Visual Rule #1

Always Sometimes Never

Nirvana: MTV Live & Loud

I know the music industry is quickly going down the tubes, but you’d think someone would step in figure out a way to monetize MTV and MuchMusic’s massive archives of interviews and performances. Or...

NXNE 2012 Photo Gallery

Incoming: the Dirty Nil – “Summer Mixtape”

Last year, Dundas, ON rockers the Dirty Nil dropped the pretty rad single “Fuckin’ Up Young” backed by the equally awesome “Verona Lung.” Now, after impressing with appearances at Canadian Music...

New Video: JEFF the Brotherhood – “Six Pack”

One of my favourite bands of the past few years are Nashville duo JEFF the Brotherhood. The real-life brothers, Jake and Jamin Orrall, drop their latest full-length, Hypnotic Knights on July 17, on...

Record Review: Japandroids – “Celebration Rock”

This review originally appeared at Exclaim.ca Second time around, Vancouver, BC duo Japandroids come out swinging, creating a record that’s harder, better, faster and stronger than their excellent...

Blind Melon – MuchMusic Intimate & Interactive

Found this on youtube. Very excited. I love Blind Melon‘s second record, Soup. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FL3PfYAH2e8

Green Day: Jaded In Chicago (Full Concert)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naP1viOewiM

Record Review: PS I Love You – “Death Dreams”

Kingston, ON duo PS I Love You blazed a bright and noisy path on their debut, Meet Me at the Muster Station, inventing a type of punk rock prog in the process. Yet singer/guitarist Paul Saulnier...

Paper Lions vs. Air Canada’s social media team – FIGHT!

I totally just stole this from the fine folks over at the Broken Speaker (who in turn got it from a Music Nova Scotia employee’s Twitter feed), but this really sums up what we’ve got to deal with...

Record Review: Eamon McGrath – “Young Canadians”

This review originally appeared at Exclaim.ca On his third album proper, Eamon McGrath blazes a jingoistic path in an attempt to capture what defines Canada and its music. And while it’s up for...

New Video: Kitty Pryde – “Okay Cupid”

Teenage MC Kitty Pryde is what happens when you give Ellen Paige’s Juno the mic. A brilliant mix of self-awareness wrapped in a protective blanket of pop-culture name-dropping and self-obsession....

Record Review: Ringo Deathstarr – “Shadow EP”

This review originally appeared at Exclaim.ca Austin, TX’s Ringo Deathstarr are doing a good job of making themselves inescapable. After dropping their excellent debut, Colour Trip, last March,...

Stream: Hermetic – “Civilized City”

Given the recent reunion of Kingston via Halifax duo, the Inbreds, now seems as good a time as any to mention lo-fi indie pair Hermetic. Like the Inbreds, and Winnipeg’s Duotang, Hermetic rock the...

Photo: EMA @ the Garrison, Toronto 03/13/2012

Photo: Nü Sensae @ the Garrison, Toronto 03/13/2012

Live Review: EMA w/ Nü Sensae, the Garrison, Toronto 03/13/2012

This review originally appeared at Exclaim.ca Erika M. Anderson’s emergence as a solo artist was both surprising and quick; her work with doomy folk group Gowns never really hinted at the highly...

Record Review: The Men – “Open Your Heart”

This review originally appeared at Exclaim.ca Brooklyn, NY four-piece the Men have made a habit out of confounding expectations, abandoning sounds quicker than a pop star changes costumes. Just as...

Incoming: California X – “Sucker” & “Mummy”

In case it hasn’t been made clear through some of my recent posts, I’ve been really digging the resurgence in interest in distorted, heavy guitars in underground circles. This shouldn’t come as...

Video: Rich Aucoin – “P:U:S:H”

Look, I really like Rich Aucoin, okay? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17BVMOqRvk8

Record Review: The Babies – “Cry Along With…”

This review originally appeared at Exclaim.ca Our current need to document and release our every waking activity hasn’t spared the music industry ― a quick YouTube search reveals dozens of shaky...

New Video: Grimes – “Oblivion”

I’ve written about my love for Grimes in the past, so I’ve been easing off a little with the release of her latest, most excellent album Visions. However I felt compelled to post this latest video...

Live Review: Daps Records Revue, Great Hall, Toronto 02/24/2012

This review originally appeared at Exclaim.ca Anyone wondering how Daps Records so quickly gathered international buzz around its burgeoning roster need only have witnessed this show. The label —...

Record Review: Long Weekends – “Don’t Reach Out”

This review originally appeared at Exclaim.ca It didn’t take long for Halifax crew Long Weekends to find their stride. After dropping a handful of online tracks, their debut seven-inch doles out...

Record Review: Marvelous Darlings – “Single Life”

Damian “Pink Eyes” Abraham may get most of the attention but third guitarist Ben Cook is certainly the busiest member of Toronto psychedelic-punks Fucked Up. In between the steady stream of singles...

Live Review: Eamon McGrath @ Bovine Sex Club, Toronto 02/18/2012

This review originally appeared at Exclaim.ca Playing exclusively new material is a ballsy move, even for the most established artists. So when Toronto-based musician Eamon McGrath announced he’d...

Record Review: Islands – “A Sleep & A Forgetting”

This review originally appeared at Exclaim.ca No matter how much we want them to be, Islands are not the Unicorns. Since Nick Thorburn and Jamie Thompson struck out on their own, the group have...

Photo: Eamon McGrath @ the Bovine, Toronto 02/18/2012

Incoming: The Men – “Ex-Dreams”

Brooklyn’s The Men (not to be confused with Le Tigre-related band MEN) hit my radar sometime last year with their excellent sophomore release Leave Home, a record that blended the best bits of...

Incoming: Moonlight Bride – “Lemonade”

Chattanooga, TN (yes, that’s a real place) crew Moonlight Bride have found a nice middle ground in the indie world walking a thin line between the slinky post-punk of Joy Division and the swirling...