Various Artists

By Ben Hoffman

Over the years, MuchMusic’s Big Shiny Tunes franchise has provided a mainstream rock music compilation featuring songs from current big bands. Determined not to stray from that motif, they have released yet another CD containing the same array of songs each of the previous ones did. Big Shiny Tunes 8 showcases several number one hits,… Continue reading Various Artists

Matthew Barber

By Garth Paulson

Despite the seemingly endless amounts of infinitely repeated choruses courtesy of Kiss, the mercifully timed fadeout followed by a kick in the face when it fades back in, classic rock radio stations do play some good music. It takes a lot of resilience to sit through all that Trooper and Van Halen waiting for those… Continue reading Matthew Barber

Starsailor

By Natalie Sit

Starsailor’s second release, Silence Is Easy, is an excellent follow up to their debut. They have been compared to other famous British bands like Coldplay and The Stone Roses. The first song on the album, “Music Was Saved,” has an insistent tempo and an oldies rock feel to it. The album’s highlight is “Four To… Continue reading Starsailor

Story Of The Year

By Jesse Keith

There’s a how-to guide for everything these days, from Instant Piano to Sex For Dummies. Nonetheless, it was still a little disappointing to discover Story Of The Year’s debut album, Page Avenue, was crafted straight out of the alternative metal textbook. From start to finish, everything on Page Avenue is standard procedure, from the worn… Continue reading Story Of The Year

K-Line

By David Gemmell

This is difficult for me to admit, but in my youth I supported the Vancouver Canucks. I cheered the glimpses of brilliance and sucked up the frequent, bitter taste of defeat. This is very similar to the feeling I encountered listening to K-Line’s self-titled album. It’s really difficult to slam a young group trying to… Continue reading K-Line

La Motta

By David Gemmell

I picked up Love California and couldn’t believe I was about to put pen to paper reviewing such a tacky, horrible looking EP. To be blunt, the cover art is terrible. It resembles one of those horrible collages I created during a forced arts and crafts class in grade school that my mother pretended to… Continue reading La Motta

The Clumsy Lovers

By Anushka Nagli

Their music is often fondly described as “raging Celtic bluegrass rock” and those who like it, like it a lot. But this CD is only for those who are into that. Me, I’m really not. The music is essentially banjo layered on a heavy drum beat and inexplicably awesome lyrics. I read and fell in… Continue reading The Clumsy Lovers

Princess Superstar

By Alan Cho

Have you sat down, turned on the radio or TV, and actually listened to what they call “rap music?” It seems since mega-producers like the Neptunes and Timbaland exploded into the cortex of the public consciousness, the emcees’ been drugged and left to smile at the pretty camera. Jay-Z’s debilitating dyslexia reached a zenith with… Continue reading Princess Superstar

Missed by that much

By Esther E. Steeves

Everyone knew the Dinos men’s volleyball team had little hope to win against the #2 University of Manitoba Bisons–especially considering the Dinos’ less than stellar record thus far. However, it still would have been nice to chalk up at least one game in the win column. Take solace in the fact that the Dinos are… Continue reading Missed by that much