Hailing from New York City and Athens, Georgia, Night Palace comes to us with their debut album. Diving Rings presents a mix of alternative rock and dream pop, all based on the catchy melodies and beautiful voice of Avery Draut. The sweetness of a song like "Into the Wake, Mystified" may remind one of Alvvays or Cate Le Bon. The string section on "Enjoy the Moon!" is reminiscent of pop music from another era, as far back as the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds. The sophisticated chamber pop arrangements are superb for wrapping around the more rocking moments of the record. The songs on Diving Rings would certainly work in their simplest form, but the arrangements here add a fascinating layer to the album. This is an incomparable first record for Night Palace, a band to watch closely in the future.

Music Videos: « Enjoy the Moon! » - « Titania »

On Because You Loved Me, jazz singer Ranee Lee takes on Celine Dion's repertoire, reinterpreting some of her greatest hits. She covers these huge pop hits in a very different style, often a complete reconstruction of the original as even the melody gets lost in the somewhat funky jazz ensemble. To help her in her mission to revive Celine's songs, Ranee turned to her trusted collaborator, pianist and producer Taurey Butler, who worked on new arrangements. However, there was a significant loss on this album as it was her first recording without her husband, guitarist Richard Ring, who died of cancer in 2018. Ranee features the hits "My Heart Will Go On", "I'm Alive", "All By Myself", "The Power of Love", and the title track. But it also features a medley of "House of the Rising Sun / Je crois", plus "Nature Boy", popularized by Nat King Cole, a favorite of both Ranee and Celine. Thanks to some jazz improvisations, the nine-track album still spans 55 minutes. It offers a totally different way to rediscover Celine Dion's greatest hits.

Toronto's Lydia Persaud introduces her sophomore album, three years after Let Me Show You. The singer-songwriter shows all her talent on Moody31, with groovy jazz and sounds reminiscent of 1970s soul music. The tone and sound of "Let Me Be There For You" and "Think of Me" even reference Marvin Gaye's classic "Here My Dear" with a subtle nod. Produced by Scott McCannell (who also plays bass), the album features some of the best musicians on the Toronto scene: Christine Bougie (guitar), Chino de Villa (percussion and drums), Ben McDonald (keyboards and backing vocals), Kyla Charter (backing vocals) and James Baley (backing vocals). Lydia's ukulele is also an integral part of Moody31. In addition to the effective grooves, the melodies are sublime and the eight songs present Lydia's unique personal stories that she interprets in her beautiful, sultry voice. The only problem with the record is that at only 20 minutes, it's more of an EP that should have been presented as such, to avoid some frustration down the line.

Manela is a Quebec jazz quartet formed by Marie Neige Lavigne (violin), Bernard Falaise (guitar), Jean Félix Mailloux (double bass) and Pierre Tanguay (drums). Éphémère is their debut album and features improvisations, beautiful melodies, efficient rhythms, as well as African and Indian influences. The nine original pieces are compositions by Marie Neige Lavigne, the instigator of the project. She is a violinist and composer with more than 20 years of experience and a founding member of Cordâme. Manela offers a beautiful jazz album, which will certainly be appreciated by many fans of the genre. (April 2022 Featured New Artist)

In 2016, Angel Forrest released Angel's 11, an album of collaborations with 11 virtuoso guitarists. She's doing it again six years later, but this time with 11 of her favorite male and female vocalists. Her first spontaneous choice was Harry Manx, whose talent she admired but had never worked with. He sings with Angel on "Gypsy Heart". Other collaborations include Ricky Paquette, Rob Lutes, Reney Ray, Dawn Tyler Watson, Jonas Tomalty, and her husband, D. Columbus (Denis Coulombe). All these artists give another perspective to these new compositions by Angel Forrest, which are inspired by current events: police violence on blacks, domestic violence, effects of the pandemic on youth, etc. Even before the release of the record, we were able to discover a first country-blues single, "My Favourite", with D. Columbus. Here is an effective and pleasant record from Angel Forrest. (April 2022)

After bringing reggaeton to a wide audience 20 years ago, Daddy Yankee has had tremendous success, not only with the Latin population, but around the world. Now 45 years old, the Puerto Rican has announced that he is presenting his last album before a well-deserved (if rather early) retirement. It remains to be seen if this is just the famous marketing strategy of leaving to come back in a triumphant and unexpected return. With LegenDaddy, he still leaves by the big door with a solid album of 19 tracks and almost 55 minutes. He once again presents unavoidable dance beats and several potential hits, starting with "X Ultima Vez" (with Bad Bunny), "Rumbaton", "Hot" (with Pitbull), "Zona Del Perreo" (with Natti Natasha and Becky G) - "Agua" (with Rauw Alejandro and Nile Rodgers), "Bombon" (with El Alfa and Lil Jon), "La Ola", "El Abusador Del Abusador", "Impares" and "Remix". This is a nice way to go to a golden retirement, while leaving the place to the next generation. (April 2022)

Music Videos: « Rumbaton » - « Hot » - « Zona Del Perreo » - « Remix » - « Agua » - « Bombon » - « La Ola » - « El Abusador Del Abusador » - « Impares »

Priscilla Block is a country pop singer from Raleigh, North Carolina who brings us her first ever full-length album, following EPs in 2017 and 2021. She offers standard country tunes, but her melodies are generally quite pop. There are also elements of southern rock on several occasions (for example in the most recent single, "My Bar") for rather varied music overall. Priscilla has the voice and the energy to reach a wide audience. In addition, she signs all the songs herself. She is even nominated for New Female Artist of the Year at the upcoming ACM Awards (March 7). Good luck to her! (March 2022 Featured New Artist)

Music Videos: « Just About Over You » - « Thick Thighs » - « Wish You Were the Whiskey » - « Peaked in High School » - « My Bar »

A loyal accomplice of Angel Forrest on record, on stage and in life, D. Columbus has collaborated with many pop and blues artists in Quebec as a musician, composer or producer during his 30-year career (Hugo Lapointe, Annie Villeneuve, Paul Deslauriers, John McGale, Breen Leboeuf, Martin Deschamps and many others). After having participated in more than 20 albums, D. Columbus now presents his first solo recording, Eleven Dollar Bill, a country album entirely in English with pop and folk influences. It features 10 effective songs reminiscent of American country music. Note the presence of Angel Forrest on "To Love Somebody" at the end of the album. (March 2022)

The indie rock band from Sydney, Australia comes to us with their third album, their first since 2017. Angel in Realtime was largely inspired by lead singer David Le'aupepe's father, who passed away from cancer in 2018. While the album is very autobiographical, it also emotionally reaches a wide audience. Gang of Youths features anthems like "In the Wake of Your Leave", "The Angel of 8th Ave." and "The Man Himself" that are infectious and can evoke artists like Bruce Springsteen, U2 and even New Order with their rock and new wave blend. Orchestral sections add richness to the album which is very complete and coherent from beginning to end. Here is the album of their career so far... (March 2022)

Cécile McLorin Salvant continues to push the boundaries of jazz on Ghost Song. Cécile once again offers solid original compositions ("Thunderclouds", "Moon Song", the title track, etc.), but also covers of traditional songs ("The World is Mean", "Unquiet Grave") or contemporary ones ("Optimistic Voices/No Love Dying", "Until" by Sting). She also offers a superb version of Kate Bush's "Wuthering Heights" at the very beginning of the record. The album was conceived in the context of the loss of two people close to her: her grandmother and her long-time drummer Lawrence Leathers, who was tragically killed in a domestic dispute in 2019. It is this sense of terrible loss that hangs over Ghost Song, another exceptional album from Cécile McLorin Salvant. (March 2022)

The Quebec-based band arrives with their first album of original songs in 10 years, one year after the EP Again, Pt. 1, which paid tribute to some of their favorite artists. Brothers Ivan and Colin Doruschuk, supplemented since 2016 by guitarist Sho Murray, explore a wide range of themes on Again, Pt. 2: the state of the planet ("If the World Should End Today", "The Human Race"), the meaning of life ("Just Another Day", "Where the Wild Go"), the state of art ("Heaven", "My Own Advice"), and, of course, love ("The Love Inside Your Heart", "When Does Love Begin"). Musically, the trio still offers its electro-pop sound completely focused on synthesizers. The digital and analog mix joins the present to their best years. They even used the Prophet 5 synthesizer, which was used at the time for the recording of "The Safety Dance", their biggest career hit. The only problem is that in the early 1980s, Men Without Hats were among the innovators with their electronic sound, but today they sound rather old-fashioned. There are still some good catchy songs anyway with unforgettable melodies. Note that 2022 represents the 40th anniversary of their debut album, Rhythm of Youth. (March 2022)

The Spanish female singer returns with her third album, four years after El Mal Querer. On Motomami, Rosalia proposes a very innovative sound that skillfully mixes Latin pop, electronic music and other world influences. Two energies seem to confront each other with energetic dance pieces and more introspective tracks. There are also several experimental moments, even if they try desperately to create a harmonious whole. It will certainly take a few good listenings to completely adhere to the proposal which proves to be quite destabilizing at first. The most electronic moments can remind us of Moby, while the experimentation brings us back to Björk. Billie Eilish also comes to mind on several occasions. Let's note two collaborations: The Weeknd for "La Fama" and Tokischa for "La Combi". This is an excellent album for Rosalia, possibly her best, even if it requires a certain effort to listen and adhere. (March 2022)

The Illinois alternative and industrial metal band released four albums between 1993 and 2001, but since then, no news, until now. With Chasing Ghosts, Stabbing Westward goes back to the best of their industrial metal side. For the occasion, Orgy alumni Carlton Bost (guitar) and Bobby Amaro (drums) join vocalist and guitarist Christopher Hall and programmer Walter Flakus. The band manages to avoid nostalgia, while presenting the logical follow-up to Darkest Days released in 1998. It is an energetic and highly effective album that can be compared to the best industrial albums. Tracks like "Cold" and "Control Z" are must-haves and could become classics in the genre. As for "Push" and "The End", they are epic tracks of more than seven minutes. Indeed, the 10 tracks of Chasing Ghosts contain no real weaknesses. This is the album that everyone has been waiting for from Stabbing Westward for over 20 years. (March 2022)

It is only one year after the release of Ignorance that Tamara Lindeman is back with a new album. How Is It That I Should Look at the Stars is meant to be complementary to the previous record, as the songs were written at the same time, in the same emotion, and the themes overlap: conflict, disconnection, love, birds, and climate. This new album was recorded in only three days and the result is an intimate whole with a lot of silences, maybe a little too much. The extremely calm album gathers 10 ballads on 32 minutes and leaves all the room to the simple and naive lyrics. It allows to appreciate the purity of Tamara's compositions. The album was made without any notice to the record companies and by gathering a new group of musicians (mostly from the Toronto jazz and improvisation scene), without drums or percussion. The musicians improvised in the studio to accompany Tamara on piano. This is a spontaneous album of immense sensitivity and absolute sweetness that will appeal to fans of intimate music. (March 2022)

In this recording at Dièse Onze in Montreal on June 26, 2021, Parisian pianist Jean-Michel Pilc demonstrated more than ever the power of spontaneity and improvisation in jazz music. Along with fellow musicians Rémi-Jean LeBlanc on bass and Jim Doxas on drums, Pilc improvised for over two hours and this is only the first part on the album. It features five tracks: two of his own compositions ("11 Sharp" and "Alive"), "Softly As in a Morning Sunrise" composed by Oscar Hammerstein II and Sigmund Romerg for the 1928 operetta New Moon, and two Miles Davis classics ("Nardis" and "All Blues"). The seven other pieces of the concert are also available in electronic version only. These include an explosive version of Eddie Harris' "Freedom Jazz", the standards "Someday My Prince Will Come" and "My Funny Valentine", as well as a very unexpected version of the Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby". The whole concludes with John Coltrane's very effective "Mr. P.C.", almost 14 minutes with a Latin feel. The CD will seem incomplete with only the first five tracks, but the whole available online is very satisfying with two hours and 15 minutes of excellent jazz music. (March 2022)

With four EPs that have garnered millions of listens online, Quebec's Margaux Sauvé (aka Ghostly Kisses) has carved out a more than enviable place for herself on the global music scene. The singer-songwriter has finally arrived with her first full-length album, Heaven, Wait. Following a long depression, this album represents a rebirth for her. There are many transitions: from friendship to love ("Heaven, Wait"), from life to death ("Your Heart Is Gold"), from loneliness to relationship ("Heartbeat"), from childhood to adulthood ("Green Book"). The music of Ghostly Kisses is a soft and muffled pop, a great electro sound of avant-gardist atmosphere. Even if there is still a certain dark and melancholic side, the album is brighter than what she did before, even danceable on some occasions. Her voice whispers in our ears and quickly bewitches us. The artist worked with renowned producers: Tim Bran (London Grammar, Aurora, Birdy) and Thomas Bartlett (The National, Sufjan Stevens, Florence and the Machine). The result is an impressive album by its coherence, its arrangements, and the quality of its compositions. It is a first record of very high caliber by this artist to watch closely in the years to come. (February 2022 Featured New Artist)

Music Videos: « Don’t Know Why » - « Heartbeat »

The shoegaze duo from Baltimore is back on record, four years after 7. The inspiration was definitely there as Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally present us a double album of almost an hour and a half. They produced the album themselves and seem to have total creative freedom. Once Twice Melody starts with a series of four first-rate songs: the title track, "Superstar", "Pink Funeral" and "Through Me". First, "Once Twice Melody" includes synthesizers and electronic drums recalling the duo's early days, before adding strings, courtesy of arranger David Campbell, to create a symphonic pop sound reminiscent of the 1960s. As for "Superstar", it is an instant classic with a very pleasant rhythm. There are of course a few sadder tracks worthy of shoegaze, but Once Twice Melody is rather bright in general. Above all, Beach House offer us an excellent entertainment, creative and very high quality indie pop music. (February 2022)

The Canadian pop punk band is back with their sixth album, their first in six years, since 2016's effective Afraid of Heights. Billy Talent returns to their winning recipe on Crisis of Faith with unforgettable catchy tracks. The album kicks off with a bang with "Forgiveness I + II," an almost progressive two-part song that totals 6 minutes and 40 seconds. It's both daring and very satisfying, for a great moment in their career. There is also the dark ballad "The Wolf" which is quite different from what the band has been used to. The other eight songs on the record are a bit more standard for Billy Talent with the riffs and melodies we've come to know and love for almost 20 years. There are three memorable tracks that you can hum along to: "Hanging Out with All the Wrong People", "One Less Problem" and "End of Me" (featuring Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo). With Crisis of Faith, Billy Talent delivers a great album, an excellent entertainment that also offers its share of creativity. (February 2022)

One year after their debut album, For the First Time, the English band is already back with Ants From Up There. Black Country, New Road offers a mix of intimate post-rock and jazz-folk, with some Arcade Fire-like flights of fancy. Unfortunately, a few days before the launch of their new album, their leader, Isaac Wood, left the band, which put a bit of a damper on the launch. It's a shame because Ants From Up There has better compositions than the previous one, with a bit more nuance and several interesting creative touches. The result is an excellent record, very interesting and enjoyable throughout. (February 2022)

With Aubades, Jean-Michel Blais makes the transition from pianist to composer for an ensemble. Inspired by the Renaissance and the Middle Ages, Blais offers symphonic music that goes far beyond his previous works paying tribute to the piano. Following the March 2020 lockdown, he isolated himself in an improvisational creation that resulted in over 500 different improvisations transformed into 11 compositions. For the orchestration, Blais was fortunate to collaborate with Brooklyn native Alex Weston, former assistant to Phillip Glass for over seven years. The work is performed by a 12-piece ensemble led by Nicolas Ellis, assistant to Yannick Nézet-Séguin at the Metropolitan Orchestra. All of the music was recorded with close microphones, a practice that is more pop music-like and contrasts with the classical tradition by creating a more intimate, less distant atmosphere. This is undoubtedly Jean-Michel Blais' most accomplished album, one that is likely to become a reference in the neoclassical genre. (February 2022)

The Quebec singer-songwriter is back with his third album. Geoffroy had already released a first single at the beginning of last summer ("Cold World"), before returning in October with "Strangers on a Train" and "Life as It Comes". The album takes us into an introspective, more mature, and reflective world, inspired by artists like Ry Cooder, Paul Simon, Nick Drake and Jeff Buckley. On Live Slow, Die Wise Geoffroy's approach to writing is more contemplative and philosophical. Written and composed during the lockdown of 2020, the album took shape in early 2021 thanks to the co-production of Louis-Jean Cormier. Geoffroy returns to solo acoustic guitar, rediscovering the pleasure of organic, live instrumentation. Unfortunately, the album takes on the appearance of an EP with only seven tracks for a total of less than 26 minutes. (February 2022)

Music Videos: « Cold World » - « Strangers on a Train » - « Life as It Comes »

After 2019's The Nothing, which impressed with its relevance, the veterans of Korn return with Requiem. The short album of nine tracks totaling less than 33 minutes allows us to find back the band that made the best years of nu-metal in the 1990s. With almost 30 years of experience, Jonathan Davis and his band still know how to give us a hard time with their rough and heavy metal, right from the first moments with the excellent "Forgotten". But it is with "Hopeless and Beaten" that the heaviness reaches its peak. The album concludes with "Worst Is on Its Way" which is probably the track that comes closest to the band's past. Otherwise, Korn succeeds in taking us to unexplored territories until then and it is with great pleasure that we discover Requiem. (February 2022)

Five years after Hot Thoughts, the Texan band is back with a new album. While the previous one was rather luminous, Lucifer on the Sofa is smokier and rawer, a little bit in the Texan way. It must be said that after several years in Los Angeles, Britt Daniel came back to Austin for this record, a return home in a way that surely influenced the sound atmosphere. After nearly 30 years in the business, Spoon still manages to break new ground, even though they open the album with a cover, Smog’s "Held", which they performed live as far back as the early 2000s. It's a perfect song to lay the groundwork for this rock 'n' roll album worthy of the greatest rock concerts. For the first time in a long time, the guitars are front and centre, as in "The Hardest Cut", a unique groove with influences from The Who, The Kinks and ZZ Top. As for "Wild", it can recall Bruce Springsteen and Bob Seger. With Lucifer on the Sofa, Spoon succeeds in bringing good old rock 'n' roll back to the forefront, for our greatest pleasure. (February 2022)

Eleven years after Ukulele Songs, the Pearl Jam frontman is back with a second solo album. Earthling includes several energetic and very pleasant songs, starting with the excellent "Power of Right". The 13-track album turns out to be brighter than what Pearl Jam has been used to provide, even if some influences of the legendary band's sound can be recognized. "Invincible" may remind of Peter Gabriel in the opening, while "The Dark" seems to be inspired by the alternative rock sound of the 1980s. As for "Fallout Today", it features several rather rich layers of acoustic guitar. Eddie Vedder welcomes a few guest artists: Ringo Starr on drums on "Long Way", Elton John for a duet with him and playing piano on "Picture" and Stevie Wonder playing harp on "Try". The album is rather varied on the whole, maybe even a little too much, while the coherence is not always there between the tracks. But the main thing we remember about Earthling is the pleasure we get from most of the songs, since Eddie Vedder certainly presents the most joyful music of his career. (February 2022)