Album Reviews: Sharon Van Etten, Kero Kero Bonito, Julien Baker

 Kero Kero Bonito — Civilization II (London, U.K.) There's always an undeniable charm to Kero Kero Bonito's uniquely layered yet chipper approach to pop, that gives them a versatility some bands can't afford. While this leaves a more conceptual EP more fun than that type of record would usually be,

Album Reviews: Tune-Yards, Bell Orchestre, Death From Above

 Tune-Yards — Sketchy (Oakland, CA) Tune-Yards have consistently made wonderfully abrasive, yet funky tracks, and it feels even more infectious this time around. Through some more restrained performances however, Tune-Yards shows a power to really harness the might of their sound in interesting ways going forward. "Nowhere, Man" refines a

Album Reviews: Vallens, L’Impératrice, Les Shirley

 Vallens — In Era (Toronto) As they move further away from the guitar and punk-noise of their fellow Toronto artists, Vallens makes a startling leap on their latest album. Recalling late Bowie, a David Lynch mood, Sade, and some Warpaint here, this album is a dark dive that still drives

Album Reviews: Dishpit, Lake Street Dive, Really From

 Dishpit — Dipshit (Montreal) For a raw and often kinetic punk rock sound, Dishpit delivers some serious goods with the attitude to push it over the top. With something for fans of Gurr and Dream Wife alike "Plaza People" takes at least five of these hard left turns, whether rhythmic

Alanna Sterling keeps the music going

 Photo: Anndy Negative The pandemic has affected artists in plenty of ways, but Alanna Sterling was able to let their music keep going. In the lead up to Sterling's latest record Mind/Matter (Mind Over Matter) they've dealt with recording through Covid regulations, personal injuries and having their own audience on the

Album Reviews: Paul McCartney, Taylor Swift, Kid Cudi

 Paul McCartney — McCartney III (Liverpool, U.K.) As a long-time McCartney fan, it's been a minute since one of his recent releases dazzled me like self-titled and RAM releases. Once again returning to playing everything himself, there's a sense of fun and simplicity that makes this stick in your head.

Album Reviews: Miley Cyrus, Elvis Costello, SAAKB

 Miley Cyrus — Plastic Hearts (Franklin, TN) In her post-TV career, Miley Cyrus has constantly rotated between variations on pop, country and rock with ease. Though this leaves a lot of solo pop and rock tracks feeling a little too simple, every guest appearance track delivers and then some. "Plastic

Album Reviews: Kali Uchis, King Gizzard, Megan Thee Stallion

 Kali Uchis — Sin Miedo  (Alexandria, Virginia/Colombia) While we've only been able to get a taste of Kali Uchis' Spanish in past years, her latest release dives right into it. Part-evolution, and partly a new flavour on what we know from Kali, this record bridges a lot of pop ideas

Album Reviews: Gorillaz, Laura Veirs, Ela Minus

 Gorillaz — Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez (London, U.K.) Trapped inside while everyone else is too, Damon Albarn has somehow managed to craft one of the sharpest Gorillaz records in a while. Whether you need the quirky tones, dancing energy, worldly collaborations or just amazing songwriting, this record delivers

Album Reviews — Amyl, Austra, Pack A.D., Blank Sun and more

 Amyl and the Sniffers  - Live at the Croxton (Melbourne, Australia) With such a live fury and no live shows to play right now, Amyl and the Sniffers new live EP feels like the perfect offering for a concert-less time. Roaring and shifting up the dynamics from their album a

Album Reviews for December 2, 2019

 Girl Ray — Girl (London, UK) Following a record of indie guitar-pop with distinct voicing and exceptional song writing, it's certainly jarring to hear Girl Ray return on a glossy note. This time around however, it will be more about what you can find within the simplified compositions of the

Album Reviews for November 11, 2019

 Jade Bird —- Jade Bird (Hexham/Croydon, England) Though I'd heard rumours and praise for Jade Bird's debut for some time, it was a revelation to finally sit down with her new record. With an emotional maturity and vocal brilliance many decades older than her lack, this young English songwriter is

Album Reviews for November 4, 2019

 The Desert Sessions - Vol. 11 & 12 (Palm Desert, CA) As Joshua Homme lets us further inside his twisted mind, his Desert Sessions recordings show us how interesting he can be with a larger cast than Queens of the Stone Age. Though it's not always the most coherent listen,

Album reviews for October 28, 2019

 Gauche — A People's History of Gauche (Washington, D.C.) In another wonderful punk-new wave spin-off of D.C.'s band Priests, Gauche takes a punk edge to much more danceable pop. With so many great harmonies and vocals rising throughout their album too, it's easy to headbang and shimmy around with reckless