Alex's Staff Picks

Jon McKiel Casts a Hypnotic 'Hex'
Exclaim! Staff Picks
PUBLISHED May 6, 2024
Jon McKiel's 2020 album, 'Bobby Joe Hope,' had an incredible backstory, involving a second-hand reel-to-reel recorder full of mysterious...
Thom Yorke's 'Confidenza' Score Is a Welcome Consolation for Radiohead Fans
Exclaim! Staff Picks
PUBLISHED Apr 30, 2024
Despite drummer Phil Selway's periodic reassurances, my personal theory is that Radiohead are done for good. This isn't based on any inside...
Caribou's Thumping "Honey" Blurs the Line Between Projects
Exclaim! Staff Picks
PUBLISHED Apr 8, 2024
Dan Snaith typically files his songs into two categories: there's Caribou for the more melodic material with vocals, and Daphni for the...
Kelly McMichael Finds Solace in Art Rock Eclecticism on New Singles
Exclaim! Staff Picks
PUBLISHED Apr 5, 2024
Kelly McMichael adeptly synthesized decades of pop rock sounds into her 2021 album 'Waves,' and now the St. John's songwriter is continuing...
Bibi Club's "Parc de Beauvoir" Is an Inviting Exercise in Contrasts
Exclaim! Staff Picks
PUBLISHED Apr 4, 2024
"Parc de Beauvoir," the new English-language track from bilingual Montreal duo Bibi Club's upcoming 'Feu de garde,' is a gorgeous exercise...
David Fleming's 'Mr. & Mrs. Smith' Score Is Beautifully Ambiguous
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PUBLISHED Mar 22, 2024
Viewers are understandably cynical about remakes and reboots these days, but Prime Video's 'Mr. & Mrs. Smith' series is better ...
Apollo Ghosts Find Comfort Despite Crisis on Surprise Mini-Album 'Amethyst'
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PUBLISHED Feb 23, 2024
Vancouver underground heroes Apollo Ghosts have always specialized in bringing humour and sweetness to difficult subject matter...
Vampire Weekend Capture the Pains of Aging on "Capricorn" and "Gen-X Cops"
Exclaim! Staff Picks
PUBLISHED Feb 16, 2024
A colleague and I have an ongoing discussion about "homework bands" — that is, artists who competently make music that objectively ticks al...