TangiersNever Bring You Pleasure (Sonic Unyon)The Toronto duo serves up their second dose of melodious power-pop. Tangiers mixes ’70s glam, ’80s new wave and ’90s indie influences into sparse but upbeat numbers. “Ro Ro Ro-land,” driven by a Fisher Price synth-beat, is minimal pop that captures the innocence and beauty of a twisted nursery rhyme. […]
Reviews
Posted inArts + Music
Prince
PrinceMusicology (Sony)It isn’t as catchy or as groundbreaking as his classic works (1999, Purple Rain), but Musicology showcases why Prince is one of the most revered and influential musicians from the 1980s. The artist formerly known as a weird symbol is near the top of his game on this disc, fusing funk, jazz and straight-up […]
Posted inArts + Music
Cypress Hill
Cypress HillTill Death Do Us Part(Sony)Gangster rap is hitting a wall. While thug life is a reality for some up-and-coming artists, many of the old mainstays who started the movement now come off as exploitative and insincere when they try and revisit the days of their youth. The majority of Till Death Do Us Part […]
Posted inArts + Music
Cooper Temple Clause
Cooper Temple ClauseKick Up the Fire and Let the Flames Break Loose (RCA)This album is filled with great songs, the highlight of which is opener “The Same Mistakes,” which melds all of CTC’s peaks from See This Through & Leave into a smouldering and beautiful exhibit of prog rock. The problem is that the band […]
Posted inArts + Music
Controller
ControllerController, History(Paper Bag)If Blondie and Television had some lurid affair in the alley of CBGBs back in the day then Controller.Controller would be their illegitimate daughter, now grown up and living in Toronto. The EP History has bite and wall-to-wall late ’70s/early ’80s (pre-The Edge) twanging twin new wave guitar. Each song throbs, driven by […]
Posted inArts + Music
Various
VariousBig Fish OST(Sony)If you were diligent enough to stick around during the final credits of Tim Burton’s recent film Big Fish, you heard Pearl Jam’s latest single, “Man of the Hour.” For fans of the more mellow, contemplative Pearl Jam, this track could be considered among their finest work. On its own “Man of the […]
Posted inArts + Music
Various
Published February 05, 2004. Various Zed: Live Off the Floor (CBC) Zed being CBC-TV’s late-night stab at being edgy, it’s surprising how tedious and solipsistic an impression this leaves. Most artists are obscure, though Sam Roberts and The Weakerthans are here. Boy, from the Yukon, injects crisp Arctic air into orch-pop. Calgary’s Kris Demeanor shows […]
Posted inArts + Music
Ryan Adams
Published January 15, 2004. Ryan Adams Love is Hell, Part 2 (Lost Highway) Adams’ second installment in his Love is Hell series finds him on more or less the same page as Part 1. The songs are sparse and accomplished enough to make his whining about how rough it is to be a wealthy scenester […]
Posted inArts + Music
Sarah Harmer
Sarah HarmerAll of Our Names (Cold Snap)It’s been over two years since her solo debut charmed everyone, and with All of Our Names Sarah Harmer has returned with nary a stutter step. Tracks like “Dandelions in Bullet Holes” and “Tether” see her dreamy voice and intimate arrangements (cello and muted horns) dance like fall leaves […]
Posted inArts + Music
DMX
Published September 18, 2003. DMX Grand Champ (Def Jam) DMX has recently voiced his displeasure with hip-hop: “I’m sick of the rap game. I’m sick of this fucking industry.” So it goes that X’s fifth and final album drops this month, and if it’s any indication, he is going out on top. Where The Great […]
Posted inArts + Music
The Hemingways
Published December 11, 2004. The Hemingways Go Back to Sleep (Russian Spy) The Hemingways are a bit of a one-trick pony, but at least they know that one trick well. The band never veers from its mid-tempo punk rock course on Go Back to Sleep, filling the disc with growling guitars and shout-along vocals. It’s […]
Posted inArts + Music
Nelly Furtado
Published November 27, 2003. Nelly Furtado Folklore (DreamWorks) Gone is Nelly Furtado’s hip-hop/pop-infused sound, and in its place stands a more mature womanly perspective on the world. Her sound has evolved into a thicker, more developed voice—think Sophie B. Hawkins. Furtado uses her newfound tools to knock one out of the park with “Try,” a […]
