PICK OF THE WEEK

Anthems 2 Love, the latest record from Jupiter in Velvet, starts amidst waves crashing on a deserted beach somewhere in “A Cooler Shade of Mad,” hinting at the distant surrealism that will be a theme throughout the next five tracks that come after this opening cut. A fuzzy guitar and …

The third album release from Kerry Pastine and The Crime Scene, City of Love, promises to be a transformative addition to Pastine’s growing discography. Pastine rates as one of the best vocalists today, regardless of genre or gender, and her commanding presence throughout the album’s title track and first single elevates …

In “The Statement is the Answer,” the opening salvo of guitar-driven sonic devilry forced out of the speakers by Parker Longbough essentially sets the tone for all of the violent melodies that will soon follow its four minute introduction to Green and Gold/Drink the Hemlock, Longbough’s latest release. A kaleidoscopic new …

Alone at first, a piano stumbles into the opening of “When You Think No One Loves You” like a lonesome drunkard looking to find some solace in the loving arms of a local pub, but only a few seconds into this new track from David Leask, Leask himself enters the …

As essential as the lyrics that Mattia Pironti sings with such heartfelt emotion, the blistering beats that come firing at us from all directions at the midway point of the new single “Don’t Stand a Chance” are some of the more physically imposing of any you’ll hear in a Canadian …

Jeremy Rice’s improbably titled new release Jeremy Rice and the Legendary Fist of Takinawa is Rice’s first since relocating to Quebec City in 2016. It likewise reflects lessons learned from his time scoring television programs, video games, and commercials in addition to his pre-existing solo work and tenure with bands such as …

The duo of vocalist/guitarist Chris Tapp and drummer Brian Mullins, under the name The Cold Stares, isn’t your everyday indie act. The pair commands national recognition thanks to their cracking blend of rock and blues. The mix they bring to these time-tested forms balances the fundamentals giving each style its …

Gilded strums flow through our speakers in “Whatchoo Gonna Do,” and despite their regal quality, theirs is honestly just as soothing a sound as that of the rumble in “(Meet Me at the) Delaware Water Gap,” the gentle picking in “Angelina of the Sky” and the angst-ridden chug of “The …

Surreal soundscapes that demand as much of a reaction out of us through the texture of their melodies as they do the substance of their soulful lyricism. Guitars that ache with the pressurized wonderment of youth. Basslines that bleed out of our speakers and drown everything within earshot. Percussion that …

On the surface, Here In Dead Lights, by the indie rock band, Byre, is not exactly what it winds up being underneath the surface. The reason for this phenomenon is that it defies much categorization in the process of coming off more-straight forward at first. This is not some pedestrian …