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 Phil Vorvis
Scratching Post’s album, This Time It’s Personal, comes as their latest edition since Destruction of the Universe and their debut album entitled Flamethrower. Featuring vocals by Nicole Hughes, Scratching Post perpetuate an addictive metal guitar riff that you can’t help but bang your head to, while at the same time Hughes teenage-pop voice soothes the… Continue reading This Time It’s Personal Scratching Post
By Dave Teeuwen
This CD will haunt you. Damien Jurado’s newest foray into folk is nearly perfect in its ambience. Probably Sub Pop’s angel at this point, Jurado has made a career of moody folk over the past few years. This record proves his song-writing strength. Not unlike Hayden or Julie Doiron, Jurado sounds like Neil Young’s earlier… Continue reading Ghost of David
By Natalie Sit
Woodland is an apt name for this rock/country album. At first, the aural landscape is lush with banjo notes but then it becomes monotonous like an eternal trip through Kananaskis country. The album starts out promising with "Field of Corn." It’s a good piece of ear candy, with mysterious lyrics and strange banjo licks. In… Continue reading Woodland
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 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
"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