Vancouver’s Five Alarm Funk, one of Canadian Content Machine’s featured bands of June.
Happy Canada Day! It is a beginning of a new month and we have the most Canadian of holidays to start it off. Why not pitch in a little of your patriotism Canuck-style and check out the many Canadian acts we featured last month here at Canadian Content Machine.. From behemoth funk troupes to charming songstresses , the month of May was a good one for Canadian music.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
New Album Reviews!
Pull the Emergency Switch! Five Alarm Funk Raises the Alarm with their Apocalyptic New Album, Abandon Earth
Five Alarm Funk. Photo Credit: Brooke Roisum.
One of the most ecstatic and eclectic releases so far this year, Five Alarm Funk’s Abandon Earth absolutely blew us away. Of course, when you have nine members in your collective (including timbales and congas), you know you’re going to be filling each and every corner of your full-length LP. Certainly one of the few bands that actually live up to their name! You can check out our review of Abandon Earth by Five Alarm Funk here.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Swim to New Shores: Jon McKiel’s new, self-titled EP reviewed
Jon McKiel.
Halifax has its music scene down pat, with multitudes of acts washing ashore the Atlantic coast each year. To distinguish yourself among the many is quite an achievement in itself; fortunately Jon McKiel has his own science. His latest EP, Jon McKiel, goes for that perfect mix of restraint and optimism that makes for one pleasurable listen. Find out more in our review of Jon McKiel’s latest self-titled effort here.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Simple Charms of Jessica Bundy’s Careless Smile
Jessica Bundy. Photo Credit: Robert M. Saxe.
“Indie Darling” may be a bit of an overused term. How about “Indie Treasure”. Okay, that may be overdoing it, but Jessica Bundy is kind of special. The Toronto native just released her new EP, Careless Smile, an indelible mix of love and loss. Despite its seemingly easy-going nature, Careless Smile hits where it counts (both in the head and the heart), and it certainly made an impression on us. Look at our review of Jessica Bundy’s Careless Smile here.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Chromeo, Act II: Their latest, White Women, reviewed
Chromeo.
Chromeooo. Oooo. Even their name is given to being chanted, and if you have ever been to these Montreal dudes’ live shows you would expect that and more. After ten years in the industry, Chromeo may have finally achieved international super-stardom with their with their latest release, White Women. The album debuted at a cool No.11 on Billboard, and hit single “Jealous (I Ain’t With It)” has found its home on everyone’s radio and playlist this summer. But there is more to White Women than that, so read our review of Chromeo’s newest and shiniest here.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Concert Reviews!
Concert Review: Timber Timbre @ Massey Hall, May 23rd, 2014
Timber Timbre at Massey Hall. Photo Credit: Malcolm Cook.
Timber Timbre is a band that gets a lot of love here (just read up on our review of their latest, Hot Dreams, here), and when we heard they were playing a show at the legendary Massey Hall in Toronto, we just had to take it in. And what a show it was! Act like you were there once you read our full review of their show here.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Second Spins: Older Albums Reviewed Again!
School Damage: Fixed By Hooliganism
School Damage. Photo Credit: Miranda Armstrong.
There is the good, the bad, and the just plain insane. Guess which category School Damage falls under. Yes, this Toronto punk trio has a few things it wants to say, and naturally those things are being yelled at and shredded over 200 bpm. School Damage already has released a couple of scorchers: their self-titled debut in 2012 and the sophomore release Weird Days in 2013. So when do we get to hear some new stuff? We’re not sure, but for now quench your hardcore thirst with our feature on School Damage here.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Special Event Coverage – North by Northeast 2014!
A-Z NXNE: A Short (and Long) Preview
North by Northeast, SXSW’s Canadian sister, arrived in Toronto in the middle of June. While headliners like St. Vincent and Run the Jewels tended to be American, we had plenty of made-it and up-and-coming Canadian acts hitting the stages. From Joel Plaskett Emergency to The Jerry Cans, NXNE proved to be (as always) an excellent showcase of Canuck talent. Look back and reminisce with our preview of NXNE here.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
That finishes the month of June at Canadian Content Machine. Canada Day is here, and so is July! Fire up your barbecues and pack your camping gear. But don’t forget your music!
Canadian Content Machine 