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Category Archives: Projects

Wikifying the CBC: Reimagining the remit of public service media

Yesterday I presented a shortened version of my Master’s thesis at the International Symposium on Online Journalism, alongside University of British Columbia  journalism school professor Alfred Hermida. The conference took place from April 23 and 24 in Austin, Texas. You can find our symposium paper here.

Basia Bulat's romantic interlude

Article featured in the February edition of Exclaim! Magazine “I’m kind of all over the place right now,” Basia Bulat says over the phone about her current “homeless” state. Today, the 25-year-old is fighting her way through the bitter cold Montreal weather to get to the office of her label Secret City Records. Tomorrow, she […]

Canadian Futures: Dan Mangan

A couple of weeks ago, I was asked by the National Post to flex my future-seeing eye. The Ampersand approached a select number of Canadian music critics, bloggers and mega-fans for an answer to this question: If you were buying stocks in music, which up and coming Canadian musical act would you invest in? Here […]

Tegan & Sara: Sisters of Mercy

This article was the November cover story for Exclaim! Magazine By Amanda Ash “For people to trust you and believe you, they have to see you a little bit. I’m not afraid to expose myself in that way,” says Sara Quin, of sibling duo Tegan and Sara. The petite brunette has just led me into […]

Special edition podcast: Women in Indie Music

This post (and photo) is courtesy of my comrades at CBC Radio 3. It was written by Superwoman herself, Lisa Christiansen. A few months ago a UBC journalism intern named Amanda Ash walked into CBC Radio 3 with an idea. She wanted to find out what it’s like to be an indie Canadian female artist, circa […]

Malajube bridges language gap with music

Published in the Victoria Times Colonist Say what? That’s the reaction most English-speaking audiences have when they listen to the ornate French lyrics of Montreal-based pop-rock group Malajube. But according to vocalist and keyboardist Thomas Augustin, it’s this language divide that’s bringing the band closer to their diverse and ever-growing fan base. “It’s the musicality […]

Artist delivers tall tales with a country twang

Published in the Victoria Times Colonist What do you get when you combine small-town romance and Prairie heartbreak with rip-roaring James Bond-style action? Ridley Bent’s ultra-twangy country tunes. Although the Winnipeg-based musician doesn’t necessarily sing about Aston Martins, scantily clad women or blowing up buildings, what he does weave into each of his gritty hoe-downs […]

Doiron needn't chase dream—she lives it

Published in the Victoria Times Colonist “Life: that’s what I’m living. So I guess that’s what I know about best,” Julie Doiron says over the phone, reflecting on the realism that forms the bricks and mortar of her new record, I Can Imagine What You Did With Your Day. She’s lying on the back seat […]

Slean embarks on Recession-ista Tour

Published in the Victoria Times Colonist Forget fashion lines like Gucci, Chanel and Versace. Sarah Slean has a different definition for the word “glamorous.” And it involves old judges’ robes, linen scraps and perhaps a few vintage hockey jerseys. The Toronto-based piano pop songstress and three-time Juno nominee has dubbed her latest Canadian cruise the […]

Dears take fresh look at old tunes

Published in the Victoria Times Colonist Nothing gets old for the Dears’ Murray Lightburn. Sure, it seems as if he released Missiles a long time ago (October 2008, to be precise). Sure, he sat on the record for a number of months previous to that before deciding to go with L.A.-based label Dangerbird Records. But […]