It’s fitting that Zach Braff is about to successfully complete a kickstarter for Garden State Two: Electric Whimsy-loo as I soak in the new Mike Feuerstack record. For better or for worse, Garden State is now associated with the realization that music (or maybe just The Shins) can change your life. I’ve honestly never felt(…)
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(…)
The finest in middle-aged hip-hop. This one sentence disclaimer serves as the entire description on the bandcamp page for Sitting Music, the latest album from charismatic Toronto emcee Abdominal. Strictly speaking, as a 38 year old white dude who’s been a lifelong hip hop enthusiast, anything described as “middle-aged hip hop” should be 100% up(…)
“And some kids who heard, saw me in them, at a time when music was everything.” On the autobiographical “Almost Everything”, Hayden Desser sings of kids putting themselves into his mopey, heartfelt songs. Hayden sung what he knew, whether it was confusion or a love burning as bright and fast as a shooting star. The(…)
It’s really quite pleasing when an album you’ve been anticipating for a while ends up exceeding your expectations. Vancouver producer Tor makes really good instrumental, downtempo/hip hop-influenced music, and I’d been supremely impressed each and every time we were sent some of his work. But I’d been waiting a while (a couple years maybe) for(…)
Nathan Lawr is no stranger to political subject matter, but his output under the Minotaurs moniker is his most inspired to date. It might also be the most important. Using the pace, rhythms and triumphant horns of afrobeat, the idea of New Believers is more than just the title of a record. It’s a necessity.(…)
Apparently yesterday was the official launch day for Canadian blog year-end lists. Three or four blogs I read on a daily basis offered up their personalized view of the year in music, and as I scanned through the worthy additions, I couldn’t help but feel they overlooked one of the purest voices and most lovely(…)
I don’t know Jody Glenham; we met once in passing and have exchanged music emails and tweets, but for some reason I feel like I’ve browsed her record collection and watched the ash fall into the ceramics that occupy her table. So for me to hypothesize that “Gypsy Babe” is the result of aging gracefully,(…)
I’m rather late getting around to posting on More Or Les’ latest record, Mastication, but I have to say, if people really wanted to listen to hip hop they can relate to, as so many people often claim, this would already be in the favourites pile of every cool kid you know. Why? Well, as(…)
Music, for all its good, unfortunately offers most a unique opportunity for Gatsby like reinvention. The minute a singer / songwriter jumps from covering Jack Johnson to pick up girls to recording with a serious country record with weeping strings, picked banjo and mournful steel, he is what he determines society wants. It’s so easy(…)
