Author Archives: Anoop Uppal

Looking back at The Zolas last album Come Back to Life

Posted on by

The Zolas a band formed in 2009 which was created by duo Zachary Gray and Tom Dobrzanski, later Dwight Abell joined and so did Cody Hiles. Tom actually left the band after the birth of his new born child. The Zolas have a very unique sound as they blend pop music with alt rock. The band became known for making songs that felt nostalgic that was really the feel The Zolas went for when they made their music. 

 

In 2021 The Zolas returned after a 5 year hiatus with their album “Come Back to Life”. This album kept with that nostalgic feel that the band became known for. It felt very 90s for this project, maybe it was a nod to the music that raised the band members, but that’s just a theory. In 2021 during a weird stage in the world Zola’s “Come Back to Life”, really captures the feel of wanting connection and creativity, which just felt so limited at the time. 

 

Yung Dicaprio is the opening record on this track. It is the cinematic anthem that combines funny lyrics with large, and very danceable hooks. The song, which pokes fun at celebrity culture while feeling like the band is rediscovering their confidence, perfectly captures The Zola’s capacity to be both lighthearted and profound. Songs like “I Feel the Transition” and “Energy Czar,” which combine catchy melodies with serious topics. Combining those can be very difficult but The Zolas make it look easy.

 

Come Back to Life’s success comes from its production. The Zola’s embrace fuzzy sounding guitars, layered voices, and a punchy rhythm section that makes them indie rock rather than relying on polished pop formulas that have been done over and over. As a result, the album has the ability to be dancey and also very gritty.

 

Beyond the music, Come Back to Life seems to be The Zola’s way of reminding both themselves and their audience why they initially fell in love with rock music. It’s heartfelt, messy, and emotional. Zola’s most recent album encourages people to forget about everything that is troubling you. The album’s name is “Comeback to Life”, it’s the perfect message they want people to come back to life.

Critical Hit by Yukon Blonde

Posted on by

Formed in Kelowna and later on based in Vancouver Yukon Blonde has been one of the more popular bands of the Indie scene. The band formed in 2009 and consists of 5 members, Jeff Innes, Brandon Scott, Graham Jones, James Younger, and Rebecca Gray. This band has done it all, they have toured all of Canada and have won big awards such as a 2013 Juno award for Breakthrough Group of the year. Before their breakthrough album the band had put out 3 albums prior they were already well known up to this point but that was gonna flip on its head after the release of “Critical Hit”. 

 

This 13 track album felt like the peak for the band. The band’s ability to combine indie pop with 80s style production is what really sets this band apart from others. The opening song “Too close to love”, is a perfect example of a song just filled with rhythm and funky 80s style production. Yukon Blonde on this specific album I do not know why it really reminds me of Tame Impala. The synths and layering of voices on certain tracks really just reminds me of them. 

 

What makes this project stand out from other indie bands is its ability to be different. Yukon Blonde doesn’t go for the occasional indie band sound, they really focus on this 80s style vibe on this project. This album was a lot before but this leaning on retro style reminds me of Tory Lanez’s album “Alone at prom”, another album that uses that 80s vibe and it clearly seems that this works with listeners. 

 

As indie scene veterans who aren’t scared to get their hands dirty, experiment, and let the music do the talking, Yukon Blonde sounds like a band that is completely embracing who they have become. It lands exactly where it is intended to, so the name Critical Hit is appropriate; it’s exactly what it is and it’s why this is their most popular album. The album perfectly shows Yukon Blonde’s combination of innovation and nostalgia, demonstrating that even after over ten years of collaboration, they continue to come up with fresh ideas to keep fans listening. Yukon Blonde have just dropped a new project and I wonder how it will hold up to this classic almost 8 years later.

 

Looking back at Hey Oceans last album The Hurt of Happiness

Posted on by

The trio consisting of Ashleigh Ball, David Beckingham and David Vertesi is what makes Hey Ocean. Ashleigh Ball and David Beckingham had actually been childhood friends since the 6th grade; they later joined David Vertesi in 2004 to create Hey Ocean.  They have been performing for a little over 22 years now. The trio has done it all, touring all over the world and even performing for the 2010 olympics. Before this album release Hey Ocean members actually went on their own to focus on their singles career, but they eventually found their way back Back to each other on this album.

The Hurt of Happiness is an album that just feels very uplifting. The album picks up that sound that Hey Oceans is known for. The album goes deep into being vulnerable and really finding yourself. Songs like “Sleepwalker”, and “Mama Said” are more up beat than the usual thing you would expect from Hey oceans. Tracks like “Just Enough”, and “The Feels”, are what make this album about being vulnerable and finding yourself. The production on this album is still very solid, nothing that really stands out, but what i did notice in this album is Hey Oceans uses more of an electronic sound which in previous albums they did not use. 

 

The album’s togetherness is among its most remarkable features. Hey Ocean sounds more unified than ever after being apart and trying to start their solo careers. Every song is like an old friend coming back to join the party. Throughout the album there’s a noticeable sense of like alright we are back lets do this and be like we were before, as though the band is grateful for each other as well as their comeback to music.

Ultimately, The Hurt of Happiness is more than just a comeback record, it’s a statement like riding a bike. It’s been a while but you really do not forget how to. This album serves as a reminder that happiness cannot exist without struggles, you cannot just skip to the good part and that sometimes the upbeat songs originate from suffering. It serves as a welcome reminder to both new and devoted fans of why this band is still so important to Canada’s indie scene. It has been 7 years since the band released an album and 5 years since the band released an EP. If this is their last work it’s pretty damn good. 

 

Felix Cartals i, sabotage

Posted on by

One of BCs most famous DJ and electronic Dance producers Felix Cartal has dropped a new project called “i, sabotage”. Taelor Deitcher known as Felix Cartal dropped his first album in 2009 but he was already an underground superstar as he was opening for Justice, a french duo who also make electronic music. In his 3rd ever show Felix Cartal was already opening for over 4000 people. I think you can ask any artist 4000 people in your 3rd ever show is pretty big time. Felix is globally known now though he has been nominated for multiple Juno Awards and he has toured all over the world with various artists. 

Now jumping to present day Felix Cartal is still doing what he is doing and he came out with a new project in “i, sabotage”. This album is a little bit different though from his other works as this seems more like a serious album rather than his up beat feel good music. Not to say there is no upbeat music in this album though because the album actually begins with a very upbeat beat track in “Nothing Like This”. Songs like “Sabotage”, and “Mouth of Madness”, really show the more serious side of the album. The up beat production might fool some people, you have to actually listen to the lyrics though to really see the message behind this album. An album filled with tension and a lot of self doubt. 

 

The album is very late night drive coded. I can imagine listening to this after a very long night like the night is coming to an end and it’s time to go home. Collaboration plays a huge part in this album as Felix Cartal is just the producer. Felix Cartal picked his vocalists very carefully in making this album. Each artist is picked to match the emotional vibe of the song and Cartal does a great job of doing that. This album is for anyone who has second guessed themselves aka everyone. The album is called “i, sabotage” for a reason it is a story of self sabotage, but figuring out a way to move past that. With this album Felix Cartal continues to prove why he is one of the best at doing what he does, with the choices he makes on vocals to his elite production. 

Looking back at “Unpersons” by The Pack a.d.

Posted on by

There aren’t many rock duos in Vancouver that have been around as long as The Pack a.d. This duo was formed in 2006 the year I was born crazy i know, the duo is made up of vocalist and guitarist Becky Black and drummer Maya Miller. The duo has been together for almost 20 years now and they have done it all from winning awards and touring the world. Five years after the creation of The Pack a.d. Their biggest album was released. 

 

“Unpersons” was released in 2011 a big year for Vancouver sports wise at least with the Canucks going to the Stanley Cup Finals and Vancouver coming off the 2010 Winter Olympics. This album was produced by Jim Dimond, a big time producer and a veteran of the industry. The whole “Unpersons” album is a very loud and in your face album. If i could describe the whole album in 1 word it would be attitude. The album starts off with “Sirens”, which is exactly how I described the album very in your face and it sets the tone for what’s about to come. 

 

Tracks like “8”, and “Haunt you” are some of my favorites on this project. It’s just so aggressive but in a fun way “8” literally starts off with “I don’t give a f**k”. In my opinion, it’s a great way to start a song. “Haunt you” is just such a catchy song almost like an anthem of some sort. You really hear the heavy drumming in this song from Maya Miller really engraving the early 2010s vibe. 

 

What makes this record their most popular hit in my opinion is the urgency and loudness of the tracks. The tracks are not heavily over produced, it is all guitar and drums which you do not see at all anymore, it’s the simple approach that makes this album what it is. This album for The Pack a.d. It was not just another album, it’s what put them into the main stream, it put them into the conversations at the time of being one of Canada’s top rock acts. After a 5 year absence The Pack a.d. Have come out with a new album and maybe I’ll be writing about that in the near future. 

 

Clare Twiddys Nope the newest generation of Vancouver artists

Posted on by

Clare Twiddy is not a name most people are familiar with in the BC music scene, but you better get used to hearing her name as she is carving her path in the underground scene in Vancouver. Clare is a solo act now, but there was a time when she was the lead singer of a band called Raincity. Clare and Raincity have done tours across North America so she is no stranger to the spotlight. “ Clare first gained attention for her dynamic stage presence as the lead singer of Raincity, performing hundreds of shows across Canada and the U.S.” https://www.claretwiddy.com/. Clare also frequently performs at the Roxy a famous club in downtown Vancouver she is actually scheduled for 5 straight shows at the roxy coming up if you want to go check her out in person. She has now left the band to go and strike out on her own. 

 

With Clare’s first solo album in “Nope” it starts off very strong with “poison”, and the best way i can describe this track is edge. The track beams with confidence which really shows you the kind of vibe Clare goes for. I think the best track on the album is “business”, one of the lines really shows what the album is about. “Dont tell me how to run my business”. This line shows me that she is very independent, but also with this line it kinda shows she has her own unique style of making music. I have listened to a lot of music in my life, but I have truly never listened to this style of music. To me it is a combination of rock, pop, and electronic. It is truly one of a kind. 

 

In all my other album reviews which you should go read by the way I have preached this one thing over and over. Time, unless you are Drake or The Weeknd you really shouldn’t have an insanely long album. Luckily Clare has a 9 song 33 minute long album which is great for new listeners of her music, you can pick up what she is doing. This album came out almost 2 years ago now and Clare’s latest single came out in 2024. I will be looking forward to hearing what Clare can do and maybe I’ll go check her out at the Roxy. 

 

 

Said The Whale B-Sides + Rarities The celebration of imperfection

Posted on by

 

When mentioning local bands or artists from Vancouver you can’t not mention Said The Whale. The band was formed in 2007 almost 20 years ago by group members Ben Worcester and Tyler Bancroft. In their almost 20 years of work the group has won multiple Juno Awards and came 2nd in the Peak Performance Project. From almost 2 decades in the spotlight, Said The Whale has built up a very big and sturdy fanbase, the type of fanbase that sticks around. 

 

With their most recent release and the band’s 9th studio album, fans were very curious to see what direction the band would take. Lets just say the band did a 180 because not many people would have expected this from this album. Said The Whale released B-Sides + Rarities in 2022 and to fans’ surprise it was a collection of songs that did not make it on their previous albums. Now you can take this two ways: you could say that the band was lazy and just needed something to put out, or you could say this is a cool way for fans to look into the past. For me I have seen artists do this before like Drake when he released Care Package in 2020. In my opinion I think that the band going this route is cool and it really shows their evaluation in music.

 

What makes this project special is its unfinishedness. It’s kind of like seeing the blueprint of a house. It looks very cool, but it’s not built yet. These songs on this project or even the demos on this project are not meant for radio, it is meant for the listener to take a look behind the curtain. Going from song to song on this album you can really hear the change in style. It is like going from era to era whenever you hit that next button. 

 

Listening to this album is like going through an old photo album. Everything is on your phone now but it’s still cool to flip through the pages. Seeing cut tracks get their moment to shine is always cool for artists to see, and listeners to wonder why some of these tracks weren’t released earlier. In a world where you have to be perfect it is nice to show all your imperfections on the road to perfection and that’s what Said The Whale did with this project.

 

Dear rouges “Lonesome high” an album about honesty

Posted on by

Dear Rouge is not your average alt rock band, they are an alt rock band run by Drew and Daniel McTaggart, a married couple. Dear Rouge was formed in 2012 where they released 2 EPs and actually won over 100,000 dollars in Peak Performance Project put on by the BC music industry organization and CKPK-FM a radio station in Vancouver. After that Dear Rouge was up and running releasing a couple of singles and then their debut album in 2015. 

 

Dear Rouge has been doing this for over a decade, and with their latest album release “Lonesome high”, i think this is their best album yet. The album begins with “Goon”, a very catchy song and it’s a good starter to lure the listener in. Songs like “Garbage”, and “selfish love”, show the vulnerability in this album. They dive into topics about holding on to something, letting go, and the pressures of life in general. It comes from such an interesting point of view though as Dear Rouge is run by a couple. It is like we the listener are diving into the couple’s thoughts. 

 

This album also shows growth in their musical ability. This album kind of goes away from their more alt rock sound. It keeps elements of it, but it fuses more pop beats in this album a prime example of this would be “Selfish love”. Dear Rouge, switching things up necessarily isn’t a bad thing though. This album definitely is more danceable if that makes any sense compared to their other albums.  Spill magazine had to say “you probably will not come across a dance-rock album this year that comes close to matching their level of excellence”, https://spillmagazine.com/spill-album-review-dear-rouge-lonesome-high/?utm_

 

A great thing about this album is the run time on it. It’s only 35 minutes long. You could legit make a whole cajun chicken sandwich at that time. Fans of Dear Rouge will love that this record doesn’t shy away from the hard topics of letting go and the pressures of life. Overall I think this is easily Dear Rouge’s best work from production to almost a new combination of Rock and Pop. As we wait on a new album from this couple, you can only expect the best from them after this project.

Bryan Adams Vancouver’s Rock Soul

Posted on by

Bryan Adams is a Rock icon. Many people do not know he is from Vancouver though. Adams was born in Kingston, Ontario but raised in Vancouver. Adams helped create the iconic sound that was rock in the late 80s and early 1990s. 

 

His rise began in the early 80s as Adams released his self-titled album. His self titled album was good and it really caught the attention of Canadians. Adams really started to blow up with his 3rd album though with songs like “Cuts like a knife”, and “ Straight from the heart” really put Adams on the map. This was just the beginning though Adams’ whole life was about to change very soon. 

 

In 1984 Bryan Adams would release the album that would change his life forever and also change the lives of the people listening to the album because it was just that good. Adams released “Reckless” , a 10 song album.  With songs like “Run to you”, “Heaven”, and “summer of 69” he really could have called it quits and the whole world still would never forget who Bryan Adams was. Those 3 songs on that 1 album have almost a combined 3 billion streams on Spotify right now which is just insanity. 

 

Adams versatility is what has made him so special as a musician. His ability to adapt is how he is still making music till this day even though he really doesn’t have too. 

 

Adams maintains his Canadian pride despite the spotlight. He frequently mentions how his creative and emotional foundation comes from the city and people of Vancouver, and he still represents the city internationally. He is a skilled photographer and philanthropist who uses his platform to promote humanitarian causes through the Bryan Adams Foundation when he is not performing. He’s just as good a person as he is a musician.

 

Bryan Adams is still touring, recording, and inspiring over 40 years into his career. His songs have been incorporated into every Canadian kid or adults musical memories as soundtracks to road trips, first loves, and enduring memories. Bryan Adams is more than just a rock star in Vancouver and among fans worldwide he is a representation of a winner, and this city and province is proud that he can represent us.

Peach Pit the masterpiece that is “being so normal”

Posted on by

Peach Pit the Indie band from Vancouver consisting of Neil Smith, Chris Vanderkooy, Peter Wilton and Mikey Pascuzzi dropped “being so normal” in 2018, but before that the band started to gain traction in 2016 after dropping an EP. The Band has almost been around for a decade now but this album “being so normal” is still their biggest one yet. Why is that though?

 

“Being so normal”, is just relatable. So many people in the music industry write about random stuff, but on this project it is the relatability that makes it so good. On the album Peach Pit lead vocalist Neil Smith talks about being a young adult getting into stuff he knows he’s not ready for and just restless nights the thought of not knowing what’s going on in life. So many people can relate to these subjects and that is why this album is so well perceived. The album starts off with “Drop the Guillotine”. It is a great opener; the up beat feeling of the song masks the sad lyrics of the song and it really sets the tone for the rest of the album. 

 

A fan favorite on this album is a song called “Tommys party”. This song is a slow introspective classic among fans of Peach Pit. It is their second most streamed song for a reason the lyrics are simple and the production is not overdone proving sometimes simplicity is the key.

Other songs, such as “Alrighty Aphrodite” and “Private Presley,” show the group’s talent for very catchy hooks and  comfortable melodies, hiding their somber themes behind great production that is very clear on this project. “Being so normal’s” whole appeal is that yes it sucks but it kinda sucks for everyone its what being normal is its in the albums title.

“Being so normal” still feels timeless eight years after it was first released. With a mixture of sadness and laughter, the album encourages listeners to reflect on their own awkward moments, the moments at night where you are like damn maybe I shouldn’t have said that. Peach Pit wrote an all together beautiful album that will be talked about years from now.