High Violet is anxious, tense, laden with blurry visions that lead to crooked, lonely back streets to wander through while we try to grasp the emotion and reach of each song. It’s never a strain that becomes wearing or tiring, though; in fact, it’s exactly in that tension between depression and desire, anxiety and confidence ...

1. Arden Kaywin – Quarter Life Crisis Rating: 3/5Released: 2005Reviewer: Nathan Atnikov It’s not easy being...
2. The Black Keys – Brothers Rating: 4 / 5 Reviewer: Trent Depue An interesting...
3. Scotland Yard Gospel Choir – And The Horse You Rode In On “I hope you catch syphilis and die alone.” And...

Owen Pallett (formerly Final Fantasy) is an artist who progresses in huge leaps, not steps. Instead of timid shuffling, he announced himself with a confident lunge on 2005’s Has a Good Home, crafting a unique set of clever indie pop songs with little more than a violin and an army of effect pedals...

1. Cham – Ghetto Story Rating: 2/5Released: August 15, 2006Reviewer: Trent Depue Jamaican Dancehall...
2. Jenny Lewis with The Watson Twins – Rabbit Furcoat Jenny Lewis’ career to date has been anything but...
3. Jenny Lewis – Acid Tongue Rating: 4 / 5 Reviewer: Trent Depue On her...

For Calgary-based indie darlings Woodpigeon, the start of a new decade brings good tidings as their new record Die Stadt Muzikanten brings to the table a much more consistent effort than last year’s Treasury Library Canada

1. Woodpigeon – Spirehouse Rating: 3.5 / 5 Reviewer: Trent Depue Riding on...
2. Mark Knopfler & Emmylou Harris – All The Roadrunning Seven years in the making. Given that this is...
3. Conor Oberst – Conor Oberst Rating: 3.5 / 5 Reviewer: Steve Venegas Every generation...

After listening to the first two tracks (and a brief detour to the ninth to see how Live at Massey Hall DVD highlight ‘Don’t Let The Darkness In Your Head’ turned out in the studio) of Blue Rodeo’s twelfth and possibly most ambitious studio record The Things We Left Behind ...

1. Blue Rodeo – Blue Road Rating: 3 / 5 Reviewer: Trent Depue At a...
2. Blackie and the Rodeo Kings – Let’s Frolic Rating: 4/5Released: September 19, 2006Reviewer: Trent Depue Forming ten...
3. Alice in Chains – Black Gives Way to Blue Rating: 2.5 / 5 Reviewer: Trent McMartin I feel...

“I hope you catch syphilis and die alone.” And with that, so begins the third album from Chicago’s Scotland Yard Gospel Choir.

1. Retribution Gospel Choir – 2 Rating: 4 / 5 Reviewer: Andrew Mitchell When Alan...
2. Corb Lund – Horse Soldier! Horse Soldier! It’s easy to write off Horse Soldier! Horse Soldier!...
3. The Fiery Furnaces – Rehearsing My Choir Rating: 2.5/5Released: October 25, 2005Reviewer: Nathan Atnikov Definitely one...

2007’s National Anthem Of Nowhere saw Canadian indie rock veterans Apostle Of Hustle at the top of their game, expertly balancing distinctive melodies and rhythms in full, polished arrangements. Eats Darkness, with its conceptual theme of examining reality’s ugly and violent elements ...

1. The Dead Weather – Horehound Rating: 3.5 / 5 Reviewer: David Coats Jack White’s...
2. Blue Rodeo – The Things We Left Behind After listening to the first two tracks (and a...
3. Interpol – Our Love To Admire It’s been a long three years since Interpol was...

TThe Great Lake Swimmers seem to possess and almost singular ability to exude Canadianism. The atmosphere their music creates coupled with Tony Dekker’s pitch-perfect voice could practically be used to define Canada.

1. Great Lake Swimmers – Ongiara Rating: 4/5Released: May 8, 2007Reviewer: Trent Depue From the...
2. Swan Lake – Beast Moans Rating: 3/5Released: November 21, 2006Reviewer: Nathan Atnikov With the...
3. Great Big Sea – Courage & Patience & Grit Rating: 4/5Released: November 21, 2006Reviewer: Delaney Seiferling Great Big...

There are few things worse than most “price of fame” albums. Though there are doubtlessly many drawbacks to spending months on the road, being recognized at a fast food joint and having loyal fans endlessly scream their approval.

1. Okkervil River – The Stage Names Rating: 4.5/5Released: August 7, 2007Reviewer: Nathan Atnikov “What gives...
2. The Wreckers – Stand Still, Look Pretty Rating: 2.5/5Released: May 23, 2006Reviewer: Trent Depue For best...
3. Dave Matthews Band – Stand Up Rating: 3.5/5Released: May 10, 2005Reviewer: David Coats It’s been...

After releasing the best rock albums of 2005 and 2006, expectations are suddenly high for a band whose members were, until recently, holding down second jobs. Stay Positive opens much the same way that ‘06’s Boys and Girls in America did – with two blistering bar-rock anthems. ‘Constructive Summer’ and ‘Sequestered in Memphis,’ are both full steam ahead rock ‘n’ roll, accompanied by Craig Finn’s bizarre and ingenious storytelling.

1. The Hold Steady – A Positive Rage Rating: 3 / 5 Reviewer: Nathan Atnikov For fans,...
2. The Hold Steady – Heaven Is Whenever Rating: 3.5 / 5 Reviewer: Nathan Atnikov The Hold...
3. The Hold Steady – Boys and Girls in America If every great song were traced back to inception,...

“Can you imagine a world without rock and roll?” asks lead singer Dan Vacon of local Calgary band The Dudes. Well, if the unanimous boo’s of the modest crowd stationed in front of the TD Music Stage can be taken as an accurate sample size for the estimated 30,000 people in attendance at Calgary’s first Virgin Festival

1. Calgary Artists for Haiti Relief Reviewer: Trent Depue A joint venture between the cities...
2. Dan Mangan – Feb 6/10, The Gaitway, Calgary Reviewer: Nathan Atnikov With The Gaitway at SAIT set...
3. The Wooden Sky and Rural Alberta Advantage – 6/12, Broken City, Calgary Reviewer: Nathan Atnikov Taking the stage for a second...