Chase the Dragon By Chris Walter GFY Press, 247 pp, $15.98 Reviewed by Yasuko Thanh Vancouver punk-band biographer and novelist Chris Walter’s latest book Chase the Dragon centres around Dragon, the protagonist, who earned his nickname for once being “dragged-in” through a doorway. The expression functions as a street metaphor for smoking heroin, “chasing” the smoke as […]
{ 0 comments }
The Green and Purple Skin of the World By paulo da costa Freehand Books, 208 pages, $21.95 Reviewed by Yasuko Thanh Born in Angola, raised in Portugal, paulo da costa won the Commonwealth First Book Prize in 2003 for his collection The Scent of a Lie. In The Green and Purple Skin of the World, […]
Slim Sandy and the Hillbilly Bebop Yes, Baby, Yes! (2013) Produced by Jonathan Stuart Reviewed by Yasuko Thanh My favourite definition of the blues goes like this: blues are nothing but bad times that have a good man down. But he can still sing about them, even laugh, down at the bottom of the well. […]
Belinda’s Rings By Corinna Chong NeWest Press, 264 pages, $19.95 Reviewed by Yasuko Thanh Corinna Chong’s first novel, Belinda’s Rings, introduces us to a quirky, idiosyncratic family-but aren’t they all when you scratch below the surface? Chong, who was born in Calgary but now lives in Kelowna, BC, has written a readable novel about what […]
Spaceport Union Flirting With the Queen (2012) Produced by Michael Jack Reviewed by Yasuko Thanh Seventies art rock, 80s synthesisers, and a neo-psychedelic-sometimes even world-beat!-groove. Spaceport Union delivers variety in its most artful, hybridized form. Here’s something truly eclectic. Caroline Spence, from Victoria, BC, sings music with an experimental and innovative edge. She has this […]
It Might Take Long Mindil Beach Markets (2013) Produced and engineered by Sean McLean Carrie Reviewed by Yasuko Thanh Five guys. Energetic, solid, toe-tapping rhythms. This music swaggers. If this CD were a person, he’d be the “bad boy.” Shock of hair covering one eye. Tough guy. But with something else about him, too. In […]
