By Felix Mayer
The band Magnolia — made up of Leanne Hoffman and Scott MacLean — made their musical debut on Nov. 5 with the release of their powerful and complex eponymous EP. The duo combines folk, jazz and blues music to a potent effect, creating an album that can be curiously erratic, but is nonetheless enjoyable to… Continue reading Spun: Magnolia
Toronto-based singer songwriter Tim Moxam is launching his solo career with the EP Blue Son. The title, Blue Son, reflects his personal style of music, which is smooth, somber and haunting, but hopeful. Each song on the EP avoids the folk-rock style of his previous band Great Bloomers in favour of a folk-Americana blend of… Continue reading Spun: Tim Moxam
By Ashton Chugh
The new album from Frédéric Pellerin — formally of the Madcaps, now turned soloist as They Call Me Rico — is a combination of folk and blues creatively meshed together. I popped his album into my car’s stereo on an especially foggy winter night and it served as the perfect ambiance with its mix of… Continue reading Spun: They Call Me Rico
By Diltaj Atwal
Auresia’s latest album, Risin’!, centers on the singer’s soulful voice, mixing her beautiful harmonies with meaningful lyrics and flavours of electric pop. At times the album can be clunky but it is truly an interesting marriage between unique electric pop blends and the soulful harmonies of reggae. Auresia, a singer, songwriter and guitarist raised in… Continue reading Spun: Auresia
By Riley Hill
Action Bronson is a large, Albanian Jewish guy with a hipster-length beard, taste for Lincoln Town Cars and a honking New York voice — about the most unlikely rapper you can imagine. Hailing from Queens, the former chef broke from obscurity in 2012 with his Blue Chips mixtape, placing him among rap’s underground elite and… Continue reading Spun: Action Bronson
As modern rock bands slowly edge further and further into the realm of mainstream music and the typical pop-esque radio fare over the course of their careers, the bands tend to adapt and develop more complex music with more instruments, synthesized sounds and orchestral backdrops. This isn’t the case with Winnipeg singer and songwriter Greg… Continue reading Spun: Greg MacPherson Band
The cover of the latest album from the Toronto band The Strumbellas is slightly misleading, but that shouldn’t be held against it. The giant, gold disco ball that is setting behind the mountain in place of the sun suggests an upbeat country-dance album, as does the album’s title, We Still Move On Dance Floors. It… Continue reading Spun: The Strumbellas
The sophomore album from local Calgary band the Fast Romantics sees a departure from the sound they developed in their debut album. Their self-titled debut, released in 2009, was standard indie-rock music with occasional, anticipated hints of punk rock slipped in and conveyed a general impression not unsimilar to Franz Ferdinand. Their latest album avoids… Continue reading Spun: Fast Romantics
When Montreal-Toronto band Yamantaka // Sonic Titan’s first album, YT//ST, was shortlisted for the 2012 Polaris Prize, fans were left wondering if the group would be able to trump their critically appraised debut album. UZU is the answer to that question — it’s a volcanic yes. Yamantaka // Sonic Titan’s style is a medley of… Continue reading Spun: Yamantaka // Sonic Titan
By Sean Willett
If you haven’t listened to an Arcade Fire album since Funeral, the music on Reflektor will come as a bit of a surprise. Since their debut album, the Canadian band has moved away from traditional indie-rock and towards a more ephemeral and unconventional sound. This shift is most noticeable in their latest album, which almost… Continue reading Spun: Arcade Fire