SOUND BITES

( Local News is a new extension of Sound Bites where I talk about homegrown talent and try to raise awareness of some of the awesomeness New Brunswick has to offer. Expect periodic updates on new releases from local bands going forward, and be sure above all else to get out and support your local artists by showing up to gigs and/or buying some merch!) Relatively newly formed Moncton trio Nicotine Heartthrob released their new self-titled EP on December 1st. Comprised of Sam Wareham, Jordan Hayward and Jeff Boots, the band have served up six tracks of groove heavy hard rock that exist in a universe where Nirvana, Fucked Up and Royal Blood show up on the same festival bill. When I saw them at The Caveau about a month ago, they opened the triple bill (with Montreal's Gazm and Moncton's Diner Drugs) with a loud, energetic set that more or less translates its aesthetic to this EP, which isn't an easy task to accomplish. Stream and/or buy the EP here and use it to tide y...

2017 was the first year in recent memory that my Album of the Year was solidified so damn early. By the time summer rolled around, I knew that nothing short of a miracle would dethrone Father John Misty's Pure Comedy as my favourite album of 2017; any last minute listening sessions only served to find the first runner-up. This year was a little different, so as to say, more like previous years; a lot of records came out this year which I consider great, and my choice for the top spot has changed many times over throughout the year. It was, if anything, worse than normal to figure it out; whereas I often have two and sometimes three records fighting it out in my mind by this time of the year, 2018 had more like six or seven serious contenders. From established artists turning out career highlights at a stage in their career when that shouldn't be possible to young bands hitting their stride and promising bright futures, this year's decision making process was tough....

With another year nearing its end and a very quiet December looming, I figured it's as good a time as any to jump in with all the other blogs and name my annual champs. The other day, I created my Year in Rock 2018 playlist on Spotify, fifty songs that I feel represent all of the good in rock music this year. I also realized I hadn't actually shared it here, so if you want to put yourself in suspense about this year's winner for about three hours, go ahead and check out the playlist right now: As you can tell, this year was a pretty diverse one for rock music, with a combination of established acts continuing their tradition of quality content and some relative newcomers coming out of the gate swinging. We had a lot of rock bands pushing the pop trend even further, which allowed for some pop associated acts to lean the other way and meet in the middle. Maybe the end result will be a mush of bland pop/rock at some point, but there are also plenty of bands willing...