Reviews

Bienvenu (Bibi) Tanga plays bass precisely and lyrically, carrying the technical load and providing the tone and mood that help communicate the theme. Writing of peace, hope and celebration, he stumbles on the first two tracks, “The Moon” and “Red Wine.” Instead of writing and singing a whole lyric, Tanga’s best when he uses his […]

Forget Scott Pilgrim for a second. Plumtree’s Lynette and Carla Gillis, wisely taking advantage of the big-screen boost, released their new EP at the Scott Pilgrim book launch in Toronto, but SISTER deserves attention on its own. Joined by Ryan Myshrall on bass and produced by Peter Elkas, the sisters (Lynette on drums/vocals, Carla on […]

True to the title, there is a Latin lilt to Eaglesmith’s latest, with soothing, swaying backup vocals from the Ginn sisters. They take the edge off a desolation and dissipation that can make Tom Waits sound like a boy band. Nobody does sad, mad and wounded like Fred. The words justify it, particularly “Shallow”: “I […]

Featuring four of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick’s weirdest, coarsest bands, this EP hits like a Colt 45 hangover. A live, unedited recording from Sydney’s Mess Folk tries to capture the band’s live sound, louder and more abrasive than its lo-fi bedroom recordings. Halifax’s Meat Curtains’ “Get Rebel” snarls with raw, gruff vocals and heavy […]

As far as summer anthems go, “TV Summer” is a brilliant addition to the tradition from duo Colleen and Paul. Colleen Hixenbaugh, who plays rhythm guitar and sings most lead vocals, goes “la-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la-la, ta-da!” And Paul Linklater, who plays lead acoustic and harmonizes vocally, chimes in with calls of “TV summer!” And then Hixenbaugh […]

Toronto’s Golden Dogs have overcome a fondness for cacophony and delivered as crisp and punchy a pop album as you’ll hear anytime soon. Coat of Arms is the band’s first full-length in four years. From the judicious use of reverb to individual song graphics, the mission to focus is palpable. Guitarist Dave Azzolini and keyboardist […]

Mark Linkous (Sparklehorse) committed suicide in March. Linkous’s last work is this collaboration with (and initiated by) Danger Mouse. Several guest vocalists appear. One is Vic Chesnutt, who took his own life last December. “Grim Augury” is the retelling of a “horrible dream” set to a waltz. Nina Persson partnered with Linkous on the first […]

Daniel Romano’s biography reads like the most melancholy of Hank Williams tunes: adopted by an older couple who teach him the six-string, loses most of his vision in one eye, meets musical birth parents. After the death of his adopted parents, Romano records in their empty house, but the recordings are lost when the house […]

Before Coldplay, The Killers, Wilco (on occasion) or Justin Rutledge, there was Crowded House and arguably one of the best pop songwriters of the last almost-25 years at its heart in Neil Finn. Without largesse, artifice or literary pretensions, Finn has written a truly literary, exciting and engaging body of pop composition. It’s been fine […]

It’s early summer, and the warm damp air is blowing in through the windows, and the slow rhythm of La Strada’s guitars, strings, drums and accordions has a calming effect. The New York band’s first full-length album, New Home, is like a burst of positive energy, conjuring up visions of travelling and wanderlust. Playing poppy […]

It’s been a continuous cooling off period for Hot Hot Heat since that first full-length, Make Up the Breakdown. That’s eight long years ago, of course. Two original members (guitarist Dante DeCaro and bassist Dustin Hawthorne) have left since then and one wonders if Steve Bays (vocals/keys) and Paul Hawley (drums), the remaining originators, have […]