Arts

Good FuckGood Fuck(Joyful Noise Recordings)1/5 Tim Kinsella and Jenny Pulse describe their debut LP collaborating as Good Fuck as an “erotic exploration of experimental literary techniques” in the press material accompanying this album and mention that they’ve “consummated their love on disc” here. Sure, but to me the first word that came to mind as […]

Living HourSofter Faces(Kanine Records)4.5/5 Honey vocals with a dreamy marriage of trombone, guitar, Organelle, bass, trumpet, and drums blend into the perfect ambiance for sinking deeply into the moment—Softer Faces is Winnipeg dreampop quintet Living Hour’s third album, and, clearly, they’re doing something right. I’ve played this while commuting, doing yoga, studying, reading, cooking, and […]

Shad isn’t trying to comfort his listeners this time. On his latest album, A Short Story About a War, the Toronto hip-hop artist (full name: Shadrach Kabango) portrays a world much like our own, a world of vulnerability and rage, of fear and rationalization. Even though this album is a departure from Shad’s love for […]

Until Sunday, February 24One way to learn Italian!Pacific Opera Victoria is presenting La Traviata at Royal Theatre; the opera inspired the films Moulin Rouge! and Pretty Woman. Pre-performance lectures take place in the theatre lobby one hour prior to each show. Tickets are between $27 and $144, and are available from the Royal box office […]

CrowsSilver Tongues (Balley Records)4/5  Silver Tongues is the debut album from London’s Crows. The band plays a fusion between hard-hitting post-punk and hostile shoegaze, and they do a great job of it here. This album throws you into the soundscape of a dive bar with its first track, “Silver Tongues,” which furnishes your eardrums with its […]

Van GooseHabitual Eater(Cardboard Queen Records)3/5 The best way to describe Van Goose’s debut album would be “an indie futuristic secret agent videogame soundtrack.” And even though it’s a debut, the sole member of Van Goose, Shlomie Lavie, has been around the music industry for years and is the drummer of alt-rockers Marcy Playground. But experience […]

A new exhibit at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (AGGV) is bringing the works of an artist who was overlooked in the early 20th century to the public’s attention once again. Emily Carr was born in 1871 in Victoria; today she is well known for her intriguing landscapes and unique painting style. AGGV chief […]

He meant to be a painter, but LA-based MC Chali 2na just couldn’t help it. From the hip hop group Jurassic 5 to the Grammy-winning band Ozomatli, 2na (pronounced “tuna,” real name Charles Stewart) is now preparing to tour his latest solo EP, Instrumentality, the fifth and final instalment of his Against the Current EP […]

Jane’s PartyCasual Island(Independent)4.5/5 The simple lyrics and amazing instrumental prowess found on Casual Island, the fourth album from Toronto-based pop-rock quartet Jane’s Party, make it the best thing since The Beach Boys and their 1966 album Pet Sounds. Casual Island takes us on an audio trip, starting with a slow, melodic beat on “Wait for […]

“I don’t want to say I don’t give a shit anymore, but I give less shit.” This is Juno-winning Canadian singer/songwriter Dan Mangan, who, when we chat, is about to launch a Canada-wide tour in support of his latest album, More or Less. Although I am the sixth of seven back-to-back interviews for him, I […]