Trevor Savory

Mic BoydLost in the Woods(Half-Life)Mic Boyd didn’t initially set out to be a hip-hop artist. He was a victim of circumstance (apparently, partly thanks to being schooled by his older brother Luke). On the track “Moving Out,” Boyd sings about the reality of hip-hop not being able to pay the bills. Luckily, Lost in the […]

Jack JohnsonSleep Through the Static(Brushfire/Universal)Sleep Through the Static, the latest release from Jack Johnson, is a return to form after he moved away from the quiet, introspective sound of Brushfire Fairytales and On and On to the more commercially accessible In Between Dreams and the Curious George soundtrack. You can hear hints of the singer’s […]

Grand Theft BusMade Upwards(Forward Music)After experimenting with a more commercially palatable sound on their sophomore effort Flies in the No Fly, Fredericton four-piece Grand Theft Bus follows up with Made Upwards. Hope for a return to the addictive jazz-infused pop/rock of their debut, Birth of Confusion, remains unfulfilled. The opening chords of “Do I Have […]

City and ColourBring Me Your Love(Dinealone/Universal)Dallas Green’s solo debut Sometimes was something of an unexpected hit, the success of which inevitably drove up interest in its follow-up. While his debut album was a sparse, minimalist effort, Bring Me Your Love tries to maintain the minimalism at its heart, but adds a much warmer, lusher sound […]

[image-4]Published February 21, 2008.Ghostface KillahBig Doe Rehab(Universal)Snoop Dogg’s recent single “Sensual Seduction” has nothing on—and perhaps everything to owe to—Ghostface Killah, whose ability to infuse hip-hop with a heavy dose of ’70s funk is unequalled in the industry. His ability to fuse genres is one of the primary reasons Ghostface Killah is one of the […]

The HivesThe Black and White AlbumInterscopeWhile it was Veni Vidi Vicious that helped break The Hives into North America, it was the follow-up, Tyrannosaurus Hives, which led credence to the hype swirling around the band. While its eccentric stage presence lends an air of novelty to the proceedings, it’s the music that sets these Swedish […]

Wu-Tang Clan8 DiagramsUniversal/MotownAs the song goes, “Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthing ta Fuck Wit,” the latest offering and fifth studio outing from Brooklyn’s finest is no exception. Wu-Tang Clan has always been a hard-hitting, hip-hop collective that has stood tall alongside such marquee names as Jay-Z, Nas and Biggie Smalls. However, in the current glut of […]

Colbie CaillatCocoUniversal MusicColbie Caillat isn’t exactly a household name, but the moment her single “Bubbly” flows from your speakers, you’ll recognize the Joni Mitchell-meets-Jack Johnson sound. As you dip deeper into Coco, elements of John Mayer will begin to present themselves. Caillat was one of the first artists discovered on MySpace and offered a major […]

ClassifiedWhile You Were Sleeping(Halflife Records)White emcees have been fighting an uphill battle for quite some time, viewed by many as nothing more than a novelty act (see Vanilla Ice or Organized Rhyme)regardless of their upbringing. It wasn’t until a certain unknown rapper broke out of Detroit that white rappers/emcees were truly taken seriously in the […]

OneRepublicDreaming Out LoudInterscopeUnless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve heard the Timbaland remix of OneRepublic’s “Apologize.” It may not be a groundbreaking single, however it was certainly a breakthrough for the band. Frontman Ryan Tedder worked for Timbaland in the early 2000s, but it was the inclusion on Tim’s Shock Value which put the […]

Jay-ZAmerican GangsterRoc-A-FellaJay-Z’s Black Album and Kingdom Come fell short of what we’ve come to expect from the head of Def Jam. But those who started to doubt the talent of the emcee turned CEO need look no further than American Gangster. While the last albums lacked what Jay-Z brought to his debut Reasonable Doubt, this […]

Arctic MonkeysFavorite Worst NightmareDominoConsidering the entire band still can’t legally hoist a pint in the US makes their success more impressive. With Favorite Worst Nightmare, these UK lads have definitely slain the sophomore jinx. Their visceral and authentic brand of scrappy rock ’n’ roll has earned the band a rabid following worldwide.Trevor Savorycategories: Best of […]