Canada, CD reviews, Hip-Hop, JUNO, Producer, Songwriter, Toronto June 25, 2013

Maestro Fresh Wes at top of game on Orchestrated Noise: album review

Classified, Rich Kidd, Measha Brueggergosman, Lights guest on Toronto rapper’s first album in 13 years , Published on Tue Jun 25 2013 Rap Maestro Fresh Wes Orchestrated Noise (Fontana North/MapleMusic/Universal) “Before Drake was on the tour bus/Rhymin’ with Wayne/I was in the basement/Vibin’ the Cane/ I’d be your Rap Prime Minister …” As he recites those words on “Black Trudeau,” one of the killer joints on Orchestrated Noise, his first…

Americana, CMA, Composer, Concert reviews, Country, Country Music Hall Of Fame, Country Pop, Country Rock, Events, Festivals, Grammy, Guitar, Outlaw Country, Songwriter, Texas, United States, Voice June 21, 2013

Willie Nelson charms Massey Hall crowd

It usually takes country music icon Willie Nelson and his backing band, The Family, a few numbers to get into that special groove of theirs. That was the case Thursday night in Toronto. Willie Nelson and The Family performing for a Toronto crowd at Massey Hall on June 20, 2013. Nick Krewen Music Published on Fri Jun 21 2013   Willie Nelson Massey Hall, 178 Victoria St., Toronto, June 20…

Alt. Rock, Grammy, Guitar, Rock, Songwriter, United States, Voice June 19, 2013

A Magnetic Conversation With Goo Goo Dolls’ John Rzeznik

GOO GOO DOLLS FRONTMAN ON CHALLENGING HIMSELF ON THE BAND’S LATEST ALBUM, MAGNETIC, WRITER’S BLOCK, THE CUSTOM T-SHIRT HE WORE TO THE GRAMMYS IN 1999, AND BUILDING FURNITURE June 19, 2013 — 1:30 pm PDT Nick Krewen / GRAMMY.com More than two decades into a career that has evolved from a punk-inspired garage band to Adult Top 40 bastions, the Buffalo, N.Y.-bred Goo Goo Dolls have returned with their latest…

CMA, Concert reviews, Country, Country Pop, Ed Sheeran, Grammy, Guitar, Nashville, Neotraditional, Piano, Producer, Songwriter, United States, Voice June 15, 2013

Taylor Swift Red Tour: Flawless execution at the Rogers Centre

From the very moment the curtain rose revealing the lean-and-leggy fedora-capped blond, Swift was a master of precision. Pennsylvania native, Taylor Swift, is no wilting lily when it comes to the art of performance. By: Nick Krewen Music, Published on Sat Jun 15 2013   Taylor Swift is a woman who knows what she wants. If there was anything made abundantly clear during the 22-year-old country music crossover sensation’s hour-and-45-minute…

Canada, Festivals, Indie pop, Montréal, Pop, Producer, Québec, Songwriter, Synth pop, Toronto June 14, 2013

NXNE: Majical Cloudz in pursuit of the perfect song

Majical Cloudz bring brooding sound to NXNE for Saturday gig at the BLK BOX By: Nick Krewen Music, Published on Fri Jun 14 2013     Sparse has rarely sounded so satiating. Of the numerous adjectives used to describe the brooding, intense music on Majical Cloudz’ new full-length platter Impersonator, its relative lack of instrumentation and arrangement has drawn the most attention when garnering praise from music critic circles. CBC…