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!


Without Waves - Comedian Album Review

There are certain things you probably can't just pick up from only kind of knowing someone. For instance if you've read any of my previous reviews or listened to my show, you may not realize – and please, sit down before you read this next sentence – I am a bit of a weirdo.

Out of courtesy, I will allow you to recover from this shocking revelation.

Are you back? Great, let's keep going.


Stabbing Westward Chasing Ghosts Review

Many of you have probably not read the book Feed by Matthew Tobin Anderson. It's okay; it's not the best. I mean, it's fine, but like, do you really NEED to read it? "No," is the answer.

Anyway, the book is about a future where people basically have the internet installed in their brains and mainly centers around a small group of teenagers living in this world. It has various comments on economic class, societies obsession with social media, and of course, since it was written in 2002, there's a whole "young adult" love subplot.
 
But the most interest concept presented in the book, and the part that still sticks with me is the following:


The Lost City Film Review

Action, adventure, comedy, and a little bit of romance were mixed to create the movie The Lost City. Let’s not forget about the light presence of romance we could feel between the main characters, the novelist Loretta (Sandra Bullock) and her cover model Alan (Channing Tatum).


Ghost - IMPERA Album Review

I think we're going to start this review with me talking about my favourite vodka. I think it will be clear as to why as we go on, but just bear with me for a moment.

At this point in history, I'm mainly a rum drinker, but when I first started drinking, my liquor of choice was vodka. I tried a lot of different brands and types of vodka. Pro tip: vanilla vodka and Pepsi or Coke makes a pretty delicious combo for when you want to add a sweet flavour to your drinking.


Ti West’s X: A Critical Review

Warning: this review contains spoilers


There are seldom things more ‘70’s than a group of young friends, clad in cowboy boots and flares, embarking on a road trip seemingly in the middle of nowhere in rural Texas to film an adult movie. Directed, written, and produced by Ti West, X is set in 1979, paying homage to the slasher films of the 1970’s; the decade’s nostalgic charm being admittedly, exactly what prompted me to buy my pass for the movie within minutes of reading about it last week, as well as the fact that slasher movies have become increasingly unpopular and I was eager to see what a modern day interpretation of the classic slasher films would look like. 


Zeal & Ardor Review

Boy, the new Zeal & Ardor album is good.

Oh, that's probably bad. I shouldn't start out with the direct opinion, right? It defeats the purpose of you reading the rest of the article. But, then again, I can't be accused of burying the lead. Maybe what I should do is act like I didn't start with any of this. I could edit it out I guess, but... no, that seems like work.


Metal My Movie: Annette

Viewer discretion is advised before watching this film. Find out more information here.
 

Death Kult Over Black Congregation: The New Wave of Chinese Black Metal

In 2019 and 2020, Pest Productions, A black metal label from China, released two compilations of emerging Chinese black metal on Bandcamp. New bands with a diverse range of black metal subgenres were introduced in the compilations, including old school bm, blackened death, dsbm, nihilist bm, black/thrash, post bm/blackgaze, symphonic bm, as well as folk bm, which gave birth to the New Wave of Chinese Black Metal. This year in January, Pest Productions have returned with the third compilation, bringing more talented Chinese black metal bands to overseas metal fans (I posted links at the bottom of the article of the three compilations which are free to download on Bandcamp).


Underoath - Voyeurist Album Review

Are you ready for a hot take? I... am not a fan of COVID. I know, right now you're sitting there saying, "Andrew, what are you TALKING ABOUT?! COVID has made it so I know how to make bread during the upcoming climate disaster, AND I learned the very basics of a new language so I can trade as I wander the wastelands of our ruined society."


Try A Little Tenderness: Dark Folk Solo Artists As An Introduction to Metal

We get it. Not everyone loves metal like we do. The harsh vocals, heavy distorted guitars and blast beats can often be a turn off. But even the most hardened metalheads didn’t start their musical journey listening to the most brutal of death metal bands. We had to be slowly eased into the genre, beginning with something accessible before diving deep into pure aggression.


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