It’s the taping for an early November episode of venerable UK music show Later… with Jools Holland and 24-year-old Al Spx is making her television debut with only a single to her Cold Specks moniker. She stands in the centre of room, bathed in a blue spotlight, hands clasped and eyes closed, and launches into a haunting a capellagospel[Read More…]
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Cold Specks is heating up
Jim Anderson It’s the taping for an early November episode of venerable UK music show Later… with Jools Holland and 24-year-old Al Spx is making her television debut with only a single to her Cold Specks moniker. She stands in the centre of room, bathed in a blue spotlight, hands[Read More…]
Delta Spirit: Delta Spirit
Delta Spirit’s self-titled third album sees the band attempting to shake their “rootsy Americana” label, offering their sleekest, most polished, and accessible record to date, for better or worse. The new direction isn’t completely unexpected considering the prominence of rock-based songs on their sophomore effort History From Below, but it[Read More…]
Deep Cuts: Your guide to Montreal Record Stores
Located off of St. Denis just south of the Mont-Royal metro, L’Oblique is a cozy and peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of its neighbouring street. The store is split evenly between vinyl and CDs (there’s even a tiny, nostalgic section reserved for cassettes and eight-tracks), and it’s also[Read More…]
Everything happens here, then nothing for a long, long time.
Canculture.com On Provincial, John K. Samson, the front man of beloved Winnipeg folk-rockers the Weakerthans set out to uncover the forgotten histories and contemporary culture of his home province of Manitoba. The project was initially conceived as a series of 7″ records based around different Manitoba roads before Samson[Read More…]
Passovah turns four, celebrates with friends
oharahale.com Passovah is growing up and throwing a party at Il Motore this Friday to celebrate. Founded by Noah Bick, a U2 English student, the music promotion and production company began organizing shows in late 2007 at the now-defunct Griffintown venue, the Friendship Cove. What initially began as monthly loft[Read More…]
Hashtag Criticism
Two weeks ago, SPIN Magazine announced it would be discontinuing its traditional in-print album reviews in favour of 140-character reviews posted on Twitter (@SPINreviews). SPIN reasons that, thanks to the Internet, listeners don’t depend on professional critics to act as authoritative voices about new releases: all anyone needs to discover[Read More…]
John K. Samson: Provincial
John K. Samson has penned some impressive lyrics as the frontman for beloved folk-rockers the Weakerthans, but none may better capture the heart of his music than the simple refrain of “I hate Winnipeg.” It’s the half-joking lyrical crux of 2003’s “One Great City!” a song about Samson’s love-hate relationship[Read More…]
Top Ten Albums of 2011
Ryan’s Top Ten Albums of 2011: 10. Adele—21 This isn’t even a guilty pleasure. 21 is a collection of well-written and incredibly catchy, soulful pop songs with lyrics at once intensely personal yet universally relatable. Sometimes it’s just that simple. More pop music like this, please. 9. The Luyas—Too Beautiful to Work The Luyas exist[Read More…]
Los Campesinos!: Hello Sadness
If the title alone doesn’t give it away, it only takes a cursory glance at the tracklisting to know Hello Sadness isn’t going to be the feel-good album of the year. Not that Los Campesinos! have ever really been all sunshine and rainbows—they have a knack for putting biting lyrics[Read More…]
