By Kate Marlow
The Canadian music circuit can, on occasion, be a small world after all. For Justin Rutledge, attending this year’s Folk Fest was a weird full-circle for him. Rutledge sat down with Gauntlet writer Kate Marlow and explained his past with singer-songwriter-activist Sarah Harmer, his experience at the festival and the new record he has on… Continue reading Serendipity greets Justin Rutledge
By Justin Lee
A couple of weeks ago, after finally managing to get my co-worker Dan to cover for me at work–thanks to some persuasive rhetoric and ol’ Dan’s merciful heart–I was set out to interview David Usher, one of Canada’s premiere rock stars. Talking to Usher made me realize why we envy rock stars to begin with.… Continue reading Flirting with fame
By Justin Lee
"It’s like a big dance party on the bus every night," a soft-spoken David Usher explains of his current tour, promoting for his sophomore solo album, Morning Orbit. The same could be said about Usher’s stellar performance last Friday to a sold-out MacEwan Hall Ballroom audience. The Moist front man played selections from his two… Continue reading A day in the life of David Usher
By Justin Lee
While Q-Tip choose to go the jiggy route on last year’s Amplified, the original five-footer from the now-defunct A Tribe Called Quest unleashes a debut that is nothing short of pure, untainted hip hop. Ventilation reveals Phife Diggy at his full-potential, as opposed to his more subdued performances back in the days of Tribe. With… Continue reading Ventilation
By Justin Lee
In this day and age of carbon-copy pop, materialistic hip hop and the same re-hashed slop, T-Dot’s Pocket Dwellers come on the eclectic tip by fusing elements of jazz, hip hop, funk, soul, rock, reggae and drum-and-bass within their music. On their recently released full-length debut, Digitally Organic, the PDs create a musical gumbo that… Continue reading Funk fusion from T-Dot
By Justin Lee
Do someone a favour. Keep in mind that it has to be something that would really help the person and that they normally could not do it on their own. In return, that person must "pay it forward" and do the same for three other people. This is the premise of Pay It Forward, a… Continue reading Acting worth paying for
By Justin Lee
Pegged as an "urban street festival," DV8 lived up to the much-generated hype and even managed to outshine last year’s debut. Showcasing some of the top extreme athletes in Canada, the festival drew some 64,500 Calgarians to Olympic Plaza last weekend. The Molson-sponsored event also featured an all-star lineup of bands including headliners Sloan, 3… Continue reading Snow and sound fill Olympic Plaza
By Justin Lee
common sense (n) 1: sound and prudent but often unsophisticated. judgement 2: the unreflective opinions of ordinary men. Webster’s definition of common sense is anything but when it comes to describing one of the most prolific lyricists of his time; Chicago’s Common, formerly Common Sense, is one of the few MCs in hip-hop today that… Continue reading Like Water for Chocolate — Common
By Justin Lee
At a time where the music industry is churning out would-be R&B divas by the minute, 20-year-old Philly-native, Alecia "Pink" Moore, stands out amongst the pack. From her spine-tingling vocals to her short, fuchsia-dyed hair, Pink is in a league-of-her-own. Can’t Take Me Home is the brainchild of prominent producers Babyface, She’kspere and The Specialists,… Continue reading Can’t Take Me Home — Pink
By Justin Lee
"Hip-hop is not my life, but it has been a large part of it. There have been times I’ve loved it more than any woman. There have been times I hated it with the viciousness usually reserved for a cheating lover." So says Nelson George in his 1998 critically-acclaimed expose, Hip Hop America. George’s love/hate… Continue reading Underground no more: