Christmas Recommendations

By Melissa Minners Below is a list of some of my favorite movies, books, and music for the holiday season.  Click on the titles to purchase any of these items (except I’ll Be Home For Christmas as the version I talk about is currently unavailable on DVD or VHS).  Enjoy!  Animated Shows The Year Without

The Suicide Squad

(Score from the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Composed By: John Murphy Distributed By: Troll Court / Water Tower Music Reviewed By: Melissa Minners                On August 6, 2021, Troll Court/ Water Tower Music released two albums featuring the music of James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad.  The first album is The Suicide Squad Original Motion Picture

Star Nation

Music By: Nadjiwan Produced By Heading North Music Reviewed By: Melissa Minners                Marc Meriläinen, otherwise known as Nadjiwan, is a force to be reckoned with.  A singer, a songwriter, a multi-instrumentalist and a producer, Marc has always sought to infuse rock with the Indigenous music he grew up on as a member of the

Tomahawk Rock

Artist: Nadjiwan Produced By: Heading North Music Reviewed by Melissa Minners                For the past twenty years, Nadjiwan has been a project of Marc Merilainen, a Canadian with a Native American and Finnish background.  Born in Manitoba and raised in Northwestern Ontario, Merilainen knew he would be a musician from an early age.  He graduated from

F-105 II: Side B

Artist: F-105 Produced By: Merläinen Müsic Reviewed By Melissa Minners                I’ve been a fan of Din’s music for quite some time, going all the way back to his time with The Soles.  A Canadian singer, songwriter and artist, Din has made his mark on the music industry with his heartfelt lyrics that make you

F-105

Artist: Din Produced by: Marc Merilainen and Alex Mine Reviewed by Melissa Minners                I first met Dean Jalonen through Marc Merilainen, also known as Nadjiwan.  He pointed me toward The Soles, a band fronted by artist, performer and songwriter Dean Jalonen, now Din.  Formed in 2001, the band released a number of albums and

The Soles

A Rising Star Feature by Melissa Minners              My first introduction to music from the Canadian band known as The Soles came in the form of a promotional CD containing four songs.  I discovered that lead singer and songwriter Dean Jalonen (aka: D.I.N.) used very personal topics to create the lyrics found on this CD.