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Canada's Online Indie Music
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Denison Witmer
Recovered
Released: 2003
Philadelphia, PA
$14.95 Canadian + shipping and handling
Hopefully implying personal recovery as well as a clever record title, Recovered reveals Witmer's influences and admirations that seep into his strong songwriting. And although he's sung about the '80s in the past, here he mostly adopts timeless melodies and lyrics from '70s adult contemporary. Using techniques from that time period (recording live, using vintage equipment), this could easily have been recorded in 1976. Witmer does a great job of re-introducing these works, dusting them off and breathing in new life — which shouldn't be too difficult for him, considering these songs express Witmer's own personal journeys. Graham Nash's "Simple Man" and Fleetwood Mac's "Songbird," the two leadoff tracks, are just as convincing with Witmer's affecting, anguished voice. Carole King's "So Far Away" is one of the more affecting choices, a solemn piece that is just one example of Witmer's connection to his own delicate songwriting. Due to that relationship, it's a great way to be introduced to an era that may have been overlooked. — Kenyon Hopkin (All Music Guide)
Aaron Sprinkle
Lackluster
Released: 2004
Seattle, WA
$15.95 Canadian + shipping and handling
Amidst Poor Old Lu's brief 2002 reunion and his duties as a go-to producer and mixer for the Tooth & Nail collective, Aaron Sprinkle was also issuing solo albums. Unfortunately, they were usually on tiny labels with crap distribution. Sprinkle and Tooth & Nail have remedied that problem with Lackluster, wrapping 13 previously released tracks and one new song into a polite indie pop bundle that's both an introduction for the curious and a boon to longtime fans tired of tracking Sprinkle's elusive back catalog. Considering its hodgepodge status, Lackluster works pretty well as a cohesive album. Elliott Smith's touch for syrupy, sometimes dirgelike pop is a big touchstone here, but Sprinkle's literate little songs are much more hopeful, rarely losing their grip on bright sunshine. Even the lilting, harmonica-led "Colorblind" is relentlessly cheery. "You are leaving me and taking everything," he sings, but you get the impression the song's subjects will come to their senses and live happily ever after. Actually, with his classicist songwriting style (check the warm organ breaks and pretty chorus of "Really Something") and consistently tasteful production, Sprinkle's work seems most reminiscent of a guy like Michael Penn. Their personal feelings and relations are put faithfully into the music. But they each let the song -- not the emotion -- be the guide. This isn't self-loathing music -- even if there's some soul-searching, in the end it's just made to feel good. Highlights include "Not About To," the introspective acoustic number "Boy Who Stopped the World," and the new track "Pillbox," with its dreamy organ and rousing chorus. ~ Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide
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Acoustic Pop Juliet Turner
Let's Here It For Pizza
Released: 1996
Ireland [Import]
$21.95 Canadian + shipping and handling [regularly £15]
Juliet Turner won 'Best Irish Female Artist' at Meteor Awards 2005. Her 1996 album "Let's Hear it for Pizza" is now considered a classic gem as far as debut albums go. Juliet Turner is arguable one of Ireland's premiere singers, songwriters, and performers. "Indulge yourself in the birth of the star that will be Juliet Turner whose very first songs were discovered... before she became a household name in her home land of Ireland." - Steve Stockman. Let's Here It For Pizza is her debut CD imported from the UK! Tracks include: Dr Fell, Greedy Mouth, Pizza & Wine, Beyond The Backyard, Short Loan Only, Edward, Indian Summer, Glory To The Ground, Too Close For Comfort, and Purely Platonic.
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Emo In Medias Res
Of What Was
Released: 2003
Vancouver, BC
$11.95 Canadian + shipping and handling
With the emotive rock vocals to the likes of Pedro The Lion's David Bazan and a dose Pink Floyd, Led Zepplin, Coldplay, Radiohead, and Appleseed Cast, Of What Was is the latest CD by Vancouver's In Medias Res coproduced by Jonathan Anderson..
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Trip-hop Audio Lava
Embers & Icicles
Released: 2003
Vancouver, BC
$11.95 Canadian + shipping and handling
Embers & Icicles is the latest release by Vancouver's moody, groovy jazz-influenced trip-hop band, Audio Lava featuring Lisa b. soon to be available here. Three tracks of Embers & Icicles are featured in Apartment 3, an independent feature length Canadian film along with songs from other Canadian artists such as the Tragically Hip, Jann Arden, and Holly McNarland.
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Rock/Pop Aaron Sprinkle
Moontraveler
Released: 1999
Seattle, WA
$16.95 Canadian + shipping and handling
Moontraveler, [a brilliant debut], is mostly mid-tempo and irony-free, and the production is clean. Not only that, it doesn't shy away from such critically taboo material as human emotion, AND it's primarily built around Sprinkle's beautiful-yet-just-so-slightly-edgy vocals and keen sense of melody. But whether he's working within a simple acoustic-based setting ("A Friend I Had"), rocking out ("Antennae's Wife"), or veering into drum 'n' bass-inspired territory ("A Step Ahead"), Sprinkle has unusual flair and a unique sense of phrasing that keeps things interesting and refreshing throughout, and marks this young songwriter as one to watch. - The Stranger
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VariousVarious Artists
The Beautiful EP
Released: 2001
Vancouver, BC
$11.95 Canadian + shipping and handling
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Rock/Pop
Aaron Sprinkle
The Kindest Days
Seattle, WA
Released: 2000
$16.95 Canadian + shipping and handling
Aaron Sprinkle is a DIY kinda guy. Sprinkle produces and records his records himself and plays all the instruments except drums. A Seattle native, Sprinkle's resume includes the indie-rock combo Poor Old Lu and the side project pop band Rose Blossom Punch with drummer Paul Mumaw, who's now in Saltine with once and future Posie Ken Stringfellow. Indeed the album's title track sounds a bit like the Posies' acoustic pop side. Sprinkle is at his best on tracks like "Not About To" and the Matthew Sweet-like "My Own Chapter." And if his voice takes a little getting used to, Sprinkle's undeniable musical abilities keep things sonically interesting. Elsewhere, "So Discreet" visits moodier territory. It's a piano ballad that crashes into a late period Beatles-style guitar workout. The bulk of the tunes on The Kindest Days do an excellent job of putting the breadth of his talent on fine display. - Sean Slone
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Power Pop
The Pale
Gravity Gets Things Done
Released: 2002 (First Pressing)
Bellingham, WA
$15.95 Canadian + shipping and handling
"As pretty and melodic as indie pop can be, its practitioners often couch pop/rock flourish and hooks in layers of purposeful art damage, or style points impenetrable to the common man. The Pale moves in a different direction, funneling the cutesy romantic sensibilities of types like Tullycraft into utterly un-ironic pop music akin to Wheat or the Push Kings. They don't try for much more than an attractive progression, plenty of warm keys, and charmingly soft vocals from Gabe Archer — they don't need to. "Reasons to Try" does rock tense, crunchy distortion in a nod to early Get Up Kids, but even here there are "Ba ba bah"'s in the chorus. Similarly, despite its wiry and throbbing urgency, the title track turns on Archer's wavering affirmation, "I will wait here darling/To make sure you are okay." Somebody get this guy a box of Puffs! The giddy, irresistible "Wake Up Call," "Big Dumb Smile"'s tale of teenage mischief, "Trash"'s Luna references — these are the best moments on Gravity Gets Things Done. They clarify how happy the Pale is just to be here, how this is about making us feel good, not just exclusive or cool." - all music guide. [Original pressing before signing to Sidecho]
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Power Pop
The Pale
Another Innovative Idea For The People On The Go
Released: 2001
Bellingham, WA
$15.95 Canadian + shipping and handling
Power pop core from Bellingham - The Pale's strong grassroots following prove that this band got lots of innovative ideas. This is their second independent release featuring Where I Went Wrong and Is This Everything I Am. If you ever get a chance to listen to these guys live, you'll walk away feeling like you've had an experience. "An excellent guitar-pop album from this Bellingham band. They sound similar to Death Cab for Cutie, but they manage to find their own voice here." - John Richards, 90.3 KEXP and 107.7 The End, Seattle.
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ExperimentalAsk Nora
Circling As Warmth
Vancouver, BC
$11.95 Canadian + shipping and handling
Currently lead singer of a new project called Hejira, Jeffrey Mettlewsky's vision is to maintain a steady course of writing music based around musicianship and experimentalism. Have a listen to his insightful vision and images of abstract expressionism will surely be evoked in your mind's eye.To be a "musical merry-go-round" this album's first half is full of guitar stummin' laments on life while Mettlewsky peacefully shares his critiques on consumer America. However, a sharp spin into the second half of the album exposses his need for experimentalism.
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Folk Rock Conrad
Conrad
Vancouver, BC
$11.95 Canadian + shipping and handling
Not much to say about this understated psychadelic country rock trio and their heart-felt indie guitar rock sound, except for stellar. We're in total agreement with the Georgia Straight's recent rave review - Conrad's self-titled debut CD features their heartfelt indie-guitar-rock a la Straitjacket Fits, Lloyd Cole, Pernice Brothers, Galaxie 500 and Cracker. Songs include: Paisley, Me and Gauguin, and more...
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Alternative Tim Hughes
Reverence
Vancouver, BC
$11.95 Canadian + shipping and handling
Tim's debut CD Reverence features a collection of alternative pop 'spirituals' including: Man In The Sky, We Alone [produced by Sarah McLachlan's Sean Ashby], and Ice & Fire. Remember the name Tim Hughes. The addictive tracks on his debut CD seem to be on repeat lately on our mp3 players. Kosher lyrics worth pondering...
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Pop Stephanie Jean
Advance EP
Vancouver, BC
Special Price: $5.95 Canadian + shipping and handling [was $7.95]
With positive pop songs that leave people with feelings of hope - and that's a good thing - Stephanie Jean's EP includes a growing collection of ballads and infectuous pop grooves including Just Can't Breathe, In My Dreams, Upside Down, Anywhere, and Just That Simple. Positive songs sung from the heart of a positive person.
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