Articles By: Teresa Di Matteo 
Teresa is a writer and musician studying journalism in Toronto
Billy Talent – Dead Silence album review
Fans have waited so long for a Billy Talent comeback that they might have even forgotten that Ian D’Sa has been using the same Stratocaster sound for the last three albums. However their new album Dead Silence opens up in the most unpredicted way. What you expect to be a full throttle of thrashing guitars turns out to be a smooth and sultry acoustic opening on the track “Lonely Road to Absolution”. However that mellow sound remnant of an indie rock [...]
Read more →Sean Rowe – The Salesman and the Shark album review
The smooth sounding voice of musician Sean Rowe is one of the most unique sounds to be heard in quite a long time. His bluesy, almost jazzy baritone voice cuts through every melody like a knife and sends an icy chill down your spine. While his voice is reminiscent of Marvin Gaye with hints of Bob Dylan inspired emotion, his vocals have only improved (even with such a reputation) since his debut album release entitled Magic, and has continued to [...]
Read more →I’m Not A Band – BANDBAND album review
Following the release of their debut album Elecetrolin and EP What We Do, the Berlin duo I’m Not A Band released their latest album BAND BAND after touring last summer. Playing with a vigor that concentrates heavily on catchy dance beats, Stephan Jung and Kassandra Papak will likely be having you tap your fingers and toes to the beat, and eventually dancing around the room. Though their tunes are primarily based around electronic arrangements, there are elements that come from [...]
Read more →thenewno2 – thefearofmissingout album review
Front man Dhani Harrison (son of Beatles guitarist George Harrison) and band mate Paul Hicks (son of the Hollies’ Tony Hicks) have yet again proved their musical prowess with the release of their second studio album thefearofmissingout. Performing under the name thenewno2 (pronounced The New Number Two) Harrison, Hicks and band have created a unique sound that fuses together several genres and styles of music including alternative rock, electro rock, psych, reggae and indie rock (to name a few). Although [...]
Read more →Drop Dead Pin-Ups – Electric Nights album review
The title for the most youthful sounding band goes to the Toronto based rock and rollers of Drop Dead Pin-Ups. Fusing together the energy of punk music and the classic vibes of rock n’ roll, Drop Dead Pin-Ups (DDP) has managed to put the aggression back into the indie music scene. By turning up the distortion on their amps and drumming just a little bit faster, they’ve given us back the sound of our youth that has constantly been overshadowed [...]
Read more →Bleak Falls – Another Rainy Day EP review
Bleak Falls has the potential to become sought after musicians within the category screamo and hardcore punk. Their newest release entitled Another Rainy Day proves evident that they are headed in the right direction, regardless of the minor slip-ups their sound might pose to long time followers of the genre. The EP is consistent, which is convenient for listeners because at least they will know that Bleak Falls knows who they are, or rather what they should sound like. Then [...]
Read more →Toby Martin – Love’s Shadow album review
It’s apparent that Toby Martin (formerly of the band Youth Group) wrote much of his debut album Love’s Shadow in the midst of nonchalant journeys, that led him to recall destinations of the wondering sort – and of the heart. Love’s Shadow tells a tale of common individuals in common places. The unique factor about these individuals is that they possess the human trait of being romantics, with the inevitability to constantly find themselves lost, lonely and heartbroken – characteristics [...]
Read more →Heavenly Beat – T A L E N T album review
In late 2009, John Pena of Beach Fossils branched off and began creating music as Heavenly Beat releasing the band’s first 7 inch single “Sunday” back in 2011, along with the July 2012 release of their latest LP entitled Talent. While the album has received a number of good reviews from both fans and critics, the band’s live shows have been deemed questionable and described as “unfulfilling” – if this doesn’t leave you with mixed feelings, then the album just [...]
Read more →Suit of Lights – Shine on Forever album review
Suit of Lights sounds like the first rock band you ever listened to. Even if you’re a first time listener, there is a familiarity that reminds you of the first time you discovered rock music; it has that carefree, mellow sound reminiscent of the 90s. You can picture the band, led by Joe Darone, playing in a packed, back alley warehouse to a huge crowd of teenagers and societal misfits. In contrast to their alternative rock sound, there is a [...]
Read more →Katrin the Thrill – Evil Eye Charm album review
Katerina Panopoulou has paid her dues to the music industry. After years of playing solo gigs and mixing and matching band members, she settled in nicely with the right musicians and became Katrin the Thrill. This five piece band from Athens, Greece is set to release their brand new album Evil Eye on September 10, 2012, and promises to stay true to the alternative rock sound that they wear so well. While Panopoulou’s music has been compared to PJ Harvey and Radiohead, her vocal stylings give off [...]
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