Cass McCombs | Tip of the Sphere
Some artists write songs that make the whole world sing. Cass McCombs writes songs that could make the whole world shut up and listen — if he could get...
Queen Zee | Queen Zee
When Iggy Pop calls you "strange ... dirty ... weird (and) crazy," you know you're doing something right. Truth be told, gender-bending Liverpool glam-punks Queen Zee are doing plenty...
Robert Ellis | Texas Piano Man
"I'm f---ing crazy," asserts Robert Ellis by way of introduction on his latest album Texas Piano Man. As opening lines go, it's definitely an attention-getter. And perhaps even a...
Jon Fratelli | Bright Night Flowers
This is not the Jon Fratelli you're thinking of. Except that it is. Confused? So is anyone who buys this disc expecting to hear the rambunctious pop-rock Jon crank...
Long Ryders | Psychedelic Country Soul
It's been a long time coming. More than three decades, in fact. For those keeping score at home, we last heard new studio tracks from paisley cowpunks The Long...
Czarface & Ghostface Killah | Czarface Meets Ghostface
The latter is arguably The Wu-Tang Clan’s most colourfully creative, unstoppably prolific and collaboratively daring member. The former is an underappreciated hip-hop supergroup co-starring producer 7L, rapper Esoteric and...
Dale Watson | Call Me Lucky
You can call Dale Watson lucky if you want. And he's undoubtedly had some good fortune over the years — like being born with a rich set of well-deep...
J.S. Ondara | Tales of America
The American Dream doesn't get much better than this. Six years ago, 20-year-old Nairobi native J.S. Ondara won a Green Card lottery and moved to Minnesota — where he...
Tedeschi Trucks Band | Signs
"I don’t always love music that tries to be this brand-new discovery every time," Derek Trucks told me in 2016. "A lot of my favourite music is from bands...
Broken Social Scene | Let’s Try the After Vol. 1
Don't get too excited, Broken Social Scene fans. Let's Try the After Vol. 1 is not the Toronto collective's followup album to 2017's Hug of Thunder. It's just a...
Back Stories | My Review of XTC’s 1999 Masterpiece Apple Venus Vol. 1
Two decades ago this week, XTC’s eagerly awaited comeback album Apple Venus Vol. 1 was released. Here's a slightly edited what I had to say about it back then....
Charlie Faye & The Fayettes | The Whole Shebang
Even nostalgia needs an update every now and then. And who better to bring classic girl-group pop into the modern world than Charlie Faye and The Fayettes? They've already...
Colin Linden & Luther Dickinson With the Tennessee Valentines | Amour
Amour isn't a bad title. But Mutual Admiration Society might be a better one. Or at least a more accurate depiction of this genteel joint effort spearheaded by Blackie...
The Lemonheads | Varshons 2
It's a shame about Evan Dando. Back in the ’90s, the Lemonheads frontman was one of the more interesting and individual singer-songwriters on the scene (as anyone who's heard...
Linda Ronstadt | Live in Hollywood
It's so easy to overlook Linda Ronstadt. And sadly, it always has been. Back in the ’70s and ’80s, the supremely talented vocalist topped charts, sold out arenas and...
