I guess there’s really no turning back at this point. 2020 is going to happen, and we’re going to be fearful, frustrated, confused, and righteously angry. And when we emerge from all of this, hopefully, we will do better.
Here is everything we covered in May, 2020. Continue reading Monthly Roundup: May 2020
Fires and locusts and plagues! Oh my! Never mind the fact that the US government slipped in some footage of UFOs and absolutely no one batted an eye. 2020 is turning out to be one heck of a year. The big news this month was, of course, that festival season has been cancelled this year. Undoubtedly, that will cause some financial hardships for touring musicians and some severe withdrawal symptoms for festival-goers, but we suspect that we’ll be seeing some bold ingenuity in the weeks to come.
Here’s hoping for some silver linings. Check out everything we covered in April, 2020.
Reports of our demise have been greatly exaggerated. The world has changed quite a lot since we last checked in, and while things might seem awfully dire for the music industry (and any industry that involves being anywhere except your couch) things aren’t as bad as they might seem. A burgeoning industry of livestreamed concerts has sprung up. Artists are finding support left and right. A wellspring of arts funding has been unleashed. And, arguably, the world is getting a much-needed timeout in general.
The times ahead won’t be easy. There will be loss. We will struggle in many ways; economically and spiritually, certainly, but in the midst of all we have an opportunity to thrive creatively.
So, please, stay home if you can. Create something. And don’t forget to thank an artist for taking the edge off all this isolation. Continue reading Monthly Roundup: March 2020
When it comes to the Top 100 Canadian Albums of all Time, there are a few things that critics can agree on. There are legends you can count on finding every time, like Leonard Cohen, Neil Young, The Tragically Hip, Rush — and Sloan. Made up of Jay Ferguson, Chris Murphy, Patrick Pentland, and Andrew Scott, this four-piece rock band, originally from Halifax, Sloan has historically delivered a sound that has eschewed contemporary tastes for the sound of ‘60s Brit-rock and ‘70s garage rock, but with four songwriters, each with distinctly different styles, it’s difficult to put them into one box.
Each member has amassed his fair share of songwriting credits and, while performing, the band will often reinforce that democratic nature by trading off instruments to accommodate the performance of each other’s songs. Their successful and unique take on band democracy has served them so well that they’ll soon be celebrating 30 years as icons of Canadian music, having created countless radio hits and equally amazing deep cuts.
So how well do you know the work of these beloved rockers? If you haven’t yet delved into their diverse catalogue, allow this guide to help you decide where to start as well as suggest some deep cuts you may have missed! Continue reading One Album to Another: Sloan Albums Ranked
Well we knew this was going to be a music heavy month. February was a bit crazy, but luckily we had that extra day to manage it all. Check out everything we covered and discover how we spent our Valentine’s Day! Continue reading Monthly Roundup: February 2020
