By Kerry Doole
'I am not ashamed': How Montreal musician Florence K is encouraging open dialogue about mental illness
The CBC host hopes her story inspires others to talk openly about mental health. – CBC Radio
Maybe Leafs should've taken 'Drake curse' advice from Italian soccer club
The Canadian rapper was on hand cheering for the Leafs in their 6-4 defeat Wednesday night in Game 4. Another example of his jinxes? – Tanya Casole-Gouveia, CBC Sports
River of Diamonds’ Touch of life
Michelle Elrick and Michael Belyea marry poetry and pop with their new project. – Brennan McCracken, The Coast
CanCon music survivors from Streetheart to Maestro Fresh Wes savouring the new mood in Canada
There’s a lot of old-school CanCon going around these days and, really, why shouldn’t there be? Despite the pejorative connotations often associated with that term in the golden age of CRTC-imposed Canadian-content regulations for radio in the ’70s and ’80s many of the hits from that era have stood the test of time. They haven’t gone away and, consequently, the hitmakers behind them haven’t, either. – Ben Rayner, Toronto Star
Bad Animal documents the band's changes on Growing Pains, with help from producer Colin Stewart
Growing Pains seems an odd title for the second full-length from Calgary-based Bad Animal—that having everything to do with the group making a successful and seamless attempt to move forward from its beginnings as a loud and revved-up rawk unit. – Mike Usinger, Georgia Straight
Review: Childish Gambino retells the story of Carnival in Guava Island
The hour-long film wastes costar Rihanna and turns Caribbean history into a breezy and shallow showcase for Donald Glover's alter ego. – Radheyan Simonpillai, NOW
International
Anderson .Paak loves L.A. What does he do when it stops loving him back?
Anderson .Paak, the R&B singer-rapper-drummer-producer that broke out as a protege of Dr. Dre, is shaken by the death of pals Mac Miller and Nipsey Hussle. – Gerrick D. Kennedy, LA Times
Why Joy Division? Henry Rollins examines Jon Savage’s oral history of the post-punk band
Jon Savage’s “This Searing Light, the Sun and Everything Else” documents the formation, brief life and sudden end of the phenomenal Manchester, England, band Joy Division. As brilliant as some of this work is, Joy Division seems to remain in the shadows, just out of reach of critical assessment. – LA Times
City of scales: Plan to boost Auckland's live music scene
Grassroots venues threatened by development and gentrification are at the heart of a new blueprint aiming to make the big-money music sector a consideration in Auckland’s growth. – Chris Reed, NZ Herald
Feist and Bahamas duet to introduce MMF Honour Roll winner Robbie Lackritz at Billboard Canada Managers to Watch on June 11 at the Illuminarium in Toronto. Door 24