Tag: Spun

By Kirstin Morrell

P.E.I. native Nathan Wiley’s first album, Bottom Dollar, is a refreshing blend of folk and roots experimentation. The title track starts the CD off with a smooth southwestern feel, which quickly becomes a hard Maritime-influenced brand of music in “Black Bones.” Wiley then shows his versatility in “Straight and Sober,” which has definite shades of… Continue reading Nathan Wiley, Bottom Dollar

By Peter Hemminger

If Welcome to Discovery Park had come out in 1975, people today might call it a classic. If it had come out in 1988, it might well have become an underground success, a throwback to the days before the synthetic soul of new wave. In 2002, it just seems like a logical extension of the… Continue reading Brad, Welcome to Discovery Park

By Sarah Rudolph

“I guess that some days / Oh it pays / To get out of bed,” sings Carolyn Mark on “Fuzzy Slippers,” the first track on her new album Terrible Hostess. With a voice somewhere between Patsy Cline and Natalie Merchant, Mark delivers wry commentary on life, love, and house guests. Backing her up, and playing… Continue reading Carolyn Mark and the Room-Mates, Terrible Hostess

By Ivan Danielewicz

The Step Kings’ new album, 3 the Hard Way is great cd you appreciate the more you listen to it. Originally from New York, the Step Kings appeared on the music scene with their first album, 7 Easy Steps, in 1997–and have definitely evolved since. They feature a somewhat primal feel in their music, with… Continue reading Step Kings, 3 the Hard Way

By Andrew Ross

Pimp-T, otherwise known as Troy Neilson, is a former student journalist. It’s always hard to bring down one of your own, but in this case it has to be done.Neilson’s "big" break came in 2000 when the music video for his single "Tha PIMP-T Theme" was nominated for (but did not win) an obscure Canadian… Continue reading Pimp-T, Power Is Mindful Peace

By Myke Atkinson

I think something just exploded in my head. No, seriously.In one of the most in your face experimental discs to be released this year, Tim Hecker has definitely taken his eccentric blend of minimalism to another level on My Love is Rotten to the Core. Sampling and processing everything from raunchy guitars to ethereal voices… Continue reading Tim Hecker, My Love is Rotten to the Core

By James Keller

“Motel 30” has always been a great song. Now it begins with the roar of the crowd, followed by the ever-recognizable wah, building tension and urgency. Then, almost when you’re ready to give up–you can’t take it anymore–therein lies your relief. Guitars (complete with more wah and distortion), drums and the voice of an independent… Continue reading Lowest of the Low, Nothing Short of a Bullet

By Peter Hemminger

Sometimes, things aren’t as simple as they seem. Love To Night, the Mark Kleiner Power Trio’s freshman effort, is, and that actually isn’t a bad thing. After all, this is an album where a quarter of the song titles (and the album title itself) have “love” in them. This is an album about the upside… Continue reading Mark Kleiner Power Trio, Love To Night

By Myke Atkinson

Living in the middle of nowhere, Saskatchewan must leave people with a lot of time on their hands. Luckily for you and me, the members of Filmmaker have decided to put this time towards polishing their tunes for their first full-length release.On An Invitation to an Accident, the band lays claim to the pop-punk genre… Continue reading Filmmaker, An Invitation to an Accident

By Josh LaVoie

It has been two years since Montreal punk quintet Subb released their last major cd, Until the Party Ends, and the band has put those two years to excellent use diversifying their sound in preparation for their new release Daylight Saving.This album is an incredible breath of fresh air. Its complex sound is miles ahead… Continue reading Subb, Daylight Savings