New Music Revue: VKNGS deliver intriguing angstVKNGS VKNGS (Noyes Records/Acadian Embassy Records) 3.5/5 Halifax, Nova Scotia-based post-hardcore/noise-rock band VKNGS have released a full-length self-titled debut album that’s been eight years in the making. The album, with seemingly random numerical track titles, is an intense mix of drums and guitar, melody, and screaming, otherwise known as “aggression.” VKNGS have a more mature […] Continue Reading |
New Music Revue: Punch’s They Don’t Have to Believe rages fast and furiousPunch They Don’t Have to Believe (Deathwish Inc.) 4.5/5 Fans of hardcore/punk have taken notice of Punch’s simple name since their inception in 2008, but now with the release of their third album, They Don’t Have to Believe (released by hardcore biggie label Deathwish Inc., which is run by Converge’s Jacob Bannon), the San Francisco […] Continue Reading |
Poison Idea still kings of punkIt’s the age-old cliche in punk rock for a band to decide to settle down in their glory years and clean up their act in order to continue playing and making music. But in the case of legendary Portland punk/hardcore band Poison Idea, cleaning up was a necessity. After years of alcoholism that saw the […] Continue Reading |
Steve Adamyk Band praise Ottawa’s punk sceneBy the sounds of it, Ottawa’s punk rock music scene is a lot like Victoria’s, which should bode well for Ottawa punk group Steve Adamyk Band’s upcoming show in town. Around the same size as Victoria, Ottawa’s underground music community is tight-knit enough that Adamyk and his band have gotten the local support that has […] Continue Reading |
Alan Jackson brings nostalgia to Victoria, with successUntil I stepped into Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre on Monday night, I had no idea that Victoria had so many cowboys. They were there to see Alan Jackson’s soulful performance, and so was I. After 25 years of performing, Jackson sure knows what he’s doing. He didn’t sing a single note off key and manned the […] Continue Reading |
Walking with Dinosaurs keeps dinosaur awe alive and wellI thought I would leave Walking with Dinosaurs having had some kind of epiphany, some Earth-shattering moment of clarity. And it was frustrating, because every time I would almost get there, the show’s narrator would make a bad joke and I’d be brought back to reality. But first, here’s what was amazing about the show: the […] Continue Reading |
New Music Revue: Sterile Jets revisit the spirit of punkSterile Jets Liquor Store (Yesca Rock) 3/5 Liquor Store revisits the original definition of what it means to be punk, and does it with a certain likeability. California’s Sterile Jets set out to make music that transcends musical restraint. Trying to place this album into one genre is nearly impossible. Drawing influences from noise/art/stoner-punk and […] Continue Reading |
New Music Revue: The New Pornographers’ Brill Bruisers falls flatThe New Pornographers Brill Bruisers (Last Gang Records) 3/5 You may remember The New Pornographers last album, Together, from the whole month it was stuck in your head after listening to it. If you are looking for the same edgy, catchy, high-energy hits in Brill Bruisers, prepare to be disappointed. The Vancouver supergroup’s new album […] Continue Reading |
Brother Ali uses club tour as a chance to reconnect with fansMinneapolis-based rapper Brother Ali has spent the past couple of years playing some big-ass festivals: Rock the Bells, Back to Basics, Soundcheck, even headlining the Minnesota State Fair… the man has done it all. But it’s his upcoming club tour that he’s most excited about, because it’s a chance to reconnect with his longtime fans. […] Continue Reading |
Gospel singer Marvin Matthews finds the lightGospel singer Marvin Matthews almost pursued a career in opera singing, but because he had difficulty with opera’s darker subject matter he found the light and focused his efforts on gospel music. It’s a genre that allows him to share a message with the audience that is meaningful to him. “I started singing in church […] Continue Reading |
