The Spill Magazine Online

This album will make you want to cry, and yet you won’t be able to stop listening to it. It’s heart-breakingly sad, it’s also terribly beautiful and, even, at times, so very hopeful. It is one of the most outstanding guy-and-a-guitar records produced in a very long time, and breaks out of the often mundane implications of the “singer-songwriter” label. Bon Iver (yes, it means “good Winter” in French, and yes, it’s spelt wrong on purpose) is Justin Vernon, a young American who, after a series of disappointments—musical and otherwise—set out to live in a cabin in the remote Northwestern Wisconsin woods at the onset of Winter to get back to the land and to himself. “It wasn’t planned. The goal was to hibernate,” he urges, but the result is an illuminating album of songs. His voice is raw with melodic emotion: disappointment, heartbreak, hope, renewal--it’s all there in the simple guitar strumming and evocative vocals, with err a drum machine beat in between. For Emma, Forever Ago, is like a ray of Winter sunshine, hitting the piled-up snow and shining brilliantly, as if whispering: L’Hiver est long, but Spring will come soon…

Believe it or not, Bonerama is the name of a jazz outfit from New Orleans and Bringing It Home is the band’s third consecutive live album.

Bonerama’s unorthodox lineup consists of four trombonists, a sousaphonist, a guitarist and a drummer. The unconventional jazz-rock style of these boneheads earned them the title of “Best Rock Band” at the Big Easy Awards this year.

Bringing It Home is a high-energy, brass infused romp through some jazz classics and Bonerama originals, with a few Led Zeppelin and Beatles covers layered in for good measure. No one can argue that they didn’t play a well-rounded set for the folks at Tiptina in New Orleans, where the CD was recorded.

With some surprisingly on-point arrangements of some classic songs at both ends of the spectrum from Thelonius Monk's “Epistrophy” to The Beatles’ “Helter Skelter,” Bonerama should have no trouble keeping things up.

If you’ve got an hour of your time to kill, and you’d prefer to do it watching four boys from Tacoma, Washington, throw themselves around a strobe-lit stage and scream incomprehensibly, Botch’s 061502 DVD may be right up your alley. Grandmasters of the west coast hardcore scene, the performances captured on 061502 document the band’s final show from June 15, 2002, at the Showbox in Seattle, WA. After nine years of boundary-pushing work in the hardcore scene – i.e. creating increasingly dissonant patterns of feedback, shredded vocals, and noise – the foursome finally called it quits, and this DVD is an ode to their last moment. Self-categorized as “evil math rock”, Botch’s DVD includes bonus features like commentary, the “St. Mathew Returns to the Womb” music video, and five live songs from Bellingham, WA, along with the 14 standard tracks from the June 15^th show.

It’s been six years in the rap game for the Toronto based rap group, Brassmunk, and the experience shows on their latest, Fewturistic. The four Scarborough-bred boys show and prove their lyrical talent; their cohesive and specific sound and a solid connection to their Canadian hip hop brethren. However, though they’ve boiled down their sound to a science and cut their platinum front-less teeth in the business they still lack that punch, that pull that grabs your ears and makes you listen.

Clip, S Roc and new member Reign can rhyme as well as anybody out there in the Toronto scene. Their flows are unique to each member within the group and set apart, each could draw comparisons to Common or De La Soul. Lyrically they’re tight and drop punch lines like: “I got it wrapped/ like Bin Laden’s favourite hat” on “Devil‘s Playground”. The beats are dense bass-heavy tracks that often feature welcome live instrumentation from guitars and keyboards. Still, something is missing. Brassmunk are a good rap group and Fewturistic is a good album. But… it ain’t great.

Brassmunk seem to rise to the challenge when featuring guests. “Say Uh?” with Kardinal Offishall and “How Bouts” with Moka Only are two of the best tracks on the album. Both guests add their own unique flavour but don’t outshine the Brassmunk MCs instead they compliment their sound nicely. Other notable songs include “Gumbo” a trailing bass banger with an old school vibe (albeit with an awful chorus) and “Just A Step Away” which features Agile’s best production in which he flips a vocal sample to perfection. In the end its length ultimately defeats Fewturistic. There are too many interludes and unoriginal throwaway songs on the album and what is sorely missing, is the passion of past Brassmunk hits like “Live Ordeal”.

You have to hand it to Brassmunk though, in a rap world dominated by sellouts, copycats and poseurs, Brassmunk aren’t trying to emulate any one. Agile’s beats don’t have a hint of a Timbaland sound and you couldn’t mistake these tunes for Neptunes rip-offs either. Finding your sound and sticking to it is a difficult thing to do in hip-hop and an honourable distinction. However in order to move from good to great Brassmunk will have to tighten things up.

This album starts off with a similar sound to that of early Island era Tom Waits.

East LA Breeze is a mostly mellow affair, and even when the music picks up as on

Driving pop, rock that is "In Control," "In My Song." Pretty, thoughtful "Satellites" orbit me to "New York," where I felt very happy to be "Alone." "Every Single Day" I felt melancholy about you and hoped we could "Turn This Thing Around" or at least up as "Twilight Fades" I stare at this "Blank Page" where 'I had a dream' and only sweet "Echoes" of you remain.

http://www.spillmagazine.com/www.broadcastradioweb.com

-Heather Rayment

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I was worried that the title would describe my efforts in listening to the album, but I was pleasantly surprised. This is 100% pop music. It is never a challenge to listen to, and the moments that do lag a little bit are often followed by something that ups the ante. At times The Broken West sound like direct descendents of The Kinks, and in other moments I was hard-pressed to convince myself I wasn’t listening to The New Pornographers.

The group is certainly at it’s strongest on the energetic first half of the album, when the object of the game is to get the listener’s attention. The first three songs do this successfully, with fast paced power pop that doesn’t allow a moments rest. They take it down a notch on ‘Shiftee’ which might have been too early to slow things down, but I forgive them immediately once the next song kicks in. ‘Brass Ring’ brings us right back into the catchy rock sound that is present on the albums’ best tracks and sounds like an outtake from Wilco’s ‘Summer Teeth.’

Brookhaven is a band made up of various musicians in the same vein as Broken Social Scene. The artists who play in the band are based in and around Oakland, California. They play a mixture of extremely atmospheric music that blends together the regular rock music created by guitar, bass drums, along with more electronica stylings.

It is a very peaceful album, without being quiet by any means. It doesn’t really sound like one other thing, more a few brought together. Some of the songs veer towards the indie rock sound like “Tell You in Verse” and “Black Phase” the latter of which sounds a little bit like the music of the Stone Roses at times. The vast majority of the album is irumental, which at times is strange when listening. You find yourself wanting to have some sort of personal connection to the music, and this of course usually comes in the form of the singer and their voice. I never noticed how much I rely on the vocals when listening to a band for the first time. However without this luxury it is quite different. The lack of vocals is interesting though, it’s like looking at a picture book where you have to work out what’s going on, rather than being told. It makes for some challenging listening at times. However in others, particularly “You Might Have Known”, you find yourself totally captivated in the music, as it speeds up and slows back down again taking you with it. Which is only a good thing I’m sure, and is the obvious strength of this band.

“Static In The Valley” is one of the more electronic sounding tracks, sounding like Brit Dance band Faithless in its more intense moments.

“Transitive Verses” is a really interesting album, although it really feels at times like you are listening to a film soundtrack, which may or may not have been the plan. At times you do miss the vocals that can be so vital in making that connection with the music.

-Adrian Huggins

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Self-indulgent and catastrophically anachronistic, the best I can say of Broomfiller is that I might have enjoyed this a dozen years ago as a much younger version of myself, but I mean hey, I still would have had Alice in Chains and it would not have even mattered. Broomfiller combines often whiny, albeit well-harmonized vocals with Epic nu-metal instrumental breaks that leave you hanging and wishing the album were just over, unfortunately, it takes 15 songs, a track of white noise and 78 minutes to get there.

Richard D. Leko masterminded this entire project seemingly from concept to completion, writing all songs, playing all instruments and acting as producer. This sort of thing was never supposed to happen to alternative rock music - there were no standout moments on this record, only alternating dynamics of loud and soft. Did I mention it’s a bit dated? We’re talking some of the most lifeless 1996-era guitar tones recorded this century.

The Brown Hornets certainly live up to their namesake. Their debut record buzzes with the intensity and energy of a nest of hornets. However unlike their insect counterparts they lack that killer sting; that attention grabbing shot in the arm.

The Brown Hornets sound like a rip off of the Black Crowes (oddly they have the same audio engineer) who were a rip off of 1970’s classic rock bands. So what the album amounts to is a copy of a copy which should have most listeners struggling to see clearly why they’re listening to the album.

The Hornets have a strong live following and a dynamite stage show which undoubtedly showcases their greatest strength, their energy. On record however, it doesn’t come through. Instead we are treated to the annoying Michael McDonald like voice of Danny Walters and ten songs of class rock riffing that grows tiresome and quickly forgettable.

They shouldn’t lose any fans with their debut but they probably won’t gain many off the strength of this disc.

Brunnen appears to be Freek Kinkelaar. The Beekeeper’s Dream appears to be comprised of songs recorded between 1992 and 2005. I say “appears” because I am getting the hint that this album and its context are being deliberately kept obtuse. The album exists in hushed tones – the colour palette of the CD’s artwork is hushed, the CD’s production is hushed, Kinkelaar’s voice is hushed – in other words, it is a whisper album. With an eclectic array of instrumentation, Brunnen tries to weave an electro-acoustic lush beige wicker basket of song and mysticism. His Dutch tinged English and coquette tone is sometimes (more often than not) too precious for its own good. His delivery is a tad too “I am going to speak to you of magical medieval fairy tales” for my liking. The Beekeeper’s Dream has Brunnen writing, singing and playing all the instruments (except for one track) and totalitarian musical projects sometimes suffer from this tightly controlled musical environment in this way. However, track 7, Trust In Me, composed for The Jungle Book, and the only song not written by Kinkelaar, captures an impressive torch song status worthy of Marlene Dietrich. I make the comparison because his voice and accent contain Dietrich elements. If only Brunnen let it all hang out instead of wondering how much synth should be filtered out in the mix...there is an album I would like to hear.

http://www.blrrecords.com/

-Jordan Somers

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Buck Brothers
Me
Back2Forward Records

With its grey and pink striped cover, pink Converse high tops, and jagged, dot-matrix graphics, the Buck Brothers’ debut album initially struck me as, to put it delicately, trendy pop-punk crap. For two weeks it lay unopened on my CD player. In my ignorance I dismissed it. But oh how looks can be deceiving. In a moment of boredom I decided to give the record a spin; since then it has rarely been removed. Me is a knockout debut, one that immediately grabs the listener with catchy rhythms and anthemic choruses. Featuring ragged, post-punk guitar rhythms and Andy Duke’s Ian Curtis-esque vocals, it is unapologetically unpolished, authentic, and lyrically clever to boot. Songs such as “Gorgeously Stupid” are anthems for contemporary North American culture. Others, such as “Girls, Skirts, Boots, Bikes” are catchy pogo-punk tunes reminiscent of punk’s 1970s heyday with a touch of Blur thrown in for flavour. Straight from the streets of London, England, Buck Brothers will restore your faith in DIY rock and roll.

-James Sandham

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Built To Spill
You In Reverse
Warner Bros. Records

This album puts me to shame. Not because I aspire to produce anything musical like the guys from Built To Spill, but because time and again, I passed up this amazing album so that each meeting it ended up in “the middle of the table” which is essentially the reject pile. However, as shameful as this is, it was only last week that I decided to give them a try, not because I felt sorry for them, but because I had heard good things about the album and decided to give it a go. Damn, these guys are amazing, I thought to myself after I heard their first song. They put out a tightly wound set of songs that file off into the psychedelic sunset on tracks like, well, the seven minute beauty, “Goin’ Against Your Mind”.

And if fast-paced, high-energy music isn’t your thing, then something very Neil Young-ish, like “Traces” will smooth your brow and give you something to think about. And if you still don’t care for the four-man team, then at least take a gander at their liner notes. The art looks like graffiti that The Flaming Lips would produce – the bands portraits spun off into mixed media with their heads sprouting wildly sketched and painted hair and alien-esque attributes.

(Okay, someone tell me that they too hear the Beatles voices calling out to us in the beginning of “Liar”?)

http://builttospill.com/

www.myspace.com/builttospill

-Jess Shulist

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Metal has never been more competitive, and bands who have made their mark in today's market are incredibly tight and talented units. Almost instantly upon throwing in this new release from Bullet for my Valentine, it’s obvious that this band is right up there with the best of the best in all respects. This band absolutely rips!

The very first track "Scream Air Fire" is an absolutely amazing example of this band’s power and ability. It kicks into high gear right off the top with hardcore guitar riffs and dead tight drums. As the album progresses we get into more crazy ass riffs and chops. These guys don't let up for a second and in particular the drummer pushes his abilities and shows what he's made of with the double kicks driving many of the tunes all the way. The rest of the CD offers up similar styles and riffs, but keeps the integrity of production and songwriting all around.

If you're into bands like Avenged Sevenfold and Still Remains you'll definitely dig Bullet for my Valentine. The band has a full touring schedule around the planet for 2008, and if you have not yet heard of these UK lads, you will soon.

This album is atmospheric and darkly so. Before embarking, you should be prepared to submerge yourself in it completely, an especially apt metaphor given that the 51 minutes comprising Burial’s debut are a series of muffled, watery rhythms and scratchy, tinny beats, the sounds resonating as if recorded underwater. While ambiguous in aim, the music, incorporating glitch, dub, and UK garage, is eerie and haunting. Themes of an ominous future, an electro-static dub nightmare, reoccur throughout the album intermingled with the distant sounds of radio fuzz or muffled drizzle, an aural rendition of some post-apocalyptic future. The atmosphere generated is one of solitude, desolation, and decay. Often painfully minimalistic, this is the soundtrack to a death march through the desert. Take it at your own risk.

www.hyperdub.net/burial.htmll

-James Sandham

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L.A.’s Busdriver has but one thing in common with gangsta-rapper Twista: he can rap really, really fast. But this is where the similarities end. Once you get over the fast pace this MC works at, there’s a lot more to sink your teeth into. Stand out tracks like the opening “Casting Agents and Cowgirls”, “Secret Skin” and “Mr. Mistake (Bested by the Whisper Chasm)” chug along at a furious pace and are contagiously catchy. For someone who has been making music since the early 90s, it’s a wonder why Regan Farquar isn’t ridiculously famous.

“Kill Your Employer (Recreational Paranoia is the Sport of Now)” is reminiscent of Dizzee Rascal’s “Fix Up, Look Sharp,” only with a darker jungle-based melody suggestive of bands like Adult.

If Busdriver is anything, he’s musically eclectic. His intricate and multi-faceted raps are great, but his sense of melody draws in the most reluctant rap fan, probably because it’s unfair to label this album a rap record. More of an electro-hip-hop-indie-pop record, this will remind you more of Edmonton’s Cadence Weapon than anyone based out of Los Angeles. Tracks like “Sun Shower” and “Go Slow” (featuring CocoRosie’s Bianca Casady) leave rapping out completely and sound more like TV on the Radio than any hip-hop group.

Culturally relevant, cleverly apt, rhythmically diverse and musically captivating, 2007 could, and probably should, be a successful year for Busdriver.

An odd release considering that the heyday of post-punk revival has passed on once again, unmarked this time by the death of anyone important, which made me a little apprehensive at listening to an album of recent recordings of new and old material, mixed in with some unreleased old recordings, a splattering of live performances from the past and present and three videos (one that is old and two that are new). Wondering what the connection is?

So am I. However,expecting the worst, a-la Return the Gift, I was somewhat surprised that I didn't dislike the album. In fact, dare I say it, I did kind of enjoy it. The vocals and playing were spot-on, the new material wasn't all that bad and the videos made nice fodder.

Ultimately though, there were some problems with this compilation. The Bush Tetras were an early New York post-punk band that were known for mixing funky beats to rhapsodic guitars,something their new material lacked.

The new material made them sound more rock-heavy then they actually were and the older recordings on the album did not properly reveal the, eventual, influence of Caribbean-Afro beats on their music prior to their demise.

Take the rerecording of their pivotal song, "Too Many Creeps" for example. It sounded average as it was without the disjointed guitars in the background that made the song, making it feel rather lacklustre. Worse still is that there already is an inclusivecompilation of the bands work called, Boom in the Night, as well as a new album from the nineties called, Beauty Lies.

With all of this, it is difficult to say whether I would recommend the album or not as their compilation pretty much covered off everything that needed to be heard and the new stuff is, well, new. So let me offer a middle-ground: pickup Boom in the Night and if so inclined, buy Very Very Happy used. There, my consciousness is at ease.

-Belal Khallad

Cadence Weapon’s Breaking Kayfabe, begins stereotypically enough - Yo/it’s corrupt where I’m from/Edmonton *needle skips across record and my eyes are rubbed* Whaaaaaaaaaaa? And just when my head was getting around heading straight outta Compton… but don’t let Cadence Weapon’s initial overblown posturing dissuade you from the rest of the album. Breaking Kayfabe quickly transcends the first track, "Oliver Square", and the N.W.A. inspired keyboard samples of track two, "Sharks", to venture into much more interesting, even experimental musical elements. Beginning with what sounds like a Bouzouki sample, "Grim Fandango" becomes a cacophony of sound competing with Candence Weapon’s voice. It is a fight to the death until the track morphs into some of the most aggressive scratching this side of Kid Koala – and the anti-hits just keep on coming. "Diamond Cutter" sounds like it could be Cadence Weapon’s duet with the Basic Channel Collective. In other words, this isn’t your father’s hip hop. By the time you’re halfway through "Fathom", you may realize, for better or for worse, you haven’t really heard a word Cadence Weapon has uttered- but actually this is refreshing. With the majority of mainstream hip hop opting for the same old tired and generic beats with only the redundant semblance of lyrical content to get you through the night, Breaking Kayfabe is wholehearted a musical experience. For once a hip hop album’s sonic hostility overshadows the angry rhymes. Perhaps Edmonton is a lot more corrupt than I thought.

But in Edmonton’s defense, there is a nice sticker included with the cd.

-Jordan Somers

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I was excited about this album the second I saw the track listing. For what one might call, ‘Rarities’ this album is for the most part full of amazing cover tunes. Cake have always showed a unique versatility in their ability to make other people’s music their own – having an eclectic enough style in their own right to make this possible as was made best known with their ubiquitous cover of ‘I Will Survive’. B-Sides and Rarities begins with Black Sabbath’s ‘War Pigs’ which they carry off without a hitch, and finishes with an even smoother live version of the same. Going out on an amazing limb, Cake does a hilarious version of ‘Mahna, Mahna’, which you might remember from your childhood when watching The Muppet Show. They do a groovy slow-lounge version of Frank Sinatra’s ‘Strangers in the Night’, then a Barry White tune that makes up in funk what it lacks in soul. Somewhere in there is a unique instrumental piece and the band tops it all of with live versions of two of their most popular numbers – ‘Short skirt, long jacket’ and ‘It’s coming down’. Cake are impressive enough in their performance of material that is largely not their own, that it has left me eagerly anticipating whatever original work might come next.

I’m not familiar with this six-person band, with instruments ranging from the ubiquitous guitar and bass to the funky add-ons like accordion and vibes, however there is something familiar about their sound. With the cool breeze flowing through my open windows, I find their album a perfect addition to my lazy spring afternoon. And just as I get to the point where I’m ready to skip, skip, skip to a song that catches my interest, track 5 ends and makes a grand-sweeping gesture to usher in the sensual Spanish jazz groove that “Roka (Danza de la muerte)” has to offer, featuring Ampario Sanchez. While this Tucson, Arizona-based band mainly collaborates with artists, seldom including repeat artists from albums passed, the two core group members, Joey Burns and John Convertino, pull out varied pieces that continue to surprise and please. Songs like the opening number, “Cruel”, that set an ominous tone for the entire album before it even starts, to rare gems like “Nom de Plume, sung in both English and French and accompanied by a simple yet very catchy banjo riff that helps the song progress in a way that a soft-pulling current draws a paper boat down-stream.

http://www.casadecalexico.com/

-Jessica Shulist

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Calla attempts to fill its Strength In Numbers with the old time blues drudgery updated by, among others, Nick Cave and Low, though Calla also brings to mind the more rock-oriented aspects of PJ Harvey a la To Bring You My Love. Strength In Numbers is by no means a bad record. In fact over the course of a few listens what were initially sticking points were smoothed out by the bands strong song writing and mixed sense of pop structure and dirty indie rock. But the album does kick off with one of the weaker numbers, "Sanctify," whose somewhat overbearing bass riffs and whispery singing seem to be lifted straight from the quiet verses of the Deftones' "Change "In The House Of Flies."

However, minutes later "Sylvia's Song" rolls out, and Calla come down in sound and intensity, like a ghostly brother of Sparklehorse and Okkervil River with their mild country and twangy west coast inflections, all straight-ahead guitar strumming and drums that allow the slide guitar to dance around them in a way that's downright spooky. Though Calla's Strength In Number falls short of indie rock greatness, it seems to have a wealth of subtle textures even after a few listens, and it's crowning glory, "Malo," shows that Calla is a big, brooding, black indie rock alligator floating just below the surface of far grander things.

Having missed their show at the Horseshoe earlier this month, I settled for their recently released follow-up album, Let's Get Out Of This Country, which sounds much like it should be on heavy rotation at a high school dance in the 1960's. The traditional songs of heart ache/break are infused with a cheeky and ironic upbeat melody on songs, "Lloyd, I'm Ready To Be Heartbroken", and "If Looks Could Kill", which both have that catchy bobby-sock, poodle-skirt and bouncy ponytail effect on even the most jaded listener. In fact, if you thought soulful crooners like Petula Clark and Diana Ross who beat the blues with a ray of hopeful, dreamy pop had died with the aforementioned poodle skirt, never fear because Camera Obscura's lead singer, Tracyanne Campbell is resurrecting the much-loved sound of Motown. True, this album will give you a headache if you are in an Elliot Smith mood, but press play if you are on a road trip with friends or conducting a spur of the moment '60's montage. And if in fact the melodies are too upbeat there are always the 'slow-dance' numbers like, "Dory Previn" and "Tears For Affairs", smart songs about letting go of unrequited love and moving on to better things. Sigh, you can almost hear the punch being spiked.

http://www.camera-obscura.net/

-Jessica Shulist

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The Cape May’s principal songwriter, Clinton St. John, grew up in a rural Alberta town of some 300 people. He then moved to Newfoundland. On this alone you might suspect the man’s got a penchant for isolation; after you listen to Glass Mountain Roads, the Cape May’s follow up to their 2004 debut, that suspicion will be confirmed – in spades. Ghostly, haunting melodies and drifting layers of sounds underscored by St. John’s shy, quavering vocals fuse on this album with excellent if slightly anomic results. The sound is detached, lost – perhaps even dreary at times – but always hauntingly captivating. Comparable to Modest Mouse at his most mellow or the Constantines, this is a plodding, tumbling album that rolls from one lackadaisical song into another. Low energy but certainly moving, the Cape May can be heard at www.myspace.com/thecapemay, or on tour in the US through the month of October.

Hailing from a traditional music community in Calgary, Cara Luft grew up attending folk clubs and festivals with her parents. Her sophomore effort, “The Light Fantastic” is certainly reflective of that heritage. An accomplished work from a talented singer- songwriter, it definitely won’t be everyone’s cup of tea though. The folk record features a number of Canadian luminaries, like violinist/ fiddler Richard Moody (The Bills) and Hugh McMillan (Spirit of the West) and there are some standout tracks including “Falling Away”, which mixes in a bit of rock with the folk. This is a traditional album coming from the roots rock side of the fence, much in the vein of her band The Wailin’ Jenny’s, from whom Luft has taken a leave of absence to record this album. If this is up your alley, then you’ll probably like what Luft is serving up and if you don’t then I would suggest leaving this album well alone.

Sublimely beautiful; I’d caught wind of Caribou (formerly Manitoba) while listening to a lot of CBC Radio3 a couple years ago and while I likely what I heard, I never went so far as to buy an album. Having listened to this, I’m anxious to explore the back catalogue in considerable detail. Andorra is patiently crafted beauty, blending musical sensibilities that hearken back to the experimentation of the Beach Boys and the Beatles in the 1960s, combined with the production values of the 21^st century. Soothing, fascinating and strange all at the same time, Caribou’s sound might even be timeless.

Carolyn AlRoy grew up in Princeton, NJ and according to her bio, Princeton is the home of “oddballs and intellectual misfits”. Through the shallowest listening of this CD it is apparent that AlRoy is neither. Produced by Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah producer Adam Lasus (who obviously has gambling debts), Gorgeous Enormous is also neither Gorgeous nor Enormous. AlRoy’s debut album is as innocuous as anything Sarah McLauhlan has released, which could be either a compliment or an insult I suppose. But do not fret for Carolyn – she is moonlighting. You see, Carolyn became a practicing licensed psychologist in NYC when she grew up, so she is fully aware of what I am thinking when I am forced to stare at her cleavage on the CD’s cover. The tone of Carolyn’s voice is that of your grade 6 teacher, or the very worst, your mother that embarrasses you at your Twelfth birthday party. If this sounds harsh both Carolyn and I know that it is simply a manifestation of my attraction for her – either that or that I had no positive reinforcement in my life (nothing was ever good enough for you, was it mother?). For me, the CD’s climax is AlRoy’s deflated version of Helter Skelter which brought me to the realization that if you remove the song’s balls, it is nothing but a silly rhyme about a stupid slide.

http://www.carolynalroy.com/

http://www.ny-therapist.com/

-Jordan Somers

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Lying down in a country field at night and staring up at the sky is probably the best way to listen to this album. Of course city listening is also permitted, but these songs are best suited to isolation. Sit in your basement apartment, or alone in the park and give it some time. Carrie Biell has a breathy vocal style that will bring about comparisons to Cat Power, with a bit more edge that is closer to Lucinda Williams. Biell sounds like she is trying to find her singing voice a little bit. The way she pronounces her ‘i’s and ‘y’s is sometimes slightly distracting. For instance, the word “time” is pronounced ‘toyme.’ I will not bicker about this though, as it may come off as nit picking, and with repeat listens it does get less bothersome.

Carrie Biell has a quality group of musicians playing with her, helping to create a gloomy and chilly country sound. Violin and cello add appropriate harmony layers to the songs which might have seemed bare otherwise. The electric guitar is rarely obvious, and on “Blackness Ain’t The Thing” it is played in that spaghetti western fashion that is certain to produce images of sun drenched desert. Carrie’s melodies for the most part are pretty and her pitch shifts to keep the songs interesting. While I may have some issues with the way she sings, at least she is singing. Far too often with newer country artists the vocals are sung flatly and end up being quite boring. The album takes a while to get going and many of the more upbeat songs are found on the album’s latter half. I think that while the earlier and more tragic feeling songs can be rewarding, the high points are indeed the tracks with a steady moving rhythm section. The final song (“Bound to Be”) closes everything on a higher note than one would expect after the first three tracks, and left me wishing there was a bit more coming. That’s certainly better than wishing it would end though.

Casper and the Cookies
“The Optimist’s Club”
Happy Birthday to Me Records

With more than one title that refers to an avant-garde movement from 20^th century, skimming the track listing of The Optimist’s Club - the newest release from Georgia’s Casper and The Cookies - is worrisome. Titles like “Barking in the Garden of Ill Repute”, “Duchamp’s Camera” and “Neo-Dada Hey Day” sound suspiciously like the sort of pretentious thing that give hipsters a bad name.

This album weaves almost inconceivably between some of the most memorable and likable pop songs I’ve ever heard and some of the most derivative and bland emo soundscapes ever recorded. At its worst, it sounds like Beck or Stereolab without the fun or ingenuity. At its best, it’s as inventive and catchy as listening to the Beatle-pop bands of the sixties or the Flaming Lips

Jason NeSmith, lead singer and creative force along with Kay Stanton, seems to effortlessly produce fun, interesting and beautiful music. His music feels like an extension of himself, as easily described as an appendage as his hands and feet might be. His voice is almost unimaginable without the music. In some of the best songs on the disc, (check out “Things to Do Before We Die”, “Sid From Central Park” and “Learn How to Disappear”), it seems to exist only for the purpose of delivering these songs straight to you. The sound of these songs is fresh and informed, as are the lyrics that go with them.

There is nothing wrong with wanting to be different in your sound. In fact, that’s good. Commendable, even. But if you are going to insist on including loops made from green beans don’t let it be a distraction from what might otherwise be brilliant work.

Beans, in and of themselves, are not inventive. It’s how you use the beans that counts.

Lying on my back staring up at a cloudless Muskoka sky a smile creeps across my face as the lyrics echo out over the serene lake. “Everything’s all right, cause it’s a beautiful day”. Truer words have never been spoken. I think if Cass Eager could choose the setting for me to first hear her debut CD Beautiful Day, this would be it. In between songs the sound of the lake lapping against the dock fills the empty space, but it almost seems like it should be right there on the record. In her bio Cass describes herself as a meshing of Jack Johnson and Bonnie Raitt. The first couple of songs make the Jack Johnson comparison easy. I often describe the former surfer as ‘beer-drinking chilling at the cottage’ music, and Cass brings that very same energy. Not too mellow that it puts you to sleep, but not too loud as to disturb your neighbors, or offend anyone.

On “Take These Wings” she shows the Bonnie Raitt side of her persona, but I heard more of an Alanis Morissette (circa 1995’s Jagged Little Pil) angst to it…but not in a bad way. Bluesy slide guitar and a catchy hook make this rock song move, but the lyrics are what really make it work. “I’m gonna take these wings I’m going to fly away. Gonna live my life how I feel. Gonna shed my skin, gonna start today. I’m gonna take these wings, gonna fly away”.

Although I don’t really see the Janis Joplin comparisons as far as the sound of her voice, I could definitely see how Janis influenced Cass. She sings her lyrics with a passion often missing in today’s radio-friendly pop stars. Cass brings the emotion, she doesn’t stretch her voice to ranges she can only hit in the studio, or go on crazy runs. She does, however, sound like she really means each word that she sings. She belts out her personal and introspective lyrics in a way only a singer/songwriter can.

Other notable songs include the quiet and soulful “Sister” and “Lay Your Trust in Me”, the funky “I Love You” and bluesy “Falling Your Way”.

I thoroughly enjoyed this album, front to back, and will no doubt get a lot of play out of it this summer. It’s just too bad that I don’t get to spend more time at the cottage.

-Matthew Gorman

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New York solo artist, Cassettes Won’t Listen! is out with his newest EP “One Alternative.” I must admit it didn’t catch my attention when I first heard it; I actually wasn’t ‘digging it’ at all, maybe because I was in a completely different musical mindset at the time. After giving it another chance I was starting to enjoy it, well most of it anyway. The first track titled “Cut Your Hair” originally performed by Pavement, is a tight track. The main thing I liked about this tune was the beats and the chorus. His voice just doesn’t really do it for me though. Some artist can get away with the monotone thing, but I wasn’t feeling it with this particular one. I wasn’t a big fan of the Blind Melon track either. I find “Change” to be a passionate song and I didn’t really like the version he created. Overall, I did enjoy the beats on this record and respected the idea of him making the track sound completely different but recognizable at the same time. You can download One Alternative at www.cassetteswontlisten.com. He also has a new album coming out in March and that sounds very promising. You can check out his www.myspace.com/cassetteswontlisten page for a sneak peak at it.

When you hear the first trumpeted notes of The Cat Empire’s latest release, Two Shoes, you know that one day you’re going to hear those notes and crowd yourself onto a floor full of sweaty people and dance. What you don’t know until later is that that crowd will be probably be filled with everyone from bubblegum teenagers to indie-outcast 20 year olds, upwardly mobile 30 somethings to embarrassing moms. Touting themselves quite rightly as a “jazz-soul-hip-hip-salsa-reggae-ska-jam-rock” hybrid, I can’t think of many people who aren’t going to love this band.

This album brings with it producer Jerry Boys of the Buena Vista Social Club. Though the band has always favoured an excited and eclectic style, Boys has been monumental in refining and maturing their sound for this latest disc. The result is a fast, focused and fun Cuban-flavoured album that I’m still chair-dancing to as I write this.

Already double platinum in their native Australia, Canada has some catching up to do. The best thing about this Special Edition is that it lets you do just that, all in one handy, 2 disc, CD/DVD set. With 6 tracks from their first, self titled album, 7 live performances

Chicago’s Catfish Haven come at us with a creative and inspiring full length album titled Please Come Back which will definitely be will be a force to be reckoned with in 2006. This is truly is alt rock at it’s finest. Lead singer George Hunter has a voice of hard times and rock’n roll wisdom, giving the CD the edge that it needs. The music has shades of The Strokes, The Beatles and Iggy Pop with a nice rusty natural production lending itself perfectly to the songwriting. The CD’s really great until the last song “The Love I’m Saving” which is really stretched out and way to repetitive with the common clichÃƒ© word “Baby” on a seemingly endless loop.

-Andre Skinner

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Catfish Haven
Tell Me
Secretly Canadian

Named after frontman and singer George Hunter’s childhood trailer park home in Missouri, Catfish Haven have returned to follow up their acclaimed EP release Please Come Back with a smashing LP of southern country soul and rock. Featuring the percussion of Ryan Farnham and the bass of Miguel Castillo, along with Hunter’s soulfully southern vocals and a variety of help in the brass section, Tell Me is a solid LP of country-influenced rock’n’soul in the tradition of CCR and The Band.

While the album is ostensibly intended as a break-up album, a chronicle of Hunter’s unexplained love lost, it is far from morose. While elements of melancholy do filter through Hunter’s straining vocals, the sound is more often than not celebratory – even emancipatory - the happy result of a subtle gospel influence. Currently based in Chicago with his band, Tell Me shows that Hunter has nonetheless remained true to his Missouri roots. Standout tracks include “Tell Me” and “Down by your Fire.”

http://www.catfishhaven.com/

-James Sandham

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Cat Power
The Greatest
Matador

It is a testament to Chan Marshall’s superb talent that she can seamlessly venture so easily into (and between) musical genres. The Greatest is not Cat Power’s greatest offering – that would be reserved for What Would the Community Think– but with a voice like hers, I would enjoy her melodic rendition of the Telephone Book. The premise of The Greatest is perhaps more unique than the result. Recorded in Memphis, Marshall has employed The Marbon Brothers - arguably, the creators of the “Memphis Soul” sound to back up her 12 songs of boxing, love and longing. Now anyone familiar with her collaboration with Handsome Boy Modeling School – “I’ve Been Thinking” - knows Cat Power can get down and soulful (a-la Sade) with the best of them, but these songs never seem to utilize the hired hand musicians the album seems to pride itself on. The best song on The Greatest is “Hate”. This is classic Cat Power. Stripped of everything but a guitar, Marshall’s voice is beyond compare – so fragile – it sounds like it is teetering on the precipice of collapse.

The Greatest is soulful but not in the Al Green definition. Contemplative, mysterious, warm, this isn’t the album that will get new comers hooked to the Cat Power songwriting train. Yet, like most of everything I have heard from Cat Power, her misses offer more emotion and songwriting cohesion, then the very best of the scores of impersonators her unique style has spawned.

http://www.catpowerthegreatest.com/

-Jordan Somers

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Cavalier King
The Sun Revolutions
Rubric

Topically, this is a solid album, it follows that time tested formula which usually makes for some decent listening (Morrisey-esque man + scratchy guitar + poetic lyrics + cynicism = good). After closer scrutiny though, some flaws begin to appear under the surface. Chris Taylor paints himself as a renaissance man, dashing and debonair with a hint of narcissism. This character shows through occasionally in some of the stronger tracks, but usually gives way to a pretty lackluster performance. I’m mixed on my feelings toward this album. In theory, it works because of his voice, which is captivating and lush. The good points of The Sun Revolutions are especially evident in the first and sixth tracks, which are examples of everything that he should be doing. Everything in between though is rather disappointing. The background music leaves much to be desired and doesn’t do his amazing voice much justice. I think he needs a high quality back up band and maybe a few more years in the scene to mature, with a voice that could talk a nun out of her habit he damn well better go places. One last thing, if you do plan on picking up this album I warn you, do NOT under any circumstances listen to the last track, it shatters the faÃƒ§ade of sex appeal and mystery he worked so hard to build up. In short, it’s awful and ruins the album entirely.

-Mikalya Carson

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Listening to Cedric Gervais’ mix of Yoshitoshi Miami, you’re immediately transported to the South Beach scene of 24-hour parties, sunny terrace hang outs and white sandy beach bonfires. A house music odyssey complete with classics such as Alcatraz’s “Give Me Luv” and unreleased gems like Dariush and DJ Da’s “Good Vibration.”

Nothing’s sweeter than a flawless mix of timeless house tracks that make you appreciate music for what it is: just good stuff you can groove to. No superfluous adjectives or over-the-top descriptions. Plain and simple it’s just a delicious, high-energy snack full of tasty beats and hype rhythms.

For a band comprised of two or more people, the instruments are usually evenly divided. Usually. In this band, the trio – Katrina Ford, Sean Antanaitis and David Bergander – is a little uneven but interestingly so. While Ford is the vocalist and Bergander the expert drummer, Antanaitis is the multi-instrumentalist, managing the feat both in the studio and live onstage. How he does it, I have no idea, but this makes me want to listen closer and it really interests me to the point where I would swim the Atlantic to catch one of their dozen or so shows where this spectacle will be happening for all those lucky European eyes and ears.

The band’s object, and I sense this from the swirling, cavorting, and experimental sound flying at me from all directions, is to make the musical experience of a live show interactive between listener and performer. Between Antanaitis’ bulging bag of musical tricks – an odd assortment of organs, electric keyboards, Moog bass pedals, and a special instrument known as the ‘guitoragan’ – and Ford’s high-strung vocals that inch between Bergander’s sporadic drum beats, I sense a revolution occurring. And that revolution will definitely be a celebration.

www.myspace.com/celebrationcelebration

-Jess Shulist

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What distinguishes the Ceremonial Snips from just about every other punk act out there is the authenticity with which they infuse each and every song. This ain’t no game - it’s a way of life, born and nurtured on the gritty sidelines of Welland, ON, and, now, as they drag their independent Rhythm and Booze tour across the country. “Gazebo of Love”, the first track off Check Your Audio, the Snips’ fifth release since their debut in 2000, is a prime example. You can feel the desperate ambition, the resentment and indecision of the song’s story in each word lead vocalist Mike Podio ferociously spits. These songs are more than the aggressive noise wrapped up in the standard package of Olde English and grainy black and white photos so much of contemporary punk has come to be associate with, but are rather the unique expressions of a group struggling on their own against it all. The album’s surreal, bleary artwork by Toronto artist Braden Labonte perfectly complements the whole package.

This is the latest album from British indie legends The Charlatans. Now, when this album came out of the bag as one of the promo's, a little part of me - the only Brit in the room - felt it was my duty to call shotgun on this album. I felt this partly due to national pride, partly because I was intrigued, and partly because nobody seemed to know who they were. Now in Britain, The Charlatans were one of the main bands in the "madchester"/brit-pop scene. Now here's the kicker - I have never owned, listened to or particularly know any of The Charlatans' albums. They were just a band I had, in hindsight rather stupidly, lumped into being "just another indie band who look a bit like the Stone Roses and Oasis" Upon hearing "Simpatico", my views on The Charlatans were completely shattered. What I found here was a fantastic album which shows far more depth than they gain credit for.

Kicking off with "Blackened Blue Eyes", I was shocked at how catchy yet intense this song was, and that the other songs not only lived up to the first song, but got better. "Blackened Blue Eyes" is one of the best opening tracks to an album I've heard in recent years with the piano tune running along throughout the song giving it a real upbeat feel - which is a strange feel in song about wife beating, but they pull it off. "NYC (there's no need to stop)" is an insanely infectious tune that screams lead single, and quite rightly so IS the lead single. It's funky and really makes you want to dance around wherever you are. You can shut your eyes and picture being in a trendy club listening to it. Please do yourself a favour and go and check this song out.

The most surprising thing about this album for me was how varied the music was. I genuinely was expecting some straight forward acoustic half paced rock songs, but was bowled over by elements of funk, old punk rock, ska and just good, good songs. The songs brought thoughts of such bands as the Specials and the Clash in songs like "City of the Dead" and "For Your Entertainment".

This was a huge, but very welcome surprise for me. I hope that The Charlatans gain the recognition they deserve for this effort 17 years after their first album came out. They are still playing and producing quality songs instead of merely relying on their reputation.

-Adrian Huggins

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Chris Garneau’s lullaby voice both makes you weep and haunts you with emotional turmoil all at the same time. His first full length LP – produced primarily by Duncan Sheik – Music For Tourists is an album mostly of a man and his piano. There are hints of other instruments such as a cello, some percussion and a French horn but it’s predominantly Garneau, his piano and some simple, soft lyrics.

Whoever Garneau is missing, it’s evident in this collection that that particular person has left an imprint all over his mind and heart, forever. Songs that remind one of forgotten summers and lost loves, Garneau’s heart sounds as if it’s broken in two on some tracks and he’s trying to repair it with his piano. Throwing in some fun lyrics here and there, such as the goodness of Hamburger Helper, dissuades the slowly depressed listener from banging their wrists against the wall. The opening track “Castle-Time” definitely has a French theme to it. The plucking of the cello strings, the static piano key and, of course, the harmonica all work together to create that divine European flavour.

Halfway through the LP, the man and his piano theme can get a little tired but his sincere, pristine voice is a fine match for his deep, hollow piano playing and morose songwriting. Music For Tourists manages to create a soundtrack matching a traveler’s steps from along a river to the back steps of their childhood home, all the while making the traveler reminisce about the past and recall memories of yester-year. There’s nothing wrong with that but if you’re someone who wants to forget the past and leave it behind, you might want to think twice before getting this CD because all you’re going to do is wonder about all the missed opportunities of your youth and the blank moments of your childhood.

Brooklyn, NY-based duo Christy and Emily plug themselves as a new-millennium Velvet Underground minus the Lower East Side influence. I don’t know whether this says more about the girls’ familiarity (or lack thereof) with Lou Reed et al., or about the influence the Lower East Side versus Brooklyn can have on one’s music, but in either case their comparison seems misplaced. Their debut album, Gueen’s Head, really sounds more akin to stuff like Sheryl Crow’s “Strong Enough” (Christy and Emily’s song “Ghosts”, for example) or Tori Amos (“New Years”, for example) - although “Thunder & Lightening” does contain a distinctively fuzzy Velvet Underground-ish guitar riff. But regardless of their musical family tree, this album Lilith Fair-worthy folk is charming nonetheless with its soft-spoken lyrics and ambient half-droned, half-whispered harmonies. Check their myspace at www.myspace.com/christyandemily.

Cinemechanica is a well-oiled and confident machine comprised of four men who are most commonly referred to as “math rockers”. While most musicians employ a basic 4/4 beat, math rock bases itself on odd-time meters such as 7/8, 11/8, or 13/8. It fits into genres such as progressive rock, heavy metal and punk rock, and sounds familiar but a little “off”.

That is a perfect way to introduce a band that usually starts their songs off in a way that makes you go “wait, I know these guys”, but then they stop, start, stop again and quickly de-rail your expectations onto a completely different path that makes it seem as if they are simply jamming, experimenting; but with a confidence that makes you believe that they know where it’s all going. They know when to twist the sound into something new and strange, yet compelling and interesting. “I’m Tired of Paul McCartney” is a cheeky track with an even cheekier name where the lyrics are screamed at you but not to a redundant point where you’re running at the stereo screaming above them to stop while fumbling with the ‘stop’ button. This is a suprising album of intelligent melody, beats and hooks, even if you can’t understand the lyrics.

http://www.cinemechanica.com/

www.myspace.com/cinemechanica

-Jess Shulist

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Cisco
7740 Valmont St.
Little Dog Records

Ever since “Thong Song,” it has never been a good marketing choice to produce music under any moniker resembling “Sisqo.” Such was the case with Cisco’s 7740 Valmont St. This CD had been surfacing for review at editorial meetings for several months, each time to end up in the “pass” pile. Last week, however, the cover shot 7740 Valmont St., featuring Cisco’s puppy dog eyes and endearing Jew-fro, proved too much to resist. It was so needy looking. I took the album. And once home, with a distinctly uncomfortable feeling, I loaded it into the CD player. It is now several days later and I have only removed it twice – and grudgingly each time. This is an incredible album. Cisco, whose visage had initially struck me as a more Jewish Derek Zoolander, now appears to me as it truly should, reminiscent of a young Bob Dylan. For that is what Cisco is: a modern day Dylan, the quintessential American singer-songwriter incorporating in his work the sounds of country and folk, complemented by a humbling personal perspective on life and society. Hailing from California's San Joaquin Valley, 7740 is Cisco’s second release and has already been gaining attention and critical praise. With a sound of a traveller still dusty from the journey, 7740 is a solid choice for anyone appreciative of American roots music.

-James Sandham

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Cities
Cities
Yep Rock Records

This self-titled debut full-length from the band Cities, hailing from North Carolina, is an ambitious and melodic first attempt. Often danceable with a four-on-the-floor pop appeal a la Killers, the album is infused with a soaring Thom York-like vocal sensibility. Even with all these elements, at first, I had a difficult time figuring out what it is I liked about this band, though it eventually began to make sense. At its best, it reminds me of some great alternative space rock bands from the early 90’s, like Catherine Wheel and Hum. This album has great melodies, powerful guitar riffs, and dramatic orchestration. The first half of this album rocks hard, and though it eventually slows down, in the last few tracks the dramatic tension of the music builds to its greatest darkness, with minor and diminished tones inflecting some of the album’s more obscure and less engaging endeavors. The band seems more at-home with the material earlier on in this debut, with tunes that prove their strength and energy – something the later, more somber material does not achieve, as energy dwindles from tracks 8 through 10 in favour of a subtler, dramatic intensity.

-Jesse Kline

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Cities
Variations
Yep Rock Records

Set to be released on Oct.3, this remix is a bold reworking of what is undoubtedly an exciting first album. The notion of doing a remix on a first album seems a bit contrived, but in this instance it goes off without a hitch. These remixes bring out a side of Cities that could only exist with treatments by the likes of Ladytron, Fog, Daedelus and Free the Robots. Each track is utterly inventive in the ways each song on the alubm is tweaked and broken down. Several songs do not receive treatment on here, yet others are worked over twice. ‘A Theme’ is rendered by Mild Davis into an intense and frenetic over-synthed electronic landscape, while Mike Westbrook’s (who actually won a fan contest to have his remix appear on the album) is stripped down and gentle. Variations is at least as fun a listen as the eponymous Cities album, and the diversity of effects achieved with so diverse a source material is nearly limitless - one only need listen to the pure evil achieved by Fog on his treatment of ‘OOC’ in his Black Metal remix.

-Jesse Kline

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The Cloud Room
The Cloud Room
Gigantic Music

It’s been a long journey for The Cloud Room’s enigmatically named frontman, J (no last name), one that began in sunny California and ended in near disappointment 3000 miles away in New York City. Lured northward by the promise of work with indie film-maker Hal Hartley, dreams dashed by the luck of a New York intern who beat him to the job, J remained resolute, forming The Cloud Room with fellow band-mates Jon Petrow on bass, Benjamin Nugent on electric piano, and Jason Pharr on drums. Named after the Chrysler Building’s abandoned speakeasy, these four men now constitute the Brooklyn-based band that has been generating considerable buzz in the Big Apple and are now taking their sound to a wider audience through Gigantic Music and a tour that stops Wednesday, March 22 at Toronto’s own Horseshoe Tavern (370 Queen St. W.). A reputation as New York hipsters not enough to bring you down to the Horseshoe? How about a sound that combines the Cure, Bowie, danceable beats, and an element of early 60s-inspired pop? Familiar yet unique, this is one band that doesn’t need time to grow on you.

-James Sandham

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Clouds Forming Crowns
Race to the Blackout
Morphius Records

Supposedly one of this year’s big buzz bands, Clouds Forming Frowns present a consistent if not particularly innovative version of the tried, tired and true indie rock sound. Oh so au courant droning, raw guitars distinguish this sound, occasionally interspersed with sighing vocals and ethereal musical embellishments Ã la Warlocks. However, despite CFC’s big buzz reputation, it seems the anticipation may come more from past success than current achievement. Formed by Tim and Todd Tobias, the fraternal pair behind Guided By Voices, CFC draw vague comparisons to the Decemberists, the Sights, and pretty much any garage band with an ear for distorted guitar and static-fuzzed vocals. Don’t expect to have your musical world reinvented or revitalized by the album – it may be the Tobias boys second release as CFC, but there clearly remains much room for development and musical progression.

http://www.tobias-music.com/

-James Sandham

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The second LP from Nashville, TN based the Clutters, Don’t Believe a Word is solid pop rock with a gritty underbelly and the geekiest, nasal-edged vocals I’ve heard since Elvis Costello. But as a wise man once said, it’s hip to be square, and together, these elements work quite well – on the album’s second track, “Radio”, in particular. Of course, brimming as it is with its particularly intense and spastic kind of energy, the same can be said of the whole album. Spontaneous and erratic, Don’t Believe a Word is exuberant in its raw youthfulness and glib disregard for anything other that what sounds good at the moment. It’s cranky, in-your-face rock and roll that somehow manages to maintain its frantic tempo from start to finish – a disappointingly short thirty-three minutes. Garage rock at its finest.

Sigh. Am I getting old? Though The Coachwhips are undoubtedly meant to be heard so loud your eyeballs shake, I found I had to listen to this album on med-low. The feedback from the gritty, blown-out guitars, and the high-pitched screaming of the organs, mixed with the distorted, barely decipherable vocals was just too much for my tender ears. It felt as if I was listening to the bands demo-tape on a shitty car stereo turned up too loud to actually hear, while John Dwyer shouted the lyrics into my ear through a megaphone. (At which point I lose control and speed off a cliff). I’m willing to believe that the sheer un-listenability of this album is due in large part to poor recording and mastering because the sad thing is, a lot of the songs sound like they’re really good. It’s just a pity because you can hardly make them out. The bonus DVD wasn’t much better sound-wise, but was a cool “bouquet of rare and unreleased gems” (as they put it). Comprised of live-footage taken from various gigs, house parties, and what have you, the CD/DVD set would be great for friends or fans of The Coachwhips who want to remember the now disbanded San Francisco trio. And there is certainly no shortage of “gems”… 25 tracks on the CD and 13 on the DVD plus extras… Double Death gives us almost two hours of jump up and down and shake your ass (or in my case, fingers in the ears and run for shelter) good times!

http://www.myspace.com/coachwhipsvsfuckers

-Sara Percival

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The fellows of the Coast are counting their lucky stars that bands with REM and U2 as obvious referenced are allowed a substantial amount more indie cred then they were receiving in the not too recent past. Just a few years back, a record bearing such influences would have been derided as too pop and a sell-out before it even sold in. But the Coast are very much an indicator of what pins today's indie rock/pop fans have fixed to their Canadian lapels. Whichever gent provides the nasal Morrisey croon, though it may lack the certain malaise of the Smiths’ crooner, is supported well by lullaby pop awash with synths and both the reverb and delay that one comes to expect from any band employing a maritime moniker these days.

This moderately-timed EP serves as a good introduction to a band will hopefully bring clearer, more dynamic production, fewer synth pianos (if the Arcade Fire can get their hands on a church organ, you can borrow your grandma's old piano), and maybe expand their musical palette from the coast to include some other topography.

Coconut Records is the pet project of Jason Schwartzman, who is probably best known for his acting work in such films as Rushmore and I <3 Huckabees, and alternately as the former drummer of the band Phantom Planet. The artwork of the album is rather sparse, and I had no idea what to expect with Schwartzman staring at me through the bedroom window of a diorama – the pinks, cream, and beige of the interior were no more conclusive or certain. Much as the artwork seems rushed in its simplicity, so does the album for all the work put into it. Coconut Records is an attempt at a pop/folk/rock manifesto where ¾ of the album comes across more like fragmentary demos and sonic sketches, while the other ¼ of the album shows that Schwartzman in fact knows how to complete songs and otherwise opts not to. If this was even the least bit unclear, the second half of the album makes the point obvious; it is a rehashing of the first twelve tracks in even more half-assed alternate & demo form. This album meanders all over the place and never makes a definitive point aside from proving Schwartzman is capable of writing pop hooks and seldom chooses to integrate them into complete songs. Only on a couple tracks, the proper album versions of Back to You and the title track, does he even come close to getting it right in one shot. Nighttiming is a mediocre practice-run, and with any luck, Schwartzman’s intuitive grasp of California pop music will lead him to greater success down the road.

What the hell is it with Montreal? How does that place keep producing amazing, creative, and completely independent bands like Code Pie? I mean, these guys don’t even have a label, it looks like they made their CD cases on a Xerox, but their energetic, upbeat, trumpet-adorned art rock still ranks up there with the other boundary-pushing bands in the genre (the Old Soul, Broken Social Scene, Think About Life, etc. etc.), still catches you and makes you wanna move. Created over a period of two years, with the help of various friends in the face of all kind of adversity (blackouts, failed government grants), The Most Trusted Name in Yous has finally come to fruition, officially launched June 15, likely to blow minds and rock parties in cities near you.

I was quite apprehensive when I grabbed this album. On the cover we have two hands holding a pile of dirt, and on the back is a b&w photo of the five band members and some giant feline. I immediately thought that this was going to be typical hard rock territory: The kind of group that would get Nickelback’s discarded groupies. I was pleasantly surprised. This is pretty straight-up blues and roots-rock music. Vocalist Wyatt Hull sings in a pouting rock voice that is part Jack White and part Robert Smith. The song “Devil’s got a Hold on Me” is pure blues rock, and Hull sings with a whole lot of confidence. They generate a sound that is not unlike a Jim Morrison fronted Rolling Stones, claiming to do so in a ‘shamelessly pompous manner.’ This presentation can at times make up for obvious rhymes, and lyrics like “I was the Sun/she was the Moon/and our children were the stars.”

For ambience this album works well. It has a great pace, and does the whole ‘quiet, loud, quiet, loud’ thing well. The musicians do a great job of playing music that isn’t just backup for the vocals and each contributes something integral to the tracks. As the album progresses it gets a little softer, which is too bad because The Colour are at their best when they are all rock swagger. “Salt the Earth” is a bright spot in the second half that is reminiscent of Rattle & Hum era U2, and it does a fine job of refueling the album for the final stretch. If you are looking for straight-up rock without too many frills, this is worth a few spins.

Initially a three-person (all girl) band formed by some sweet Swedes, this band formed from a mutual love of all things pop and urban architecture (hence the name). From that the band flourished and grew to an excess of musical talent with eight members. Conor Oberst’s musical partner in crime, Mike Mogis, who also produced both Rilo Kiley and Jenny Lewis’ albums, produced the second full-length album by the group. And although this group sounds strikingly similar to Rilo Kiley and especially to Jenny Lewis’ sweet and soulful vocals, they have a funky and delicious multitude of beats that branch out within the indie scene, making a comfy little space for their names. Their sound doesn’t look to replicate what has been created before them; instead, it pushes itself out of the mold and firmly indicates forethought of purpose and objective. And just when you think that they have a one-track theme running through their album, a song such as “Change in the Weather” comes on and gives the listener a different melodic taste such as in this alt-country rock number. And often with a large group of musicians, some of the members will fall through the cracks and sink into the background, yet within The Concretes, each member’s unique ability and musical specialty shines through.

-Jessica Shulist

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Corinne Bailey Rae
Self-titled
EMI

Having debuted at number one on the UK Album Chart, there is much anticipation surrounding Corinne Bailey Rae and her self-titled debut LP. She is, after all, only the third female artist to accomplish that feat in the past 30 years. What this says about British gender politics as opposed to the quality of Rae’s music is a matter of debate. And whether her reception on this side of the Atlantic will be as welcoming is yet to be seen, as awareness of Rae’s music is still in its infancy here. However, given the success in North America of such acts as Norah Jones, Erykah Badu, and fellow Brit Dido – all of whom Rae draws comparisons to – it seems likely that Rae will soon have a breakthrough here, especially given the strength of her first single, “Put Your Records On.” Fusing the spirit of Billie Holiday with the soul of Erykah Badu, Rae produces a sound that is soft, sultry, and cool, yet remains heartfelt and soulful. The music is generally mellow but upbeat, addressing light themes like love, the summer, and feeling good. Contrary to the claims of her publicity materials though, Rae’s music is definitely not the blues – her sound is closer to Manhattan than the Southern Delta. A solid summer choice for the Starbucks set in any case.

http://www.corinnebaileyrae.net/

-James Sandham

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counterrevolutionaries
afterbirth of the cool (ep)
DDG

By turns an offering of expansive jam-oriented trips and romping power-pop raveups, afterbirth of the cool makes a quick survey of some vast landscape of storied diners and main streets, glimpsed through the window of a passing tour van. Randy Forrester's guitar sits up front in the mix, informed by the kind of Canadian post-punk lineage that reverberates perfectly off of the wood panelling in your favourite Legion. JoJo Darling's growling 4 string work keeps things pointed in the right direction – in this case, ideally, towards another tray of beer shots. Enough of those, and you could swear that's Moe Berg up there onstage with Lee Ranaldo and Kim Gordon.

Released in anticipation of a forthcoming full-length album, afterbirth of the cool represents the rougher, rawer side of the counterrevolutionaries’ songwriting process. If these 6 songs are any indication, this is a band to catch on the way up, and we can only hope they don't spend too much time polishing the material on their next release.

http://www.c-revs.com/

-Todd Howe

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Listening to D. Moebius’ <<Nurton>>, I’m reminded of a Calvin & Hobbes comic strip that’s always stuck with me. Calvin stands with a bottle of bubbles in one hand and a bubble-blower in the other. After dipping the ringed stick into the bottle, he blows a lone small bubble, which floats into the air and silently pops. Calvin turns directly to the reader with a blank look on his face, communicating neither disappointment nor scorn, but rather profound confusion; a look that can only be interpreted as “What’s all the fuss about? Am I missing something?” Then, like a deflated balloon, he lets out a meek whisper: “Weee….” A Krautrock pioneer, Dieter Moebius has had a long career creating experimental ambient noise with the likes of Brian Eno, Conrad Plank, and members of Neu! Still, after listening to these 14 tracks of droning, interchangeable electro-farts, all I can do is channel my inner Calvin and offer one meek “Weee.” I don’t know if there’ll be any fuss about this album, but I am definitely missing something.

Daedelus already has a few impressive albums, among them Invention, Rethinking the Weather, and even Exquisite Corpse. Throw a Fit retreads the same sonic palette Daedelus has been using since Invention without that album’s charming IDM-lounge-hop, without the dusty samples of Rethinking the Weather, and without the dynamic breadth of Exquisite Corpse (though admittedly with Corps ‘s extensive list of contributors the breadth was hardly all of Daed’s doing). What we get instead on Throw a Fit is Daedelus singing, though not amazingly well and not about much in particular. One would hope that when the producer steps from behind the boards to the mic he would de more than croon “this is it, the remix” ad infinitum (a feat that mars an otherwise standout club track “Remix of Nothing”).

Though Daedelus is still miles away from producing standard head-bobbing hip-hop, he seems to be growing tired with his longtime fixations with broken beats, lounge strings and Brazilian percussion. Daed also still seems unable to comprehend what this thing called “pop music” is, his attempt at songwriter-electronica falling somewhat flat of the golden standard that guarantees a song’s placement in Nokia and Hyundai advertisements. By “throwing a fit” it seems that Daedelus is simply flailing in frustration, having been overtaken by trendspotters that have recently pillaged and discarded the styles that Daedelus calls home. With Automator and Shadow going hyphy and Dangermouse closing his cartoon fist around everything “indie,” it doesn’t look like the world will get any easier for us Daed Heads and the producer we love so dead, which is really a pity, because at his best, Daedelus is still simply one of the most ingenious hip-hop producers this millennium.

This is the “Greatest hits” compilation by French DJ legends Daft Punk. The musical brains behind the decks are Guy-Manuel DE Homen-Christo and Thomas Bangalter. They have now been around for over 12 years and have been ever present in both the mainstream music scene and in the world of the House and club music scene across the world. They have managed to bridge this gap by constantly bending the rules, experimenting with their sounds and simply making some great songs that you don’t have to be in a club at 1 am to appreciate, although it does help. They have been so successful and are still around today because of their imagination and therefore have not become yet another one hit DJ or dance act, who after their 15 minutes, only appear on bad compilation albums which feature the words “retro” or “cheese” in the title.

Listening to this album it is easy to see why. Such mega hits as “One More Time”, “Robot Rock”, “Musique”, “Da funk” (with one of the best videos. Ever) and the highly repetitive, yet un-annoying “Around the World” – cue sing along.

Another thing that screams out for a group of this genre is how fresh all of these songs sound. I had heard a fair few of the songs on this album before, but as for the unfamiliar ones, could not tell you which were the older ones and which were made more recently. This is a real testament to Daft Punk, as they have done what many electro based musicians fail miserably at, which is not sounding dated. The same goes for listening back to rock bands greatest hits, which while it is sometimes fun to hear the musical progression, you can usually see why they took a while to get some sort of recognition. This album just sounds as if it could have been made any time over the last 12 years, no fads, no gimmicks, no crumbling to whatever happened to be big that year here. Which is why Daft Punk are still around today and still very, very relevant to anyone who appreciates music. The fact that most people would be hard pressed to recognise them walking down the street just adds to the thrill of this group. While many bands, DJ’s, singers and all those in between, have tried to be “all about the music” Daft Punk are.

There are three new remixes of various other artists songs, ranging bizarrely from Gabreille to Ian Pooley, which are a nice little bonus, but quite frankly they need no bonuses as the quality of their songs along should be enough for anyone with an ear for good music.

www.daftpunk.com

-Adrian Huggins

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Damien Jurado
And Now That I’m In Your Shadow
Secretly Canadian / Sonic Unyon

The bio for Seattle’s singer/songwriter Damien Jurado says that he has been releasing music for almost 10 years, yet I have never heard of him. It describes him as one of many undiscovered American songwriters. But if his new album And Now That I’m In Your Shadow is any indication of the rest of his work, I am not surprised he’s still trying to get recognized.

There is no spark on the record, nothing that makes it pop. These aren’t words that are normally associated with mellow singer/songwriters such as Jurado, but every record needs that special something that makes you come back to it. That indescribable

‘je-ne-sais-quoi’ that gets in your head so that you can’t help but listen to it over and over again. This record doesn’t have that. I found it to be monotonous and bland, and although there were some nice moments, I would still pass this over for a record by Damien Rice, Ray Lamontagne, or Amos Lee any day of the week.

Gathered In Song is a collection of well-written songs that are ultimately handcuffed by poor production values and vocal performances by their author, Damien Jurado. The album is a re-release of a five song EP put out by Jurado eight years ago. To flesh out the disc included with the original five tracks are a handful of demos and unreleased songs. A DIY roughness around the edges can sometimes lend a certain charm to an album but in Jurado’s case, the cuts and bruises on these recordings do nothing but showcase his weak voice and sloppy musicianship. Recorded on a two-track tape machine in a room full of friends, a couple imperfections can be forgiven and are expected, but hearing Jurado’s sometimes off key and struggling voice quickly becomes annoying.

However, the strength of the songwriting does shine through on occasion as in the case of “Chevrolet”, a song that could have fit seamlessly on Springsteen’s DIY classic Nebraska. The somber lyrics and honest delivery play to Damien’s strengths as he bemoans a friend’s departure, crooning quietly over a reverberating guitar. Reflections on loss and regret mark the themes of other standout tracks “Happy Birthday John” and “Tragedy”. In the latter, the repeated refrain that closes the song “trust me/ you’re in deep/it’s no good’ I original misheard as “trust me/you’re indie/it’s no good” which pretty much sums up what’s wrong with this EP of demos that should have stayed demos.

B.C. native Dan Mangan has put together a very heartfelt collection of songs, and he sings them with complete sincerity. He is a country poet, singing about the standard country dramas. He strums his acoustic guitar, and with his weathered growl he sings of lost relationships, isolation and missed opportunities. Then he sings about these things again, and again. Many of the songs have musical accompaniment beyond basic drums and guitar, but even these frills aren’t enough to liven up the repetitive nature of this album, no matter how sincere Mangan is. At just under an hour, one can’t help wondering if half the material could have been cut out. It’s not that one song is better than another, but just that there are too many, and hearing Dan go on about the familiar topics eventually grows tiresome. On his Myspace page he has a song called “Myspace Song” which leads me to believe he has got a sense of humour. While the song is obvious in scheme and lyric, it is less intense and serious than every song on Postcards and Daydreaming. If there were a few songs like this thrown in the mix, then the albums’ length might be justified. For all you artist out there, there is nothing wrong with being funny once and a while. Some humour is better than none, and on an album that seems to take itself this seriously, some dry humour would have been quite refreshing.

Dance Yourself to Death have made college radio top-ten lists, got rave reviews from publications like Xtra, and even managed to score a role in the Elton John-produced movie “It’s a Girl Boy Thing”. Not bad for a Toronto band who only released their self-titled debut EP earlier this year. But not undeserved either. DYD’s four-track, too-short sampler has a sound somewhere between Blondie, Heart, and the Pretenders. It’s catchy dance-rock with a touch of synthy emo thrown in. They do great hooks and have the whole edgy queer thing going on. And while their EP’s limited playing time does make it hard to come to any definitive judgment of the band, the strength of “Teenage Romanticide” suggests good things to come once DYD get around to an LP.

In August 2000, I found myself in New York City with a friend ostensibly “couch-surfing” at the apartment of some guy named “Tom” who has left us his keys because he was attending a 6 day rave somewhere in Poland. On one of those nights, my friend and I got into a heated discussion over the evening’s activities – he wanted to go see The Wailers (minus Aston “Family Man” Barrett) whereas I had to see The Danielson Famile at The Knitting Factory. With the notion of achieving underground coolness firmly planted in his head, this friend of mine joined me for what he later described as “The Brady Bunch in nurses outfits”.

Six years have passed. With at least 2 name changes and a couple of different record labels, the art school project begun as simply Danielson has returned to simply Danielson and with it a new concept album entitled Ships (the younger siblings are still here). Now Ships has all the wonderful trappings of a farewell album – the traveling imagery, the bringing together of every musician Daniel Smith has ever met – but do not fret, the sweetly tinged melancholy this band has the unique ability to produce, can never die – at least I hope not. From the first note of the glockenspiel in track one, “Ship the Majestic Suffix”, there is no mistaking this is Danielson. And then there is Daniel Smith’s voice which is unmatched in uniqueness.

Ships sees Danielson close the creative circle with beautifully realized and polished songwriting. Gone is the gloriously disjointed kitsch of previous outings such as Tell Another Joke At The Ol’ Choppin’ Block. This is a matured Daniel Smith and Ships is a remarkable mature and confident album that meshes a 60’s popish naivetÃƒ© with the heartbreak of most of Daniel Johnston’s work. As much as I enjoyed this album I do have to mention that I felt it wearing a little thin by “My Lion Sleeps Tonight”, a 3 minute snorer that has the potential to anchor Ships from sailing over the horizon of family harmony.

http://www.danielson.info/

-Jordan Somers

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Dappled Cities’ Granddance album is a grand old treat coming from down under Australia. The Aussie fivesome have managed to get themselves lumped in with Franz Ferdinand and Modest Mouse but they fall short of blatantly copying their styles. Their subtle rock drummings and indie melodies bode well for the lead singer’s sometimes girly voice and lovelorn songwriting.

Most of the disc is pretty catchy and upbeat with a couple of tracks here and there (“Beach” for example) lowering the happy rock melodies. The album comes across as a cute soundtrack to your dating life but with a happy ending which shouldn’t be confused with cheesiness. It’s obvious Dappled Cities take themselves seriously as musicians and genuinely work at cultivating their sound.

Overall, Granddance is a fun little CD to check out because of its romantic renderings and orchestral sound. Kicking up their heels and engaging in some hardcore band practice has worked well for these guys and the result is a tender, refreshing take on indie pop-rock.

Christina Frances Musacchio’s debut release as Darling Arms, All The Ghosts, is a short and sweet vocals-and-acoustic-guitar album that showcases a strong voice and sparse, haunting melodies. The five track album has a decidedly sad tone, perhaps a throwback to the bout of depression experienced by Musacchio after One Candle Power, her previous band, split up. Musacchio stopped playing music for months before she was persuaded to record some of her own songs- and voila- a poignant, expressive album. All The Ghosts has a simple, almost ethereal, sound. The tracks blend Musacchio’s voice, with its slight country twinge, with her soft acoustic melodies, sometimes unobtrusively accompanied by a piano or upright bass.

The album features a rather eclectic and interesting collection of song titles and lyrics, from “Beluga” and “Concept Car” to “A Fish Hook A Cat Eye”, but the resounding theme is love, and the pain it causes. In “The Hero”, the artist is waiting for her lover on Christmas Eve, “alone, half asleep.” She will “make a lover of you/ before I die” but in truth, she is “on a mission to desert you/ rid my heart of your bravado.” “A Fish Hook A Cat Eye” continues this theme of despair in love, “I feel I could throw myself into oncoming traffic…/I think I will give up and go home alone every night for the rest of this year/ with a kiss on my pillow for/ all the ghosts who lay beside me.”

This is an interesting album that is perfect for listening to while curled up on the couch, cursing love and life. Comparable to Cat Power, All The Ghosts is an album that, when listened to in the right mood, can be almost be cathartic- welling up all of those secret emotions and troubles we dwell on and washing them away with soft melodies and sympathetic lyrics.

- Stella Simeonova

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Amidst the double kick mayhem, the shrieking ‘pig stuck through a pike’ guitars, and the growls and whines of front man Alexis Marshall, one has to wonder what the fuck Daughters are trying to pull off. Soon after this it quickly becomes apparent that this response is exactly what the Rhode Island quintet is attempting, to alienate their music from their already Lindsay Lohan-sized fan base.

Parallels to Dillinger Escape Plan are evident, and the technical prowess on this album definitely attests to the bands talent. But Hell Songs album, though more subdued than their last, sounds like snippets of different metal songs have been tossed arbitrarily into the mix, the results being jarring, which one supposes is the intent, but due to lack of variation this feeling quickly shifts to irritation and boredom with the band’s aggressive spazz-out tendencies.

Vol. 1

Straight ahead rock and roll, bringing '50's music alive, this is music you can actually listen and enjoy with your parents and not feel embarassed about having the same tastes. Great sing along short jams so shake it up quick. Rave's duos with Lauren Agnelli are sweet and soft moving. Morphing into a mellower, deeper sadness on "Love Fades" with the Dave Rave Group, moving up in the rock eras with "The Crashtones on Nicki" with stronger guitar.

Vol. 2

Where Vol. 1 was mostly upbeat numbers, Vol. 2 takes the listener to a more thoughtful quiet place. Harmonizing welcomes listeners into Rave's foray with LMT Connection on "Gotta Stay True to Your Neighbourhood". Jillian's ebb and flow opening makes me feel like I'm floating in the bottom of a canoe watching birds and clouds buoyant overhead. Fulcrum fans get a chance to take in a live version of "Rainy Morning Song". The accordian sound of the harmonium on "Tears Came Down on Billie's Eyes" is a nice change up in the sound as is the hollow tunnel voice at the end of "Pray for Rain".

Vol. 2 also has a reigned in less frenetic need to express musically than Vol. 1, with comforting guitars washing under the vocals and an introduction to violins, jazzy string bass arrangements and psychedelic keys.

Once in a Lifetime with the Dave Rave Group shows off Kate Schrock's harmonizing strength, backing up Rave on vocals.

If you want just two CDs to begin a collection, Anthology climbs across '50's rock, '70's guitar, mellow ballads, jazzy beats and blue moments.

The extensive liner notes give a more in depth look at Rave's musings, with a peek into songs and their histories.

http://www.dave-rave.com/

-Heather Rayment

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David & the Citizens
David & the Citizens
Friendly Fire Recordings

The Dears are blowing up – or so the kids tell me. With links to their new album on Mtv.ca (that denotes the big time) and extensive tour dates that resemble the Romany migration through Europe, The Dears must be doing something right...I am just not sure what. Gang Of Losers, the band’s sixth release, is a collection of alt. radio friendly ditties. From the look of the rabid dogs on the Cd’s cover, I kept waiting for the bite but instead found some catchy melodies, some half-baked melodies and George Donoso III’s cement mixer drum stylings so upfront in the mix at times that he might as well get some buckets and take his solo show on the road. The standout for me is “Bandwagoneers” especially before do-do-do-do harmonies which the entire album molests to a mind numbing effect. Ultimately, The Dears don’t seem to be a Gang Of Losers at all – Oh Canadian music, where would you be without your delicious self-deprecation.

-Jordan Somers

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Is it loud. Yes. Is it Metal. You bet your britches. The double kick assault that is Delenda will likely be a great listen for any frequenters of any online metal mags such as Ruthless Reviews or Thrash Pit. Or mabye not. Despite my love of most things speed or thrash, that bestial creature known as Death Metal has always rubbed me the wrong way. This album is a particularly well crafted diverse exercise in the genre, with, dare I say, stoner flourishes (“For Those Lost”), Nu Netal power ballads (“These Lights Above Us”) and some epic silliness stapled on to the hind end (“Mourning for Morning”). Despite that, what can you say? This is DEATH METAL. If you like the genre, you’ve probably already downloaded the album. If not, you’ve probably stopped reading...

While these folks express their deepest, darkest feelings on this album, ultimately it comes off kind of wimpy. With typically heavy guitars in the background, on top of the mix is the lead singers’ voice. Karen Correa can sing fine, but does a little bit too much, trying to get some PJ Harvey like wailing in there I guess. She fails. So many vocalists need to learn to show some restraint once and a while and not go crazy on each track; otherwise going crazy suddenly doesn’t seem so crazy, it seems like bitching. I can hear the pain this girl thinks she is going through but I just don’t buy it. Correa sounds like a kid sister unhappy that she can’t go out driving, even though she goes out driving every night. A bunch of these songs were probably inspired by the frustration of ripping a brand new “Punk Rawk” t-shirt. The moment that really clinched my feelings on this album is in the song “Raise a Glass.” On this track Correa states all the wonderful things she misses about her former companion including: “I remember the way/he kept me back from church on Sunday.” What does this mean? He showed her how to be rebellious? This is a little bit to juvenile for my liking and the more I have to listen to it the angrier I get; not angry with my parents who don’t let me go to the mall mind you. It comes as no surprise to me that an early version of this band was named The Hissyfits. Unless you are a preteen girl that is having a troublesome adolescence, steer clear of this.

A guitar player since the age of 13 and a bar performer since the age of 15, Derek Miller has since then won a Juno for his 2003 release Music is the Medicine as well as travelled Canada with peace activist Buffy St. Marie. He has toured in France, Norway and Greenland and, with The Dirty Looks, his latest album, he has released a solid album of hard living, honky-tonk, country-blues-rock. Somewhere between ZZ Top, MC5, and the hard-stompin’ country oufit playing your local juke joint, Miller’s sound is appealing in its familiar, though still far from a musical revolution. But while perhaps not the most innovative piece of guitar-driven rock and roll to come out of the Six Nations, it is nonetheless authentic, raw, and unpretentious, a genuine glimpse into a life of smoky backroom bars, empty Canadian highways, and personal loss and disappointment. Noteworthy tracks include “Devil Come Down Sunday” and the more subdued ditty “Ooh La La.”

http://www.derekmillermusic.com/

-James Sandham

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No stranger to agonizing dark wave, Galas was a member of Lycia before turning to his solo project when the group split in 2000. Layered with overpowering soundscapes built around dark, enigmatic music and despairingly bleak lyrics, The Cataclysm is the product of a musician ready to bleed for his art. The opening track “Asleep in the Field” sets the eerie undertone that the rest of the album conveys before launching into “The Harvest” an atmospheric, almost theatrical track. It’s not until the third track, “American Melancholy” that Galas begins to let out his darkest emotions.

Although the roots of the album go back to 1999 when Galas began writing the material, its completion in 2005 shows the thought that was put into every track. The Cataclysm was written, performed, recorded and produced by Galas so it truly is a product of his imagination. The album is perfect for fans of a genre and will, at the very least, help to pass the time until the newly reformed Lycia release a new album.

Back in the early-90s, indie popsters like Matthew Sweet, Shudder to Think and Sloan were the next wave in a long tide of waves who decided the best way to move forward was to look back. Before moving out of their parents’ basements, they raided the darkest corners of mom and dad’s closet for twenty-year-old clothes, shook the dust off long-stored teak living room sets, and mined their collections of 70s FM-radio-ready LPs for musical inspiration. Apparently this anthropological practice continues to this day, with virtual one-man band David Vandervelde revisiting the soundtrack to John Lennon’s Long Weekend period on the eight tracks of The Moonstation House Band. Catchy, boozy takes on T-Rex’s laidback glam, paranoid Madman Across the Water string sections, and a healthy helping of Big Star’s first three albums are on display. Even Wilco’s ex-hired gun Jay Bennett lends a hand here and there, writing one song (opener “Nothing No”) and assuming bass duties on album standout “Jacket”. Indeed, fans of Bennett’s solo work and Tweedy and Co. will find much to enjoy here. And it’s easier than heading out to your parents’ den in the ‘burbs.

What, pray tell, could a Dogg Pound album entitled So So Gangsta be about? If there’s any confusion as to any Snoop-affiliate’s modus operandi, the easiest guess is that a most lyrical content will celebrate black on black crime. This occurs in all of its most popular forms- drug crime, gun crime, and generally how Daz’s victims deserve to die by nature of Daz’s gangsterdom or, in Daz’s words, because if he can shoot them and/or take advantage of them, they must be “stupid niggas."

Regardless of Daz’s hate crimes, a criticism easily dismissed as “hatin’”, Daz’s bullets only seems to hit their marks at close range. Though he never falls off the beat, his rather generic flow rips up rather generic topics- whether it’s killing crack addicts (“On Some Real”) or beating off in front of a big-bottomed girl (“Thang On My Hip”). Really, that’s all we can say about Daz himself, as these weed carrier albums tend to be more about everybody besides the man on the cover.

Production from Jermaine Dupree’s camp (yes, apparently Janet’s husband has a camp) is a solid yet completely uninspired affair, running through recycled drum hooks and minor key synths sounding a little too much like Cubase’s onboard software. Another mark against the producer of all things commercially engineered is his continuous shout outs, coming about once every eight bars in pretty much every song on SSG, enough to make both Timbaland and Jazzy Fizzle (or however kids these days spell his name) look away in embarrassment. Oh, and marrying Janet Jackson is decisively not SSG.

The real bread and butter of any weed carrier are the guest appearances, and SSG rolls out nearly one guest per track in an effort to gain some sort of credibility. Character rappers do not fail to do what they do- Rick Ross talks about crack dealing, Snoop Dogg spins his silky smooth gangsterism on autopilot (though he’s still better at west coast gangsta raps than almost anybody, anywhere, anytime), Kurupt is pissed off about something or other, Ice Cube tells you that he’s really hard (despite that road trip movie), and so on, and so on.

Though SSG serves little up in terms of “standout” tracks, there are moderate successes throughout the album. The cliché gangster shtick gets boring after “Thang On My Hip,” though it does entertain briefly one the lead off track. “DPG Fo’ Life” features Snoop and spins that sort of southern beat that Outkast was rocking in the Stankonia era. Last, “Weekend” will likely find its way into many a smoke-filled dorm room, adding plenty of gangsta cred plus that conscious, culturally sensitive tip that lets middle class white kids say “I’m down.” In short, SSG isn’t anything to write home about, but it may very well break the needle (or scratch the optic lens?) at underage jams from Lawrence Heights to Malvern, and likely a few Bar Mitzvas in between.

Right off the bat you can't help but to love this band. The superior songwriting skills of bassist singer Rob Higgins and band really shine all over this album. With an all star cast of musicians from bands such as Sticky Rice, Danko Jones and Change of Heart you can see why Dearly Beloved is a force to be reckoned with on the Canadian music scene and beyond.

The compliments of male/female vocals in this hard hitting indie rock combo quickly gets under your skin and sticks in your head. Track one "Candy Coated" is arguable the cd's best tune, it has hard driving drums, pushed by a fuzzed out bass and is the ultimate power opener. The next standout tune is Track 3 "Who knows" with some amazing backup vocals from the lovely Niva Chow, this is a catchy mid tempo rocker with all kinds of great hooks. The exceptional bass playing is also something to note, especially on track 4 "Dress it up", another infectious catchy rocker. Track 7 showcases the band's technical expertise, with great time changes and cool samples of background conversations. The tunes has many layers and breaks up into a nice little ballad section with xylophones before totally ripping into a hard rocker with chunky layers of electric guitars heavy vocals and bass. On track 9 "Unsee" we get a nicely crafted tune layered with sweet reverb guitar and vocals. The xylophone also makes its second appearance on this track. This would come in as a close second to my favourite tune on the disc.

I would file this cd under smart pop rock, which can be comparable to Sloan and the White Stripes. Overall this is a great disc, a little on the repetitive side, but it certainly makes the cut as a fun listen that's upbeat and easy on the ears.

Andre Skinner

When I first popped You Are the Jaguar in my CD player, I gotta say I wasn’t exactly impressed. There was something too 80s about it, evident in Niva Chow’s vocals in particular – very Vixen-ish. I don’t know whether I was just having a bad day or what, but since then this CD has grown on me in a big way. It is fun, jittery punk without the oh-so-hardcore attitude and smug sense of self-superiority that can characterize many similarly styled bands. Driving bass lines and duelling male/female vocals keep this album on track. Unafraid to have fun, Dearly Beloved does music without the baggage. There’s no pretence, no axe to grind. This is not to say that Dearly Beloved don’t get angry, scream, and rock out – they certainly do. But they do so in a self-consciously indulgent way, reminiscent of the anthemic stadium rockers of yesteryear. Perhaps this is where the 80s feeling comes from. I could see Dearly Beloved warming up a crowd for Gun’N’Roses or Def Leppard. Nonetheless, these guys are solid, the new album catchy, and they put on a hell of a show. You can see them this year at Edgefest, July 1, or for free at Sam’s on Yonge St., July 11 at 7:00 pm.

http://www.dearlybeloved.ca/

-James Sandham

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Just because Destroyer Destroyer’s home town, Oklahoma City, OK, isn’t exactly known for it’s grindcore scene doesn’t mean this band won’t take the paint off your bedroom walls. Beyond screamcore, beyond grindcore, Destroyer Destroyer take their genre into uncharted territory, and almost off the map of what’s known as music altogether. The band’s sound boils down to something only light more melodious than pigs screaming over the sounds of highway construction. It’s hard to tell where one track ends and another begins. Yes, Littered with Arrows is, if nothing else, a all full on descent into psychotic anarchy. This is courtesy, primarily, of “singer” (and the term is used loosely here) Jamie Schnetzler, who screams like a banshee and shreds his way through the album’s twelve tracks, no doubt permanently scarring his surprisingly resilient vocal chords along the way. This is musical S&M at its most depraved.

And I thought they just didn’t make rock and roll like this anymore. Well, as far as the Detroit Cobras go, that’s true, actually. They are, after all, a cover band. But no one plays a cover like they do, and their fifth release, Tied and True, is no exception. Rough and sweet, it’s a sonic shot of rye and Southern Comfort – that’s called a Snake Bite, coincidentally. Somewhere between Patti Smith and Patsy Cline, this is a four-on-the-floor, heavy-hitting album of sweetened rockabilly and roughed-up old soul classics, sung with the energy and grit that has defined the Cobras since their formation in 1995. The bottom line: these girls are serious and you need to own this CD.

I’m sitting here at the kitchen table, Discman growing warm from over-use, and my ears starting to ache from the decade-old, hard, plastic buds that came with it. In front of me sit a dozen or so CDs – the majority of which have been heard, contemplated, and judged (often without enthusiasm). Destroyer was the first one I listened to in one sitting – and on the stereo at that. Yes, this album was one worth inflicting on the roommates, despite their habitual distaste for anything that deviates from Top-40 acceptability. Maybe it’s because it’s Friday night and they’re already half drunk, but their reaction is positive. And I think that would be characteristic of most people, were they to give this album a listen. The seventh release from Dan Bejar under the Destroyer moniker, this album has a unique sound, incorporating piano, brass, and Bejar’s spasmodic vocals along with the traditional staples of guitar, bass, and drums. The result is an upbeat and at times almost operatic feel to the record. Vocals are reminiscent of Modest Mouse, though sometimes they distinctly remind me of Roger Waters on “The Wall.” And they tell stories, long stories, tumbling along on the rise and swell of instrumentals that carry them along. Forging boldly away from the conventional sound that seems to characterize and constrains much of indie music at present, this is one of the better albums I’ve heard of late.

-James Sandham

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The “executives” at Scratch Records must be grinning right now. What could have been an innocuous rerelease of a somewhat successful indie artist is coming at such a time that it can’t help but line the wallets of the little Vancouver record store that it calls home. With Destroyer enjoying so much critical acclaim and the success of recent albums (Destroyer’s Rubies), We’ll Build Them a Golden Bridge’s phasers are definitely set to kill. And that’s without mentioning Dan Bejar’s other gigs, namely with the always popular New Pornographers, as well his recent release, Swan Lake with Wolf Parader Spencer Krug and Frog Eyes’ Carey Mercer.

With the wobbly off-key kilter and random casiotone stabs worthy of Daniel Johnston, there must be something in the water out on the north west coast. Though the album was originally released in the mid-nineties, We’ll Build Them a Golden Bridge shares much in common with other westerners- the faltering, stop/start dynamics, the odds and ends instrumentation, the coy amateurism with which each part is executed, and the lethargy that can only come from a land where it rains seven months out of the year. Similar to (though released prior to) such acts as the criminally overlooked Karl Blau or anyone in possession of a guitar wandering barefoot down Commercial Drive, Destroyer’s earliest LP (recorded appropriately to four track) provides listeners with much insight into Bejar’s artistic development, giving to listeners an unpolished version of Bejar’s uniquely jumbled style. Of course, theirs also a couple of New Pornographers songs in chrysalis here, which is surely enough to entice most UVic fine arts chicks.

A Mad & Faithful Telling
DeVotchKa
ANTI-

A Mad & Faithful Telling is a sometimes bustling, sometimes lulling, altogether original listening experience from DeVotchKa, the American indie band with a growing reputation for all manner of strange instruments and influences. In a Beirut-style gypsy-indie mix, DeVotchKa travels a roundabout road from Eastern Europe to a Parisian street corner where a lonely old man plays the accordion. Then they run off to join a mariachi band in Mexico, travel up through California to play with aged-but-undying American folk singers and end up surfing couches in the basement apartments of struggling students in New York or Montreal or some other indie haven. Except they’re from Denver, Colorado and Zach Condon was probably twelve when they first started touring. Nonetheless, “it seems the world has caught up with them,” as their press release reads, and through the hills and valleys of their worldly influences, announced by the boom of the sousaphone like a marching band coming to town this album’s a real gem. The band’s a beaut. Their big break came from scoring the Little Miss Sunshine soundtrack, and just like that vanload of underdogs you can’t help but love them. They’re eccentric, they’re fun, they’re heartfelt—they’re an experience unto themselves.

http://www.devotchka.net/

- Aurora Prelevic

Hamburg duo Digitalism are the next in line after the Prodigy, Daft Punk, Armand Van Helden to attempt to meld the repetitive beats and surging basslines of electronica with the riffs and DIY ethos of rock. Unfortunately, in a time when future-forward electro-revivalists like Justice are approximating this sound successfully, a full album of middling effort like this one just won’t cut it. This is not to say that Idealism’s individual tracks are all bad; in fact, many of them are quite good (“Idealistic” or “Jupiter Room”, for instance, or the quasi-Cure cover, “Fire in Cairo”). There are hints of French Disco, generous helpings of Fatboy bass, and the kind of garage guitar licks used and abused by Alter Ego’s “Rocker” or Roman Flughel’s “Gehts Nocht”. It’s just that, generally speaking, this sounds more like a soundtrack to a Brit gangster flick from the late-90s – a mish-mash of solid big beat blasts peppered with death-disco indie-rock of the likes of controller controller or Dangerous Muse. Fine, There are one or two cases where the music-meld works, as in “Zdarlight”, which sounds suspiciously like Death From Above 1979’s “Romantic Rights”. But don’t expect us to buy the rock n’ rave tag that’s been shoveled audience-ward by the NMEs and dance-rags who have claimed the Klaxons to be the Next Big Thing. This is comes off as just another Crystal Method album, and you all know what happened to them, right?

Building on the success of their 2004 hit “This Way,” featuring and produced by Kanye West, the fourth album release from Los Angeles-based rap trio Dilated Peoples, “20/20,” may be their best record to date. Comprised of Rakaa, Evidence, and DJ Babu (also a member of the World Famous Beat Junkies), Dilated Peoples start the album strong with their new single, “Back Again.” The 11 tracks that follow don’t disappoint. Characterized by thumping beats and quick lyrics, spiced with DJ Babu’s technical creativity on the decks, the best qualities of “Back Again” hold steady throughout the entire album. Not only do they pack head-nodding beats, but their lyrical content and style raises the bar for contemporary hip-hop. Touching on themes that include the effects of George Bush’s presidency, to the need for “black and brown unity” and community consciousness, Dilated Peoples demonstrate that bass-pounding hits don’t have to come without lyrical substance.Although, as Rakaa raps, “Some say we’re too serious and conscious/Some say we’re all battle raps and ganga,” one thing is clear: “20/20” provides perfect insight as to where socially conscious hip hop is heading.

-James Sandham

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The Toronto duo, Dirt Farmer, have been making music for almost twenty years now. Formerly named , Two Thirds Water, the group plays straight-up alternative pop. While this album starts off sounding like typical alternative from the mid 90’s it does prove to have some more substance on the softer tracks. It is fitting that their songs have appeared on soundtracks and that this is an avenue they plan to pursue. “End of the Day” has a very relaxed sound, with piano work reminiscent of Radiohead. This song never explodes into a feedback fest, and instead maintains a very melancholy atmosphere. I definitely appreciate this track more than the dated and heavy guitar songs that litter the album.

My favourite moments are followed by grunge songs like, “Dream,” which abruptly break the mood created by the preceding tracks. I’m not against harder rock by any means, but at it’s heaviest this album seems like a tired outtake from 1994. At times Dirt Farmer bears a resemblance to Modest Mouse, but unfortunately they do not have the creative inventiveness to make them a college rock staple. Another softer highlight of the album is “Suicide,” which although lyrically obvious does have a catchy melody. This along with the aforementioned, “End of the Day”, are the album’s stand out tracks, and oddly seem like the moments when the group is putting in the least effort. If the ratio of heavy to soft tracks had been reversed I think this probably would have been a terrific album.

With a cacophonous chorus of yelpers chanting “I wanna live / I wanna live/ I wanna live/ I waa-aa-as deeeeaaaad!!!!” the Dirty Projectors’ main man David Longstreth and company kick off their fifth release Rise Above with “What I See”, apparently an approximation of those “Lion Sleeps Tonight” evil-doers the Nylons all hopped up on the bikeriest of biker meth. And why would they want to commit such an atrocity? Colour me narcissistic, but I can only suppose it was their express intention to drive me to an early grave by my own hand. No – ears.

There are a few moments that will appeal to fans of Islands, Stereolab or Animal Collective’s far(ther)-out stuff – there’s some ‘60s Italian horror film folk by way of “Depression,” some So-Cal pop cut with jazzy rat-tat-tat military drumming in “Gimme Gimme Gimme,” and even some fractured Neil Young melodies in the last track “Untitled”. Still, those few parts do little to save the whole – it’s not just a bad album, it’s annoying. In “Police Story,” Longstreth whinges between Supertramp-worthy guitar riffs, “They hit me a cross the head with a billy club” – unfortunately, they didn’t do it soon enough to save me from listening to this dreck. Steer clear.

So yeah, I put this DJ Icey CD in and I’m all like, “Huh, yeah, whatever, I’m way too sophisticated for this. But just for kicks, let’s see what the kids in clubland are into.” Suddenly I’ve got product in my hair, Calvin Klein on my chest, and gold around my neck and seven of my fingers, hailing a cab and heading for Richmond Street. My head’s still bopping when I step out onto the pavement and sidle on up beside the first velvet rope I see. I look the bouncer right in the eye and just tell him straight up: “DJ Icey sent me. His music’s in my soul.” The man digs it, and I stroll on in. My totally fresh and fitted threads are glowin’ like hell’s oven, all lit up under the black light, and before I know it I’m just another component in the sweaty mass of sexy bodies burnin’ a hole through the dance floor. It’s all totally dope and I’m bumpin’ and grindin’ and shakin’ and shakin’… and someone’s shaking me. I look up and my girlfriend’s staring at me like I’m some kind of lunatic. I look around and see the clutter of my living room. She’s still looking at me, kinda disgusted. “How can you fall asleep with this crap on the stereo? It’s so annoying!” she says. “Yeah,” I say, “dance music sucks.”

-James Sandham

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This is a weird little album with some surprisingly upbeat songs incongruently designated by titles like “Land of the Dead,” “Don’t Look in the Attic,” “Kane’s Alien Trainwreck,” and “the Ancient Evil.” Just under 45 minutes long, this concept album is packed with some pretty good beats and a diverse sound somewhere along the lines of MF Doom or DJ Spooky. While clearly catchy, what’s less clear is the concept behind this output. Dark, ambient sounds drift over stripped-down tinny beats, jazz rhythms, and horror movie samples for an up-tempo but discordantly morbid mix of beats, bass and cuts. But maybe the meaning behind the album’s secondary. As The Agriculture’s website claims, this is “roof music” – “music for the urban sunrise” – and tries only to deliver good grooves without the elitism of an esoteric artistic statement. Sounds good to me. Check the vibe at www.theagriculture.com.

D.O.A.
Bloodied but Unbowed – the Damage to Date: 1973-83
Sudden Death Records

Pounding, merciless, classic punk rock fills every second of this CD. This is the old school at its finest, true punk in the tradition of the greats. And true to what this legendary Canadian band has come to represent, the album title says it all: here they are, bloodied but unbowed. This collection is a summary of D.O.A.’s “damage to date” indeed, covering the best of a decade of hardcore classic punk. Over the course of the album’s 19 tracks D.O.A. incorporate the Sex Pistols’ raw, snarling vocals, the Ramones’ flat, rapid-fire drumming, and their own socially conscious ideals to clearly demonstrate what has made them anti-establishment icons they are today. Standout classic tracks include all of them.

You Have No Idea What You Are Getting Yourself Into
Does It Offend You, Yeah?
Red Ink Music

While not really living up to their name, the U.K. band’s debut release is loaded with inoffensive dance punk tunes with a rock twist. Hovering between Daft Punk and Muse, the band makes frequent use of the vocoder on “Doomed Now” and “Weird Science” but they also employ regular vocals and guitar riffs on “Dawn of the Dead” and “Epic Last Song,” a catchy post-punk tune similar to the Bravery or the Killers. Toronto’s Sebastien Grainger, formerly of Death from Above 1979, handles the singing duties on “Let’s Make Out,” an aggressive track reminiscent of Grainger’s previous band. Flipping back and forth from an electronic group to a rock band with keyboards throughout the album feels a bit jumbled at times, nevertheless, the album is still a solid release.

Halifax, NS, quartet Dog Day started their musical career back in 2003 when they released 15 burned copies of the material that would eventually become Night Group. That could be the story of any upstart indie bedroom band, other than the fact that, after some positive initial feedback and the decision to screen print another 500 copies, the raw ingenuity and strength of their folk-tinged pop music gained them the attention of college radio stations and, eventually, the CBC, who hooked them up with the Sirius Radio Live program. Four years, later it’s a known fact that these guys rock, and they’ve released a polished and professional album without losing any of the gritty anomie that made them so resonant in the first place. Upbeat and danceable, Dog Day’s music is nonetheless underlined by a subtle sense of apathetic melancholy. It falls into the emerging genre/scene characterized by such other Canadian bands as Stop Die Resuscitate and You Say Party We Say Die! – which is killer, ‘cause dance parties have been associated with disco for too long.

Sarnia, ON, songster Donovan Wood’s debut album may sound like a Dawson’s Creek soundtrack, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad. After all, Woods says, he grew up in the era, and his music is subsequently a mix of the folk he was raised with and the 90s pop he couldn’t help but listen to. The result, fortunately, is quite pleasant. Comparable to current crooners like Bright Eyes and Damien Rice, this acoustic guitar driven album is a hopeful if mellow ode to the frustrations and foibles of modern life, beautifully sung with a humility and urgency that is immediately engaging. Sure to be a favourite around campfires and college dorms. Stand out tracks include “He Drinks Gas” and “I Ain’t Saying She’s Better Than You.”

Martin Dosh is a man raised with music. He was DJing school dances at 12. At 16 he was studying jazz and drums at Simon’s Rock College of Bard in Massachusetts. Since then he has shared the stage with DJ Vadim and Wilco, and recorded with Tapes ’N Tapes. His third and latest release, The Lost Take, is an eclectic electro-jazz trip through the various musical influences in Dosh’s life. Built of Dosh’s jazz-based drumming, found noise, looped harmonies, static, glitch, and just about any other noise that struck the composer as right, The Lost Take is a light, tripping daydream through soundscapes that can’t help but make you smile. Ambient and uplifting, Dosh crafts an ethereal sound that fades in and out of the listener’s consciousness, jumping to the fore with sampled electric guitars, violin and cymbals, then sliding back fuzzy obscurity with lazy, overlapping rhythms of piano and synth. It’s the musical equivalent of drowsing by the river and seeing what floats by.

www.myspace/doshanticon

-James Sandham

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Dr. Dog are a quintet from the greater West Philadelphia area and, according to their website, “are interested in three-part harmonies, the out-of-doors, hoagies, vegetables and diminished chords.” By the sounds of We All Belong, the band’s fifth release, they’re also quite interested in the Beatles, an influence of such prescience on this album that at times you could very well be mistaken you’re listening to lost material from the fab four themselves. This is applicable to “My Old Ways” in particular, which sounds like it could have been a track cut from Help! Likewise, “The Girl” owes a certain debt to “Polythene Pam” and “Ain’t it Strange” to “Strawberry Fields Forever”. But I guess that if you’re going to emulate a sound, you might as well go for the best, and Dr. Dog certainly manage to pull this off. So while this album’s history may be a little more obvious than others, it’s still a damn good listen - if you like the Beatles. Hear them for yourself at:

Dragons of Zythn are less of a musical ensemble and more of a complete sensual-audio experience. Based between Cleveland and New York, they do experimental freak-outs that ride the border between music, madness and mayhem. It’s not exactly the most harmonious stuff to listen to, but it does the push the envelop as far as where specific genres begin and end, blurring sounds and often jumping from rugged, asynchronous rhythms to tranced-out semi-psychedelic breakdowns. It’s somewhat reminiscent of Liars or Lycaon Pictus but with less inhibition to incorporate found noises, beats, and even bits of jazz, as on the track “Get Off”, where it suddenly dissolves into short blasts of punk. It’s weird, and that’s the point. Hear it at:

Not knowing much about The Dreadful Yawns before listening to this CD I wasn’t sure what to expect from them. Their music is a laid back folk country easy listening experience. From the opening to the closing of their appropriately titled album Rest the mood of the music changes little. It puts you into that dream-like state where you sit listening to the music but you are not actually absorbing it. The instrumentals are so siesta-esque that it may take effort to stay awake throughout the albums entirety. The sound of the songs vary little from each other aside from the one song which feature a banjo to really liven things up. Stating that the vocals on this album are quiet is a loud statement. I struggled at times to make out the lyrics, eventually resorting to read them up on the Internet. I originally accepted to review this CD based on the name and all the wordplays that could be derived from the band name. However, I feel the name of this band was chosen purposely to fit the feeling one gets from listening to them. The Dreadful Yawns know that their music is relaxing and puts people into a complacent state of mind. Thus, using their name against them is counteractive. I would recommend this to anyone with insomnia or looking to not offend his or her grandparents.

Dream Aria is a six-piece progressive rock outfit which that will blow your mind with their eclectic debut In The Wake.

Heavily influenced by prog rock and classical, Donald Stagg, the creative genius behind the music, and the keyboardist for the band, employs various harmonies and rhythms, which includes bagpipes, African drums and sample sounds to give the music a truly unique flavour. Added to this is the powerful voice of Ann Burstyn, whose wide vocal range goes from seductively low to voluptuously high to bring the music to life.

This gorgeous 13-song disc collection challenges ideas about what a rock band should sound like. There is a little bit of everything here woven into the fabric of this intelligent melodious odyssey. Even an otherworldly element makes its way here in the upbeat first track Ãƒ¯¿½SpiritÃƒ¯¿½ and Ãƒ¯¿½Sungoddess.Ãƒ¯¿½

The title track is divided into two parts, the flowing and hypnotic East Indian influenced Soul and the drums-induced Body,a much rockier tempo. RaindropsÃƒ¯ is another winning track, as well as the beautiful and moving (and one of my favourites) He touched my soul.Not only is the music engaging, but to truly appreciate what you are hearing, you must also listen to the meaningful lyrics.

The numerous reviews they've received, as well as a growing following, have helped to generate a well-deserved buzz for Dream Aria. In The Wake can boast the honors of being one of the top cds of last year. They'll also appear on Pirates Tales, a compilation cd that will come with a full colour comic book. Cool. Even Books and music store giant, Indigo at Bay and Bloor now carries the disc. Check it out.

http://www.dreamaria.com/

Charmaine Merchant

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Dub Trio projects devilish sounds from the underground, encapsulating the energy—both from the vibe of the crowd and the rawness of the music—in this live Brooklyn performance. This 14 track, summer 2007 release rekindles what I remember the trio to be about: musical chaos to serene groove, unearthly noises produced with man-made instruments, and one night stands with different genres of music.

Purely instrumental, variable in both tempo and tone, the skilled trio—D.P Holmes on guitar, Stuart Brooks on bass, and Joe Tomino on drums—embrace the law of opposites and the law of non-conformity. Their songs contain distinct subsets of contrasting musical breaks, with my biased favorite of reggae upstroke to neck-breaking metal. Each instrument takes the limelight at different times, truly displaying how variable and powerful they can be.

Track four “One Man Tag Crew” is lighter than the other tracks. Although it starts with cocaine speeds, 30 seconds later the comedown proves equally pleasant as the initial high. Dubbed sounds and infectious echoes remind you are tapped into altered reality, but the bass grabs hold and grounds you.

But my hips tell me that my hands-down delight is the slow paced track, “Casting Out the Nines”. Dark, wicked and sinfully chilling. This jungle infused song has a simple bassline that is simply amazing. The drum and bass set later turns to an electric ambient dream, which transitions so seamlessly, that you didn’t even notice when it turned.

Alt country. Dustin Dental knows it. Roots music. Dustin grew up with it, the offspring of the somewhat, almost Cancon greatness of Barney Bentall. He obviously listens to the country classics of yesteryear, and knows the difference between a wayfaring stranger and a red-haired bandit.

On the upside, Bental’s sound adheres to the alt country mold faithfully, following in the steps of other one-time Vancouverites like Neko Case or the rootsy Be Good Tanyas, though his heart ache is not nearly as grievous (or cute for that matter) as either of these acts.

Further on down the highway, Bental is struggling in an ocean of similar continental suit-wearing cowboys. Unfortunately the difference between any typical alt country ‘king of the hill’ (or ‘King of Wolverton Mountain?’) is having the Bloodshot Records seal of approval on the back of the album, something Bental sadly lacks. Not that it’s worth anything, but I’ll give Barney’s boy my own seal of approval for trying, and if Mr. Bental comes through your town this summer, there’s definitely worse shows you could be attending. Oh, and, um, yee haw.

These references are probably missing their intended audience. This gets read in retirement homes, no?

The first track on Try and Love Me called “Oh! My Captain” launches the album into gray sadness as Albertan, Dustin Cole, expresses that his captain has gone. With a consistent tone of gloom, the eight remaining tracks all move in slow tempo, releasing Cole’s lazy vocal whisperings into a modulating ocean of electronic ambience. Lane Arndt, who injected the various beats and electronic sounds, brought dimension to the melodically drained lyrics and delivered a backdrop that was careful to complement, and not overpower Cole.

This album was released in March 27, 2007 and stood uniquely apart from his other recordings of naked vocals and guitar. With the declared theme of modern alienation, coupled with Cole’s (probably intentional) monotone cries, Try and Love Me invokes feelings of solitude.

Kiss me once/Forever leave/I’ll never think or speak again (lyrics from “Last Year’s Leaves”)

You jump the gun/Blew the start/Get lost in tears/Cry for one hundred years/Kick and scream/You don’t know what it means to fall (lyrics from “To Fall”)

Overall I think of Postal Service heavily sedated, clinically depressed and robbed of its infectious beats. Right now I need a pick me up…

A neo-prog collective made up of an international cast of characters (well, half hail from Texas; the rest smoke in pubs in Northern England), The Earlies’ sophomore album The Enemy Chorus somewhat successfully follows in the footsteps of electro-meets-folk-meets-orchestra oddballs the Beta Band, Badly Drawn Boy and the Flaming Lips. While they do skirt comparisons to the bloodthirsty and despicable Polyphonic Spree, that fact alone does not necessarily a good album make. The first few songs tie Stereolab’s pop to Gomez’ rock, to middling effect. Awash in Tangerine Dream’s nocturnal textures, there are druggy Indian influences and sprinklings of Yaz’s more tender moments. The plodding “Bad Is As Bad Does” is spooky blues for the 21^st century, leading into the much more solid second half. Baroque “Gone for the Most Part” could easily segue into Carmina Burana, but leads instead into the jovial swagger of “Foundation and Earth,” a close, if happier, cousin to Beck’s Mutations album. The Gomez-like “When the Wind Blows” is the album’s most rollicking moment, but it is the earthy, warm and fuzzy grooves of “Broken Chain”, reminiscent of Brightblack Morning Light’s magic-on-the-mountain folk, that take the cake. An instrumental rave-up complete with handclaps and eastern flourishes closes it down, leaving the listener with the sense The Enemy Chorus is a better album than it rightfully warrants.

Not much to say, really. Heralded by some a fine slice of “post-goth,” garnering comparisons to both Brian Eno’s landscapes and My Bloody Valentines’ pop noise. However, all this really means in the end is that the Early Day Miners’ Offshore sits in the shadows of two juggernauts, unable to challenge the boundaries set by either Eno or Kevin Shields’ oeuvre.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that it’s bad. Just not that good. And it doesn’t sound like they had much fun recording it...

Really...What the hell was F.M, Cornog on when he made this? It’s not exactly bad, there are moments that would make you think that this is a great album, track three for example, is haunting and comprised of great Beatles harmony. After that however, it all sounds like it was made in a garage, in a bad way. I usually dig the lo-fi sound, but for lo-fi to work it has to be mixed meticulously, I don’t really understand what went wrong here, Cornogs previous work The Gasoline Age is supposedly incredible. At what point did he decided that he wanted to downgrade himself to sounding like a group of awkward teenage boys making songs about drugs?

I have to admit after a few listens it does grow on you, although the drug references seem too obvious, as if they were throw in because he didn’t know what else to write. This album is really a shame…It could be good, it just isn’t.

-Mikalya Carson

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LA-based quartet Echoes of Eternity create music that would easily fall smack into the heavy metal category, if it wasn’t for vocalist Francine Boucher. Amidst Brandon Patton’s pounding thrash guitar and Kirk Carrison’s merciless double bass drumming, Boucher’s angelic choir girl voice somehow manages to find a space for itself, resulting in the kind of music you might expect from a collaboration between Slayer and Delirium: fast, hard, yet inconsonantly tinged by a spaced-out medieval choral influence. It’s certainly a niche taste. The best way to sum up the sound is to take a look at the album’s cover art: a classically sculpted angel spattered in blood in a misty field. Yes, EoE are a band of two extremes, incorporating both the beauty and the beast in a single package. Melodramatic and angst-ridden, it’s sure to find its niche amongst fans of Evanescence, and those torn between their love for Children of Bodom and Medieval Babes.

The next compilation from French label Ed Banger, Ed Rec Vol. 2 purveys more “future breakdance” by the likes of electronic duo Justice and DJ Mehdi. There are some good tracks here, particularly “Phantom Part 1” by the aforementioned Justice, Busy P’s “Rainbow Man” and the Depth Charge-like “Strings of Death” by Krazy Baldhead, but overall the mix is not very substantial, nor is it mixed together very well. Label lynch pin Uffie’s “Dismissed” is downright offensive, and not in a good way; the girls’ litany of complaints sounds like half-rate Le Tigre. DJ Mehdi’s pair of contributions is a much less fun take on Canadian duo Chromeo’s dance-funk. Still, the mix seems to straighten itself out by the end, with the So Me Remix of the Klaxons’ “Golden Skans to Interzone” bringing back to mind vintage Chemical Brothers, complete with sirens and throbbing bass. Kudos, too, for Mr. Flash’s Yacht Rock-worthy synth work on “Eagle Eyez”; Mike MacDonald, beware.

Netherland-born Edie – nee Edith Pijpers – sounds a little like Sinead O’Connor – pre-Saturday Night Live Pope picture-ripping fiasco – on her third LP Realities. She oscillates between dark, alternative folk rockings to new wave synth patterns – but I’m not sure if this is a good thing. Her voice appears to fit the Celtic folk genre but she attempts to mould it into a sometimes dancey-alternative mix.

The opening track “Through” highlights this foreign indie juxtaposition and while it is a catchy little track, I’m not entirely convinced of her musical musings. The second track “Frontier” showcases a darker side to her lullaby cooing, where a mesmerizing violin in the background brings on a bit of a French theme on the song.

“Lit Up” travels back to the new wave era but with a slightly slower beat which makes the track sound a little heavier than it normally would be expected to sound. The twanging of the guitar and heavy bass help the track avoid that light and electronic side of new wave music.

Vocally, Edie is sweet to listen to, easy on the ears and a pleasure to experience. Her beats on the other hand don’t match her voice. It’s as if she’s trying to fit into a bunch of different musical tastes but her voice isn’t adjusting to the eclectic mixes.

“Underground” is a great example of Edie’s voice being used to its full potential. The steady grinding of the guitar and deafening beat of the drum blend well with her sexy, mysterious, throaty vocals – think Marianne Faithfull but calm and sans destructiveness.

As much as Realities wasn’t the gem I thought it would be, I have to respect Edie’s ambition in taking some risks and trying on different musical hats. Nonetheless, risk-taking aside, Edie should put this record being her and stick to something a little more familiar. Leave the percussion-tambourine pop beats on the backburner and focus on some deep, minimal indie rock blendings. You owe it to your voice.

The trio that is Elevator Action, are back with their latest package, "Society Secret", the follow-up to their well received debut It's Just Addiction.

The hint of what the 11-song disc is all about can be found in the title. Singer/songwriter/guitarist Eric Gilstrap, according to the band's bio, has always had a fascination with the idea of secret societies. But, more than that, it also explores themes of relationships and the secrets between people.

"Your secret is safe with me", Gilstrap assures in the upbeat opening track: "Surely You Know." During the making of the album, Gilstrap, along with bassist Laurie Ruroden, who supplies additional vocals and drummer James Donley, had gone through various experiences which have strongly influenced the tracks.

"Start A War" is about "feeling desperate for answers", while "Call Me Transistor" is about looking back to what was, in order to get through what is.

The music of these pop rockers is catchy though with an 80s element, reminiscent of Tom Petty and David Bowie, fused with the modern crunch of a grungy/pop style. Their energy comes across in the stand out tracks "Nuvo" and "The Pleasure's All Mine." Another highlight is the title tune, in reverse order on the disc, about a love triangle.

This album is definitely close to the heart of each member, and as Gilstrap has said, "it appeared that we may very well have a special record on our hands."

A very special one, indeed.

By Charmaine Merchant

www.myspace.com/elevatoractionrocks

http://www.morisen.com/

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When I first popped in this CD I wasn’t expecting anything spectacular. I completely underestimated Elk City, and was absolutely eager to review this album. It captivated me instantly with its storytelling, original songs, and excellent instrumentals. Too many albums are released nowadays that seem as if they were produced with next to little effort with songs that sound no different from one to the next. Elk City’s latest album New Believers turned me from a nonbeliever to a believer. The eleven stunning tracks on this album keep you wanting more and more of Elk City. No two songs sound similar. This is the main ingredient to make an album more than just another record release. Renée LoBue’s ability to tell you a story like the track Little Brother is ear grabbing. She won’t let your attention go until the song ends, and then brings you back with one mesmerizing track after another. New Believers holds you through out the entire length of the album with tracks varying from up-tempo songs like White Walls about non-conformity to dark introspective songs about personal secrets like My Type of Criminal. The production of this album is stunning; crisp and balanced. No struggling to hear any one particular instrument. The guitars fit perfectly into every song, and if it’s your thing there are even a few guitar solos amid this prime piece of perfectly performed music. I recommend this album to everyone. If you want a musical journey outside of the everyday sound this is the ticket for your ride.

Armed with a guitar, a sound slightly reminiscent of Bright Eyes and a penchant for naming songs after spring holidays, Elvis Perkins has assembled Ash Wednesday, not a miraculously wonderful album, but still a great effort nonetheless.

A mostly acoustic affair, Ash Wednesday strums and sways through eleven melancholy folk rock tunes that ponder loneliness, life after death, love, sex, drive-thrus and Captain America. Though the songs are sad and searching, introspective and pensive, they are so, without being self-indulgent or whiny. Elvis Perkins manages to convey an endearing optimism and humility that pulls otherwise brooding sullen songs up into more palatable territory. On the sole electric track “May Day” Perkins gets downright jovial; though he is singing of heartbreak, an ex-girlfriend and “the ancient black tears that stain [her] robe”.

Perkins’ greatest strength is his lyrics, which are picturesque, well worded and at times downright strange. Some choice couplets include “the Cocteau is covered in butter/ the ghosts of cappuccino and Zsa Zsa hover” from “Emile’s Vietnam In The Sky” (apparently where we go when we die) or “the captain of America/ he sings through his toothpaste” from the aforementioned “May Day”. Though his wording can be peculiar it is never ridiculous, but instead, always poetic and merely adds to the charm of the album.

Though Ash Wednesday isn’t terribly original in terms of song structure Perkins does keep things interesting by using some dense arrangements. He makes use of subtle yet cozy violin riffing, close harmonies, piano fills, choral (read studio full of friends) sing-alongs and even what sounds like a singing saw. The songs are anything but boring musically and the excellent production makes for many repeat listens. Standout track “Moon Woman II” in particular is a beautifully produced piece of music worthy of much praise as is the expansive piano based closer “Good Friday”.

Ash Wednesday is a formidable debut for Elvis Perkins whose star appears to be rising as he has already had songs featured in the film Fast Food Nation and on the motherfuckin’ O.C.. If Seth Cohen thinks he’s cool, you probably will too.

If the End of Fashion’s radio friendly, hook heavy self-titled CD sounds too polished for a debut album, that’s because it is. They have already won 2 ARIA’s (Australian Recording Industry Awards) and had their album go Gold in Australia and New Zealand. After achieving much success in their home country with their “Too Careful” and “Rough Diamonds” EP’s, the Perth based band traveled to Mississippi to work with much revered producer Dennis Herring (who achieved his greatest success producing Modest Mouse’s 2004 “Good News for People Who Love Bad News”).

When I first listened to this CD I thought that it sounded just like another one of those radio-friendly bubblegum nothing bands that would disappear after their first single. I was pleasantly surprised when listening to it for a second time, as I always do, that the songs actually did have some substance to them. The songs all have several things in common: excellent production, catchy hooks, lyrics you can’t help but sing along to and lead singer Justin Burford’s piercing falsetto.

Although there is a range of sound on the record, reminding me of everything from Oasis to Muse and Queen, the band that I was most reminded of was Jet. Remember them? They were the grungy rock band that released the solid “Get Born” in 2003, then over-saturated the market to the point where most people couldn’t stand to hear their songs anymore, for fear of being reminded of those annoyingly overplayed iPod commercials.

Now if End of Fashion can just find a way to ride the middle ground; gain some fame and expand their fan base without becoming media whores, they may be able to be one of the few bands that can last the test of time. As George W. Bush has said, “Let’s let history be the judge”.

-Matthew Gorman

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A former teacher of mine once stopped half way through a lecture on international relations to tell us that Evanescence is his favourite band. If Evanescence was my favourite I’d probably be too embarrassed to admit it in front of 300 judgemental undergrads, so props to him. But I guess that’s their strength: Evanescence can just as easily appeal to middle-aged poli sci professors as self-loathing suburban teenagers – probably because both demographics are depressed as hell. Speaking for myself, I prefer something a little more upbeat in these dark times. But if you prefer to wallow in your gloom, Evanescence remain a reasonable choice. On this album, their second, singer Amy Lee claims to be exercising more personal control over the content, but as far as I can tell, it sounds just like their first effort – lots of tortured singing/screaming – though maybe less formulaic this time. I’ll be honest with you though: the only reason I opted to review this CD was because I got a free copy and used CD stores pay top dollar for massively popular crap like this. The moral is, if you’re gonna buy it, to buy it used; your money could be better spent than financing a rich rocker’s self-indulgent sense of oppression.

Bring in the dark, upbeat, catchy, dance-y, synth where hearts are weapons and weapons make good music. Some people use their extra $290 to invest in mutual funds, save for retirement or have fun playing the stock market. Every Move A Picture wisely took a gamble in another way with their moolah. Their payoff was a three song demo which has taken them much farther than any other investment ever could have.“Signs of Life,” “Chemical Burns” and “12AM,” which all appear on Heart=Weapon, got them noticed by their native San Francisco and Los Angeles radio stations.

Their tracks even made waves across the Atlantic in the UK, with XFM introducing Picture, to the Radio 1 crowd. Moving quickly from underground dance parties in lofts and bars, they graduated to the prestige gigs at SXSW, the Dot Dot Dot Festival, Reading and Leeds Festivals and playing a hometown crowd radio festival with the Foo Fighters and Hot Hot Heat. Along the way Every Move recorded two more songs, “You’re So Predictable” and “St. John’s Night”, of which “Night” appears on Heart=Weapon, into the limited run Blink and You’ll Miss It EP. If you were listening and watching closely you could’ve also caught Every Move’s music on computer games and the WB’s ‘One Tree Hill.’ If we’re lucky we’ll get to hear Every Move A Picture bouncing out alt rock radio car windows everywhere in Canada soon.

http://www.everymoveapicture.com/

http://www.v2records.com/

-Heather Rayment

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Ermine
The Murra
Tiktoktiktok Music/BBQ

Likeable heavy… But what is the glaring intangible flaw to this album? Why is it that I had to listen to this album twice?
Being a fan of this music I find myself struggling to get what this band is selling. It could be the lack of clarity in the lyrics as they seem to only be audible when the instruments cut out for a brief but welcomed beat or two. It could be the mish mash of over production. There simply is too much happening behind the lead vocals that the song lyrics are lost. I think back to many ‘Tool’ style bands and find by the 7th track “Motel” that the problem I have is this simply ISN’T Tool and Ermine’s vocals just don’t stand up to this kind of heavy sound unless you have the name James Keenan Maynard. It is a valiant effort and a good alternative rock band who unfortunately are not much more at this point than a local venue alternative to seeing the real thing.

-Ferren Whittaker

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The Essex Green
Cannibal Green
Merge Records

The Cannibal Sea contains sunny, shiny, sing along melodies, many of which are harmonized on by the band itself (Chris Ziter, Sasha Bell and Jeff Baron), but do not worry- you can sing along too! In fact, you’re going to anyway so don’t be embarrassed...shout out loud. This is a record you could listen to with your hippie parents minus the hand holding because you’re now too old and now sit in uncomfortable stares, looking at each other wondering what the other is thinking because for once you share the same taste.

Keyboard and acoustic-centric bass make cloudy shapes float by slowly. Made up of parts of the Elephant 6 collective, founding member Ziter is joined by Ladybug Transistor members Bell and Baron, along with other unnamed collaborators.
If this doesn’t make you happy, nothing will.

http://www.theessexgreen.com/

http://www.mergerecords.com/

-Heather Rayment

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L.A based trio, Everybody Else show up on bikes to swoon teenage girls and promise a sweet poppy rock ride. I can see girls getting addicted to this kind of candy—bright colored exterior with slight edge—like Pop Rocks or Fizz. Fronted by, at times scratchy, all the time boyishly sexy vocals, Carrick Moore Gerety sings with strength and demands recognition. And in an ensemble of keyboard, electric guitar and bass with Mikey McCormack and Austin Williams, these boys produce undeniably catchy tracks with simple, yet energetically saturated soundscapes that sound both “retro and modern”. My best explanatory analogue is current Weezer music played by 16 year olds.

My main concern for Everybody Else is at times they can sound like everybody else which can be either good or bad. They are ideal for commercial success in the sense they fit picture perfectly alongside massively successful teenage pop rock bands (and can be compared to bubblegum Simple Plan, and lollipop Ashley Parker Angel). Although they have a small twist of vintage, I believe they can expand their artistry to further set themselves apart. Right now as stands, they owe their songwriting style to the sixties and their influences range from the Clash to Elvis Costello.

My favourite is, “In Memoriam”, where the music tastes soothing sugar; however, I wish they replaced the chorus with something else (It’s too lyrically and melodically predictable). A slow ballad “Button for Punishment” rekindles my inner 12 year old and yearns to revisit that initial puppy love experience. The other 11 songs are also heavily themed with innocent love and everything else a girl would want to hear from a boy. Girls get ready to bring your toothaches to the dentist.

This bass and drum rock duo from Chicago rock! Singer, bass player and founder Evie Evil has convinced me that you don’t need a guitar to rock out anymore. Who needs a “stinkin” guitar when today’s technology allows you to mimic the sound of a raunchy guitar with a bass? Add high energy drums (played by heavy hitter, Gene Trautman) and a cool voice (that sounds a bit like Kim Deal’s from Breeders) and you have all you need for rock and roll.

The first track “Believin’ Deceivin is a catchy tune but I found that it went on a bit long and it started becoming repetitive after the first 3 minutes. “Under the Gun” is reminiscent of early Jane’s Addiciton; a heavy tune with quiet interludes. I love the machine gun drumming towards the end which unifys the music with the lyrics. They also do an excellent cover of Iggy Pop’s “I Wanna Be Your Dog” played with a disco beat.

Overall, this CD was a fun listen. I hope big things happen for Evil Beaver.

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Eux Autres
Hell is Eux Autres
Grenadine Records

Born in Omaha, Nebraska, and currently based in Portland, Oregon, brother-sister duo Eux Autres could just as easily have grown their sound in Montreal - not only because their music, like much coming from Canada's hippest city, is stamped with that ebullient, youthful, indie sound, but because of the nine tracks that comprise this CD, two are in French. Ecoutez Bien and Salut Les Copains, linguistic characteristics notwithstanding, may nonetheless be two of the better tracks from this altogether standout album. Like the rest of the LP, they are clever, catchy tunes, precocious without being pretentious, and sweetly esoteric without coming across as elitist. Given these strengths, it is perhaps surprising then that Hell is...has been available for more than a year now without garnering much attention. Issued in 2004 after Eux Autres' 2003 debut EP, Hell is...has now been re-released - hopefully to ride the wave of success that has swept up such acts as Belle and Sebastian and Tegan and Sara. Eliciting comparisons to these groups, with a touch of early 60s French pop thrown in, Eux Autres have a strong pop sound characterized by call-and-response choruses, harmonies, and simple, catchy drum and guitar lines. Sweet, simple, and socially astute music for earnest dreamers.

http://www.euxautres.net/

-James Sandham

As long as there are frat parties, there will be local reggae acts to play them. Heir apparent to the throne of campus-friendly Ja-colytes like One and Bedouin Soundclash, Montreal’s The Expos sound more Kingston, Ontario, than Kingston, Jamaica. That said, Old Friends, the band’s first album, is actually a much better listen than should rightfully be expected given such a suspicious pedigree. The Expos stick to barebones roots-reggae – a nice lo-fi production filled with substantial soul-food servings of horns and the Hammond B3. The instrumental segments of the title track or the tropical Film Noir of “On the Road” belie their Canadian upbringing; warm, fuzzy grooves that beg for a few Caribs as the sun sets on the beach. Unfortunately, the singing leaves something to be desired; not to fault vocalists Reed Neagle or Michel Verrier, but (and I’m obviously oversimplifying matters here), there is just something too jarringly inauthentic about a North American suburbanite belting out reggae numbers. “What?” people will say. “A white man can’t sing reggae? That’s a load of B.S.!!” Well, actually, it’s true: They can’t sing reggae, they can’t rap, and they can’t jump; it smacks of the friend recently returned from “traveling” – whether it be to Jamaica, Thailand, or Australia, it doesn’t seem to matter – who comes back suntanned and broke with Bob Marley’s Legend committed to memory: “I learned how to play a few chords on the beach…” You know the guy. He’s the one in the toga, waving you over to do the next keg-stand.