Live Review: Plants and Animals at The EARL, June 5

By  David Courtright Plants and Animals showed a great deal of promise with their 2008 album, Parc Avenue. Montreal has no shortage of innovative and successful music acts, and many of those influences and collaborations shine through in the versatility of that album. It weaves through power chord rock, nimble folk interludes, country rhythms, and […]

Live Review & Picture Book: Blitzen Trapper and The Moondoggies at Variety Playhouse, June 9

By Jhoni Jackson; photos by Jason Travis Compared to the abundant media coverage of garage rock, chillwave and other lo-fi of-the-moment indie niches, folk music appears a bit neglected. But the full crowd at The Moondoggies and Blitzen Trapper at Variety Playhouse proved that, despite temporarily existing in the shadow of catchy punk derivatives and […]

Picture Book & Live Review: Beach House, Washed Out @ The EARL, April 29

Review by Jhoni Jackson; photos by Matt Smith (www.shadowboxerphoto.com) It wasn’t just the rarity of a smoke-free show that displaced Thursday night at the EARL from regularity. Two of indie’s most hyped acts – Washed Out and Beach House – caused a dreamy transformation. Pom-poms were strung in abundant rows along the ceiling and exaggerated […]