Although only seventeen, DaNica has a voice that has real grit and worldliness. Particularly on the slower 'All I Ever Wanted', she displays some real guts and emotion. Her selection of material is very radio-friendly, comtemporary-sounding stuff and she handles it all pretty deftly. 'Believe' and 'Rock Wit Me' are very groovy, hook-driven songs that would sound great in a dim-lit dance floor.

DaNica's voice sits nicely in the mix and she seems to know just how to ride the beat for maximum effect. 'Seven "Remix" is a really standout track where she showcases a genuine vocal command that seems to belie her age.

4/5

A. Leong

The name and the album art works says it all. East Vancouver hip hop artist Kanabliss performs the majority of the songs as well as featuring other local hip hop artists like Daz Dillinger, Spice 1, Baby Bash, Vic Vodka and P-Man on some of the songs. The 18-track album is a mixture of rap and R & B songs that revolve mainly around smoking marijuana and the West Coast.

The narrative lyrics, written by Kanabliss himself, are well-crafted. Nearly all the music is written and produced by Audio Ninja. There is a lot of emphasis on the drums on most of the songs – noticeably the strong hi-hat presence. The groovy bass line in “U Can’t Fade Us” really gets your attention. The marijuana themed rapper manages to promote himself and where he’s from, through the lyrics of his songs. The R & B style ballads are located near the end of the CD. Songs like “U Don’t Wanna F—k Wit Us” and “Fiji Islandaz” stand out the most.

For a first album, ‘Tha Adventures of Tha Supaspliff’, looks like a Greatest Hits album on steroids with 18 songs on it. In addition, a bonus DVD is included containing music videos, concert footage, interviews, commentaries and lots of extras.

4/5

J. Tam

 

There is no getting around this: Tamara Rhodes has a very sexy voice. Right from opening track 'Double Feature', you're treated to a very bold, earthy delivery that gets your attention and holds it throughout the song. Her singing has a velvety texture like the Sarah Vaughns of days gone by and yet also has a cool contemporary grittiness like the Macy Grays of this generation.

The production is not overbearing and most of the songs on this disc are set to a fairly unspectacular beat, but maybe this is intentional, so you can hear more of Tamara's voice and make out the words. It is in the slower tracks, like 'Game Has Changed' and 'Empty Room' ("I see your shadow in the lamplight") where her vocals are most affecting and poignant. There is a pleasant torchy and sultry quality here that brings out the sadness and reflection in these songs. 'Jealousy' is a particularly powerful song which Rhodes' fills with edgy angst.

'All My Ladies' is a fun, catchy tribute to inspirational women in Tamara Rhodes' life, and its obvious they've done a good job--she shows off a classy personality and voice on this CD.

4/5

A. Leong

There are a lot of excellent artists out there now putting their own take on jazz stylings--Kimber Manning is one of them.

You can tell she has a background singing in churches; she injects a lot of soul and emotion into her songs. On covers like 'It Had To You', she puts a refreshing playful spin on the phrases without taking anything away from the lyrics. 'What a Wonderful World' benefits from the same effervescent charm.

Original title track 'Eventually' oozes silky and heartrenching delivery with a bit of optimistic panache. 'Walking After Midnight' really romps along with a spritely piano that complements Manning's voice sublimely. In fact, the instrumentation on the entire CD is stellar, with some really exceptional bass work on 'Beyond the Sea'.

It can be tough to tackle tried and true jazz songs without being too bland or too cheeky--Manning pulls it off deftly and makes it look easy.

4/5 stars

A. Leong

Right from the pink and black-themed cover with the big pill capsule, you get the feeling there is something sweet inside with a hard edge. And that's exactly what Happy Now is.

Vocalist/writer Heidi Vincent has a great, pliable voice that is really suited to the material. It is pleasant to the ear while still managing to evoke uneasy emotions. Cool, Vietnam, and Star are the standout tracks, touching on themes of lost ideals and wistful yearning for glory. The guitars really accentuate the vocals nicely and there is an overall unified approach to all the arrangements.

What is really nice about this CD is the fresh vibe: there are tasty unobtrusive bits of horn, violin and synth that are subtly added to the mix. The first 3 songs even have a cool swing feel to them! Take that, you four-on-the-floor rockheads! Even though thick guitars pervade the whole album, there are enough rhythmic twists and lyrical and vocal meanderings to keep you hooked.

4/5 stars

A. Leong

This disc is kind of a sampler of Marq DeSouza songwriting--excellent new songs with a few older gems thrown in for good measure.

Opening tune 'Prey Becomes Predator' is the song that comes closest to being in your face, with a menancing yet strangely inviting guitar and vocal delivery. 'Razorburn' and 'A Lucky Man' have more of a cool coffeehouse feel, with spiralling, melancholy guitar and vocals that are more 'communicated' rather than sung. DeSouza is not really a singer in the Paul McCartney tradition but more of a stylist who can pack a lot of weight into each line. Indeed, though the CD is well-produced, with punchy guitars, drumwork and nice bits of B3 organ, there is a overriding element of gruff streetcorner serenading here that really draws you in.

Two really notable tracks are 'Glimpse Of Her', which manages to combine soothing, warm guitars, mushy love and edgy desperation all into one song, and 'All You Had To Say Was Hi!', a rollicking but quirky courtship duet with a nice line about 'standing by the condom coin machine'. 'Some Guy' is a beautiful piece that captures the angst of idealism and is a great addition to this album--it is an older song with more of the pop feel of his former band Solarbaby.

Overall, this is a solid mix of straight-ahead guitar rock and mellow, introspective pieces, all glued together by some of the most head-spinning lyrics you'll ever hear.

4/5 stars

A. Leong

Vancouver-based outfit 29 Productions deserves special credit for injecting some much-needed life into this west coast music fest after a 1-year hiatus. One great thing was having a media, artist and VIP lounge right at their headquarters (sponsored by XM Satellite Radio) where you could unwind and swap stories of the day, helping to create a great convivial and communal atmosphere throughout the whole weekend.

Thursday night turned out to be rather eventful, with Lillix turning in a very punchy, concise and inspired set at the Buffalo Club. The girls have a great vocal blend and they debuted some new songs that are on the upcoming CD (due out later this spring). They are not as metal-lish as they were in their teen years (they are 20-somethings now) and the songs have more depth, though they are still willing to have choruses like '1, 2, 3, 4, Get out onto the floor!'. And there's something so fresh and innocent about Lacey-Lee in her polka-dot dress behind a rack of state-of-the-art Korg keyboards!

Armchair Cynics at the Roxy were loud and screamy, and we only stayed for a couple of songs (it was crowded and sweaty in there.) At the Pic, Adam Woodall delivered a very poignant, acoustic guitar-tinged performance and quite deservedly earned a few pints of beer from a grizzled audience member.

Otherworldly and droning electric guitar sounds emanated from Marine Club as Arctic played their hynotic songs to an appreciative crowd. A strange venue, having to buzz to get in, but, once in, the ambience is perfect for eclectic and experimental acts like David Blair.

Limerick Junction ( formerly Brickyard) hosted Anthill, a very tight and masterful sounding unit. Their songs had excellent choruses and vocals ('Di'sappointment takes it toll on meeeee!') and the sound is very much like the good 'ol rockers like Mellencamp and Barney Bentall.

Friday night highlight was the excellent Boompa Records showcase at the Penthouse. Run Chico Run were the best performers of the night and they are destined for a higher profile, but My Project: Blue also delivered an interesting set, though their sound may not be all ears.

Saturday was fun, with the inspired idea of having the Speaker Showcase at the Centre downtown. Jeremy Fisher and Leeroy Stagger had the audience mesmerized as they told stories and performed acoustic renditions of their songs. Fisher's 'High School' was an amazing song to hear in all its naked glory in a large amphitheatre. Phil Towle, Metallica's legendary performance enhancement coach, gave an interesting talk to a sparse crowd of artists, managers and other industry people. At one point it was almost like a mental health symposium!

White Whale's showcase at Penthouse Saturday turned out to a somewhat mellow affiar. Songs were good, and the performances heart-felt, but alt-folk in a legendary stripclub ambience seems odd at best. Kudos to Octoberman for really making the most of their moment, though!

All in all, NMW 2006 turned out to be a very entertaining and worthwhile event, and hopefully 29 Productions will tackle it and do an even more bang-up job next year.

A. Leong

<