MUSIC REVIEWS

“She Wants What” is the first single from the Lily Vakili Band’s soon to be released EP Set of Seven, her second release in two years, and sets the table well for this new studio outing to make a big impact. Born in Honduras during a coup to an Iranian father …

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 …

On the back of a graceful beat, Suzanne’s Band lay into the instrumental intro to “One More Night of Christmas,” and although this part of the song is remarkably short, it makes an impact that lingers over the remaining three and a half minutes of the track just the same. …

And The Black Feathers are a group that spin a retro web of eclectic power pop laden songs on the four track EP – Sociallusions. But that doesn’t mean they’re just an old-fashioned band, because they also scale modernly in the process. In fact, they’re even dark and moody when …

Forgotten Door has a large lineup, six performers in all, and brings a varied vocal approach to their songs. This approach recalls the band’s obvious influences from acts like Buckingham/Nicks era Fleetwood Mac, among others, but Forgotten Door are successful carving out their own niche in this tradition rather than indulging in mere …

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 …

Sometimes we can learn more from a gentle hum than we can a thousand-words’ worth of dialogue, and in the intro to Patiently Awaiting the Meteorite’s new music video for “Devil’s In My Car,” the vibrating melody of the singers’ wordless melody is as transparent a tone as it gets. …

The Toronto Tabla Ensemble are back this fall with their most expressive track yet in “Dream Symposium,” an instrumental beat ballad with a penchant for the provocative. If you’ve heard their music before, you already know that the Toronto Tabla Ensemble are no strangers to the eclectic when it comes …

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 …