album reviews

A La Music

Japanther Still Have Claws

“Take a deep breath / Dive in,” Ian Vanek sings on “Stolen Flowers”. That was exactly how I had to prepare myself before I plunged
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Smooth on the Mic

Finding a unique way to mix hip hop lyricism and crisp R&B vocals with Motown-inspired rhythms, Homebased stands above the crowd with the release of
A La Music

A City with Four Fangs

The far-reaching smog captured enveloping New York City on the cover of Vampire Weekend‘s third album, Modern Vampires of the City, is complimentary cover art expressing the
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One Dry Cracker

This is the third full-length Northcote album for Saskatchewan singer/songwriter Matt Goud (who now calls Victoria home). After hearing this album, I can honestly say
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Hail Mary

My love affair with The Crackling began two years ago when I saw them open for Dan Mangan in Kingston, Ontario. Admittedly, I usually treat
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Mr. Reliable

I don’t think anyone cannot like Michael Bublé. I first heard him on a British TV show and fell instantly in love. He has found
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A Hopeful New Spark

As the trumpets flare and the French horns resign themselves to a melodic and alluring low rumble, the unexpected piano and electronic drums create a
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Dang! It’s Raw, Futuristic Surf Rock!

Schizophrenic rock trio Tera Melos has a reputation of making wild, explosive music with an unchained creativity that makes them hardly accessible but hardly forgettable.
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Grab Onto the Current

Seabed is a piece of work probably best listened to in some sort of isolation tank somewhere with a built-in subwoofer sound system. It is
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A Familiar Comfort

Continuing 2013’s apparent theme: “Remind me again, Doc Emmet Brown – what year is it?” Depeche Mode have once again managed to narrowly avoid break-ups,
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Dazed and Confident

Wakin on a Pretty Daze… “Wakin on a Pretty Day”… I don’t blame Kurt Vile for not being able to pick just one of these
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No Medicine, Only Music

It’s only the beginning of spring, and I may be jumping the gun, but Pickwick’s recently released debut album, Can’t Talk Medicine, oozes the scent