Welcome to Festival 506 Week!

I've never put much focus on where I'm from in terms of what I do here on Sound Bites. In my mind, I rationalized that by thinking that this blog could be seen as a regional outlet, rather than an all-encompassing place for me to write about my love of music. If I lead with local talent, I presumed, I'd be known as that guy from New Brunswick who writes about New Brunswick things. That, and I didn't want to put myself in the position of being commissioned by upstart artists for promotion; I once volunteered my time as a reviewer for a blog promoting Canadian indie artists, and soon found myself asked to give critiques to a growing list of bands I honestly didn't have interest in.

So, that was my mindset five years ago, thus there have been very few articles concerning talent from my neck of the woods. That said, I think the past five years and more than 50,000 visits have deemed the coast clear when it comes to talking about bands and artists that are geographically close to me. With New Brunswick's annual music festival/awards showcase choosing my actual hometown as its host city this year, I seriously doubt there's a better time than now for me to celebrate all of the rich and diverse musical talent my province has to offer.

I have been a music lover for more than thirty years now and, as soon as I was old enough to go to shows, I've always had a fondness and respect for local talent. Over the years, I've seen local shows in cities all across the province, meeting and befriending a few bands along the way. When I worked for our local radio station, I was fortunate enough to play music by artists based all over New Brunswick. Later, working out of our local CD store (R.I.P.), our shelves stocked not only the biggest and best bands worldwide, but also a slew of exciting New Brunswick artists. I've even been given the honour of being a judge at two Battle of the Bands events here in Miramichi.

Those who know me personally know me as a supporter of local music and, with the province's premier musical event coming to town, it's time I made my love of The 506 just a little more public. That's why, leading up to the full slate of concerts beginning on Friday, I'm devoting Sound Bites to the sole purpose of talking about the artists appearing at Festival 506. It starts tomorrow with a hodgepodge of artists from different areas of the province, while the other three days are focused on the three cities most represented this weekend (Fredericton Wednesday, Moncton Thursday, Miramichi Friday).

So, make sure to come back through the week for a crash course in the artists making great music in New Brunswick. Better yet, plan to come out and see some shows with me this weekend! All the pertinent details, including schedules and ticket information can be found on the Music/Musique NB website. Even if you're not from the area, I think you'll find a new band or artist that you like as we progress through the week.

We'll talk more tomorrow!

Year in Rock 2025

Alright, I've got some explaining to do. By now anyone who's visited this blog is well aware of how infrequently I've used this space in recent years; aside from the occasional fertile year of content, I really haven't posted all that often over the last five years or so. There are many reasons for this, which have already been outlined in previous apology posts; but, essentially, it boils down to my own laziness and the cold reality that blogs are, like Refused (again), fucking dead. So, I wouldn't hold my breath for a triumphant return to reviews, or even semi-regular posts, but: a) I feel like Year in Rock posts have always belonged here and, even though I've experimented with different methods of presentation recently and been satisfied, the "blink and you missed it" unveiling via Facebook stories this year was perhaps ultimately a disservice to the records I lauded. After all, cramming the list into short videos isn't too far off from ju...

Year in Rock 2013 Nominee: Arctic Monkeys

ARCTIC MONKEYS Do I Wanna Know? From: AM Released: September 10 That Year in Rock 2012's Single of the Year R U Mine? ended up on this album is pleasing, and it fits the motif well enough. But R U Mine? isn't what makes Arctic Monkeys' fifth album an Album of the Year contender. Sweaty, sultry and pulsing with sexual energy, AM is the kind of record that's just as effective whether you're chilling out after a long day, staring into a mirror prepping yourself for a late night clubbing session or setting the mood for some escapades in the boudoir.

Year in Rock 2023: Album of the Year #10-1

Now we're getting somewhere; the top ten, where there are no duds or mids, only bangers. Also, no more teasing it out; let's wrap this up! What I've learned this year from my ten faves this year is that it is indeed still possible for a dude approaching his fifties to more or less stay up to date on the new school. Of course, there are some listed here that got a boost from playing tribute to the old school, but there is an undercurrent happening in rock that points to the future. But, I'm getting ahead of myself; here come the champs. 10 MILITARIE GUN Life Under the Gun June 23, 2023 • Loma Vista Highlights Very High Will Logic Never Fucked Up Once Rising from the ranks of the still-potent L.A. hardcore scene, the debut record from Militarie Gun (following a trio of EPs) bears a dash of polish that's expected with backing from a larger label; the tension and energy remain, though, resulting in one of the catchiest hardcore albums I can think of in recent years. 9 ...

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