Magazine

Independent, provocative, now! The CJLO Magazine is the resource for features, reviews, and interviews. Established in 2004, and run by dedicated CJLO volunteers, the magazine covers the latest and best in local and international music, art, theatre, film, festivals, and more!


Growing Vegetables to Make Music: An interview with Shaina Hayes

CJLO DJ Lumina sits down with local artist Shaina Hayes to talk; childlike wonder, farming and finding inspiration in the “non-creative.” 

 

I'm wondering, what was the inspiration for the name, Kindergarten Heart and what does this title mean to you?


Civil War: A wakeup call for journalism

Alex Garland’s film Civil War taps into the director’s trademark nerve-inducing wake-up calls that hit close to home about where we are at as a society. There was the wake-up call about artificial intelligence in Ex Machina and whatever nerves he wanted to provoke about humanity with his following films Annihilation and Men. The films leave the audience with a haunting, somewhat uneasy, feeling that makes me have questions about humanity. I normally end up doing deep dives on YouTube for explanations and in-depth analysis of these films.


Oneohtrix Point Never (+ Puppet) Create Magic at Theatre Fairmount

Brooklyn-based experimental producer and composer Oneohtrix Point Never (aka Daniel Lopatin) returned to Montreal for the first time since 2018 this past Monday, finishing off the tour of his 2023 record Again with a sold-out show at Theatre Fairmount. 


An Intimate Evening with Slaughter Beach, Dog

Slaughter Beach, Dog’s (“SBD”) sold-out show at Le Ministère was both cozy and intimate. Instead of touring with the usual ensemble, SBD’s North American solo tour was led by none other than Jake Ewald. As one of the founding members of Modern Baseball, Jake is no stranger to the indie-rock genre. In fact, his past work with Modern Baseball and his current solo tour under the SBD banner are indicative of his role in defining the genre throughout the past decade. 


Cadence Weapon on His New Album, Social Media, and Politics: “I Like to Stay Uncompromised”

Rapper, producer, author, and former poet laureate Rollie Pemberton - better known as Cadence Weapon - released his sixth studio album, ROLLERCOASTER, this spring via MNRK Music.

Having emerged as an artist who gave voice to issues of systemic inequality and racial disparity, particularly among Canada’s Black communities, with his 2021 Polaris Prize-winning fifth album Parallel World, Cadence Weapon returns with an urgency, addressing the dizzying contradictions of modern culture and technology with both precision and irreverence.


MIKE and Crew: Theatre Fairmount hosts an abstract hip-hop marathon

When I first heard MIKE in 2020, I was, as most first-time listeners are, surprised. At first glance, MIKE seems to be not much more than your average abstract hip-hop artist. Slurred bars laid over disjointed, chopped-up soul samples fill most of the rappers' tracks, but after a few minutes, it seems to transform. MIKE’s flows seem almost spiritual like he is nonchalantly tapping into a higher power to put any listener into some sort of jazz-rap trance. There is a friendliness buried in the soul chops and introspective bars, like a warm hug from someone you've known since childhood. With all this, it's easy to see how MIKE has hugely influenced the hip-hop scene.


Monday Nights are for Psychedelic Rock with the Allah-Las

The Allah-Las, alongside their opener Maston - who is also their keyboardist - brought over some soothing and nostalgic sounds to a receptive crowd at the Beanfield Theatre. On a chilly Monday night in Montreal, the audience immersed themselves into the Californian psychedelic rock band’s one-hour set. A musical oasis for those who have been lucky enough to stumble upon them, the Allah-Las leaves their listeners with a sense of nostalgia for a time and place most have never experienced, but long for through the band’s music.


The People's Joker Film Review

One of the most anticipated movies of the year, the sequel with the promise of a few musical numbers, is Joker: Folie À Deux starring Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck (Joker) and Lady Gaga as Harleen Quinzel (Harley Quinn). After watching the trailer multiple times, there are some interesting elements at play that are reminiscent of musicals like La La Land and All That Jazz. Fear not, I say, because to tide you over until the October release date we have Vera Drew’s The People’s Joker arriving in select cities and theatres. It will be playing in Montreal at Cinema Du Parc on April 28th at 9 PM. 


Oneohtrix Point Never Returns to Montreal

The last time Oneohtrix Point Never played a show in Montreal was 2018. Suffice to say, a lot has changed since then.


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