Bios

Adrian Mack

Stories by Adrian Mack

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The Perfect Pop Song

From 'Jessie's Girl' to 'Melody for Lovers,' we're still swooning.

By Adrian Mack, 17 May 2012

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In the Name of Love, Sort of

The Walkmen's curious U2 tribute.

By Adrian Mack, 15 Mar 2012

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Neil Young Gets Back on the Horse

He's hanging with the wrong crowd again. Right on!

By Adrian Mack, 16 Feb 2012

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Rococode and the Onward March of Vancouver's Pop Kids

They've got a shiny pedigree, good teeth and pretty brilliant album to match.

By Adrian Mack, 5 Jan 2012

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Scott Weiland Ruins Christmas

And it looks like he really needs to go to the bathroom, too.

By Adrian Mack, 22 Dec 2011

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Hey, Hey We Aren't the Monkees

'Head' killed the Pre-Fab Four, but the soundtrack still puts out.

By Adrian Mack, 10 Nov 2011

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'Walk Like a Man'

In his darkest mid-life days, author Robert J. Wiersema rediscovered Bruce Springsteen, and found rapture. Saturday, a special Tyee event.

By Adrian Mack, 29 Sep 2011

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God Really Is Great

Or, how I was left behind until I heard Larry Norman.

By Adrian Mack, 8 Sep 2011

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Killing for Satan

A couple of biker movie soundtrack gems, from both sides of the line.

By Adrian Mack, 11 Aug 2011

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The Horrors, the Horrors

When greatness strikes a mediocre band.

By Adrian Mack, 14 Jul 2011

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Neil Young's Reagan Era

Shakey's forgiven. Ronnie, not so much.

By Adrian Mack, 16 Jun 2011

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My Morning Jacket's Mystery Tour

Previews from the new album suggest a band still heading for destinations unknown.

By Adrian Mack, 12 May 2011

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Cows Don't Mean a Thing

This and other observations from the Meat Puppets.

By Adrian Mack, 21 Apr 2011

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The Groover

Doug Sahm was the funkiest cowboy of them all. A new retrospective captures the man on the rise.

By Adrian Mack, 24 Mar 2011

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Gimme Jackie

They make blue-eyed pop with a classic twist, they're from White Rock, and they're going to be huge. Meet Jackie Valentine.

By Adrian Mack, 3 Mar 2011

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Different Strokes?

No, just the same old New York jive.

By Adrian Mack, 17 Feb 2011

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The Death of Paul Simon

He contemplates the hereafter. We contemplate his legacy.

By Adrian Mack, 10 Feb 2011

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Frugging Lycanthropes!

The Sadies make the great Canadian music video.

By Adrian Mack, 3 Feb 2011

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Hello, Hello, I'm Back Again

Smith Westerns rescue glitterpop with new album 'Dye it Blonde.'

By Adrian Mack, 13 Jan 2011

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A Punch in the Chest from Manic Street Preachers

Adrian Mack's album of the year weaves the personal with the political.

By Adrian Mack, 23 Dec 2010

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David Lynch Is Go

A curious piece of pop music from a singular artist.

By Adrian Mack, 2 Dec 2010

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Does Your Bubblegum Lose its Flavour?

From Buzzcocks to White Wires, looks like the answer is still 'No.'

By Adrian Mack, 11 Nov 2010

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Bonified Douche Nozzles?

Maybe, but I'll always love Urge Overkill.

By Adrian Mack, 21 Oct 2010

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Mark Haney, the Daredevil

An avant-garde double bass suite about rocket-powered funny cars. Finally!

By Adrian Mack, 30 Sep 2010

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The Sins of the Father

Something happened to musician Rodney DeCroo's dad in Vietnam. He's only just starting to figure out what.

By Adrian Mack, 23 Sep 2010

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It's the Feelgood Hit of the Summer

And it's not what you think it is.

By Adrian Mack, 2 Sep 2010

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The Man Who Invented Male Camel Toe

Forget about that. Tom Jones is striving for redemption these days.

By Adrian Mack, 12 Aug 2010

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Two-Litre Bottles of Urine

Just one of the problems REM faced in 1985.

By Adrian Mack, 15 Jul 2010

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Filthy Gorgeous Hot Gay Party Sex!

Time for a new Scissor Sisters record.

By Adrian Mack, 1 Jul 2010

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Sleepy Sun? Exhausted, More Like

Oh, Black Mountain, so much to answer for.

By Adrian Mack, 24 Jun 2010

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The Best Record Ever Made In Vancouver?

Yes or no, it's time to remember The Blue Shadows

By Adrian Mack, 17 Jun 2010

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Every Dog Has Its Day

Mike Patton triumphs as an Italian crooner on Mondo Cane.

By Adrian Mack, 20 May 2010

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A Rolling Stone Gathers No Moss

But what about a swinging, New York power trio?

By Adrian Mack, 29 Apr 2010

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Erykah Badu Strips for Kennedy and King

The neo-soul artist's naked video was in the name of love, unlike the song.

By Adrian Mack, 15 Apr 2010

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Never Trust a Record Review

Which is why we're reserving judgement on David P. Smith's 'Mantennae.'

By Adrian Mack, 1 Apr 2010

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Dick Cheney's Entrance Music

Or, war pigs, please get your own damn songs.

By Adrian Mack, 11 Mar 2010

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Spoon Gets Thorny

But don't panic, there's still plenty of reason to go ga ga ga ga ga over 'Transference.'

By Adrian Mack, 4 Feb 2010

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Way Better than the Eagles, Possibly as Good as the Monkees

Vancouver's Pete Werner gets it right on Salvage.

By Adrian Mack, 7 Jan 2010

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Mommy, What's a Jandek?

One of music's weirdest tales comes to Vancouver.

By Adrian Mack, 3 Dec 2009

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A Challenge to the Very Foundations of Decency!

Or, the welcome return of the giant Slits.

By Adrian Mack, 22 Oct 2009

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Boys, We're Going Straight to the Bottom!

The glorious failures of Big Star.

By Adrian Mack, 8 Oct 2009

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Nothing Is Real

Crowley, Manson, Polanski, and the Beatles boxsets.

By Adrian Mack, 1 Oct 2009

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The Return of the Manics

It's another triumph for the world's greatest rock band

By Adrian Mack, 6 Aug 2009

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Sky Saxon and the Sound of Horny

Young bands are still copping his feel.

By Adrian Mack, 9 Jul 2009

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Michael Jackson's Final Death

Why did so many find his personal hell amusing?

By Adrian Mack, 26 Jun 2009

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Who is Joe Abernethy?

And why am I saying those nice things about him?

By Adrian Mack, 25 Jun 2009

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Somebody Get Eno On the Phone!

Way to Go, Einstein is making pristine pop for grown-ups.

By Adrian Mack, 28 May 2009

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The Day the Music Came Back

Retrofitting Buddy Holly with M. Ward.

By Adrian Mack, 23 Apr 2009

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It Just Is

Pondering the ineffable with Olson and Louris.

By Adrian Mack, 19 Mar 2009

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'That was Terry Cox!'

A YouTube tribute to a great musician and writer we really should have known.

By Adrian Mack, 26 Feb 2009

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Rock Me Softly

Let Odawas take the edge off.

By Adrian Mack, 29 Jan 2009

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All Yolks Aside

Chariots of Eggs offers sly quality alongside the laughs.

By Adrian Mack, 18 Dec 2008

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Paul Is Still Not Dead

Macca soars on quick and dirty new album.

By Adrian Mack, 27 Nov 2008

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Horror? Bankruptcy? Stress?

Try Dylan's 'Goin' To Acapulco'

By Adrian Mack, 13 Nov 2008

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Smooth Stick Work

Bluesman Ray LaMontagne sings an homage to Meg White, drummer of The White Stripes.

By Adrian Mack, 30 Oct 2008

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Dengue Fever

Good, exotic, psychedelic pop, with Cambodian spices.

By Adrian Mack, 16 Oct 2008

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Rodney DeCroo's Lightning in a Bottle

'Mockingbird Bible' puts him a new league.

By Adrian Mack, 25 Sep 2008

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Chad VanGaalen’s Real, Unassuming Genius

‘Soft Airplane” one of the best albums of 2008.

By Adrian Mack, 4 Sep 2008

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Kings of Leon’s Razor-Sharp Rock

‘Sex on Fire’ is low on hype, high on technique.

By Adrian Mack, 7 Aug 2008

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Forget Coldplay!

Try woozy, melody-rich, sun-kissed Fleet Foxes.

By Adrian Mack, 26 Jun 2008

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Ting Tings 'We Started Nothing'

Why catchy trash comes from the UK.

By Adrian Mack, 5 Jun 2008

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Rain Antidotes

When spring doesn't spring, try Vancouver's Abernethy and Ed Askew.

By Adrian Mack, 15 May 2008

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Magnificent Trouble Music

Ethan Miller is a charming fiend.

By Adrian Mack, 24 Apr 2008

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Nihilistic, Dead-Eyed and Simmering

The Kills are back.

By Adrian Mack, 3 Apr 2008

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Vancouver's Hinterland Is 'Dreamo'

Music writing is a crazy game. How they're winning.

By Adrian Mack, 20 Mar 2008

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Why No One Beats the Boss

But how Brooklyn's Marah is taking him on.

By Adrian Mack, 21 Feb 2008

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My Protest Against the Zep

Guitar Hero gets great music, but not Zeppelin. Why I don't care.

By Adrian Mack, 10 Jan 2008

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The Go's New Blast from the Past

Silencing today's noise of information.

By Adrian Mack, 20 Dec 2007

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The Motorcade Sped On

Early hip hop from Steinski and Mass Media.

By Adrian Mack, 29 Nov 2007

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Against Doctor's Orders

Why I'm listening to Bend Sinister.

By Adrian Mack, 8 Nov 2007

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I Like Dwight

And how he helped rescue country from 'Hee Haw.'

By Adrian Mack, 18 Oct 2007

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Space Germs, Hurricanes and Stubborn Irony

Black Lips' new album.

By Adrian Mack, 27 Sep 2007

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'Romance, Mystery, Joy and Melancholy'

Bedouin Soundclash is better than before.

By Adrian Mack, 6 Sep 2007

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Real Guitars and Songwriting

Richard Hawley's 'Hotel Room.'

By Adrian Mack, 26 Jul 2007

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Attention Britpop Fans

Indulge your nostalgia with Brett Anderson's newest.

By Adrian Mack, 5 Jul 2007

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Porter Wagoner Is Back

His country music was subversive then and now.

By Adrian Mack, 14 Jun 2007

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Power Pop Fans Unite!

Why I worship at the most maligned music genre's altar.

By Adrian Mack, 3 May 2007

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The Kids Are Listening to Rock Again

Heavy blues bands, like the Brought Low, are suddenly glamorous.

By Adrian Mack, 29 Mar 2007