In his early 17th century play Othello, Shakespeare coined the phrase “green-eyed monster.” The phrase, used to describe jealousy, enjoys popular use to this day, and refers to one of humankind’s most irrational, yet common, emotions. Similarly, theatre companies remount Othello year after year, attempting to refresh and rejuvenate the[Read More…]
Articles by Diana Wright
Where have all the role models gone?
In our sex-saturated society it’s easy to wonder where all the positive female role models in pop music have gone; tweens and young women are bombarded with images of barely-clothed women writhing around on the floor, or, oddly, humping foam fingers. Sometimes, even the few female artists who donít have[Read More…]
Lady Gaga – ARTPOP
Although ‘dull’ isn’t a word you would usually associate with the avant-garde, publicity stunt-loving ‘Queen of Monsters,’ the first time I listened to Lady Gaga’s new album, I skipped pretty much every song. The only one I managed to listen to all the way through was piano ballad “Dope,” which[Read More…]
M.I.A. – Matangi
As an M.I.A. fan, it feels like I’ve been waiting eons to hear a satisfying amount of new material from the London rapper and singer. Fortunately, Matangi doesn’t disappoint. This album has been a long time in the making, and is quite a departure from her last noise-heavy release, 2010’s[Read More…]
Sky Ferreira – Night Time, My Time
With so much recent attention on Sky Ferreira’s private life—most notably her September arrest for ecstasy possession—it’s a relief to finally hear some of her music. Thankfully, her first full-length release, Night Time, My Time is exciting and moody, featuring a wide array of potential singles. Although first single “You’re[Read More…]
NTS graduate Colm Feore graces local stage once again
It’s no secret that there is a healthy amount of tension between Anglophone and Francophone cultures in Montreal, but one place the two co-exist beautifully is at NTS, a school that fosters the acting, writing, and directing talents of young people of both languages. Canadian actor Colm Feore graduated from[Read More…]
Aokification nation
What does Steve Aoki—notorious cake thrower and DJ extraordinaire—do when he’s not performing for hundreds of university students? He drinks green juice. “It sounds like we’re partying every night, but we’re usually healthy [….] I’m drinking the craziest drink right now, it’s pure green and kind of tastes like grass.”[Read More…]
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
It always disturbs me when I hear one of my female peers say something to the tune of, “Don’t worry—I’m not a feminist or anything,” as if it’s something to be embarrassed or even worried about. Thankfully, Imago Theatre’s production of If We Were Birds screams feminism, highlighting the strength[Read More…]
Arctic Monkeys – AM
Alex Turner and the boys have returned—with a decidedly poppier sound. AM takes a bit of warming up to; it’s hard to reconcile this band with the one that produced 2006’s punk-infused Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, or 2009’s hard rocking Humbug. Alas, part of what has defined the Monkeys over the years is their ever-changing sound, and AM is just another step in that evolution.
Basia Bulat – Tall Tall Shadow
Whenever I listen to a new album, I try and envisage what type of movie the album would be the perfect soundtrack to. Tall Tall Shadow by Torontonian Basia Bulat would accompany an idiosyncratic rom-com—like (500) Days of Summer—or a quirky romantic dramedy—like last year’s Take This Waltz.
POP, lock, and drop it
In the vast landscape of the indie-folk genre, Young Benjamins would lie at the intersection of better-known acts Born Ruffians and Mumford & Sons. Their repertoire features mostly frenetic foot-stomping tracks, with some laid-back tunes mixed in. Relative newcomers to the music industry, the four-piece Saskatoon group only released their first LP, Less Argue, this past spring. The band has equal gender representation, composed of two men (guitarist and drummer) and two women (bassist and violinist/keyboardist). Though they’re still somewhat raw, their versatility and exciting melodies provide glimpses of the high ceiling Young Benjamins has. The presence of the violin really strengthens their sound, and makes for an interesting dynamic when it interacts with the edgy electric guitar. If you’re looking for a lively show that strikes a balance between dancing and artistic enjoyment, look no farther than Young Benjamins.
Reaching a fever pitch
Colin MacDougall, guitarist and co-founder of Ottawa-based indie-electro outfit Fevers, has loved music ever since he developed fine motor skills.
McGill’s English department brings Shakespeare to life
With endless exams and essays currently stretching out before us, nothing feels farther away than summer. Fortunately, the McGill English Department’s production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream provides a glimpse of the warmer months to come. The show sparkles with youthful enthusiasm, and features a cast comprised of the[Read More…]
Ingrid Gatin: 1000 Lives
Few modern artists use the accordion in their songs, and even fewer can use it with the grace and flair of Ingrid Gatin. Her second full-length release, 1000 Lives, is dramatic and old school, relying heavily on piano, and the aforementioned accordion. Winnipegger Gatin has a dynamic, strong voice, and[Read More…]
A portrait of the artist as a cranky old man
Before Don Draper, there was Bert Stern—a man who forever shaped the way we looked at consumer products. Bert Stern: Original Mad Man takes an intimate look at one of the most influential fashion and celebrity photographers of the 20th century. Stern was a pioneer in the field of commercial[Read More…]
Bonobo: The North Borders
Bonobo is back, and he has evolved. The North Borders, the British producer’s first album of original material since 2010’s Black Sands, boasts a heavily modern UK garage sound with inflections of fellow garage artist Burial. Simon Green, also known as Bonobo, is the most popular guy on the Ninja[Read More…]
In synth we Trust: interview with Robert Alfons
‘Winnipeg’ and ‘vampiric slouchy dance-pop’ might not normally be used in the same sentence, but they describe Robert Alfons, the man behind Trust, one of Canada’s recent breakthrough indie acts. Alfons has been on the road almost continuously since the release of 2012’s TRST, his band’s debut full-length album. Working[Read More…]
Maston: Shadows
Frank Maston has created a fast-paced, intriguing, and peculiar album with his band Maston’s latest release Shadows, one calling to mind The Beatles, The Beach Boys, and 2012’s breakthrough act Tame Impala. The album is whimsical and dreamy, zipping through to its conclusion before you know it—only one of the[Read More…]
Something wicked this way comes
Players’ Theatre’s production of Macbeth, directed by Martin Law, transports Shakespeare’s classic tragedy to the end of WWI in the form of a humanized epic. The play features a strong cast, with Matthew Rian Steen and Annie MacKay at the helm as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Setting the play in[Read More…]
Fleetwood Mac: Rumours (Reissue)
Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 classic Rumours is the best break-up record ever made, as it chronicles the breakdown of relationships between bandmates John McVie and Christine McVie, Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. This month, the band is reissuing the album to coincide with a tour of the U.S. and Canada in[Read More…]
Supernatural creatures are beautiful too
Beautiful Creatures, a soon to- be-released fantasy flick, depicts the turbulent love story of Lena Duchannes (Alice Englert) and Ethan Wate (Alden Ehrenreich), as the teens navigate Lena’s family of witches (or ‘casters’, as they prefer to be called), and the inhabitants of their close-minded Southern town. According to Emmy[Read More…]