Letting out a ‘Big Deep Sigh’
In the post-Phoebe Bridgers indie landscape, confessional songwriting has become the standard, and the more gut-wrenching the better. But what gets lost in this chase…
Alex Braun
UMFM show spotlight — ‘Scary Hours’
After dark, after hours, demon time, scary hours. Things slow down at night, things feel different in the dark, and the spirits and emotions that…
Andy Shauf, ‘Norm’ — 4/5 Stars
Saskatchewan-born singer-songwriter Andy Shauf is a consummate storyteller. This reputation has followed him around for his entire career, and he seems quite happy to perpetuate…
‘Skinamarink’ is worth the hype
How was your childhood? Did you ever lie awake at night in bed, watching shadows crawl across your walls? Did you zone out staring at…
Mac DeMarco, ‘Five Easy Hot Dogs’ — 3/5 Stars
Over the past 10 or so years, in the shadow of the ’00s indie boom, by my estimation only two artists from the sphere have…
Broadway fairy fantasy brought to life
One of Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim’s most popular and enduring works is also one of his silliest on paper. The fairy tale mashup musical Into…
The best Canadian albums of 2022
Alvvays — Blue Rev Alvvays has reclaimed its rightful spot as indie-pop royalty. Since its first record in 2014, the band has pumped out perfect…
In defence of snobbery
Theodor W. Adorno and Max Horkheimer, leading philosophers of the group of researchers known as the Frankfurt school, defined their idea of the culture industry…
’Toban tracks — a holiday miracle
Holiday music — the trash they pump through mall speakers from October through December as they try to hype up shoppers and passersby to buy…
Dangler, ‘Sunny Day Lake Music’ — 4.5/5 Stars
Sunny Day Lake Music is both a completely apt and ironic way to name the debut compilation EP from Dangler. There is a sort of…