1.
The Hugh Dillon Redemption Choir, The High Cost of Low Living
(Universal) The former Headstones frontman returns with
a new band full of intertwining guitars and keyboards, making
for a dynamic, more refined sound. And he still rocks hard,
too.
2.
Elliott Brood, Ambassador (Warner) Death-country
stomped out with banjos, guitars, and a drum kit built around
a suitcase. The sound is well-travelled along the dark back
roads, and the miles serve it well.
3.
Krista Hartman, Passport (Independent) It’s
refreshing to hear an album that has folk influences without
sounding whiny and contrived. Hartman wraps her stories up
in a gritty reality and she doesn’t bother to pull any
punches.
4.
Leeroy Stagger, Beautiful House (Boompa) Stagger
conjures his songs out of the ashes of the best from the history
of pop, rock and country, and the result is an album that
is thick with a variety of flavours, but unified by Stagger’s
voice and vision.
5.
The Maybellines, The Maybellines Are Dead (Independent)
Seven years after their demise, the Maybellines finally let
their dirty, ragged, rock ‘n’ rollin’ country
escape on disc. They sound like they’re barely holding
it together, and that gives the music an edge that cuts deep.
Honourable
mentions: Twin Fangs, Street Sweeper; The Agnostic Mountain
Gospel Choir, Fighting and Onions; Jon-rae and the River,
Old Songs for the New Town V.
