By Bryant Lukes
Nina Sky’s self-titled debut release is a sexy piece of RB fused with whatever else is popular today. This is a royal sample of what sells–a marketing masterpiece if you want to call modern radio-friendly R&B fine art. Not only are these girls cute, but they’re identical twins acoustically. However, that does not mean that… Continue reading Nina Sky
By Вen Li
Aside from the artifacts in the live audio levels, Elaine Taylor’s solo > live @ crush is an enjoyable listen. The unassuming nature of the entire package shows Taylor’s heavy investment of herself in this eight track solo album about the intricacies of life. At times, her voice seems as fine as the most subtle… Continue reading Elaine Taylor
After the success of Norah Jones, it’s not surprising to see other fresh-faced young women following the promise of the jazz/blues/pop crossover. Katie Melua found success in Britain with just that approach, her debut album Call Off The Search receiving the same marketing push that turned Jones into an international sensation. What Melua attempts, she… Continue reading Katie Melua
Mike Ford is one nice guy. His website has specific links for booking him at schools and summer camps, he is a member of the Ontario Camping Association, and his debut album Stars Shone on Toronto is full of folky odes to Toronto and the Canadian wilderness. To cement his nice guy reputation part of… Continue reading Mike Ford
By Ben Hoffman
Some theme songs shouldn’t have words attached to them. “Pass the Flame–The Official Torch Relay Theme” is one of them. Unity, Athens 2004 is a confused compilation CD consisting of “Pass the Flame” and filler material. The newest Olympic theme, a powerful modern techno-esque song backed by primal rhythms is not the usual classical-inspired fanfare… Continue reading Various Artists
Working at a photo lab, you gain an appreciation for the more ancient photographs that come your way. Sometimes you come across the crisp portraits, and marvel at the thought of someone sitting perfectly still for the minutes or hours the antique technology required for a decent exposure. Other times it’s the candid photograph. No… Continue reading Sam Phillips
By Ben Hoffman
The theory: Aaah… Canadian content. Let’s stop the American cultural assimilation of Canada, and help foster burgeoning Canuck talent by requiring Canadian broadcasters to air a minimum quota of homegrown artists. Brilliant! The Reality: An array of artists with skill levels ranging from excellent to completely talentless, all guaranteed by law to be so overplayed… Continue reading Various Artists
This may be music snob suicide, but I’ll willingly admit to not having heard any of Magnetic Fields’ albums before i fell into my proverbial lap. Oh, of course I’d heard of them. When snobbing, band names get tossed around so casually, eventually you learn band names by sheer osmosis. You can list off the… Continue reading The Magnetic Fields
You’ve heard the stories. Friends discovering a rodent, body parts and other less wholesome things in their food. How about the tales of giant alligators lying in wait down in the sewers of New York? The scuba diver found in a tree? Urban Legends: Strange Stories Behind Modern Myths is as intriguing as its title.… Continue reading Urban Legends doesn’t myth the mark
When Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song was released in 1970, it kick started the blaxploitation genre, which lead directly to classics like Shaft and a little less directly to Blacula. It also became the highest grossing independent movie of the year, and in the eyes of many, helped bring independent cinema into the limelight. Sweet Sweetback… Continue reading Van Peebles shows men in blaxploitation