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!

(A recollection of) An interview with Johannes Persson of Cult of Luna

May 7 2020 // Andrew Wieler // Magazine // Interviews

Photo Credit: christopher.endeavor

Technology sure is something isn't it? Revolutionizing our lives in ways we couldn't even dream possible a scant few years ago. Its praises can't be held in high enough esteem... that is, until it fails and we scream at the sky as to why we relied so heavily on it.

Lea's Late Nite Quarantine Jams

May 6 2020 // Lea Sabbah // Magazine // Features

If you’re looking for a playlist to listen to late at night, look no further than Lea’s Late Nite Quarantine playlist. If you’re not to sure about the playlist, check out this track-by-track breakdown.

"COME THRU" - Joji

Game Genie Sokolov Finds their True Identity on Trans // Mission

April 23 2020 // Alex Viger-Collins // Magazine // Interviews

Between synthwave, synthpop, and vaporwave, the music of Montreal artist Game Genie Sokolov changes as they evolve in their search for sound and identity.  On their third and latest album Trans // Mission, Game Genie Sokolov abandons their previous video game aesthetic to show off the full breadth of their talent, with various strains of electronic music permeating throughout the record’s 12 tracks.  For Ambient April, CJLO caught up with the artist about the new album, instrumental music, and getting out of their comfort zone.

Safe and Warm with the Wurli - A Playlist for the Soul

April 9 2020 // Lou Raskin // Magazine // Features

For those of us able to isolate, we may feel like it’s day in and day out  of scary stats on social media and the news. Sometimes, all we need to do is take a step away, maybe even relax and get in touch with the things that resonate with us. Personally, the electric piano is the musical equivalent of butter—  adding not just extra flavor to any mix, but a rich “hush child, everything is ok” assurance to any track. 

Heavy Fantasies: CJLO DJs Program Their Dream Metal Festival

April 1 2020 // Angelica Calcagnile // Magazine // Features

Long before a pandemic shut down this city's many cultural events, it was announced that Heavy Montreal, the two day outdoor metal festival, would take a break in 2020. This had us thinking... what if we could program our fantasy lineup for an imaginary edition of Heavy Montreal? Check out what some of our metal DJs would love to see at Heavy MUnTreal, illustrated by Angelica of BVST!

Lineup by Andrew of Grade A Explosives — Sundays 4-6pm ET

Western Canadian Fuzz: A Primer on Everything Stoner from Vancouver

March 30 2020 // Hunter Walwaski // Magazine // Features

 

Beachside skateparks, laidback attitudes, astronomical rent prices, and year round red sun. If I asked you to name one city in the world where all of the aforementioned apply, I’d bet you a handful of nickels that California crawls its way into your head first. You normally wouldn’t be wrong, but in this specific case, we’re talking about our Sunshine State: Vancouver, British Columbia.

Album Review: How an Ex-Opeth Cover Band Made One of the Best Albums so Far of 2020

March 29 2020 // Phil Aveline // Magazine // Music Reviews

Ashbreather, a new and upcoming Montreal band, has the potential of making it big, simply due to the amount of originality they hold. The fuel behind this driving force: they are non-stop writers, creating new and fresh music, song after song. Let’s dig into their newest self-titled release, Ashbreather.

The album begins with a somber atmospheric feeling as if being pulled into a journey, like as if one is rising from the grave and coming back to Earth. Right off the bat, the opening track titled “Lonely Graves” gives the album a fittingly-good introduction.

Metal My Movie - Gimme Shelter

March 26 2020 // Remi Caron // Film

Photo Credit: IMDb

What can be said about The Rolling Stones that can make this Rock and Roll band seem Metal, besides their longevity as a band that still tours or those Keith Richards memes. It could be the band’s persona as the “Bad Boys” of Rock and Roll or the infamous Altamont Free Concert, which would later become known as a disaster. The band’s persona and the concert are the focus of Albert and David Maysles documentary, Gimme Shelter (1970). From these two themes we can analyze this documentary from a Metal perspective. 

A Dive into Metalcore

March 23 2020 // Jean-Philippe Bernier // Magazine // Features

Photo Credit: Chris Romano

As you may or may not know, I’m the Metalcore enthusiast at CJLO. Go ahead, call me a “poser” all you want. There is nothing better then a good Metalcore song during these quarantine times, where the only moshpit you might see is a hole in you wall with mushrooms growing out of it.

Why Beach Boys’ Party! is the Ultimate Soundtrack for Self-Isolation

March 22 2020 // Francella Fiallos // Magazine // Features
I’ve been thinking about Brian Wilson a lot these days.    
He enjoyed working from home. In fact, at the height of his creative prowess, he held meetings in a tent in his bedroom, and wrote songs in a sandpit where his piano stood. 
In this era, he would go on to create the 1966 masterpiece Pet Sounds before completely atrophying through the creation of the infamously never-released Smile. 
But instead of listening to those albums, I have instead been listening to Beach Boys’ Party! as I try to make sense of life under self-isolation and social distancing. 

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