By Joseph Tubb
Ben Harper and his backing band Relentless7’s new album White Lies for Dark Times makes with the good times, with a variety of music built around Harper’s versatile vocals. Reminiscent of classic rock, blues and soul, Lies manages to find cohesion amidst its many influences. From opener “Number With No Name,” Harper and Relentless7 shy… Continue reading Spun: Ben Harper and Relentless7
G: How would you describe what people can find on your CD? Patrick Krief: It’s very intimate, is one good way of saying it. It changes direction, yet [it’s] uniform at the same time. People shouldn’t expect to hear who we are live, [it’s] something different. I’m a huge Beatles fan. I don’t think that… Continue reading Black Diamond Bay: a little bit Led Zeppelin, a little bit Radiohead
By Kate Marlow
Thrice Juno-nominated Sarah Slean has just been crowned superwoman. Well, not quite, but her list of accomplishments for the past 10 years is staggering: she’s released and co-produced six albums and two EPs, published two books of original poetry, established herself as a painter and acted in David Mortin’s award-winning film noir, Black Widow. She’s… Continue reading Sarah Slean is a total recession-ista
By Ryan Pike
Summer in Calgary is usually marked by a few key events. Snow becomes less frequent. The Flames get knocked out of the playoffs. Evenings grow warmer and people flock to patios for a cold beer. Now, every summer, the Calgary BeerFest provides an opportunity for local swill-drinkers to extend their appreciation of beer to a… Continue reading Beer Fest
Most electronic music can be classified in two distinct categories– generic background pump-up music ideal for intensive workouts and the dark soundtrack to a lovesick adolescent’s life. Sounds of the Universe, Depeche Mode’s newest record and twelfth studio album, falls into the latter category as a brilliant addition to their already formidable discography. Sounds stays… Continue reading Spun: Depeche Mode
By Ken Clarke
The Devil You Know is the first studio album in 17 years from the line-up of vocalist Ronnie James Dio, guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Vinny Appice. For those not in the know, Heaven and Hell are actually the Dio-era Black Sabbath who, due to legalities, are recording under the name of… Continue reading Spun: Heaven and Hell
By Kirsty Kalin
Bat for Lashes is the pseudonym for Pakistan-born, Britain-based singer Natasha Khan. Her most recent album, Two Suns, features bass and beat programming from Brooklyn-based psychedelic experimenter Yeasayer and singer Scott Walker, who performs in the duet “The Big Sleep.” Holding true to her alternative sounds, Two Suns is a heady combination of breathy vocals… Continue reading Spun: Bat For Lashes
Wander back three years to a typical autumn day in Montreal. The release of Patrick Watson’s second full-length disc, Close to Paradise, had earned him and his backing band of eccentric masterminds international acclaim and the Polaris Music Prize. Three years on, Watson’s latest release, Wooden Arms, provides an array of lush instrumentals, quirky makeshift… Continue reading Spun: Patrick Watson
MacHomer is nothing like a tale told by an idiot, but it is full of sound and fury, signifying comedy gold. With good humour and a load of near-perfect impersonations, the play is being held as one of the many theatrical performances for the Calgary International Children’s Festival. MacHomer is the perfect show for parents… Continue reading To d’oh or not to d’oh, that is the question
Fanboys, hold on to your lightsabers. Fanboys, directed by Kyle Newman, is being released in Canadian theatres with its original story line intact, to the great joy of its fans. Not so long ago — 1998 to be exact — in a place not so far away — Ohio — four boys make an epic… Continue reading Fanboys’ jokes only good for Star Warriors