Wokewave – Reform Absolutely Everything, Tomorrow [Review]

Tags

2018, Album, Album Review, Canada, Duo, electronica, Experimental, Group, indie, Music, Music Video, Musician, Ottawa, Reform Absolutely Everything Tomorrow, Review, Wokewave

At first, I thought it was a joke when I saw this on my Facebook newsfeed.
But no it is for real since I saw they actually released tracks on Bandcamp.
Wokewave is an Ottawa duo (I think one actually moved to Vancouver) consist of Matt Beaudry and Mike Scholz.
Reform Absolutely Everything, Tomorrow is their first effort and it is seven tracks of instrumental experimental electronic music.
There are upbeat tracks in Practolerable Regime/Rojo Oscura and chill/ambient in Instructions Unclear.
It is a mix between Ottawa’s Hard Science with Justice and LCD Soundsystem.
While I find the song titles a head-scratcher or butcher saying them.
Great album to play during a house party for those wanting to dance or as background music.

Best tracks:

• Practolerale Regime
• Prenicium
• Instructions Unclear (LIVE)

I’d give Reform Absolutely Everything, Tomorrow:

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Suuns – Felt [Review]

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2018, Album, Album Review, alternative, band, Ben Shemie, Canada, Felt, Group, indie, Joseph Yarmush, Liam O’Neill, Max Henry, Montreal, Music, Music Video, Musicians, Review, Suuns

About two years ago, the Montreal band Suuns released Hold/Still.
While that album was the beginning of experimentation with their sound.
This holds true to Felt, which is 11 tracks of creative freedom ranging from minimal electro beats, fuzzy vocals, and longer songs!
When they dropped the initial single Watch You, Watch Me, we were going through something insane with its synth sounds!
It is like listening to their futuristic version of experimental electro-rock trip-hop.
Felt still has the dark moody overtones from the previous album.
Suuns doesn’t disappoint in 2018!

Best tracks

• Look No Further
• ALT-X
• Watch You, Watch Me
• Make It Real
• Daydream

I’d give Felt:
/10

U.S. Girls – In a Poem Unlimited [Review]

Tags

2018, 4AD, Album, Album Review, artist, Canada, Girls, In A Poem Unlimited, Meg Remy, Music, Music Video, Musician, Review, singer, Toronto, U.S, USA

The sixth album by U.S. Girls is filled with anger and rage in 70s disco/rock vibe.
Second album for 4AD and first for Royal Mountain Records.
Lately, I have been listening to Madonna’s Ray Of Light since it is 20 years old.
While similarities are both different with their musical output but similar when it comes to reinvention and self-realization.
Think of In a Poem Unlimited as U.S. Girls delving with a full band and bigger sound.
As in U.S. Girls fashion, there is the reworking of an old track which happens to be Incidental Boogie.
Previously on the EP, Free Advice Column. This reworking has more of loud electro banger.
Overall it is a provocative album that gets you dancing and thinking!
Best tracks:

• Velvet For Sale
• Rage of Plastics
• Mad as Hell
• Rosebud
• Incidental Boogie

I’d give In A Poem Unlimited:

Casa Lagarto – Shed It [EP Review]

Tags

2018, Arturo Portocarrero, band, Canada, Casa Lagarto, EP, EP Review, Group, Jason Barkhouse, Jon Schofield, Music, Music Video, Musicians, Ottawa, Review, Shed It, Travis Kinnear

Finally after being shrouded in mystery.
Ottawa’s Casa Lagarto has finally released their debut EP.
It is called Shred and it is filled with (as they call it) “mirage rock, cactus bop and turkey hop” music.
To me, it sounds like a dirty western rock.
The members consist of Travis Kinnear (Fire Antlers), Arturo Portocarrero, Jason Barkhouse and Jonny Schofield (Ex-The Yips).
Overall Shed It is a solid effort for the band to give them a kick in the scene.
Hope to hear more materials if they release a full-length in the coming months or next year.

Best tracks

• Lights Out
• Shed It
• Scarecrow

I’d give Shed It:
/ 10
The EP is available on all streaming platforms like Apple Music, Spotify, Bandcamp and etc!

Spiritual Cramp – Mass Hysteria [EP Review]

Tags

2018, alternative, band, EP, EP Review, Group, indie, Mass Hysteria, Music, Musicians, punk, Review, Spiritual Cramp

A band that you need to look out for in 2018.
It is the San Francisco punk band Spiritual Cramp.
You got to love that band name.
Here is a description:
“The sounds borrow from the past, echoes of late 70’s / early 80’s working class rock and punk, which function on the upbeat, showcasing very bright guitars yet generating darker vocal rhythms and darker patterning.”
Their debut EP is Mass Hysteria.
As mention in the description, it four tracks of that music.
Play it very loud and enjoy it!

Best tracks: All MY Friends Are Out Tonight (Alright), Tenderloin and Wrecking Machine.
I’d give the EP:
/10

Area Resident – Delano [Review]

Tags

2017, Album, Album Review, alternative, Area Resident, artist, Canada, Delano, Doug Hempstead, indie, Music, Music Video, Musician, Ottawa, Review, Rock

You may not know Area Resident but you may know the name of the performer.
Doug Hempstead is currently on CBC Ottawa as a traffic reporter.
Delano is the second album and follow-up to the self-titled album which came out last year.
Mix of alternative rock with that 90s sound, experimental-rock, and country-rock.
Think of it as a mix of Camp Radio, Expanda Fuzz, Jim Bryson and Octoberman.
Part of the album has that Ottawa-esque vibe with tracks like Riverside, Lanark Double Soaker and MacDonald Park.
Great rocking album to listen to before 2017 ends!
Also Area Resident’s album to be on vinyl via The Record Centre Records.
Best tracks

• Riverside
• Pray for Wendell
• Show No One
• Delano
• Living Like I’m Going Away

I’d give Delano:
/10

Common Holly – Playing House [Review]

Tags

2017, Album, Album Review, artist, Brigitte Naggar, Canada, Common Holly, folk, Montreal, Music, Musician, Playing House, pop, Review

There is alot of buzz/hype surrounding Common Holly in the past few months.
So why not give a chance and listen to her full-length (is it a debut?) album called Playing House via on Solitaire Recordings.

Casper Skulls – Mercy Works [Review]

Tags

2017, Album, Album Review, band, Buzz Records, Canada, Casper Skulls, Group, indie, Mercy Works, Music, Music Video, Musicians, Toronto

Today the Toronto band Casper Skulls dropped their first full-length album Mercy Works on Buzz Records.

Chad VanGaalen – Light Information [Review]

Tags

2017, Album, Album Review, alternative, artist, Canada, Chad VanGaalen, Flemish Eye Records, indie, Light Information, Music, Music Video, Musician, Review, singer, Sub Pop

You can call Chad VanGaalen crazy and quirky, but he sure puts out a fine record.
Light Information which is his sixth album on Subpop for the USA and Flemish Eye for Canada.
It follows the same formula from previous albums like Shrink Dust and Diaper Island with its lo-fi, glitchy and psychedelic pop rock music with lyrics that can masquerade as something dark.
Does it break any ground? I don’t know, Chad is Chad.

Light Information is listening through a journey of what the future brings us into this bleak and crazy world we are living.

Best tracks:

• Mind Hijackers Curse
• Mystery Elements
• Old Heads
• Faces Lit
• Pine and Clover

I’d give Light Information:
/10.

Belle Game – Fear / Nothing [Review]

Tags

2017, Adam Nanji, Album, Album Review, Alex Andrew, alternative, Andrea Lo, Arts and Crafts, band, Canada, Fear / Nothing, Group, indie, Katrina Jones, Music, Musicians, pop, The Belle Game, Vancouver

The Belle Game has been one of my favorite Canadian acts in recent years.
With their lovely indie pop rock music from their 2014’s debut Ritual Tradition Habit.
Now three years later they finally dropped the second album called Fear / Nothing and on the Arts & Crafts label.
Fear / Nothing is another change with the band with them ditching the pop rock vibe and more into the sonic synth pop vibe similar from Braids.
A more dark and maturing record.
This time they have it going for them!

Best tracks:

• Shine
• Spirit
• Yuh
• Low
• I Want Nothing

I’d give Fear / Nothing:
/10