Articles by Alan Ranta

Pink Mountaintops Scales the Peaks and Valleys of Emotion on 'Peacock Pools'

PUBLISHED May 5, 2022

One of the last remaining rock 'n' roll mystics, Stephen McBean is the driving force behind Pink Mountaintops. Peacock Pools is the fifth a...

Kathryn Calder and Woodpigeon Are an Immaculate Machine on Frontperson's 'Parade'

PUBLISHED Apr 29, 2022

Kathryn Calder and Mark Andrew Hamilton met in a hallway, and got a room. No, not like that. They are simply nice people and respected musi...

Altin Gün's Grooves Mesmerized Vancouver

Rickshaw Theatre, April 12

PUBLISHED Apr 13, 2022

The switch has been flipped. Concerts are back in a big way, to the point of saturation. As of the time of writing, the calendar for the Ri...

Dear Rouge Lift their 'Spirit' with Care and Community

PUBLISHED Apr 12, 2022

With its fickle followers and algorithmic influence, Drew and Danielle McTaggart are not seriously tempted by the trappings of fame. Yet, e...

Tanika Charles's Voice Is the Leading Light of 'Papillon de Nuit: The Night Butterfly'

PUBLISHED Apr 7, 2022

Tanika Charles was in the process of taking her career to the next level when the pandemic cancelled everything. She tasted success with he...

The Linda Lindas Tap Into Youthful Punk Potential on 'Growing Up'

PUBLISHED Apr 6, 2022

The Linda Lindas make no attempt to hide their youth. They named their debut album Growing Up, and its title track is a spirited pop-punk a...

Maylee Todd's 'Maloo' Is a Path to a Brighter Future

PUBLISHED Mar 2, 2022

Throughout her career, Maylee Todd has delivered her outsider-pop quirks with heavy dose of whimsy, evident as early as her 2010 debut Choo...

Khruangbin and Leon Bridges' Southern Charm Never Wanes on 'Texas Moon'

PUBLISHED Feb 17, 2022

Texas is arguably best known for country music, but the Lone Star State has produced major contributors to a kaleidoscope of genres. It's a...