Nelly Furtado is one of the greatest artists to come out of BC. Her career began in Victoria where she was born and raised. Her career really took off right as it began with her first album release called “Woah, Nelly!”. The album had 2 top ten singles which is a pretty good start to what became an amazing career. Furtado continued to release music and she really became royalty not just in Canadian lore but all over the world. Nelly Furtado’s latest album “7” came after a 7 year break from the singer songwriter. Now thinking about it, maybe that’s why the album is titled “7”. This is also her 7th studio album so there is a lot of meaning behind the title.   

The album spans over 14 songs. Furtado actually recorded over 100 songs in a year and a half which is just insane. So on this album she had to choose 14 out of 100 songs. Furtado actually has ADHD so it was very hard for her to pick and organise her songs on this album. The album itself is very different from what we are used to from Furtado. The album really shows her being comfortable with her identity and just her being very vulnerable. 

While “7″ may not have been the commercial success that Furtado’s past albums have been, it serves as a compelling chapter in Furtado’s career. It is not what she used to be, she is no longer the same person anymore, people grow and evolve. This is a statement of where she is now. It shows that she is still unafraid to evolve, blend genres, and make music with purpose. As an artist who has always navigated the space between pop and many other genres, Furtado with “7″ reminds listeners that longevity in music isn’t just about big hits. It’s about staying true and growing. In the end, “7” is more than just a title, it marks a milestone of reinvention and reaffirmation. Nelly Furtado is back, not as the same person though more evolved and ready for this next stage of her story.

Born in Nanaimo Diana Krall is one of if not the greatest Jazz Musicians of all time. Her piano skills and very smooth voice is what took her as far as she did. Diana always knew what she wanted to do, that’s why she went to Berklee school of music in Boston. She got her name out by performing in Jazz clubs in the U.S. She went on to release her first album in 1995. She then released 3 more albums which really put her on the map. Diana was on the grind with 4 album releases in 5 years she wanted to carry her momentum and that’s exactly what she did.   

In 2001 Diana released her biggest album “The Look of Love”. Diana was paired up on this album with legendary producer Claus Ogerman who has worked with giants in the music industry like Frank Sinatra. So Diana was in good hands on this project. With Ogermans involvement this album took a lot of inspiration from older jazz style music. From the first track on this album you can hear the slick and smooth vocals Diana has. Songs that stand out on the album include, “The look of love”, “‘s wonderful”, and “Cry Me a River”. Songs that dive so deeply into heartbreak and the strength to get over a heartbreak. Diana’s voice is so deep with emotion it’s almost like it’s happening in real time. 

The Look of Love was a  huge commercial success, debuting at No. 9 on the Billboard 200 and reaching the top of jazz charts worldwide. It also earned Diana a Grammy for best engineered album, non-classical, and further solidified her status as one of the most significant jazz artists of her time. Billboard actually named her the 2nd greatest jazz musician artist of the decade in 2000 to 2009. More than two decades later the album remains a masterclass in jazz. It reminds us that sometimes, the most powerful performances are the quietest. With “The Look of Love”, Diana Krall didn’t just follow jazz standards, she made them her own. She wrapped timeless melodies in raw emotion. It’s an album that invites listeners to slow down, take a breath and just enjoy the music. Diana Krall’s last album was released 6 years ago now, but what we will remember her for is this timeless jazz classic.

When it comes to Canadian sweet hearts only a few names stand out more than Micheal Buble . The singer and songwriter, who was born in Burnaby, has created a career that combines the best of jazz with pop , making it seem both timeless and new. One of Canada’s most adored musical personalities. Buble is known for many things like starring in those Bubly commercials, making music (Obviously) and he’s appeared in countless TV shows. As you can see by the time this will be released we are in November which is pretty close to December so soon enough you will be hearing Mr Buble’s voice everywhere.   

In 2011 Buble released “Christmas”, the album not the holiday. Buble’s warm jazz voice became a staple for the holidays. This album went number 1 in multiple countries. The album has sold over 16 million copies making it one of the most successful albums of the 21st century. The album spent 5 weeks at the number 1 spot on billboard. I would say this is a pretty good accomplishment for just a kid from Burnaby. On his Spotify 5 of the top ten songs on Buble’s most listened to songs are from this album. If he really wanted to he doesn’t have to do anything in his career again he just needs to wait until December rolls around and start counting his cash. 

The album features some of the most known Christmas songs and if you didn’t know this was a cover album you probably would have thought these were Buble originals. Just to name a few of the songs we have “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas,” “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, “Winter Wonderland”, and “Holly Jolly Christmas”. All songs i can almost guarantee you guys have heard. 

What makes this album so good is its brilliant blend of nostalgia and moderness. You know you have heard these songs before and it reminds you of good times, but it also is good enough to the point you could think Buble released this not too long ago. As we settle into the holiday spirit I just wanted to remind people about this amazing album, and how 15 years after its release how this kid from Burnaby was able to make something timeless. 

Devin Townsend has never been a guy who just does 1 thing and sticks to it. The powerhouse singer and producer who is from Vancouver has built his career on not being predictable. Townsend’s ability to go from Straight Metal to regular rock is nothing short of incredible. Townsend has been all over the place from his early days being the lead in extreme metal and Strapping Young Lad and he’s had many solo opportunities as well with Ocean Machine and Lightwork. Devin is like that veteran who has been on every team in the league, but when he is on your team you love to have him. 

Now on Townsend’s most recent project “PowerNerd”, he returns to that crowd roaring loud and eccentric personality he’s had all these years. “PowerNerd”, is such a weird title, but it really feels like a representation of this album and Devin himself. This album and even its title celebrates what Townsend is a PowerNerd with his ability to go from metal to rock showing and also just being a student of the game like a nerd. The album itself is what he does, it is a fusion of genres bringing together all types of sounds and different levels of production. 

Tracks like “PowerNerd”, and “Knuckledragger”, showcase that ability that Devin has to be a high energy rocker kind of guy. While tracks like “Glacier”, and “Goodbye” show a kind of softer side of the music and a softer side of Devin. Something most people wouldn’t expect from a guy with his catalogue. This album is a relatively short one only having 11 songs, which seems like the new normal these days. I’m not complaining though the shorter these albums are the easier the listen and the easier you get to make your mind up if you like the artist or not.  

In PowerNerd, Devin Townsend presents an album that is more focused than some of his earlier crazier pieces. It also deeply reflects his identity as a musician, a creative thinker, and a “nerd” who has become a powerhouse like I said earlier. He’s got the power but he’s also a student of the game .This record invites both older generation fans and newcomers to explore his work in an easier way with this short, but memorable album.

Bad Hoo is an underground alt rock band who have been making music since 2016. Their music is very chaotic and energy filled. It is very punk, grime, and rock influenced. Bad Hoo actually came up in the underground scene by doing live shows. There are a lot of videos of them on youtube that date as far back as 2018 performing live and one thing you learn from watching these performances is the group has a very high energy style. To me it looks like they are very much a band that is in it to perform live rather than make full fledged albums. 

BUT, let’s look at their most recent album “A Run-in With Worms”. In this short 11 track album Bad Hoo is almost perfectly able to capture that live sound energy in a studio. The theme of the album is very energetic, but also a lot of frustration. In a song titled “Star Strangled Banner”, you can hear that frustration with these lyrics,  “F*ck the stars still shine above us It’s not the end of the world… Glassy-eyed toothless grin swallowing you up in space”. 

What stands out on this album is its balance of frustration and production. To me the band is actually kind of funny with some of the lyrics in the song it reminds me of a protest. With the crazy energy and loud guitar Bad Hoo is just wild. Wild in a good way, wild like a party that’s about to lose control. You are not scared but excited for what’s about to happen. Bad Hoos music doesn’t care about perfection it only cares about the truth and truly expressing how you feel without a care in the world, a very cathartic way of making music. 

In this day and age of music it is rare to find a band like Bad Hoo, a band that thrives off energy and just says what they want to say. With this album Bad Hoo proved to me why they are some of the most exciting “Prospects”, if you can call them that in this underground rock scene in Vancouver. With this album they had a very exciting mix of Chaos and cleverness and I’m very excited to see what this band can do in the future. 

The Boom Booms are a band from Vancouver and they are not your typical band though. The Boom Booms are a genre bending funk, reggae, and soul band. Now that I am thinking about it they really do check a lot of the boxes of the average Vancouverite. The band was formed in 2007 by Aaron Ross, Sean Ross, Tom Van Deursen, Geordie Hart, and Theo Vincent. All of them are childhood friends, fun fact. The group made their name by performing at live shows all around B.C. The band came in 2nd place in the Peak Performance Project in 2011. 2011 was actually a very big year for the band. 

The Boom Booms came out with “Hot Rum!”, in 2011 and till this day it is their most successful album. This album is just a very fun album and just so chill. The combination of West Coast culture and Latin culture is beautifully done as in many of the songs the band sings in Spanish and English like in track one “Caroline”. The Boom Booms really capture the essence of Summer in this album, it just reminds you of a warm day chilling with your friends at the lake and having nothing to worry about. The band’s mix of genres is what makes them so popular as BC itself is a mix of genres and personalities. 

The Boom Boom’s lyrics capture the group’s essence of connection, love, and travel. The band spent a lot of time overseas in Central and South America. This is where they found sounds, tales, and a sense of community that would later inspire them to make the kind of album they did with “Hot Rum!”. The end effect is a record that shows warmth in both message and tone. This type of album has the power to turn a gloomy Vancouver day which is almost everyday at this time of the year into a party.

This album almost 15 years later is still a hidden gem of the Vancouver musical scene. It is a record that shows Multiculturalism like the city itself the way it takes inspiration from many different genres and countries. The Boom Booms are still making music even as recently as 2025 as they came out with an EP. The Bands last album was in 2017, but i have a feeling we could see a new album coming very soon in the near future. 

Jesse Roper is a Canadian blues and rock musician and he has been doing this for a very long time. Roper grew up in a small town of Metchosin on Vancouver island. He started to play guitar at the age of 6, Roper was very scared to actually begin his career as a musician and before he did he was a painter for 8 years. Jesse released his first studio album in 2015 at 33 years old, since then Jesse Roper has been known for his amazing work on the guitar and as a shy person who really came into his own on the stage. After releasing 2 more albums Roper has just come out with a new one titled “Way Down in The Valley”. 

His 13 track new album really showcases what Jesse Roper is all about just a small town kid trying to make it big. The 3rd track on the album “Way Down in The Valley”, really captures the feel that Roper is going for on this album. The best way to describe this song is soulful; the beat on the song really shows that as he sings about his hometown. “ way down in the valley, right near to the sea”. As a kid from a small town a song like this is very relatable as I am sure it is to many other people. 

From the first track of the album to the last track this album shows the versatility that Roper has. From tracks that are laid back like “Make it All Work Out”, to tracks that are more blues focused like “Roll This Stone”. Songs on this album are deeply rooted in the evaluation of Roper. This album just makes you wonder what took Roper so long to start his career. 

What makes Roper and this album special is his ability to mix rock and old school style blues. The production on this album is not overdone; it’s very simple and clean. Roper’s career has come a long way in a short amount of time, and so far this album is on track to be Jesse’s best one yet. Way Down in the Valley is more than just a record, it’s a representation of Roper’s past, present, and the strong bonds that have kept him rooted throughout his journey.