Eric Clapton & Friends, Beck, Jenny Lewis top this week's new music
Darryl Sterdan's list of this week's new music.
Darryl Sterdan
QMI Agency
National music writer Darryl Sterdan is old enough to know better. He lives mostly in his head but also on his couch in Winnipeg, where he listens to music, thinks about music, writes about music and obsesses over music 24/7/365. Not that there's anything wrong with that. But he really will have to get that couch cleaned one of these days.
Columns
The most essential albums
You can tell a lot about somebody from what’s in their music collection. And what’s missing.
Norah Jones' Puss N Boots and Billy Joel's 'Bridge to Russia' top this week's new music
It isn’t easy keeping up with Norah Jones. But it’s always worth the effort. Including this time.
Morrissey, Judas Priest top this week's new music
Some guys just have a knack for making friends. Then there’s Morrissey.
Robin Thicke tops this week's new music
That proverb about being careful what you wish for? Robbie should be feeling that one right now.
Ed Sheeran, Deadmau5, Phish, Sam Smith top this week's new music
Nice guys don’t always finish last. But let’s face it: Bad boys have more fun.
The best albums of 2014... so far
QMI Agency's Darryl Sterdan runs through the best albums of the year... so far.
Lana Del Rey, Linkin Park and Jennifer Lopez top this week's new music
Same shtik, different dude. Overhyped noir-pop chanteuse Lana Del Rey — a.k.a. poor little rich girl Lizzie Grant — has nothing new to say on the followup to her wildly overhyped 2012 major-label debut Born to Die.
Jack White tops this week's new music
Jack White is not sorry. Not by a long shot. He can apologize to The Black Keys, Meg White, Lana Del Rey and the rest of the world all he likes.
Miranda Lambert, 50 Cent top this week's CD reviews
You can take the girl out of the trailer park … unless that girl is Miranda Lambert.
Mariah Carey, F---ed Up top this week's CD reviews
If I never have to see Damian Abraham’s gonch again, it’ll be too soon. Don’t get me wrong; I respect and admire Abraham and F---ed Up’s work ethic and egalitarianism as much as the next aging punk.
Black Keys top this week's album reviews
Forget the El Camino. These days, The Black Keys travel by jet.
Neil Young tops this week's album reviews
Some artists could make an album from the phone book. Only Neil Young would make one in a phone booth.
Damon Albarn tops this week's album reviews
Exactly who is Damon Albarn? It’s not that simple a question, really.
Your guide to Record Store Day 2014
Trust Jack White to put a new spin on Record Store Day — and set a new record in the process.
Mariah Carey, Black Keys, Coldplay top the spring/summer music preview
What big albums are coming this spring/summer? Should you buy them? Will they suck? Glad you asked. Here’s a chronological rundown:
Pharrell Williams keeps it happy on 'G I R L'
Hats off. Between the runaway successes of Robin Thicke’s Blurred Lines, Daft Punk’s Get Lucky, Despicable Me’s Happy — and the various Grammy trophies, MTV awards and Oscar love they’ve generated — uberproducer Pharrell Williams is probably having the best year of his professional life.
How the Beatles electrified America 50 years ago
It was 50 years ago today ... OK, not quite. But you get the drift. Nearly half a century ago, on Feb. 7, 1964, The Beatles landed in New York City to play The Ed Sullivan Show.
Stories
Elvis, Hendrix, Tupac, Jerry, Zappa: 5 musicians more prolific in death
“Ain’t no grave can hold my body down,” Johnny Cash once sang. Truer words were never spoken — assuming he meant his body of work.
Top 10 most-anticipated albums of 2014
Out with the old tunes and in with the new. Here are 10 of the most-anticipated albums of 2014. But before you mark the calendar, remember: Everything is subject to change.
Katy Perry's Prism full of reflection
It seems the terrorists have won. And by terrorists I mean Russell Brand, of course.
Jason Collett gets political on latest album
When you’re trying to mix politics with pop, you could always listen to your gut. But it might be better to listen to The Clash.
Rihanna announces Canadian dates
Rihanna will flash her Diamonds -- and likely much more -- in Canada next spring.
Lessons from the 2012 VMA
You learn something new every day. Even when you’re watching pointless award shows. Here are a dozen things I learned from enduring the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards:
Bryan Ferry talks Roxy's highlights
For Bryan Ferry, listening to Roxy Music is more labour than love these days.
Musical experiences that should be video games
Everybody knows Jay-Z is a player. But now he's running the game in a whole new way.
Rockers sometimes more famous in death
Eternal youth. Universal adulation. Multiple awards. No more paparazzi. And more money than you can ever spend.
Drake, Rihanna top VMA noms
Former collaborators Rihanna and Drake look set to steal the show at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards after picking up the lion's share of nominations.
Gillian Welch lives the Americana dream
When Americana singer-songwriter, Gillian Welch, and her longtime guitarist and partner David Rawlings hit the road, they aren’t riding high in some tour bus: They’re at the wheel of their Chevy Suburban.