At Osheaga, the sunny grounds were filled with a dazzling array of musical talents from a multitude of different sounds. Out of these, the easygoing and dreamy indie sound of Afie Jurvanen—the Toronto-native behind the stage name Bahamas—could be easily picked out. His newest album Bahamas is Afie (2014), is[Read More…]
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CRi looks at the present and the past
Montreal-based duo CRi just passed another milestone for local artists: Performing at Osheaga. Comprised of Christophe Dubé and Ourielle Auvé (during live performances), the electronica group formed in 2013. Their sound is reminiscent of early James Blake, with clipped audio samples looping over synth beats and droning organs. There’s an[Read More…]
Defining Pierre Kwenders
On stage, Pierre Kwenders is a firecracker. He moves non-stop—dancing to the rhythm of his set, laughing between verses, and engaging his guest performers in a three-way can-can. Yet in person, the energetic persona fades, and he is much more reserved. “In real life I’m not Pierre Kwenders, I’m José[Read More…]
Album Review: Mac Demarco – Another One / Captured Tracks
Brooklyn-based indie artist Mac DeMarco has a knack for crafting effortless-sounding songs. His debut album, 2 (2012), and follow-up Salad Days (2014) played heavily on a hazy aesthetic that was the definition of lazy Sunday-morning music. On Another One—a ‘mini LP’—DeMarco is unable to progress[Read More…]
Osheaga 2015 recap: Day three
With the sun shining high in the sky, thousands of fans eagerly made their way through Parc Jean Drapeau to their favourite acts. With a fabulous set of artists lined up, festival goers appeared in good spirits, dressed in tanks, shorts, and rocking their pair of raybans—the final day of[Read More…]
The greater goal of the Women’s World Cup
It amazes me when girls, many of whom play soccer themselves, say matter-of-factly that they do not like watching women’s soccer as much as men’s. Perhaps those who watched this year’s Women’s World Cup, held in Canada, might now say otherwise, yet by simply looking at my own experiences, it’s[Read More…]
Album Review: Kacey Musgraves – Pageant Material / Mercury Nashville
Since the release of her critically acclaimed debut album, Same Trailer, Different Park (2013), Kacey Musgraves has filled an odd gap between country and mainstream music. Musgraves’ follow-up album, Pageant Material, continues where her debut album began, with Musgraves lyricising witty critiques of the social[Read More…]
New Pornographers go beyond NXNE boundaries
North by Northeast (NXNE) drew 350,000 attendees last year and lists over 1,000 performers–mainly independent and local–but many Torontonians will tell you they’ve never even heard of it. Despite the encyclopedic list of musicians, comedians, and entertainers, the shows are hosted across over 30 separate venues dotting Toronto’s sprawling core,[Read More…]
From the BrainSTEM: Montreal Museums Day
As a student, being able to immerse myself in Montreal’s rich network of museums—without having to pay anything—is an exciting proposition. On May 24, when the Board of Montreal Museum Directors hosted the 29th edition of La Journée Des Musées, Montréalais: Montreal Museums Day, I had to participate. The Biodôme,[Read More…]
Album Review: Florence + the Machine – How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful
Much of the lead-up to How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful, the highly anticipated studio album from British indie-rock band Florence + the Machine, has included an overemphasis of the album’s stripped-back sound. No stranger to bombast, the band’s previous two albums were high on[Read More…]