The Breton Sound — MAPS
Actually, the full title of the album is MAPS (or cartography and the art of generalization) but I didn’t want to break Blogger. The title is almost as long as the EP itself, but the EP is as enjoyable as…
Gone Drinkin’
Folks, I’m going to the Land of Beer for a week. (Germany, that is.) In the meantime, enjoy Charles Hale’s weekly radio show, the Ajax Diner Book Club. Charles writes for Ninebullets and is basically the man. Ajax Diner Book…
Dirty Streets — Blades of Grass
I have not yet finished listening to the Dirty Streets’ Blades of Grass, but I can honestly say this is a fucking great album. The cover art pretty much tells you what you need to know. (By the way, it…
M. Lockwood Porter — Judah’s Gone
It’s strange to think that M. Lockwood Porter is roughly my age. You wouldn’t be able to tell he’s in his mid-twenties just from listening to his songs. There’s a lived-in quality that only comes from being a seasoned road…
The Blind Owl Band — This Train We Ride Is Made Of Wood and Steel
Between their first album and their submission to Couch by Couchwest, the Blind Owl Band was beginning to make a name for themselves as a rowdy, footloose bunch. Pictured Above: Rowdy and footloose acts. Imagine my surprise when…
Tedo Stone — Good Go Bad
I know that you’re supposed to judge art on its own merit, but sometimes an artist’s backstory makes for good reading. And it makes their work that much better. Tedo Stone’s debut album, Good Go Bad, is one of those…
Brothers of the Last Watch — Brothers of the Last Watch
I blared this album in the staff room a few weeks ago. It was the end of the school year and I had no “cares” to give anymore. One of my colleagues raised an eyebrow and I offered to turn…
Nick Ferrio and His Feelings — Half the Time
This little 7″ packs quite a punch. Nick Ferrio has garnered acclaim throughout his native Canada as a harbinger of old-school country. Half the Time proves that reputation to great effect. The A side, “Half the Time,” showcases the warmth…