The spectacle at Foufounes Electriques on Monday night was no evening with your uncle and his dusty old punk LPs talking about the good ol’ days. Vancouver veteran rockers D.O.A. catered to a crowd of fresh faces who were hip to the new modernized and refined punk-rock, and also delivered a dose of Canadian grade-A punk nostalgia to the hoards of seasoned fans.

The band revived classics like "Class War", "Police Brutality", and "World War III", and D.O.A.’s latest lineup (with Dan Yaremko on bass and J.J Heath on drums) infused the old anarchist, anti-conformist anthems that crystallized D.O.A.’s place in the hardcore movement of the 1980’s with precision and modified energy. ...

Ollie North’s latest EP Bringer resonates a beautiful folksy aesthetic, which is firmly grounded in an urban sensibility. The softness and warmth of his sounds mix to construct a dreamy atmosphere, while his unassuming voice, almost hidden in the music, adds a homely comforting feel for the listener. 

The first track on the EP, “Bringer”, starts off with tons of energy conveyed through the fullness of the sounds and the slightly distorted vocals. The guitar sparkles adding an uplifting feel to the song.   

“Arabesque I” is a short musical interlude, the track flowering with sounds throughout.

Work On Love, the recent release by Montreal’s Stab Ability (by way of Chicago and Halifax), is a nine-track electro space vehicle that transports you to far off galaxies. This album showers the listener with a variety of electric noises and sounds, which are playfully added and subtracted throughout the entire 50 minute LP. At times you feel as if these noises could be the sound coming from your aural spaceship, at other times you think maybe you’ve stumbled on some distant life form eaves dropping on their conversations, or perhaps it’s the sound stars make when you pass them by. Amongst the pulses and cacophony of noises and effects, Stab Ability’s Eli Hason and Jon Hill, ensure that there is just enough structure so that you don’t make a wrong turn and head down some one-way vortex. 

Abby from CJLO's The Reaktor (Fridays 2-4 pm) chats with Christina Vincelli, also known as Nox Cadaver, owner and founder of Dead Relics vintage clothing.

Dead Relics Soundtrack!

Abby Reaktor: You own an online vintage shop (Dead Relics). What made you decide to start your own business?

Christina...

The 2012 edition of Pop Montreal, which ran from September 19th to the 23rd, stands out as probably the best the festival has done in its 11-year run. So much so, that the CJLO team is still talking about it! We believe that you can never get enough POP, so here is another five-day festival recap by Beansie Saretsky from CJLO's Maiden Voyage. Ms. Beansie braved the rainy weather, on her bicycle no less, to check out the several shows and POP events around the city, so keep on reading, and be sure to check out the CJLO Magazine in the coming days for more POP Montreal reviews!

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My last night of Pop Montreal festivities was spent at the PASA Musik Showcase. I made my way to Club Lambi to take in the sounds of Sarah MK, La Bronze, and Elsiane.

Of the three performing females, I was most familiar with Sarah MK. The last time I heard her perform was at Conn-Shawnery's CS02 record launch. Her Worth It CD from last year caught fire on CJLO charts and playlists. I naturally looked forward to the moment she sang "Think Dat". The songstress can also rap which could make...

The Sofa King Raw x POP Montreal showcase allowed those in attendance at Le Belmont to hear some of the latest, upcoming Canadian artists. After hosting The Suite Delight, I made my way to the venue and got there just in time to catch showcase opener Black Atlass. The young singer-songwriter performed...

Let me start by saying that I'm a huge Beatles fan, but not even close to being as fanatical as my father. Ever seen that Simpsons episode where it turns out that Ned Flanders has a secret room filled with Beatles collectibles? Well, that's my dad (who, coincidentally, also wears glasses and sports a mustache, but is not as ripped as Ned). Every birthday, Christmas and Father's Day usually involves me buying the latest Beatles and Beatles-related release for him.

Needless to say, he's pretty excited about the upcoming re-release of The Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour. Personally, I'm a little disappointed that the timing of the release...

I have always felt that autumn marks the start of a brand-new year, and for the people of Montreal that is especially true. For five fun-filled days at the end of September, Pop Montreal arrives to bring this city (and me) back to life. The 2012 edition of the festival went above and beyond what this born-and-raised townie has ever experienced in Montreal before.

So many amazing local bands joined the line-up this year, starting with Parlovr, who I believe put on their best show to date. The room at Le Divan Orange on Thursday went wild when the band performed the song "Just Marriage", and all their songs inspired everyone to dance, pogo, mosh, and even...

I’ve had the privilege of catching Dam-Funk live three times on Canadian soil. 

On the first occasion, he was a guest DJ at The Goods years ago. I barely knew of him at the time, and I don’t believe I saw his photograph on the Stones Throw website prior to the Goods performance. At the end of his set, I approached him and asked if he was Gary Pants. He smiled and told me he was not Gary Pants but Dam-Funk. Stones Throw Records fans will understand what I did. From that night, I never mistook Dam-Funk again. 

On the...