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The Belushis – ShakerChained Lightning Records– out now3 / 5 Our hearts have been already been stolen by other Canadian rockers, which puts this Vancouver quartet in some tough competition. Taking cues from AC/DC and other classic rockers, The Belushis (love the name, by the way) pound their way through each of their dirty dozen, the way classic rock should be done. These songs don’t stray too far from the time-tested formula of “sex + drugs + rock/roll,” and while that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, these Belushis don’t have a whole lot more to add to that. When you consider what makes classic rockRead More →

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Kitty Clementine – Self-TitledClumpty Records-out now4 / 5 Who’d’ve thunk an Aussie from Sydney would bring gypsy charm and Big Easy stomp to, we don’t know, rock? Big band? We’re not too sure, but in either case, she’s got big brass – horns – on her debut here, and how we appreciate horns. The dozen tracks here get dirty, in a foot-stomping, down-but-not-out blast-you-off-your-[butt] kinda way. It is pure pleasure being inundated with the personality, frustration and joy of this self-described “magician’s daughter.” Whether it’s a straight-rocker like “We Should Know Better” or “It’s Been Real,” born from some muddy back alley in New Orleans,Read More →

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Ryan Monroe – A Painting of a Painting on FireRCM Records-out now2.5 / 5 We’ve got a few criteria for how we rate albums here – gut reaction, technical prowess, memory. Ultimately, when you buy an album, you want one that you’ll play again and again, possibly find yourself humming a few tracks to yourself (hopefully not to your embarrassment). We were stoked to get Ryan Monroe’s debut solo album (of Band of Horses fame), but honestly, we haven’t spun this one up more than a few times over the same number of weeks. What gives? There’s one absolute blow-out track: “Any Way, Shape, OrRead More →

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Joe Pug – The Great DespiserLightning Rod Records-out now4.5 / 5 We at the blog make no secret of the fact that we really enjoy Joe Pug. Well, mostly. On his sophomore album, the folker strums back into a sound more reminiscent of his debut EPs; acoustic, bare, laid back. And while we generally don’t up-thumb an artist who doesn’t develop their sound, strangely enough, there’s something a bit deeper on this one. Pug masters an incredible confidence in his singing and writing, pulling off relatively simple sons such as “Silver Harps and Violins,” “One of Many,” and most everything else here, never droning outRead More →