Reviews for Self-Released artists

...As The Poets Affirm
The Jaws That Bite, The Claws That CatchA gust of instrumental wind flutters across your brow. You slowly, methodically and hesitantly descend deeper into the fiery circles, rings of hell. Â…As the Poets Affirm, are an independent Canadian instrumental seven-piece rock ensemble... read more...
By L Pounds
May 24, 2005

1977
So Is The SeaGlitter and sugary twang decorate the So Is The Sea EP, which demos some of the goodies to expect from 1977 on their sophomore record Seaforth (due out in 2012). Julie Kendall is the force...
read more...By Hayley Muir
Dec 6, 2011

Afroskull
To Obscurity and BeyondThe second release for New Orleans’ Afroskull, To Obscurity and Beyond (Skullsound records), is a beguiling listen. At its best, the virtuosity of guitarist and primary songwriter, Joe Scatassa, and the intricacy of his arrangements...
read more...By Jamie Bliss
Feb 14, 2010

Akai
The Coldest HourTruth be told, I’ve always loved the playoff between boy/girl singing in indie rock. Whether it’s Velocity Girl, Stars, The Dirty Projectors, or The New Pornographers – I’m usually a big fan. St. Paul MN band Akai...
read more...By Michael Gerbrandt
May 2, 2010

Leslie Alexander
Nobody's BabyLeslie Alexander is a veteran of the Vancouver club scene and was often heard in the Arts Club Theatre and similar venues back in the 1990s. She has put out a number of albums over the...
read more...By Jim Dupuis
Jun 13, 2011

Arc
FeralThis Toronto trios 4th recording sounds like a doormat to one of my most delicate and intense dreams. existing in a wild untamed state having returned suggestive of a wild animal savage Aidan Baker (guitars,... read more...
By L Pounds
Nov 30, 2003

Arlibido
Safe N SexyIt's kind of a shame when the highest compliment you can pay an album is, "Well you can't blame 'em for trying." Arlibido are a Nova Scotia trio who obviously spent their time in the... read more...
By Russell Gragg
Jul 30, 1999

astre
Wood Songs EPBorn out of cross-country train adventures and solitary nights in a cabin in Manitoba astre’s debut EP Wood Songs marries the spirit of wandering with nesting. Self-recorded at astre (aka Kathryn Kerr’s) family cabin in...
read more...By Megan Clark
Mar 9, 2015

Aunts & Uncles
Aunts & UnclesThe Vancouver trio’s self-titled debut EP has made a sound. Since 2009 they have opened for the independent music scene, and shared stages with the best and most diverse, musical artists in Canada West. The...
read more...By Tristin Norenberg-Goodmanson
Oct 9, 2011

Autobahn
Of The TreeThis album is comprised of a power trio by the names of James Hill (Piano), Jeff LaRochelle (Tenor Saxophone, Bass Clarinet), and Ian Wright (Drums). Based out of Toronto, these guys release their second album...
read more...By Showering Thoughts
Sep 5, 2016

Autocondo
AutocondoHere's a rarity in today's music age: a concept album. And it's not progressive rock. And it's actually enjoyable! Autocondo are formed of three ex-members of the venerable Canadian 80s band Pukka Orchestra, here taking...
read more...By Steve Marlow
Jun 11, 2009

Back Pocket
Overdue
By Jason Wellwood
Nov 21, 2011

The Baketones
Unite
By Steve Marlow
Jul 16, 2011

The Balconies
The BalconiesBy Marshal Hignett
Dec 6, 2009

The Bare Minimum
The Bare Minimum
By Jason Wellwood
Nov 21, 2011

Alexis Baro
guilty pleasureThe Album “Guilty Pleasures” is a treasured mixture of composer Alexis Baro’s compositions performed on Trumpet and Flugelhorn. The music is a finely crafted combination of Afro-Jazz, ballad style, and Beguine. Alexis Baro is a...
read more...By Jack Kopstien
Dec 10, 2015

The Battleship Ethel
61 Mixed VegetablesHamilton-based trio, The Battleship, Ethel are the type of band who live by the mantra of donÂ’t rehearse, donÂ’t practice, just play, play, play. Improvisational music is a tough pill to swallow for many people.... read more...
By L Pounds
Jan 17, 2005

Joe Beck and Laura Theodore
Golden EaringGolden Earrings serves as a memorial to two jazz artists, one legendary and one less well known. The songs on this album all come from the songbook of the legendary jazz vocalist Peggy Lee (and...
read more...By Steve Marlow
Nov 2, 2009

Bent By Elephants
Bent By ElephantsBy Steve Marlow
Aug 12, 2009
The Besnard Lakes
Volume 1The packaging is what made me first pick up this CD and put it in the player. It looked like something I would be into. It is dark and minimal, and the focus is a... read more...
By anne sulikowski
Oct 7, 2003

Laila Biali and the Radiance Project
House Of Many RoomsThis is not an album I expected to hear from Laila Biali. After five good-to-great albums of vocal-based jazz, Biali has gone pop. Well, it's not exactly a pop album, but kind of a pop-jazz...
read more...By Steve Marlow
Jun 9, 2015

Black Suit Devil
The Freedom SessionsBlack Suit Devil is the alter-ego of Toronto based songwriter Andy Du Rego. The band is mostly Du Rego, with a wide variety of guest stars. The Freedom Sessions is a classic-rock album in the...
read more...By Steve Marlow
Aug 23, 2018

David Blake
Next Year PeopleIt is an interesting arc that a musician travels to develop his own musical identity.
Vancouver jazz guitarist David Blake has travelled that arc and has released his debut album Next Year People.
This is...
read more...By Shelley Gummeson
Jan 15, 2014

Bleachers
Bleachers
By Amil Delic
Dec 28, 2012

Blist
BlismFrom Calgary, this two-piece rap group known as Blist host guest collaborators (Danny Vacon, Ricca Razor Sharp, Dragon Fli Empire and others) on vocals, beat mixing and production on full-length release, Blism....
read more...By Tristin Norenberg-Goodmanson
Jan 23, 2012

Bog River
Hands In The GroundHands in the Ground is the first full length record from the Winnipeg trio Bog River.
Styles range from the ho-down-foot-stomping goodness of the album's opener “This Side of the Sea”, to the dixieland drive...
read more...By Greg Mahood
Feb 23, 2012

Boombox Saints
For The MomentWith their first debut full-length album For The Moment, The Boombox Saints have set a course for the top. These guys are the freshest hip-hop crew to come out of the west coast recently.
By Shelley Gummeson
Nov 6, 2012

Bill Bourne & The Free Radio Band
Bluesland
By Dave Ferguson
Aug 9, 2011

Brahja Waldman's Quartet!
Brahja Waldman's Quartet!Brahja Waldman and his quartet are a common sight in jazz clubs in New England and their native Quebec. Waldman, a saxophonist and the song-writer for the group, fronts a talented young group of musicians....
read more...By Steve Marlow
Oct 16, 2011

Andru Branch
The Only ConstantAndru Branch, who was nominated for the 1999 Juno for Best Reggae album with What If I...
read more...By Shelley Gummeson
Jul 1, 2008

Brocade
Like You Were HereLike You Were Here is the debut album from Calgary-based trio Brocade, who have been playing together for two years. A self identified kitsch rock band, the west coast musicians’ release draws upon a...
read more...By Amanda McCulley
Dec 10, 2011

Bob Brough Quartet
Time AwayTime Away, the latest offering from The Bob Brough Quartet is essentially a mainstream, instrumental jazz CD which showcases the talents of the entire quartet. Bob Brough is the... read more...
By Jim Dupuis
Oct 21, 2008

Kym Brown
Cursery RhymesGod her accent is so hot. This Vancouver born, London raised artist has influences from artists ranging from The Beatles to legendary Icelandic singer Björk. This poppy album starts with the track ‘Almost Happy’, which...
read more...By Showering Thoughts
Jun 6, 2016

Bullship
Bullship“If you could be shocked by lifes petty miracles, imagine the everlasting elation of success� - written on the Bullship CD. The liner notes of this recording are shure to note that this releases is... read more...
By L Pounds
Jan 10, 2005

Candelora
CandeloraCalgary's Candelora are a tight band, both on CD and outside of music. Made up of two brothers, a cousin and a freind, they have a sound similar to Maroon 5 or Coldplay. It's obvious...
read more...By Steve Marlow
Jun 18, 2011

catl
Soon This Will All Be Gone"Kassie Jones" introduces us to Catl.'s Soon This Will All Be Gone. A very odd intro song that almost plays like the opening scene to a movie. Another thing the intro does is it sets up...
read more...By Amil Delic
Jun 9, 2012

Caught Off Guard
Caught Off GuardCalgary has a long history of great pop punk bands. You can add Caught Off Guard! to that list. The band play a brand of punk that isn't much heard today: melodic, heavy and comedic....
read more...By Steve Marlow
Jan 6, 2011

Cecile Monique
Cecile MoniqueWhat is it what makes promising, young independent artists want to ape already successful styles? For every Nirvana, there were a hundred Candleboxes desperately copping their style for some stab at commercial success. Ontario's Cecile...
read more...By Steve Marlow
Jun 9, 2011

Ceti Alpha
TelemetryWith a couple of exceptions, the majority of Canadian artists gaining popularity and respect are those based in provinces east of Newfoundland. Rarely does one ever hear of a hot new band from the East...
read more...By Matija Kamikovski
Apr 2, 2009

Monica Chapman
Small WorldToronto jazz vocalist Monica Chapman has released her third CD Small World, a recording that showcases her passion for Hollywood movies and musicals. She has carefully curated a dozen songs that have left a lasting impression on her through...
read more...By Shelley Gummeson
Apr 7, 2017

Betsy Charge
Betsy Charge
By Steve Marlow
Apr 20, 2011

Glenn Chatten
Where You Need To BeGlenn Chatten has been playing folk music and touring since the 80s. Originally from Ontario, he moved to Vancouver a few years ago and quickly settled himself into the music scene there. Where You Need...
read more...By Steve Marlow
Dec 7, 2011

Children Of Celebrities
We're Not BitterBy James Hayashi-Tennant
Sep 21, 2007

Children Of Celebrities
Stereo Bang BangChildren of Celebrities are the type of band you'd see playing the backyard of some hip friend's party, languidly picking their guitar and making some melodic music. The band is a light, tongue-in-cheek mix of...
read more...By Steve Marlow
Jul 6, 2010

China Syndrome
Nothing's Not Worth KnowingIf China Syndrome’s first album showed potential then their second outing with Nothing’s Not Worth Knowing exudes confidence in themselves and their musical ability.
This second album venture contains more background vocals and an improvement...
read more...By Dave Ferguson
Feb 18, 2011

Christianne
Doomsday LoversThe highly under rated and delightfully charismatic Christianne has a bounty of poetic tragedy to illustrate through lyrics and comfortable healing sounds. Considering the world is over run by so many folk singers not expressing...
read more...By Marc 'Oxide' LaCasse
Apr 30, 2010

Annabelle Chvostek
Be the MediaIf you’re looking for the harmonic songbird stylings of Annabelle Chvostek’searlier work with the Wailin’ Jenny’s this album is not the place to look. If you’re looking for the worldly and bold folk sounds of her early solo...
read more...By Megan Clark
Oct 27, 2015

Citadel
AquarianCitadel is a post-rock band from Calgary with an almost religious feel. The band plays music on spacy, electronic organs, with vocals drifting in and out of the music like Gregorian chants. The 4-song album...
read more...By Steve Marlow
Apr 3, 2013

Class Action
An Extra Bar of the Wrong SongThis is a four-track EP from Calgarian ska punk outfit, Class Action. This mini-album has the pep and spunk, flash and drive and the beat, trumpet, saxophone and trombone you expect from ska music. There...
read more...By Tristin Norenberg-Goodmanson
Apr 10, 2013

Coal
Beautiful AfterburnVancouver's Coal has a sound dreamy-dark-western-goth-pop. They also have an identity in vocalist Nicole Steen, who seems to enjoy singing with a mountain of echo behind her like a rain-shadow pressing up against the Rockies.
... read more...By Gord Golden McDonald
Apr 27, 2002

Buckman Coe
Crow's NestBuckman Coe is a world traveler, muti-talented musician and singer-songwriter. He is a social activist based in Vancouver, B.C. and pursuesan ecological approach to music making as well as social activism. He is musically influenced by...
read more...By Tristin Norenberg-Goodmanson
Mar 10, 2013

Jon Cohen Expiremental
Behold
By Marc 'Oxide' LaCasse
Jan 5, 2011

Andrew Collins Trio
And It Was GoodToronto mandolin-player Andrew Collins has put his mark on Canadian folk music over the years, as a member of the bluegrass band the Foggy Hogtown Boys, and in the more traditional folk stylings of the...
read more...By Steve Marlow
Dec 28, 2016

Colouring Season
your departure left me the shelterless victim...It's impressive when someone can bare their soul and write songs about their own traumatic events. It's even more impressive when you can break those events down to have just enough material to fit snugly... read more...
By Bryndis Ogmundson
Aug 11, 2003

Construction & Destruction
HomebodiesThis is clearly a CD made lovingly by Colleen Collins and Dave Trenaman (aka Construction and Destruction) for no one but each other. In this progressive age of DIY music publication,...
read more...By Anne-Marie Brugger
Jul 14, 2008

Creek Road Crossing
Thick As ThievesCreek Road Crossing are a straight ahead, “no surprises here� rock and roll band who wear their classic rock heritage badges stitched to the sleeves of their grease and booze soaked t-shirts with pride. CRC... read more...
By L Pounds
Jan 17, 2005

Cri du Chat
Cri du ChatBy Tristin Norenberg-Goodmanson
Apr 22, 2011

DAGRS
s/tVancouver's DAGRS are a classic sounding hardcore punk band. Their Facebook page cites their influences as “short, stabby knives”, which is a pretty accurate description of what they sound like. The music is punchy, melodic...
read more...By Steve Marlow
Jan 1, 2015

Dali's Llama
Full On DunesWith the modern revival of heavy psychedelic movement, with it's heavily produced and textured layers, it's easy to forget that the original movement didn't go for all the studio tricks you see today....
read more...By Steve Marlow
Dec 2, 2008

Dark For Dark
WarboatsFrom the first few seconds of the first track on Dark for Dark’s Warboats it is clear that this will be an album of beautiful harmonizing and gentle melodies. Fronted by multi-instrumentalist Rebecca Zolkower Dark...
read more...By Megan Clark
Oct 27, 2013

David Ellul
The Unplugged Living Room SessionsIndependent singer-songwriter David Ellul has put a living room session to CD and the resulting tossed salad of tunes is an impressive no frills mod-folk recording that reeks of Bruce Cockburn, 3-chord Gord, Greg MacPherson... read more...
By L Pounds
Jan 10, 2005

Daywalker
DaywalkerBy Tristin Norenberg-Goodmanson
Apr 10, 2013

Jean-Paul De Roover
Windows and Doors
By Jason Wellwood
Dec 17, 2009

Derelict
PerpetuationFew bands get away with releasing albums that sound almost nothing alike but still manage to stay within the broad scope of their genre. Derelict has recently released its third full length and it takes...
read more...By Jason Wellwood
Jun 8, 2012

Neelamjit Dhillon Quartet
Komagata MaruThe Neelamjit Dhillon Quartet brings together four of Canada’s most dynamic musicians to tell the story of the ship Komagata Maru, using a fresh musical language that combines jazz and Indian classical forms.
In May...
read more...By Catherine Fisher
Sep 29, 2015

Dirty Penny
Tada!Sometimes it?s nice just to let an album entertain you. Too often we listen to music as an exegetical practice trying to find some 'deeper meaning' hiding beneath the surface of the music. While of... read more...
By Jeff Friesen
May 5, 2007

The Donefors
How To Have Sex With CanadiansFrom the opening track, sounding deliciously zenful, it is impossible not to fall under the spell of Janine Stoll’s mellifluous voice. How to Have Sex with Canadians is all about falling under the influence of...
read more...By Anne-Marie Brugger
Apr 1, 2009

Doomeastvan
Songs In The Key Of DeathTrue story: I’m driving in my car listening to Doomeastvan and I pull up to a stop light. It’s hot, so my windows are down, and a police car pulls up beside me. His window...
read more...By Jason Wellwood
Oct 5, 2011

Double Fuzz
Double FuzzThere should be a warning label on Double Fuzz’s debut self-titled album. It should caution listeners that upon hearing the contained noisy, gritty and glorious sounds, they may be inspired to take up the corresponding...
read more...By Nathan Marsh
Apr 19, 2012

Driftglass
The StrangerDriftglass have totally pegged the progressive rock vibe of the 70’s. It’s easy to draw a lot of comparisons with this band but none of them quite fit, though I will say that there are...
read more...By Jason Wellwood
May 18, 2011

Drumhand
Moving Still
By Hayley Muir
Feb 16, 2011

Anita Eccleston Trio
Jazz
By Jim Dupuis
Nov 19, 2011

Anita Eccleston Trio
Anita Eccleston TrioAnita Eccleston is a jazz-trained trumpet player and vocalist. She is also a dynamic artist, as the Anita Eccleston Trio EP can attest to. The three-song EP is essentially a sampler to the multi-talented Vancouver musician. Her...
read more...By Shelley Gummeson
Apr 4, 2013

The Electrobe
The ElectrobeOliver Sudden producer/engineer Paul Etch may be based in Montreal, but his gaze is set far beyond the world?s longest coastline. As the creative captain of Electrobe, Etch lists several mystical inspirations on the band?s... read more...
By Andrew Lee
Apr 9, 2007

Kemal Evans Band
No Pressure ZoneKemal Evans has an impressive resume, having been born into a musical family (his father one of Canada's best known hand-drummers), spending time as a child touring across Canada and learning...
read more...By Steve Marlow
Jan 30, 2009

Feast of Mutton
Seven Fine Cuts
By Steve Marlow
Jul 16, 2011

Cameron Scott Fraser
Promised Land
By Dave Ferguson
Oct 21, 2010

The Fugitives
Eccentrically We LoveBy Steve Marlow
May 21, 2010

Galerie Stratique
Rêves de BétonGalerie Stratique is the alter-ego of Quebec based electronic musician Charles-Emile Beullac. Reves de Beton is his fourth album to date, his first coming back in 2001. Beullac is well steeped in the ambient style...
read more...By Steve Marlow
Mar 17, 2016

June Garber
This I KnowJune Garber, a vibrant jazz vocalist from Toronto, has released her third album This I Know. She's gathered energy from the experiences of her life so far, and infused 12 songs with it.
Garber has...
read more...By Shelley Gummeson
Jun 28, 2016

Ghost Honey
Ghost HoneyBy Tara-Michelle Ziniuk
Nov 22, 2012

The Glorious MoonRockets
The Glorious MoonRocketsAnyone who loves buying 7” singles from unknown punk bands will be very familiar with the sound of The Glorious MoonRockets. Hailing from Ottawa, the band is heavily influenced by classic garage rock and psychedelics. They...
read more...By Steve Marlow
Nov 19, 2012

Golden B.C.
Just Take It
By Amil Delic
Dec 28, 2012

Gorilla Voodoo
Under The Thumb Of The Man SmilingUnder The Thumb Of The Man Smiling is the debut album from angry-with-society musician and rookie producer Gorilla Voodoo. While the album has a good shot at getting a message across, it isn't very effective... read more...
By Kyle Cunjak
Jul 14, 2002

The Grass
Report All GhostsWith this, their third album in less than two years,
By Peter Bradley
Jun 11, 2008

Jaclyn Guillou
To The City
By Shelley Gummeson
Apr 1, 2011

Jaclyn Guillou
The Lover's WalkThe Lover's Walk, is jazz vocalist Jaclyn Guillou's second album. It transports you to a low lit, late night jazz club, softly clinking ice cubes and a bartender who's heard his share of luckless stories....
read more...By Shelley Gummeson
Apr 7, 2014