Regrets, I got plenty of ‘em. Fairly certain I’ll have plenty more by the time it’s all said and done. That’s part & parcel of being a human being, is it not? I can’t be sure, but I think having zero regrets about the life you’ve lived to date might make you a sociopath. No(…)
Ambition. Yes, every modern MC has this in abundance. Just look at all those “Rise & Grind” tweets, I mean they wouldn’t tweet such a thing if they weren’t getting up and getting after it, right? That’s great, but what is it that most modern rappers are striving for? Money? Fame? Many unflattering tattoos? A(…)
Donovan Woods is a refreshingly uncomplicated songwriter. Studio tricks, superfluous layers and cleverly turned phrases are left behind for scavengers to pick clean. Donovan’s most honest thoughts, purest emotions and best melodies are served without chasers or diluting mix. Simplicity and clarity are his two greatest gifts. Not surprisingly, Woods’ new record Don’t Get Too(…)
Wearing an influence on your sleeve can be a dangerous branding… just ask anyone with Chinese characters or a tribal armband. For The Shilohs, one of the most buzzed about Vancouver bands to hit the scene in years, their dedication to crafting shimmering pop nuggets worthy of the bands from ’60s and ’70s is more(…)
My idea is pretty simple. Pick a label, and offer up five songs courtesy of five of their heaviest hitters. It’s time to shine a light on the people still willing to venture down the thankless road of helping bands get their songs out and heard. With so much music being recorded at home and(…)
A quick perusal of the hill will show I’ve always enjoyed the work of Halifax’s multi-talented A.A. Wallace, so news of an impending debut full-length release in May is welcome news indeed. As a taste of what’s to come, A.A. has released a new single entitled This Can Heal in original and extra remixy flavours(…)
The comforts of habit and routine are a weighty albatross hung from almost every neck. For Mark Andrew Hamilton, front man of the orchestral folk outfit Woodpigeon, that weight became chains. Somehow, a man with a voice that soars freely became sedimentary and stagnate. Hamilton planned his escape. After bribing guards, picking locks and digging(…)
Seemingly simple acoustic songs remind us of the past. When done poorly, the results are dated and disposable. Confessions thrown into the wind only to fall to the side of the road like discarded trash. There are only so many chords and so many voices. Only so many beautiful faces that can launch new fleets.(…)
Snow. Rain. Gale Force Winds. Slush. None of these things are sexy. Now this new video from The Extremities and Kaleb Simmonds, now that is sexy. It’s perfect viewing to take you sexily into your weekend. And you can also forget the Weeknd, this is the kind of Canadian R&B I can get behind. Immaculately(…)
If some mountain-climber-who-plays-an-electric-guitar type A&R dude (word to the GZA) were to come to me and say “Shane, I need a young, up & coming group for airplay on Canadian Urban Radio, stat!”, who would I recommend? Well, my actual answer would be more along the lines of “Who is this & how did you(…)
