of Thieves(SonyBMG/Bumstead)To follow up their recent opening slot for the “secret” Rolling Stones gig in Toronto, the Trews hit with the follow-up to their hugely successful debut House of Ill Fame. Den of Thieves bears a distinctively different feel, as production duties were shared between Gordie “Big Sugar” Johnson and Jack Douglas (Aerosmith, […]

Jennifer LopezRebirth (Sony)The latest release from Mrs. Marc Anthony is the epitome of why people turn to the internet to download hit singles rather than slapping down the necessary cash to purchase the accompanying filler found on most pop recordings. Previous J.Lo releases have contained a handful of catchy dance tunes (most feature a notable […]

Courtney LoveAmerica’s Sweetheart(Virgin)Media-whore prototype Courtney Love has crawled out of the gutter long enough to unleash her egocentrically titled solo debut America’s Sweetheart on the world. Though not the expected train wreck, it is a schizophrenic album, attempting to be everything to every- one. It attempts to regain the glory of Hole while trying to go […]