Sounds and images from the era of Windows 95 and peak mall culture manipulated to a degree that is both recognizable of its past roots yet remarkably separate from its source material; this is the spirit of the internet-born subculture, vaporwave. The aesthetics of vaporwave revolve mainly around the popular[Read More…]
Music
‘Miss Americana’ is a shallow depiction of stardom
Taylor Swift—renowned singer-songwriter, multi-millionaire, 35-time Grammy award nominee, 10-time Grammy award winner, one-time Kendrick Lamar collaborator, two-time Kanye clasher, and attempted Pennsylvania political reformer—sits on her couch in tears because her then-recent album, Reputation, was not nominated for Album of the Year at the Grammys. This devastating moment occurs about[Read More…]
Thursdays (a) Live makes its debut of the decade
On a chilly Thursday night, a small crowd of student musicians and their supportive fans filed into the basement of The Yellow Door. With enough Tim Hortons’ hot chocolate to fuel a small army and a “shoes off at the front door” policy, Jam for Justice and McGill radio station[Read More…]
In conversation with NOBRO
From the first riff of their electric guitar, Montreal punk rock group NOBRO will have listeners feeling ready to dye their hair Manic Panic pink and stomp angrily down the street in a pair of Doc Martens. With uniquely powerful drums and the unexpected inclusion of bongos, NOBRO is pursuing[Read More…]
‘Back to the House Concert’ is a rousing success
Cramming 100 people inside an apartment kitchen is not easy. It also is not easy to play live rock music on a residential street without getting a noise complaint or two. But the “Back to the House Concert,” which raised funds for the charity Jam for Justice, managed to accomplish[Read More…]
In conversation with Nervous Nancy: Living through this
At first glance, Nervous Nancy is a ecclectic assortment of personality, dyed hair, and talent to spare. This four-piece student band is determined to keep punk alive. It all started this past February, when lead singer and guitarist Ada Levine made a post in the McGill University Entering Class of[Read More…]
In conversation with Stefani Bondari
A soft cymbal joins a lonely bass as Stefani Bondari sings: “It will be, it is, it was.” These lyrics both open and close the song “Winter,” the fifth and final track from Bondari’s song suite Seasons. In only seven words, the line reveals a motif that Bondari says had bearing[Read More…]
PUP don’t care about nothing
Early into their Oct. 22 concert, the Toronto-based punk rock band PUP halted their performance; lead singer Stefan Babcock pointed to the mosh pit and said a few words to the sold-out crowd at Corona Theatre. “Someone lost a shoe,” Babcock said. “Whose shoe is that?” The shoe found its[Read More…]
Kanye West’s ‘Jesus is King’ is both unexceptional and transcendent
Kanye West may be a problematic, belligerent, and generally irritating person, but many consider him to be one of the most gifted artists of his generation. On Oct. 25, West finally released the long-awaited album Jesus is King, his ninth solo project, alongside a half-hour film by the same name.[Read More…]
Dream-pop in bloom: In conversation with Sorrey
As the saying goes, slow and steady wins the race. In the case of the dream pop group Sorrey, slow and steady can also produce a great album. On Oct. 18, the Prince Edward Island-based dream-pop band released their full-length debut album, In Full Bloom, their first release since their[Read More…]