!Exclaim.ca Reviews - Folk & Country Reviews

The Howlin' Brothers - Howl

editorial@exclaim.ca (Jason Schneider) — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:02:05 -0400

This Nashville trio are the latest to attempt modernizing the jug band/bluegrass tradition and on their debut album, they do a good job injecting some energy into well-worn themes. While not as tight and forthright as predecessors such as Old Crow Medicine Show, the Howlin' Brothers check all the right boxes, from the ripping, fiddle-led "Julia Belle Swain" to the Dixieland stomp of "Delta Queen." However, there's an undeniable sense that the group and producer Brendan Benson (the Raconteur) worked a little too hard trying to live up to an ideal. Sure, there are plenty of rough edges on...Read More

Emily Herring - Your Mistake

editorial@exclaim.ca (Kerry Doole) — Fri, 17 May 2013 13:00:36 -0400

This born and bred Texan songstress stays true to the authentic musical heart of the Lone Star state with this fine album. In fact, she kicks it off with a musical love letter to her favourite metropolis with "Austin (Ain't Got No) City Limits," complete with name checks of Lyle Lovett, Toni Price and Ray Wylie Hubbard. Herring has a bold, brassy voice a bit reminiscent of early k.d. lang or Kelly Willis, while her spirited guitar playing brings to mind Bonnie Raitt and Rosie Flores. There's the occasional blues and western swing influence, but plenty of dobro and lap steel keep this...Read More

Mark Lanegan & Duke Garwood - Black Pudding

editorial@exclaim.ca (Jason Schneider) — Tue, 14 May 2013 16:14:22 -0400

Although Mark Lanegan scoffs at the notion that he's a blues singer, there are few other vocalists of his generation that have a deeper understanding of what it takes to actually be one. On this collaboration with UK guitarist Duke Garwood, Lanegan's raw chops are on full display, resulting in the bluesiest recording he's made to date. The pair share a natural affinity for similar themes — mainly death and religion — and Garwood's open-tuned finger-picking style is suitably hazy and hypnotic. Several tracks, particularly "Mescalito" and "Death Rides A White Horse," evoke the...Read More

Al Tuck - Stranger at the Wake

editorial@exclaim.ca (Vish Khanna) — Mon, 13 May 2013 13:00:47 -0400

"There is a God, children," Al Tuck intones in a segmented, a cappella pronouncement that recurs throughout his wildest album ever. It's a measure of his faith that many "There is a God" verses are inspired by his good fortune: a lover moves across country for him; a car's runaway wheel narrowly misses striking him down. We're also lucky that his recent prolific streak is yielding his most astounding work. Featuring Tuck's reconfigured No Action band, this LP is his most fleshed-out rock effort in some time and songs like "Five-O" and "We Didn't Dance" are spellbinding. The title track is a...Read More

Patty Griffin - American Kid

editorial@exclaim.ca (Jason Schneider) — Wed, 08 May 2013 15:41:04 -0400

There certainly is more attention being paid to Patty Griffin now that she may (or may not) be married to Robert Plant, after serving in his Band of Joy, but that hasn't changed the essence of her sound on her seventh album. Plant does make a guest appearance on a couple of tracks ("Ohio" and "Highway Song"), although each of their meditative qualities hardly suggests American Kid was designed as a sequel to Raising Sand, Plant's acclaimed collaboration with Alison Krauss. Griffin is far grittier than Krauss and most of American Kid is a tribute to her recently deceased...Read More

Mary Gauthier - Live at Blue Rock

editorial@exclaim.ca (Kerry Doole) — Tue, 07 May 2013 15:25:11 -0400

Given that she's a favourite draw on the folk/roots fest circuit, it's no surprise this acclaimed American singer-songwriter has come up with a live album, after six much-praised studio records. Her dark, intense material is not your typical "Kumbaya"-style campfire sing-along fare, as exemplified by "Karla Faye," dedicated to an executed murderess. The audience at the gig, a ranch outside Austin, is clearly attentive though. Gauthier reprises such favourites as "I Drink" and "Blood is Blood," and it's great to see our undervalued songsmith, Fred Eaglesmith, represented with three of his...Read More

The Good Family - The Good Family Album

editorial@exclaim.ca (Kerry Doole) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:38:07 -0400

The two generations featured in the Good Brothers and the Sadies make the Good family Canada's premier country/roots rock clan. They've collaborated in different ways previously, but have now coalesced formally into a family group. Given the freewheeling eclecticism of both aforementioned groups, it's no surprise this debut is stylistically diverse. Country, folk, bluegrass, rock and hybrids thereof are showcased, but things always sound coherent. What is new is the emphasis on female vocals, with Margaret Good (wife of Bruce, mother of Dallas and Travis) and secret weapon (niece/cousin)...Read More

David Francey - So Say We All

editorial@exclaim.ca (Kerry Doole) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:34:28 -0400

It can be argued that David Francey has had more impact than any old-school Canadian folk songsmith since the late great Stan Rogers. A late bloomer, he has now released ten albums that have deservedly won acclaim here (three Juno Awards) and beyond. So Say We All is one of his very best; it finds him digging deep, mining themes of depression, grief and unrequited love with genuine empathy. "These songs encompass what proved [to be] a very difficult year," he writes in the liner notes, though those tracks collected here range as far back as 1995. Some of the metaphors and locales...Read More

Morlove - Old Tomorrow

editorial@exclaim.ca (Blake Morneau) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 11:13:07 -0400

Likely the only album you're going to hear all year recorded in a geodesic dome, Morlove's second full-length, Old Tomorrow, is a densely packed effort that reveals itself with careful, repeated listens. The record approaches the theme of patterns with delicate inquisitiveness and quiet daring. Songwriters Corwin Fox and Miss Emily Brown have created a set of songs that touches upon a variety of ideas and feelings, staying within the unified vision of the album. Lyrically, the tracks reveal maturity and depth, as on aching relationship study "Skeleton," where Fox does the...Read More

Cam Penner - To Build A Fire

editorial@exclaim.ca (Kerry Doole) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 15:31:52 -0400

BC-based troubadour Penner made the Billboard Folk charts and toured Europe behind his previous album, Gypsy Summer. Anticipate similar success for this fine effort, his fifth full-length. Penner's sound is a folk-meets-blues hybrid, one occasionally evocative of Tom Waits or Fred Eaglesmith. His gruff vocals and gritty songs are neatly captured by co-producer Jon Wood, who's done similarly effective work for Herald Nix and Rodney DeCroo. Penner and Wood also played all the instruments, save for the horn section on mood-setting instrumental opener "Mighty Damn Animator." An...Read More

Willie Nelson & Family - Let's Face the Music and Dance

editorial@exclaim.ca (Jason Schneider) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 13:04:34 -0400

Although he's regarded as one of America's great living songwriters, Willie Nelson's interpretive talents have resulted in just as many career highpoints. It was Nelson's 1978 album of jazz and pop standards, Stardust, which solidified his mainstream popularity, and frequently revisiting that concept has kept Nelson on solid artistic ground in between sometimes questionable ventures into other genres. This holds true with Let's Face the Music and Dance, a 14-track collection inspired by songs on which Nelson and sister Bobbie (also his long-time pianist) cut their musical teeth....Read More

Steve Earle & the Dukes (& Duchesses) - The Low Highway

editorial@exclaim.ca (Jason Schneider) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 13:00:06 -0400

In 1986, Steve Earle shook up the country music scene with "Guitar Town," an unabashed celebration of life as a touring musician. With The Low Highway, Earle is back traveling those same roads, but the scenery is much different. His move to NYC from Nashville in 2007 marked a significant softening of his one-time badass image, although throughout The Low Highway, Earle reconnects with America's dark corners, both musically and spiritually. On several tracks, such as "Calico County" and "Burnin' It Down," he puts himself back in the boots of the small-town kid with the odds...Read More

Deadstring Brothers - Cannery Row

editorial@exclaim.ca (Jason Schneider) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 13:02:43 -0400

It's never been difficult to picture the CD collection in the Deadstring Brothers' van: Exile on Main Street, The Band, The Gilded Palace of Sin. While they have managed to combine these influences into a modern take on roots rock, it always sounded only passable. That's unfortunately still the case with Cannery Row, despite frontman Kurt Marschke's move to Nashville prior to recording. The added twang, courtesy of pedal steel, fiddle, dobro and female harmonies, does add some authenticity, but the effect remains too close to simply ticking all the necessary boxes....Read More

Lauren Mann and the Fairly Odd Folk - Over Land and Sea

editorial@exclaim.ca (Nereida Fernandes) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 15:00:49 -0400

The mindset that good news doesn't sell permeates our cynical culture. Thankfully, Alberta's Lauren Mann and her band, the Fairly Odd Folk, aren't afraid of taking the high road. With bandmates Jay and Jessica Christman and Zoltan Szoges, along with producer Aaron Marsh, Mann has created a lovely collage of catchy pop with folk sensibilities. Over Land and Sea's vibrant sonic tapestry is saturated with sunlight and holds to a mostly buoyant gait. Even during slower moments and pensive musings, Mann's melodies and verses remain uplifting, staying true to her purpose. She sings about...Read More

The Highest Order - If It's Real

editorial@exclaim.ca (Joshua Kloke) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 16:21:11 -0400

When One Hundred Dollars, one of Canada's most promising country acts, split in 2012, fans wondered what would become of Simone Schmidt. Great strides were made from 2008's haunting Forest of Tears to the expansive, Polaris Music Prize long-listed follow up, Songs of Man. With the Highest Order, Schmidt's newest project, fans can breathe easy. Schmidt hasn't lost her deft, insightful and painfully honest touch. In fact, she's done one better; she's crafted a collection of songs that pay homage to the dimly-lit barroom ballads that One Hundred Dollars made their name on. But on...Read More

Belle Starr - Belle Starr

editorial@exclaim.ca (Kerry Doole) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 17:31:04 -0400

There seems to be something of a trend of rootsy Canadian female singer-songwriters joining forces in new duos and trios. Following in the footsteps of the likes of Trent Severn and Scarlett Jane are Belle Starr, the twist here being that all three members are also acclaimed fiddle players. Those fearing an excessive amount of fiddle sounds can rest easy though, for Miranda Mulholland, Kendel Carson and Stephanie Cadman have come up with a highly listenable full-length debut album that showcases their vocal abilities as much as their instrumental prowess. Assisting the cause are such A-list...Read More

The Milk Carton Kids - The Ash & Clay

editorial@exclaim.ca (Jason Schneider) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 13:00:01 -0400

The sound of two voices and two guitars in harmony has been a cornerstone of American music since the beginning, from the Blue Sky Boys through to the Everly Brothers and Gillian Welch & David Rawlings. That the music of the Milk Carton Kids contains echoes of all of these artists is a testament to the depth of talent that Joey Ryan and Ken Pattengale possess. The Ash & Clay is the first major-label release for the California duo and its quiet power is startling in this age of studio excess. The immediate similarities to Welch & Rawlings, as well as Simon & Garfunkel, don't linger long...Read More

William Tyler - Impossible Truth

editorial@exclaim.ca (Kerry Doole) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 11:32:28 -0400

Guitarist/composer Tyler earned blog love for his first solo album, Behold The Spirit. This, his first recording for hip label Merge, will likely do the same. Tyler terms it "my '70s singer-songwriter record; it just doesn't have any words." That description is actually quite apt; his atmospherics and ambience conjure a feeling of wide-open spaces, with traces of desolation and decay on the landscape. A key inspiration was reportedly Barney Hoskyns' book Hotel California, and one composition here is titled after it. Ry Cooder's soundtrack work could be a reference point, at...Read More

Corin Raymond & the Sundowners - Paper Nickels

editorial@exclaim.ca (Kerry Doole) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 11:51:36 -0400

Hardworking roots troubadour Corin Raymond's previous album was entitled There Will Always Be A Small Time. There isn't anything small-time about this record; he's scored major publicity with the news that it was funded by the donation of Canadian Tire money (31,081 bills!) from fans and friends, and he jokes that this is "Canada's first million-dollar folk record." Call it money very well spent; it's a 20-song double album recorded at Toronto club the Tranzac, and it finds Raymond and his ace band (roots faves David Baxter, Trease Levasseur and Brian Kobayakawa) in top form. An...Read More

Caitlin Rose - The Stand-In

editorial@exclaim.ca (Nereida Fernandes) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 11:45:21 -0400

It's not hard to understand why gushing reviews of Caitlin Rose's sophomore LP continue to multiply. It's good, it's safe and the powers that be (some of whom touted Lana Del Rey, mind you) have told us to like it. The truth is that the record is good and, yes, it's safe, but it most certainly isn't memorable (with the exception of opening track "No One to Call," a blend of Patti Page and Lucinda Williams at a cheesy '60s pop-rock karaoke event, which lingers in your mind in a most unpleasant way). The rest of the album goes down easy, thanks to Rose's honeyed vocals, which bask in the glow...Read More

Eric Clapton - Old Sock

editorial@exclaim.ca (Jason Schneider) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 11:09:23 -0400

With the careers of the surviving '60s rock giants now surpassing the five-decade mark, it's getting harder to imagine what continues to motivate them. Eric Clapton is a perfect example; he's an artist blessed with immense talent who, nonetheless, never appeared content. However, since overcoming his well-publicized drug and alcohol addictions, and solidifying his status as one of Britain's richest musicians, Clapton has fallen into a pattern driven by nostalgia: briefly reuniting Cream, touring with old pals Steve Winwood and Jeff Beck, and collaborating with key influences such as B.B. King...Read More

Josh Ritter - The Beast in its Tracks

editorial@exclaim.ca (Kerry Doole) — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 16:56:57 -0500

It's a bit trite to describe the new album from one of folk-rock's most respected singer-songwriters as "a break-up record," but the disintegration of Ritter's short-lived marriage clearly looms large over these songs. He portrays a rollercoaster ride of emotions, from anger and bitterness to regret and, thankfully, the eventual appearance of hope, of "coming out of the dark clouds," as he sings in an album highlight, "Hopeful." Ritter remains one of our most perceptive and poetic lyricists, and that rich, warm voice still comforts you like hot chocolate on a cold winter's day. What is...Read More

Son Volt - Honky Tonk

editorial@exclaim.ca (Jason Schneider) — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 16:12:03 -0500

From the sound of fiddles and the lively Texas two-step rhythm on opening track "Hearts nd Minds," it's clear that Jay Farrar and the current Son Volt line-up are staying true to the spirit of their new album's title. Farrar's reputation has been built upon taking country and western into unexpected sonic territory, so it's somewhat surprising to hear him in a far more traditional setting on Honky Tonk rather than the experimental mindset he's largely been in over the past decade. Still, few singer-songwriters produce work as consistently affecting as Farrar, and with its stripped-down...Read More

New Country Rehab - Ghost of Your Charms

editorial@exclaim.ca (Jason Schneider) — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 16:06:34 -0500

After establishing themselves as one of the most exciting folk-rock acts in Canada with their self-titled 2011 debut, this latest effort finds the Toronto, ON quartet swinging for the fences. With their high-energy, acoustic sound, New Country Rehab certainly possess all the tools to achieve a Mumford & Sons-like crossover into pop, which producer Chris Stringer is conscious of. Ghost of Your Charms pulses with the anticipation of reaching moments in each song where performer and listener firmly connect, and there are plenty throughout. The emphasis on song-craft over virtuosity...Read More

Gurf Morlix - Finds The Present Tense

editorial@exclaim.ca (Jason Schneider) — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 15:54:45 -0500

On his first all-original album since 2009, the Austin, TX legend reaffirms his position as one of Americana's most painfully honest singer-songwriters. Setting a heavy mood with opening track "My Life's Been Taken," Morlix sticks with it through the majority of the ensuing nine songs, painting bleak portraits of desperate men chasing love and money while on the run from past mistakes. But as a snapshot of a segment of the wider population, Finds The Present Tense is surely accurate. "Bang Bang Bang" is a prescient observation of America's gun epidemic, while "Small Window" is a...Read More

Roger Knox and the Pine Valley Cosmonauts - Stranger In My Land

editorial@exclaim.ca (Kerry Doole) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 16:31:41 -0500

It's likely a little-known fact in North America that country music — that very white genre — has long resonated deeply with Australasia's indigenous peoples, the Maori and Aborigines. Roger Knox is a veteran Australian aboriginal singer who is legendary down under (he's nicknamed "the black Elvis") and whose reputation will hopefully be spread here via this compelling disc. Stranger In My Land is a collaboration with the Pine Valley Cosmonauts, the star-studded roots collective headed by Jon Langford (the Mekons and Waco Brothers). The likes of Langford, Sally Timms, the...Read More

Justin Rutledge - Valleyheart

editorial@exclaim.ca (Kerry Doole) — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 10:28:56 -0500

Given the quality of the records he's released regularly, Rutledge has to be considered an under-valued talent. He comes up with another winner with Valleyheart, his fifth album and first on Outside. There's no great variation in his style with it, although female harmony vocals (via Carina Round) are employed a little more. His regular band of "killer Bs" (David Baxter, Burke Carroll, Bazil Donovan and Blake Manning) return, while guest fiddle, horn and mandolin players, and a vocal choir add sonic depth. It's this combination of rich musical textures, plaintive yet assured vocals and...Read More

Richard Thompson - Electric

editorial@exclaim.ca (Jason Schneider) — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 10:40:12 -0500

As one of the world's most inventive guitarists, a minor quibble among Richard Thompson fans is that there aren't enough flashes of that brilliance on his albums. There's not much to complain about in that regard on Electric, Thompson's first collaboration with producer Buddy Miller, no slouch himself with the six-string. Sonically, it's an ideal pairing, as Miller captures the 63-year-old British folk-rock legend in a lively setting, backed by the equally adept rhythm section of drummer Michael Jerome and bassist Taras Prodaniuk. From opener "Stoney Ground," Thompson doesn't hold...Read More

Ron Sexsmith - Forever Endeavour

editorial@exclaim.ca (Jason Schneider) — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 10:32:39 -0500

After threatening to finally cross over into the wider pop world with 2011's Bob Rock-produced Long Player Late Bloomer, it's surprising that on Forever Endeavour, Ron Sexsmith has returned to the relative safety of producer Mitchell Froom and the much more stripped-down sound that established Sexsmith's reputation in the early '90s. However, the revered Toronto, ON singer-songwriter's career has been a study of such contrasts, and long-time fans will no doubt appreciate the conciseness and purity that Sexsmith and Froom present on their first collaboration since 2006's Time...Read More

Chris Stamey - Lovesick Blues

editorial@exclaim.ca (Jason Schneider) — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 10:28:18 -0500

As one of the true unsung heroes of American alt-rock, dating back to the formation of the dB's in 1978, Stamey's fingerprints can be found on the catalogues of Big Star, R.E.M., Ryan Adams and countless others. Last year's dB's reunion brought some long-overdue recognition, which will surely carry on with Lovesick Blues, the North Carolina native's first solo effort since his 2005 collaboration with Yo La Tengo, A Question of Temperature. Although Lovesick Blues's title track isn't the song Hank Williams made famous, it's an apt reference point for an album that's a...Read More

Portage & Main - Never Had the Time

editorial@exclaim.ca (Sarah Bauer) — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 15:00:41 -0500

For their sophomore independent release, Vancouver, BC-based quintet Portage and Main whip up another trusty batch of country rock tunes nurtured by an unabashed pop sensibility. But there's nothing contrived here, as the hearty composition of classic country elements, involving pedal steel and acoustic guitar, embodies the pure pleasure of bringing these sounds together. Layers of sweet vocal harmonies, piano and organ climb over "As A Child" with golden clarity, while "Sweet Darlin'" packs a guitar-grizzled punch into three-and-a-half minutes of brazen Southern sing-along. "Better Man"...Read More

Daniel Romano - Come Cry With Me

editorial@exclaim.ca (Sarah Bauer) — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 14:49:51 -0500

In tracing the evolution of former Attack in Black singer Daniel Romano as a classic country songwriter, one can hear the steady formation of a distinct sonic landscape pulsing hard and true through the veins of that heart wrenching, '70's-era honky tonk sound. Building from his solo debut, Workin' for the Music Man (2010), to Sleep Beneath the Willow (2011), this landscape has become so vivid, so exquisitely entrenched in bygone lyricism and traditional arrangements that with a title like Come Cry with Me, listeners know exactly where Romano is taking them. For country...Read More

Lee Harvey Osmond - The Folk Sinner

editorial@exclaim.ca (Kerry Doole) — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 13:44:53 -0500

Lee Harvey Osmond is the brainchild of Tom Wilson (of Blackie and the Rodeo Kings and Junkhouse fame). A rare larger-than-life character in Canadian music, he effectively reins in his booming voice on this follow-up to 2009 debut A Quiet Evil. Don't term this a solo record though, for Wilson has corralled a talent-heavy posse of fellow sinners. The album is produced with clarity by Michael Timmins (Cowboy Junkies) and the songs co-written with the likes of Josh Finalyson (Skydiggers), Paul Reddick and Colins James, Cripps and Linden. Musical accompanists include Ray Farrugia...Read More

Chris Darrow - Artist Proof

editorial@exclaim.ca (Jason Schneider) — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 13:25:20 -0500

As a founding member of '60s L.A. psych-folk outfit Kaleidoscope (along with David Lindley), Chris Darrow played a significant role in defining the city's country-rock sound that blossomed in the '70s with the Eagles and Jackson Browne. What set Kaleidoscope apart from contemporaries such as the Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers was musical experimentation that, at times, incorporated everything from Middle Eastern to avant-garde elements. Jimmy Page has cited them as an influence and they were recruited to back up Leonard Cohen on his 1967 debut album. The scene had become much more...Read More

Alasdair Roberts - A Wonder Working Stone

editorial@exclaim.ca (Jason Schneider) — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 13:13:34 -0500

For nearly two decades, the Glasgow-based Roberts has been making music drawn from his Gaelic heritage, ranging from strangely compelling to simply mystifying. He reached a creative peak in 2009 with Spoils, an album that matched Joanna Newsom's best work, in terms of transcendence. A Wonder Working Stone follows Roberts' last release, Too Long in this Condition, a more accessible collection of traditional material, and the new album also displays the artist's folk-rocking side, thanks to a tight backing group. At the same time, A Wonder Working Stone retains the...Read More

Jimbo Mathus & the Tri-State Coalition - White Buffalo

editorial@exclaim.ca (Jason Schneider) — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 13:00:56 -0500

Mathus is still best known as co-founder of '90s swing revivalists Squirrel Nut Zippers, but since that band's demise, the singer/guitarist has re-established himself in his native Mississippi, and White Buffalo marks his first release on that state's premier label, Fat Possum. Although Mathus has earned acclaim for his ventures into the blues scene, White Buffalo (produced by former Del-Lord and Steve Earle guitarist Eric "Roscoe" Ambel) is a ragged, Southern rock affair, with ten songs clocking in at just over 30 minutes. Mathus's blending of blues and country comes off more...Read More

Buddy Guy - Live at Legend's

editorial@exclaim.ca (Kerry Doole) — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 11:33:20 -0500

Veteran blues guitar hero Buddy Guy isn't afraid to call himself a legend. In fact, that's the name of his Chicago blues club, so it makes sense he'd record a live album there. Along with B.B. King, Guy is one of the few American stars of that generation still around. As this record shows, he still has serious chops as a player and his gruff vocals fit his material well. He's known as an extroverted performer and that comes across here (he mimics his pal Eric Clapton pretty accurately at one point). The eight live cuts are augmented by three previously unreleased studio recordings, including...Read More

Christine Bougie - Hearts and Galaxies

editorial@exclaim.ca (Rachel Sanders) — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 13:04:39 -0500

Although this is technically Christine Bougie's third solo album, it's the first time she's truly gone it alone. Hearts and Galaxies is pure Bougie, and it's her best work to date. The Toronto, ON musician (who's lent her considerable guitar talents to acts like Amy Millan, Jenny Whiteley, Julie Fader and Sylvia Tyson) is responsible for every sound on this instrumental collection. Filled with her signature lap steel style, the album has emotional weight and variety. This is a dreamier-sounding release than Bougie's previous records, the introspective tone likely due to the lack of...Read More

Wool on Wolves - Measures of Progress

editorial@exclaim.ca (Melody Lau) — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 10:00:45 -0500

Five songwriters can be too many cooks in the kitchen, but for Edmonton, AB's Wool on Wolves, they've managed to turn this into an advantage. Their second album, Measures of Progress, strongly focuses on the collaborative efforts of everyone in the band, piecing together songs that not only yield their most consistent record to date, but also a dynamic effort that's wonderfully fleshed out with horns, harmonies and a fusion of nostalgic rock and country folk fanfare. Opening track "Unsuspecting Ways" theatrically kicks off the album with six minutes of suspense and build-up, leading...Read More

Whitney Rose - Whitney Rose

editorial@exclaim.ca (Kerry Doole) — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 12:55:26 -0500

It takes about ten seconds of opening track "At The Do-Si-Do" to understand why a buzz around young P.E.I. native Whitney Rose has quickly spread through the T.O. roots scene. Echoing the likes of Kitty Wells and Patsy Cline, Rose's voice instantly takes you back to a golden age of country music. This debut album confirms she has potential as a songwriter too. An A-list of players and backing vocalists includes David Baxter and Bazil Donovan (they co-produced the disc), Michelle Josef, Devin Cuddy, Nichol Robertson, Bob Egan, Kendel Carson, Justin Rutledge, Ted Hawkins, John Borra and Wayne...Read More

Jerry Leger and the Situation - Some Folks Know

editorial@exclaim.ca (Rachel Sanders) — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 11:56:22 -0500

Jerry Leger (at the age of 27) has put out six albums in seven years; it's a varied catalogue that ranges from acoustic folk to juiced-up, old-time rock'n'roll. His latest batch of songs is filled with a raw, confident energy that suggests the Toronto, ON songwriter is only getting started. This time around, Leger's band, the Situation, cut loose with what Leger says is a good representation of their energetic live performance. Recorded live-off-the-floor, the album features a dozen folk rock tracks with a country flavour. The songs range from the dynamic, countrified "Old Soldier" and the...Read More

Dash Rip Rock - Black Liquor

editorial@exclaim.ca (Jason Schneider) — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 10:40:38 -0500

Despite a history dating back to the mid-'80s, Dash Rip Rock is rarely mentioned as one of Americana's forefathers. It's likely because the Louisiana trio lean more toward the rock end of the alt-country spectrum, and that hasn't lessened at all on Black Liquor, their 14th release. In fact, the album finds them in top form, especially singer/guitarist Bill Davis, whose soloing hits majestic heights on the opening barrage of tunes. But as Black Liquor unfolds, Davis's songs reveal a different side of Louisiana, not the common images of New Orleans' cultural gumbo. Davis's...Read More

Trent Severn - Trent Severn

editorial@exclaim.ca (Rachel Sanders) — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 14:40:55 -0500

What a treat. Ontario band Trent Severn combine the talents of Emm Gryner, Dayna Manning and Laura C. Bates into a gorgeous, harmony-driven debut that's as Canadian as Tommy Douglas. Three-part harmonies and brooding undertones give the album's opener an all-girl CSNY vibe, but the mood quickly lifts with "Bluenose on a Dime," a track that features Joel Plaskett on vocals and guitar. The release is jam-packed with Canadiana. With references to Kate McGarrigle, Brian Mulroney, parkas and northern lights, the album traverses the country — from the Arctic to Revelstoke, BC and then right...Read More

Lilly Hiatt and the Dropped Ponies - Let Down

editorial@exclaim.ca (Kerry Doole) — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 15:54:52 -0400

The invasion of the offspring continues. This is the debut from Lilly Hiatt, the Nashville-based daughter of much revered songsmith John Hiatt. Like her dad, she covers a wide range stylistically, though the bulk of her songs here fall into the Americana camp. However, it's actually the more rockin' songs that make the greatest impact. "Angry Momma" is boosted by some searing guitar work from Beth Finney, while fiery closing cut "Big Bad Wolf" has a Pretenders feel. Her able band, the Dropped Ponies, are often supplemented by producer/guitarist Doug Lancio (Patty Griffin), with her old man...Read More

Kristin Lindell - Overflowing

editorial@exclaim.ca (Kerry Doole) — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 15:49:54 -0400

Toronto, ON-based singer-songwriter Kristin Lindell displays a warm vocal style and jazzy delivery on this enjoyable collection of original, melodic, folk-tinged tunes. A few were co-written with the album's producer, Bret Higgins (Great Lake Swimmers). Another Great Lake Swimmers member who contributes on two tracks is fiddler/backing vocalist Miranda Mulholland; she helps make "Linden Tree" a highlight. A notable cast of players and backing singers also include Josh Van Tassell, Joel Schwartz, Robbie Grunwald, and Jadea Kelly. Reference points for Lindell's work would include Norah Jones...Read More

Sam Doores + Riley Downing & the Tumbleweeds - Holy Cross Blues

editorial@exclaim.ca (Kerry Doole) — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 11:27:34 -0400

Here's a good example of cross-border co-operation. Canadian indie label Dollartone came across Doores in Memphis in 2010 and signed his band. Holy Cross Blues is the happy result. The group formed in the Holy Cross hood of New Orleans (Downing is a recent addition), though the disc was partly recorded in Nashville, with producer Andrija Tokic (Alabama Shakes). Doores (also a member of Hurray for the Riff Raff) and Downing contribute originals that dovetail nicely with songs by the likes of Bobby Charles, Woody Guthrie and Cast King. They mix blues, gospel, folk and country styles into...Read More

Nancy Dutra - Time Will Tell

editorial@exclaim.ca (Nereida Fernandes) — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 14:38:20 -0400

There are records that demand the audience stop and focus, making the act of listening the primary objective. The vast majority of music, however, is purposed to simply reflect or induce a mood. Nancy Dutra's Time Will Tell finds its niche in the gentle, soothing category and is best served playing softly in the background. For her debut, Toronto, ON-based Dutra teams up with Les Cooper (Jill Barber, the Good Lovelies, Madison Violet), who is featured prominently on the album as producer and string arrangement composer. She also collaborated with Ron Sexsmith ("Sweet Tomorrow") and...Read More

The Karpinka Brothers - There's a Light

editorial@exclaim.ca (Rachel Sanders) — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 14:04:22 -0400

The Karpinka Brothers get more ambitious on their sophomore release, but still exhibit the same freshly scrubbed charm that filled their 2008 debut, One Brick at a Time. The Saskatoon, SK brothers have stepped it up this time with a full band album that does justice to their simple melodies and vocal harmonies. There's nostalgia in the air, along with rich arrangements and a modern edge that add depth to this solid crop of catchy, up-tempo pop songs. In opener "Save it for a Rainy Day," the sonic sparkle is paired with yearning lyrics that add a hint of salty to the sweet. The...Read More

Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Psychedelic Pill

editorial@exclaim.ca (Jason Schneider) — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 13:57:53 -0400

There's a level of trepidation that accompanies every new Neil Young release lately, as if we who revere him now perceive him as a relative we're being forced to care for in their old age. The sad truth is that, while Young remains as electrifying as ever on stage, especially with Crazy Horse, the quality of his songwriting has been in steep decline since the mid-'90s. Albums like Are You Passionate?, Living With War, Fork in the Road and even 2010's Daniel Lanois collaboration, Le Noise, are forgotten almost as soon as they're released, written off not unlike the...Read More

Gary Clark Jr. - Blak And Blu

editorial@exclaim.ca (Jason Schneider) — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 11:56:58 -0400

The expectations placed upon Gary Clark Jr. have been immense ever since he emerged from the Austin, TX scene a decade ago as a teenage blues guitar prodigy. He was quickly dubbed the next to carry the torch passed from Jimi Hendrix to Stevie Ray Vaughan, but what Clark has displayed through the course of his measured development to this point is an ease at incorporating current R&B and hip-hop elements into his massive guitar arsenal. The curious got an all-too-brief taste on his 2010 EP, The Bright Lights, and now Blak And Blu marks the official arrival of the artist sure to...Read More