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ALBUMS THAT MATTER

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Join our team of music fans on
a journey to determine if influential music
from the past has withstood the test of time

THE MONTHLY ALBUM SELECTIONS

Listen to our Sonic Collective member explain the selection for the month. Be sure to follow up the next month to hear the reviews from the group.

Tracy Chapman – Self Titled

September 11, 2023 / Darren Scott

The Sonic Collective Podcast is back for their September 2023 pick. Darren Scott dives into why he chose this album for a full review. After completing our past four episodes based on 1-hit wonders, this is a great way to show an artist that was huge after one album but mainstream success never followed. Do you remember this album from 1988, or are you just hearing Luke Combs version and thinking that is a beautiful song. Listen along to the original and see if this entire album stands the test of time and what Sonic Collective members think of this.For more media, photos, videos and more reviews, please follow us on your favourite podcast platform and check out thesoniccollective.com

One Hit Wonders: The Wallflowers – Bringing Down the Horse

August 14, 2023 / Scott Gregory

This is the last of our four podcast episodes reviewing what are considered to be one-hit wonders. Loosely meaning that the album had one or so big singles, then we likely never really heard from the band again. Jakob Dylan and The Wallflowers had a monster second album based off the strength of One Headlight, a single that led to two Grammy wins for them. Is that all they had in the tank? Are we set yet on the measures we used to judge? Tune in and find out.

One Hit Wonders: Blu Cantrell – So Blu

July 5, 2023 / Alain Dupuis

For the next four podcast episodes we will be reviewing what are considered to be one-hit wonders. Here we are on our second of four picks with our One Hit Wonders series, looking at artists and albums that were One Hit Wonders - loosely meaning that the album had one or so big singles, then we likely never really heard from the band again. I’ve always liked the song You Get What You Give by New Radicals, bought the album when it came out, but don’t remember listening to it beyond the single, and have been listening to that single a lot recently. Then the Foo Fighters announced Josh Freese as their new drummer in May 2023, and while reading about him, I noticed he drummed on two songs from Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too by New Radicals, and decided to make this my pick for the month. - Scott Coates @ The Sonic Collective

One Hit Wonders: New Radicals – Maybe You’ve Been Brainwashed Too

May 30, 2023 / Scott Coates

One Hit Wonders: a-ha — Take on me from Hunting High and Low

May 1, 2023 / Darren Scott

For the next four podcast episodes we will be reviewing what are considered to be one-hit wonders. Member Darren Scott started off by choosing a-ha. a-ha is often considered a one-hit wonder, largely due to the immense success of their debut single "Take on Me." The song reached number one in the United States and several other countries in 1985, and its innovative music video became an iconic part of 80s pop culture. While a-ha did have other hits in Europe, including "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." and "Hunting High and Low," they were unable to replicate the massive success of "Take on Me" in the US. However, the band's overall discography is quite extensive and they have continued to release albums and tour throughout the years.

Patty Loveless – When Fallen Angels Fly

April 7, 2023 / Scott Gregory

This month we'll be listening to When Fallen Angels Fly by Country artist Patty Loveless. When Fallen Angels Fly was her seventh studio album and was certified platinum. It also won the Country Music Awards album of the year, with Patty being only the third woman to ever have done so. Will this album still hold up? Tune in at the end of the month and find out!

The Velvet Underground – The Velvet Underground & Nico

March 1, 2023 / Alain Dupuis

For March 2023 we will listen to and share our thoughts on The Velvet Underground's 1966 debut and almost self-titled album, "The Velvet Underground and Nico". This album is said to have been one of the biggest influences on rock and alternative music ever, but when it was first released, it was a flop, largely in part to its controversial subject matter. How does it hold up to modern tastes and sensibilities? Will any of us enjoy this album? Tune in at the end of the month to see our review.

King Crimson: In the Court of the Crimson King

February 1, 2023 / Scott Coates

For February 2023 we will listen to and share thought on King Crimson's 1969 debut album, In the Court of the Crimson King. They have been cited by countless, legendary bands as a major influence and In the Court of the Crimson King, their debut album, noted as their best and also an inspiration to a slew of bands. Enjoy the listen ahead!

Pink Floyd: Wish You Were Here

January 5, 2023 / Darren Scott

Our podcast album review selection for January 2023 by Darren Scott, is Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here. Listen to Darren explain why he thought this particular album was worth revisiting and why you should probably make some time to listen to this classic. Pink Floyd were at the forefront of exploring concept albums, atmospheric and ambient sounds and experiences. Does this 1975 album stand the test of time? Listen along and join us at the beginning of February for the album review.

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The Monthly Reviews

Each month our members rotate picking the artists or theme to be reviewed, dissected and discussed. Join us!

One Hit Wonder or Not? The Wallflowers – Bringing Down the Horse

September 16, 2023 / Scott Gregory

In last round of our "One Hit Wonder" series, we gave a listen to Bringing Down the Horse by The Wallflowers. Overall the album was generally liked with some differences of opinion on some of the positives and negatives of the album. We also mature and share our reasoning of what qualifies as a one hit wonder and decide if this band qualifies based off the performance of "One Headlight" and the rest of the slbum. Tune in to the episode to see what we thought of it.

One Hit Wonder or Not? Blu Cantrell – So Blu

August 2, 2023 / Alain Dupuis

In the third installment of our One Hit Wonders round, we listened to Blu Cantrell's debut album, So Blu. The album was released in 2001 and featured the very famous and very awesome song "Hit em' up Style (Oops!)". But what about the rest of the album? Equally awesome? Well, that's what we endeavored to find out this month as we dissected So Blu. Does Blu Cantrell deserve to be better known for her body of work? Was she done dirty? We seemed to be aligned for the most part. Tune in to the episode to see what we thought of it.

One Hit Wonder or Not? New Radicals’ Maybe You’ve Been Brainwashed Too

July 12, 2023 / Scott Coates

So here, it is, the second review of our One Hit Wonders round, this time listening to New Radicals’ Maybe You’ve Been Brainwashed Too. If you haven’t listened to/read about why we picked it, check that out first. The album was released October 16, 1998, and is essentially an album by lead singer, Gregg Alexander, who is the only person to play on all the album’s tracks. He enlisted a swath of session musicians (28) to play instruments while recording, really making this an album of hired guns. The very successful You Get What You Give charted high on most Top 40 lists around the world, then the band broke up in 1999. A second single, Someday We’ll Know, was released shortly after the band called it quits and the rest is history.

One Hit Wonder or Not? a-ha’s Take on Me

June 14, 2023 / Darren Scott

Sonic Collective member Darren Scott started off our one hit wonder round by choosing a-ha. a-ha is often considered a one-hit wonder, largely due to the immense success of their debut single "Take on Me." The song reached number one in the United States and several other countries in 1985, and its innovative music video became an iconic part of 80s pop culture. We now go back and listen to this album and explore this band a little deeper to see if they deserve the negatively perceived one hit wonder moniker. Listen along to see what we discovered about this band from Norway, we think you will be surprised at some of the things we discovered. Enjoy! Darren @ The Sonic Collective

Review of Patty Loveless: When Fallen Angels Fly

May 10, 2023 / Scott Gregory

Scott's pick had the team split. We had a range of opinions covering the entire spectrum. We're usually more into music where the guitars are plugged in, so country music has a hard time breaking into the mix. Still, everyone found something to appreciate (or at least not dislike!) about this album, even though the scores hit both ends of the spectrum. Have a listen and see what each member of the team thought after a month of listening and see who you matched up with most.

Review of The Velvet Underground: The Velvet Underground and Nico

March 31, 2023 / Alain Dupuis

Alain's pick for March 2023 had us listen to The Velvet Underground’s debut album, The Velvet Underground and Nico, which was released in 1967, but failed to really make a splash on the music scene until nearly a decade after its release for a variety of reasons. The Velvet Underground would ultimately go on to leave a legacy of influence and high regard in the annals of music history, and we decided to start at the beginning to see if the band is worth the hype.

Review of King Crimson: In the Court of the Crimson King

March 1, 2023 / Scott Coates

February 2023 saw us listen to King Crimson’s debut album, In the Court of the Crimson King, which was released on 10 October 1969 and hit #1 on the UK charts.We went into this with pretty high expectations being how many times we had read about this album being a major influence on bands like The Who, and cited by many rock publications as one of the best ever prog rock albums. Well… let’s just say we weren’t that wow’d and don’t really get how it has cultivated the legacy it has.

Review of Pink Floyd, Wish You Were Here

February 1, 2023 / Darren Scott

After completing a fun series of shows that spotted connections between albums, we have gone back to our roots and started a new round of reviews of classic influential albums. Darren picked this Pink Floyd album that followed their success after Dark Side of the Moon. This album is familiar Pink Floyd, but yet a bit darker and more serious than their previous concept albums. Listen to this review to hear what we discovered, and if we think you should spend your time revisiting this Wish You Were Here album.

THE REVEAL EPISODE – What Connects These Three Albums? – Part 4

January 10, 2023 / Alain Dupuis

For the next four months we are changing up our format to try something fun. Each of us will pick three albums that share a common thread. We want you to listen to these albums and try to figure out what the common thread between them is. We listened to Led Zeppelin 3 by Led Zeppelin, Bookends by Simon and Garfunklel, and Pronounced 'Leh-'Nerd 'Skin-'Nerd- by Lynyrd Skynyrd. Three very bluesy albums that we all seemed to enjoy

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Musical Musings

Sometimes we just find cool music stuff on the Interwebs that we just have to share.

Four bands people love to hate

July 30, 2021 / Alain Dupuis

For April 2021, The Sonic Collective member Darren Scott has chosen the Sleaford Mods, Divide and Exit album. This new and edgy working class electronic punk music is minimalist, raw as hell and has a distinctly new sound. With our world is so much chaos, we need more voices like this, telling it like it is. Enjoy Jason Williamson and Andrew Fearn as the Sleaford Mods.

A Conversation with Danko Jones

April 27, 2021 / Darren Scott

For 25 years, Danko Jones has kept rock n’ roll alive and strong. Over the course of 10 studio albums, from 2001s’ I’m Alive and on Fire’ to 2021’s upcoming ‘Power Trio’, the sound has remained solid, he’s continued to push boundaries, and consistently rocked. On this special episode of The Sonic Collective we chat with band founder Danko Jones about the history of the band, look to the future, and learn what he loves about music and performing.

Getting to Know WiL

January 19, 2021 / Darren Scott

Welcome to the Sonic Collective. On this special episode we’ll get to know a very talented musician from western Canada. From early days in the Calgary bar scene, building his name as a solo artist, to playing with two supporting players, singer-songwriter WiL has built a loyal following many musicians would love to have. In this fickle business, what’s kept him going for so many years, what does he still love about music, and what’s next?

A Chat with Sam Roberts – All of Us

November 16, 2020 / Darren Scott

On this special episode of The Sonic Collective, we chat with Sam Roberts, of the Sam Roberts band, about their October 2020 release, All of Us. He goes deep about how the songs were written and sharing it with the world in a time of COVID. But we start by going back in time, with Sam sharing what it feels like to have been recording professionally for almost two decades, being the son of parents from South Africa who immigrated to Canada, what it means to be Canadian, and even some of his musical guilty pleasures. Get ready to hear a very candid Sam Roberts share on multiple levels. Enjoy the musical ride!

Albums that Changed Our Musical Tastes

October 13, 2020 / Scott Coates

Scientists say your musical tastes are formed by what you enjoyed in your teens. You hear a song, it resonates, and that style guides your musical tastes moving forward. There’s those monumental albums you can still remember hearing for the first time, all these years later. You likely remember where you were, the time of year, perhaps even what you were wearing, who you were with, and the smell in the air when you first heard it. Today we’re going to chat about just that - albums that influenced and changed our musical tastes.

An Exploration of Musical Supergroups

July 20, 2020 / Darren Scott

Welcome to the Sonic Collective, and another one of our exploratory podcast episodes. In this episode, we’ll explore musical supergroups. So what is a supergroup? Well, for us, it’s a musical performing group of three or more persons, whose members have successful solo careers, are members of other groups, or are well known in other musical professions. They come together to form an epic alignment of mighty musical talents. For us, this isn’t a duo and they must have released at least one full-length album. These supergroups can also come from any genre. The term can sometimes also be applied to a group that has no specific preferred genre. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, and today, we’ll touch on a few that fall in both categories and some in between.

What Makes a Great Album? Featuring Broadcasting Legend Alan Cross

May 13, 2020 / Darren Scott

There’s been one common thread regardless of genre, time period, or concept, that’s run through each of our album selections. The search for a great album. The entire package. A group of songs that work together to create more than just a few good singles, rather an experience and journey for the listener. So what makes a great album? This is the question and discussion we had with Alan Cross, an internationally known broadcaster, interviewer, writer, consultant, blogger and speaker. Enjoy.

Boredom Cures for the Music Fan

March 22, 2020 / Darren Scott

To help you pass some time and discover some new music, here are my music recommendations for some of my favourite Spotify Playlists, Podcasts, Music Documentaries, YouTube Music Channels and even a link to my vinyl collection that I invite you to look at and you can ask me any questions about.

4 Movie Soundtracks That Matter

December 1, 2018 / Darren Scott

We all know that around the holiday season there is nothing better than watching a good movie. It also is a great way to avoid that weird uncle with bad

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The Sonic Collective Members

Meet our team of music lovers.

Scott Coates

Bangkok, Thailand

Scott has lived in Southeast Asia since 1999, when he co-founded what became one of the region’s most respected luxury travel companies, Smiling Albino. There, he designed and led adventures throughout SE Asia and Nepal before selling out of the business in 2013 to try his hand at other pursuits. While working as a Team Building Consultant, he developed a keen interest in how people learn and grow which led him to serve as Director of People Development with one of the region's largest travel companies, EXO Travel. \An enthusiastic mountain biker, runner, and explorer, he also very much likes bobbing his head to AC/DC while sipping beers.

Alain DuPuis

Calgary, Canada

Alain is a native Calgarian with a longstanding love of music. Groomed on post-grunge and 90s alternative, he seeks to expand his audio horizons ever further, exploring all the genres he once looked down upon. When he's not busy working six days a week like some sort of maniac, he enjoys gaming, obsessing about whisky, working out or frequenting seedy karaoke bars around town.

Scott Gregory

Calgary, Canada

Scott Gregory is the newest dad of the group and brings his love of melody and music to the Sonic Collective. Scott is always full of facts and seems to have an uncanny love for the women in music. He likes to push the Collective into areas that we may otherwise overlook. Scott loves his new little family, the New York Rangers and all the music he can consume between diaper changes.

Darren Scott

Calgary, Canada

Darren currently lives in Calgary, Alberta, Canada where he can often be found in the best live music venues in town (Palamino, Commonwealth, King Eddy's, Broken City, Cafe Koi, etc.) and he is used to being "The old guy" at the young punk shows. Darren likes to know the stories behind the music he listens to and enjoys the musical journey of it all. A "say it like it is" guy in his own words, he tends to go a little off the cuff from time to time. Ok, all the time. He loves his family, friends and Flames and has a sense of humour he thinks is hilarious.

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The Sonic Collective

2 weeks ago

Our pick for September 2023 is Tracy Champman's self titled album. Check out why we picked it and enjoy the listen: ... See MoreSee Less

Album selection: Tracy Chapman, Self-Titled

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The Sonic Collective

1 month ago

Check out or final pick in the One Hit Wonders Round - Wallflowers: Bringing Down the Horse: ... See MoreSee Less

One Hit Wonders: The Wallflowers - Bringing Down the Horse

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1 month ago

A fantastic interview with legendary Canadian music producer Bob Rock: ... See MoreSee Less

Icons: Metallica Producer Bob Rock

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In this brand new long form series, Gibson sits down with some of the most iconic artists, producers and music business pioneers the industry has ever known....

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