Country + Western

2009 RECORDS WE MISSED – Melissa McClelland

Rating: 3.5 / 5 Reviewer: Trent Depue

On her 2009 release Victoria Day, Melissa McClelland was faced with what could be seen as either an absolutely fantastic or incredibly difficult situation depending on how you choose to look at it: following up a near perfect record.

Posted in Country + Western, Folk + Roots, Music Reviews, Rock + Pop


2009 RECORDS WE MISSED – Carolyn Mark & NQ Arbuckle

Rating: 5 / 5 Reviewer: Greg Hutton

Most Carolyn Mark records evoke images of a continuous party that would, in all likelihood, be the most fun party you ever attended. Red wine, new best friends, and food are a few common themes, especially on 2002’s Terrible Hostess and the excellent 2004 album The Pros and Cons [...]

Posted in Country + Western, Music Reviews, Rock + Pop, Top Rated


Blue Rodeo – The Things We Left Behind

Blue Rodeo - The Things We Left Behind

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

Posted in Country + Western, Featured Review, Music Reviews, Rock + Pop


Dustin Bentall – Six Shooter

Rating: 4 / 5 Reviewer: Trent Depue

Vancouver native Dustin Bentall first stepped on to the music scene in 2005 with his impressive debut release Street With No Lights. Four years later, his sophomore release Six Shooter proves well worth the wait.

Posted in Country + Western, Music Reviews, Rock + Pop


Amy Millan – Masters of the Burial

Rating: 3 / 5 Reviewer: David Coats

Amy Millan’s first solo release, 2006’s Honey From the Tombs, was a stylistic surprise, as she seemingly turned 180 degrees from her Stars and Broken Social Scene gigs, and made a record of lonely, weary country songs. Though she did more or less pull it off, there was [...]

Posted in Country + Western, Folk + Roots, Music Reviews


Reverend Horton Heat – Laughin’ and Cryin’

Rating: 2.5 / 5 Reviewer: Andrew Mitchell

Laughin’ and Cryin’ with Reverend Horton Heat is the kind of foot-stompin’, hootin’ and hollerin’ fare that depicts Texans as gun-wielding, pickup-driving, beer-drinking, gambling rednecks. For nearly 25 years, the three piece band led by vocalist/guitarist Jim ‘Reverend Horton’ Heath has gathered a loyal following churning out flippant comedic [...]

Posted in Country + Western, Music Reviews, Rock + Pop


Son Volt – American Central Dust

Rating: 2.5 / 5 Reviewer: Trent Depue

Regarded as one of alt-country’s foremost pioneers, Jay Farrar is known for many things, but being upbeat and positive isn’t necessarily one of them. To that end, the pace of his sixth Son Volt release should not come as much of a surprise to anyone.

Posted in Country + Western, Music Reviews, Rock + Pop


Ben Kweller – Changing Horses

Rating: 2 / 5 Reviewer: Nathan Atnikov

For Ben Kweller’s entire career up to this point, people have been hesitant to bring up the dreaded ‘e’ word, when really they should’ve been championing him as an artist who brought some credibility to the emo genre.

Posted in Country + Western, Music Reviews, Rock + Pop


Copyright 2004-09 Music-Critic.ca | Web Site Developed by Armadillo Studios | Admin Login
To ask about reprinting these reviews on another site, contact Nathan.