Reviews

VariousOne Scene to Another(Plumline)The CD jacket for One Scene to Another is a variation on the Super Friendz’ Mock Up, Scale Down. The title—a nod to Sloan. And the music inside—although touted as a “Canadian” indie rock tribute—has Halifax Love written all over it, with 13 of the 16 covers written by bands from our […]

Magnolia Electric Co.What Comes After the Blues (Secretly Canadian)The majority of Blues is dense country-rock that bursts open like a pregnant thundercloud. “The Dark Don’t Hide It” rumbles and howls, showcasing dirty electric guitar stabs above a wailing undercurrent of pedal steel strings. Contrasting this thickness, is the stunning acoustic closer “I Can Not Have […]

A Perfect CircleaMotion(Virgin) Although their recent album of atrocious political covers was a complete flop, aMotion reaffirms A Perfect Circle as a creative powerhouse. The band places a heavy emphasis on the visual medium, with their videos and live show playing almost as important a role as the songs themselves, and their fusion of alt- […]

Edgar BreauCanadian Primitive (Songhammer)The unearthing of 1970s Hamilton band Simply Saucer was one of the revelations of 2003. The album’s warm reception encouraged frontman Edgar Breau to offer up a dozen new songs. One grabber is “I Miss You My Nico,” featuring the line “You deconstructionists can all go straight to Hell” and a sweet […]

Gwen StefaniLove. Angel. Music. Baby. (Interscope)Gwen Stefani’s LAMB is inevitably going to disappoint No Doubt fans, but if you go in with an open mind, you might be surprised at what you find. Stefani steps away from the No Doubt shadow and emerges with an album best described as “Bubble Pop Electric” (an aptly titled […]

Royal WoodTall Tales (Sherpa)They’re in a class of their own, these one-man shows. Toronto-based Royal Wood is the latest in a line of guys, like Danny Michel, who do it all themselves. He’s got a voice a little higher on the register than Bryan Ferry and has a similar classed-up cabaret feel of debut-era Hawksley […]

ElevatorAugust(Blue Fog)Recorded between August 2003 and August 2004, the newest Elevator disc further solidifies this band as the pre-eminent psychedelic rock-out machine on the continent. Opening with the pulsating “Thickwall” and finishing with an equally expansive “Where is the End,” this disc will drop your shrooming ass off in a bad dream and pick you […]

Kathleen EdwardsBack to Me(Maple)Kathleen Edwards almost called her stellar second LP Nostalgia. The theme permeates as she sings of old neighbourhoods, old boyfriends and old grudges, liberally sprinkling the word “memory” over Back to Me’s 11 tracks. (Best usage: the classic Edwardsian line “You say you like me in your memory/ you’ve got to be […]

Damon & NaomiThe Earth is Blue(Sonic Unyon)Damon Krukowski and Naomi Yang (two-thirds of Galaxie 500) have always tended to lean toward the sad side of sublime. But on The Earth is Blue, their sixth album, the music steers toward fluffier, sweeter territory. On songs like “Malibran” or “Araçá Azul” there is stillness that recalls the […]

Tanya DonellyWhiskey Tango Ghosts (4AD)Rumour has it Tanya Donelly has been listening to a lot of Lucinda Williams, Emmylou Harris and Neko Case lately. You don’t have to venture too far into Whiskey Tango Ghosts to find confirmation. This latest album is sparsely arranged, folkier and more grounded than what we usually expect from Donelly. […]

VariousMusic from The OC: Mix 2 (Warner)Perhaps a year spent with The OC’s characters makes this more affecting than the solid first mix, or perhaps the songs are just better. A balance between sensitive boy fare (Super Furry Animals’ “Hello Sunshine,” Nada Surf’s cover of “If You Leave,” Death Cab for Cutie’s “A Lack of […]

Wu-Tang ClanThe Legend of Wu-Tang(BMG)The old maxim still holds: Wu- Tang Clan truly ain’t nothing to fuck with. While most of the group’s members are now focusing on either screen work or a crack addiction, this collection takes a balanced look back. With a cast of characters no fiction writer could match, Wu- Tang made […]