Trevor Savory

Pete YornNightcrawler(Red Ink)It’s aggravating the attention given to “artists” such as Paris Hilton or Kevin Federline while actual artists like Pete Yorn are out there making incredible folk-rock. It’s hard to explain why Yorn has gone largely unnoticed—Nightcrawler will be the best album of 2006 that no one heard.Trevor Savorycategories: Best of the year (2006)

Jon McKielThe Nature of ThingsindieJon McKiel’s latest release The Nature of Things shows just how diverse the Nova Scotia music scene actually is. McKiel invokes hints of Wintersleep, Joel Plaskett and Matt Mays, but ties them together neatly into a beautifully crafted sound that is his own. David Suzuki would be proud.Trevor Savorycategories: Best of […]

Turin BrakesJackInABox(Virgin)For every Coldplay, Radiohead or Oasis, you are doomed to have a Starsailor or two. There will always be that hyped, successful-at-home European band that hits North American shores with an embarrassing thud and such is the case with Mercury Prize-nominated Turin Brakes and its third album, JackInABox. When done well, Britpop can be […]

WintersleepWintersleep(Dependent)While the rest of the country sees our music scene as primarily fiddle-based (save for Mays, Plaskett and The Trews, now in Niagara Falls), Wintersleep is going to be the band that blows this stereotype out of the water. Their second release is poised to take Canada by storm. “Jaws of Life,” “Danse Macabre” and […]

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 […]