Another year passes and another promising Canadian electronic artist leaves for Europe. This time round it's Victoria native Jeremy Shaw of Circlesquare joining the ranks of a West coast exodus that includes Mathew Jonson and much of the Wagon Repair family. Never the most prolific musician — this i... Full Review

With the 20th anniversary of the Seattle scene's insurgence fast approaching, the ghosts of its fallen figures will still not be allowed to rest. However, it's unlikely that proper tributes will be paid to the survivors, those who have transcended the ubiquitous "grunge" tag and continue to make music that challenges both themselves and their audiences. Granted, there aren't many; Pearl Jam and Mudhoney have stuck to relatively familiar territory, while Chris Cornell's post-Soundgarden work is best left out of this discussion entirely. That leaves Mark Lanegan, the scene's poetic misfit, an image largely rooted in his original miscasting as lead vocalist of Screaming Trees.... Read More

Working in the music business as it goes through a turbulent sea change, one can't help but feel a bit like an ape in 2001: A Space Odyssey confronting that shiny big monolith from the future. Should we worship it, or throw rocks at it? Fear or awe? Oooh! Oooh!... Read More