Tag: Spun

By Marie-Claire Backhaus

At first, Blair Packhams’ new CD, Everything that’s Good, appears to be like The Odds but without the essence of fun. On further listening, the true nature of the CD becomes apparent. All different styles under the pop range of the music spectrum fill this CD, keeping you on your musical toes. The mature nature… Continue reading Everything That’s Good

By Dave Teeuwen

Ah, Canadian music. Sometimes so sweet, sometimes so sour. Feist has that very distinct Canadian flavour to her songs. Every song feels like it’s fall outside. More specifically, it sounds Torontonian: lilting voices, surfaceless lyrics, guitars set on "easy listening." The album is interesting, if nothing else. Unfortunately, it’s also somewhat unfocused. Not that it… Continue reading Monarch

By Rori O’Connor

On Wild Strawberries’ Twist, expect upbeat pop love songs sung by Dr. Roberta Carter Harrison, whose voice is like Tracey Thorn’s (Everything But the Girl). Listen to the first song, "Lucky Day," and you won’t know what to expect anymore. The drums (Chris Lamont, Ash Sood) and bass guitar (Dennis Mohammed, Brian Minato) sound pretty… Continue reading Twist

By Bo Rhodes

Into The Night, Love Inc.’s follow-up to their self-titled debut album reeks of familiarity. So much so that how can anyone tell the difference between this pile of tripe and the first pile of rotting pig intestines? Vocalist Simone Denny once again tries to carry this flimsy Canadian act with her powerful pipes. Unfortunately, she… Continue reading Into The Night

By Nicole Kobie

When listening to Treble Charger’s sophomore release, Wide Awake Bored, the main feeling created is one of déjà vu. All the tracks seem vaguely familiar. At first, the tracks seem solid, but soon familiarity breeds contempt and Treble Charger’s attempts to be clever just get irritating. The first two songs, the catchy "Brand New Low"… Continue reading Wide Awake Bored — Treble Charger

By David Kenney

As relaxed as female singer/songwriters come, Victoria Williams is a treat. Her sunny-side up optimism mired by kid-gibberish vocals takes folk music on a Sesame Street trip. On Water to Drink, the chirpy Williams dots her earthy sound with jazz, reinventing old classics like "Water to Drink," "Until the Real Thing Comes Along" and "Young… Continue reading Water to Drink — Victoria Williams

By David Kenney

Ryan Adams is a young Steve Earle in waiting. He shares the same bar-room brawl attitude tempered by a heart-broken howl. And with friends like Gillian Welch, Emmylou Harris and David Rawlings, the Whiskeytown vocalist has strong tutors. All he needs are better songs. Heartbreaker is loaded with promise but neither rocks nor sways like… Continue reading Heartbreaker — Ryan Adams

By Dave Teeuwen

There is a disturbing trend in rock these days: the false belief that copying Van Halen, Kiss and The Cult means unbelievable fame. While the Unband and Blink 182 dabble in those ’80s-drenched black arts, Gluecifer is the unrivaled lord of the rock underworld. Tender is the Savage is a double-disc tribute to all the… Continue reading Tender is the Savage — Gluecifer

By Deanna Jager

Tahiti 80 have dedicated themselves to the seemingly endless task most pop stars take on: telling tales about the powerful state of love. Young and emotional, this foursome from France share their simple stories of disappointment and hurt through songs that surprisingly make you smile. The sweetly melodic vocals of Xavier Boyer flow over the… Continue reading Puzzle — Tahiti 80

By David Kenney

"There’s no parole, there’s no escape," fumes Alice Cooper on the title track of his new album Brutal Planet. How true. Once, Alice’s tales of the world’s creepy crawlies stood for dark carnival intrigue. Now, an older Alice just sounds like a misguided high school counsellor bawling over the mean old world. Sorry Alice, preaching… Continue reading Alice Cooper — Brutal Planet