Avril Lavigne to Release First Ever Greatest Hits Album
Dee Lippingwell – Award-winning Photographer succumbs to Cancer
Jim Cuddy Announces New Solo Album and Coast to Coast Canadian Tour
Shawn Desman Announces Headlining Show at Toronto’s HISTORY

Catching A Lift With Dallas Smith

Roman Mitz
Catching A Lift With Dallas Smith
Dallas Smith is feeling very upbeat these days so it seems appropriate that the title of his new country platter is Lifted. His debut album Jumped Right In launched five singles onto the Canadian charts and landed him a Juno nomination for Album of the Year. He supported that album with a string of tour dates opening for veteran rocker... Read More

The Tea Party – Breaking The Firewall

Keith Sharp
The Tea Party – Breaking The Firewall
“It was 98 degrees when I left Perth Australia last week and now it’s minus a zillion degrees,” protested The Tea Party’s lead vocalist/guitarist Jeff Martin, calling in from Quebec City where the band is about to play the second date of a short Canadian tour in support of their latest recording The Ocean At The End, the band’s first studio... Read More

GORDON LIGHTFOOT – LIVE AT OTTAWA’S NAC

Music Express
GORDON LIGHTFOOT – LIVE AT OTTAWA’S NAC
Upon the mention of the name Lightfoot, words like troubadour, singer/songwriter genius, and Canadian folk music legend come to mind…to name a few. But more, he has the ability to write songs that stick like glue. Completely memorable songs that have woven their way through our lives, with each one reminding us of a certain time, a certain moment, heartache,... Read More

NEIL YOUNG – STORYTONE

Keith Sharp
NEIL YOUNG – STORYTONE
(Reprise Records) Storytone, Neil Young’s latest foray in the work of recorded music, consists of 10 songs recorded twice. Firstly, as minimal acoustic versions with Young singing with piano or guitar and secondly, as full-production versions recorded live with a 92 piece orchestra and choir, and a big band ensemble. Young’s plaintive voice, as distinct as a prairie whisper, adds... Read More

Headstones: Playing It Straight

Keith Sharp
Headstones: Playing It Straight
Headstones’ front man Hugh Dillon is thrilled by the concert review penned by Music Express scribe Brian Stanko of the band’s recent performance at Calgary’s Flame Central – except for one slight oversight. “We played the gig on a Wednesday in the freezing cold yet the place was packed as though it was a Friday night, it was totally insane,”... Read More

NICKELBACK No Fixed Address

Keith Sharp
NICKELBACK No Fixed Address
(Republic/Universal) Those legions of Nickleback haters are about to become truly spasmodic when they hear the Hanna Alberta band’s eighth studio release. Yes it’s full of all those musical ingredients Nickleback’s detractors have come to loath, crunchy guitar arrangements, a driving rhythm section, powerful vocals and hook-laden lyrics that are set to lobotomize your brain for months to come. What... Read More

Kira Isabella Shaking Her Cowboy Booty

Roman Mitz
Kira Isabella Shaking Her Cowboy Booty
Kira Isabella is on a roll. Literally. She’s just completed a seven-hour bus ride from Saskatoon to Brandonwhere she will be performing in support of her new album Caffeine & Big Dreams, which is winging its way up the Canadian country charts. For someone who has just logged over 600 kilometers Kira sounds remarkably perky as she calls prior to... Read More

THE TRAGICALLY HIP. Fully Completely (Deluxe Re-release)

Keith Sharp
THE TRAGICALLY HIP. Fully Completely (Deluxe Re-release)
(Universal Music) Following a now well defined re-release formula, the pride of Kingston, Ontario, The Tragically Hip has re-released their Fully Completely record as a two-disc CD, two disc vinyl and a super deluxe set. Disc One is a fully re-mastered version of the original record which now includes two new tracks; the original version of “So Hard Done By”... Read More

The Return Of Die Mannequin – Blah, blah, blah!

Keith Sharp
The Return Of Die Mannequin – Blah, blah, blah!
Should you find yourself placing a telephone call to Die Mannequin lead vocalist/guitarist Care Failure, the recorded message will no doubt sound like this. “Hi you’ve reached Care. Blah blah blah. Blah blah phone number, blah blah blah. Blah blah. When finally contacted to discuss her band’s latest CD release Neon Zero, Care, also known to select neighbours as Caroline... Read More

Bryan Adams To Be Honoured with Allan Slaight Humanitarian Spirit Award at CMW 2015

Keith Sharp
Bryan Adams To Be Honoured with Allan Slaight Humanitarian Spirit Award at CMW 2015
Canadian Music Week is pleased to announce Bryan Adams as the 2015 recipient of the Allan Slaight Humanitarian Spirit Award. The award – bestowed to the singer-songwriter in recognition of his social activism and benevolent support of humanitarian interests and causes – will be presented on Thursday, May 7, 2015 at the Canadian Music & Broadcast Industry Awards gala in... Read More

BLACK IS THE COLOUR — Headstones

Music Express
BLACK IS THE COLOUR — Headstones
Flames Central, Calgary | October 30, 2014 A secret memo went out to all participants to wear black; black shirts, black pants, and shoes. And to accessorize with black: black toques, black bandanas, and leather. The occasional suit, dropped from a nearby office tower cruised the edges of the scene with a brightly coloured shirt, but was soon lost in... Read More

Sam Roberts Band Session Ale Now Available at the LCBO Inbox x

Music Express
Sam Roberts Band Session Ale Now Available at the LCBO Inbox x
(Toronto, ON – 10 November 2014) — After a summer of quenching thirsts at local bars across Ontario, Sam Roberts Band Session Ale can now be enjoyed by craft beer lovers at home.  As Juno Award winning rockers Sam Roberts Band begin their Lo-Fantasy national tour, SRB Session Ale kicks off its tour of the LCBO, with a listing at stores across the province. In concert... Read More

MOTHER MOTHER Very Good Bad Thing

Keith Sharp
MOTHER MOTHER Very Good Bad Thing
(Island/Universal) By Keith Sharp There is no disputing the uniqueness of this five-member outfit from Quadra Island British Columbia who combine electronic/dance arrangements with precise vocal harmonies for a strong alternative pop sound and with ace producer Gavin Brown (Metric/The Tragically Hip) behind the console, the band’s fifth studio effort project a very “now” sound.  Led by guitarist/vocalist Ryan Guldemund... Read More

One Bad Son Defies Digital Replication

Keith Sharp
One Bad Son Defies Digital Replication
How weird is it that the province of Saskatchewan can produced two hard rock drummers both called Kurt Dahl. Drummer number one is Lanigan, Saskatchewan’s Kurt Dahle, percussionist for 1990’s rock band Age Of Electric who went on to play for the New Pornographers. Kurt Dahl, without the `e’, on the other hand, is the driving force behind Saskatoon’s One... Read More

For Moist It Was Either Now Or Never

Keith Sharp
For Moist It Was Either Now Or Never
It was simply a case of now or never. When Moist vocalist David Usher contacted guitarist Mark Makoway and keyboardist Kevin Young about the prospect of re-launching the band after a 14-year hiatus, there was a sense between the trio that the timing was finally right to initiate a reunion. “Both Mark and myself have young children and there was... Read More

Steve Kane Joins 2015 Inductees to Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame

Keith Sharp
Steve Kane Joins 2015 Inductees to Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame
Canadian Music Week is pleased to announce Steve Kane as a 2015 inductee to the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame. Kane, the President of Warner Music Canada, will be honoured for his achievements at the Canadian Music & Broadcast Industry Awards gala, taking place on Thursday, May 7, 2015 at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel. In a career spanning... Read More

BLUE RODEO – Have Yourself A Merrie Little Christmas

Keith Sharp
BLUE RODEO – Have Yourself A Merrie Little Christmas
  (Warner Music Canada) Yes it’s that time of year again when every musician and his uncle deems it necessary to release a Christmas album with the 100th version of time-worn favourites. Fortunately, Toronto’s Blue Rodeo have saved us from that fate, and instead released a 10-track holiday record that is definitely not your Granddad’s holiday record. Instead they feature... Read More

BILLY TALENT Hits

Keith Sharp
BILLY TALENT Hits
(Warner Music Canada) After a career stretching four studio albums and 11 years, Toronto’s Billy Talent have reached a career milestone with the release of a 14-track `Hits’ best –of release which also contains two new tracks, the incendiary “Kingdom Of Zod” and the melodic “Chasing the Sun”. Sparked by Benjamin Kowalewicz’s distinctive vocals, Ian D’Sa’s fiery guitar work and... Read More

FM: Remastered Classic Keeps Band’s Spirit Alive

Keith Sharp
FM: Remastered Classic Keeps Band’s Spirit Alive
Cameron Hawkins vividly remembers the first time he laid eyes on Nash the Slash. “He was performing at Toronto’s Ontario Place in this punk, prog rock band called Breathless. At one point he spits a flame into the audience and sets six people on fire. I looked at that as absolute garbage and I said to myself, I could never... Read More