AltWeeklies Wire
Luke Doucet at Home on the Highwaynew
Musical rover Luke Doucet has been on the road since he was a kid, but his internal compass always points him back to Canada.
The Georgia Straight |
Jennifer Van Evra |
01-04-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Blood's Too Rich, Luke Doucet
Former Prodigy Michael Kaeshammer Branches Outnew
Suspicious minds might think that Kaeshammer's Days Like These is a calculated attempt to muscle in on Michael Bublé's turf especially since the Toronto-based performer sings on every track, rather than relying on his splashy piano skills.
The Georgia Straight |
Alexander Varty |
12-10-2007 |
Profiles & Interviews
Ewan Pearson Devotes Himself to Eight-minute Butt-shakersnew
His embellishments of other people's songs recall '70s-era pioneers like Walter Gibbons and Patrick Cowley, the guys who basically invented the extended mix not remixes, really, but faithful elaborations of tracks that were already great to begin with.
The Georgia Straight |
Martin Turenne |
12-10-2007 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Ewan Pearson, Piece Work
The Hiply Unhip Trans-Siberian Orchestranew
As guitarist Al Pitrelli admits over the phone before heading to a sound check in Fresno, California, the success of his decidedly unhip ensemble, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, goes against all odds.
The Georgia Straight |
Steve Newton |
11-30-2007 |
Profiles & Interviews
Jon Spencer Knows Heavy Trash is Confusingnew
Taking their inspiration -- and title -- from the 1926 autobiography of itinerant petty crook Jack Black, the men of Heavy Trash go for strip-club grind and analog-tape manipulation, allowing Spencer to deliver a hilarious but spooky sermon on post-9/11 America.
The Georgia Straight |
Adrian Mack |
11-19-2007 |
Profiles & Interviews
Jam-happy Gov't Mule Dives Deep into Dubnew
Many longtime lovers of the group's southern-tinged rock sound have been puzzled by its new direction: reggae, with a side dish of dub.
The Georgia Straight |
Alexander Varty |
11-12-2007 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Gov't Mule, Mighty High
HIM's Ville Valo Rolls in Gloom and Glamnew
While the lyrical bent of HIM tends toward the gloomy, the music on Venus Doom is actually quite upbeat, drawing on everything from '90s alt-metal to '80s glam-pop to '70s guitar-rock.
The Georgia Straight |
Steve Newton |
11-12-2007 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: HIM, Venus Doom
M.I.A. on Making Troublenew
A kind of audio travelogue of her visits to India, Angola, Liberia, and Trinidad, M.I.A.'s excellent Kala succeeds not just musically it's one of the year's best records but as a powerful symbol of activism in an era of rampant political apathy and self-absorption.
The Georgia Straight |
Martin Turenne |
11-12-2007 |
Profiles & Interviews
Beats Without Borders Make Responsible Worldbeatnew
The group's tag has an alliterative hook, and gives a clear indication of the four spinners' music and ethos.
The Georgia Straight |
Tony Montague |
11-02-2007 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Beats Without Borders
The Locust Make New Symponies of Destructionnew
Formed in the mid '90s, the Locust used to specialize in short, shard-strewn blasts of terrifying, synthesizer-fuelled noise, but the group finds itself no longer satisfied with playing jarring salvos of bizarro punk.
The Georgia Straight |
Gregory Adams |
11-02-2007 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: New Erections, The Locust
Maroon 5 Hits the Sweet Spot Between Money and Mojonew
Maroon 5 isn't one of the biggest bands on earth because of its content. Adam Levine's lyrics are primed for rhythm and sound; the subject matter doesn't extend much beyond breakup testimonials and soft-focus relationship angst.
The Georgia Straight |
Adrian Mack |
11-02-2007 |
Profiles & Interviews
Caribou: Harmony in His Headnew
Caribou's approach to music-making has become increasingly conventional, but Andorra is no less wonderful for it.
The Georgia Straight |
Martin Turenne |
10-29-2007 |
Profiles & Interviews
Cop-show Themes Sparked Kavinsky's Arresting Electronew
In 1984, two major events occurred that shaped Parisian electro producer Vincent Belorgey's life: in America, Miami Vice made its television premiere, and in France, nine-year-old Belorgey (aka Kavinsky) quit taking piano lessons for good.
The Georgia Straight |
Martin Turenne |
10-22-2007 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Kavinsky
Basia Bulat is Gorgegousnew
But don't hold it against her.
The Georgia Straight |
Alexander Varty |
10-22-2007 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Basia Bulat
Matthew Hart's Heart is in Songwritingnew
A funny thing happened to Hart on the way to becoming Canada's next Bob Rock.
The Georgia Straight |
Martin Turenne |
10-22-2007 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Russian Futurists
