New Brunswick - David Myles

We are here. My home province. I love New Brunswick. I love the people, the beer and most importantly for this blog, the music. There is some great music coming from NB these days and I am going to talk about my favourite 3 artists. I am going to start with David Myles. I am sure that he does not need much introduction to people these days. He seems to be everywhere. He has recently been on the road with Stuart MacLean and the Vinyl Cafe, on the radio or doing a TV ad for Tourism NB. I have liked Dave since his first album Together and Alone. In fact in still may be my favourite. I am seen him every chance I can whether it is in Toronto at the Cameron House or U of T and the Black Sheep Inn or of course at his hometown festival, Harvest. He is a great story teller and funny guy. Unfortunately for me I have seen him so many times that I have heard each joke a couple of times but I laugh anyway in case the person beside me has not. Dave has been winning countless of music awards over the albums including 2 recent ECMAs. I also think Dave is doing it right to promote himself with social media. Something that I think independent artists really need to do. He has tons of great videos on YouTube, a good website and of course constantly touring. Looking at his website http://davidmyles.com/ I just noticed some of the artists he is playing with at the Lunnenburg Folk Festival http://www.folkharbour.com/ and there is no way I am not going. Pretty much everyone I have blogged about so far and in the future will be there. Who wants to come with me? OK enough talk. Who wants some music?

I have been listening to this song for years hoping I could do the same and I have finally moved back to NB and pretty stoked about it:


I love this little ditty:


Great video and song from his latest album:

(Available in HD)

Heck, one more. This tasty track is for you Jeff :

PEI Wrap Up - Rose Cousins

It was really hard to keep Rose out of the top 3 but being completely honest I did not like her second album all that much. I guess my expectations were just too high since her "If you were for me album" is one of my favorites. I have seen her quite a few times over the years including the famous Black Sheep Inn and the Free Times Cafe. She puts on a great show and I cannot wait for her new album to come out. As previously mentioned on the blog she can be found singing backup through out Joel Plaskett award winning album Three.

Here is my favorite song from her new album and I love the mandolin version:


Great song, ok version:

PEI - Two Hours Traffic

Hello again. Two is one day. Aren't you lucky? Having the day off today meant allot of you tubeing for me. I have decided to go against an earlier province for three women from PEI. Everyone I talk to about my blog and when I told them I am on PEI the first band that is always brought up is Two Hours Traffic. I have heard of them before but never had an album so I never really listened to them until this weekend. I now see/ hear what all of the fuss is about. They are good. Their past two albums have been produced by no one other than Mr Joel Plaskett so its not a surprise that I like them. They are currently not on tour, nor have I seen them but based upon videos alone it looks like a good time so if you get a chance to see them before I do, please let me know how they are live. I have been listening to this concert as I try to broaden my Two Hours Traffic Knowledge: http://goo.gl/wgfoP It is quite different than the youtube video's I am going to show you but either way I think you'll be happy.

Probably my favourite song


Great version (They kinda sound like Weezer in this song eh?)


To get a feeling of the full band

PEI - Catherine MacLellan

Another PEI songstress. I've only had the chance to see her perform once and I caught the end of her set but I was hooked with her lyrics and soothing voice. Very good person to chill too. I don't really like comparing artists but too me she is like a female Paul Simon. Her guitar playing won't blow you away, she lets lets the lyrics rule the day. She has a new album coming out (her 4th or 5th I think) and I am really looking forward to some new songs from her. Prepare to be satisfied and relaxed. This is my favorite Catherine MacLellan song but there are no good videos so just sit back and enjoy http://goo.gl/CipsF

Who doesn't like a song about potatoes (Appropriate PEI topic):


Fun little ditty

(HD Available)

I am not sure how dudes could leave someone that plays as well as she does?

PEI - Jenn Grant

Hello again. We have now taken the ferry across to beautiful Prince Edward Island. The island is a great place to be in the summer. The beaches (girls), the golf and the down home hospitality. There are 3 women from the island I'd like to show/tell you about and the first one is Jenn Grant. Jenn now lives in Halifax. As I previously mentioned, most artists in the maritimes (especially PEI) have to go to the big city if they want to make a go of it and that's when I saw here for the first time. My friend Chaffic asked me to go to a concert of someone I never heard of before. At that time I thought he was crazy but I am glad he did. He changed the way I was open to new music and probably my first independent artist too. Thanks Chaf. She is now with Six Shooter Records (My favorite Label) and has been putting out quite a few solid albums. All of which I recommend. Her new one is good and here is a great little concert with allot of new songs for you to get a taste before you buy it: http://goo.gl/3LUOb  Her voice is so unique and amazing. I could keep talking about her (she's pretty cute) but I think its best for you to see and hear her. Some of my favorites:

Great Version. Kinley Dowling (Violinist) is often seen with Hey Rosetta.


(Available in HD)

Good voice maybe?


From her first EP

(Available in HD)

Nova Scotia Wrap Up - Matt Mays

Nova Scotia was really hard to limit to only 3 artists. Why? Halifax is one of the best places in Canada and has a great music scene. Allot of the east coast musicians I love got their start here (and even some I didn't). The maritimes is too spread out for most musicians to try to make it on their own so most move to Halifax to try to make a go of it. Jill Barber for one now lives in BC, grew up in Ontario but made a name of herself in Halifax. There are plenty of more examples and I will talk about them shortly once I gross the ferry into PEI and then back across the bridge to NB. However there is still one more Nova Scotian I want to talk about,  Matt Mays and yes the first time I saw him was at Harvest. He is a good east coaster that loves it here and talks allot about it in his music. I've seen him quite a few times and have never been dissapointed. If you get a chance to see him play I am sure you won't be either. He plays some pretty heavy rock but also recently plays allot of his tunes acoustic as can be bought and previewed here: http://goo.gl/LpnOp  I strongly recommend downloading it. I just did and it is deadly. Check out this version of Cocaine Cowgirl and compare the two: http://goo.gl/pQuo8  Which one do you like better? There's a good chance that he'll be playing the latter version when he opens up for Metallica in July !! Thanks for stopping by and I will leave you with this little ditty.

Nova Scotia - Ian Janes

I'm back from a little trip away and anxious to get back to introducing you to some new stuff.  Being someone that listens to music every second I am awake it is not often I am introduced to new artists, especially east coast artists, especially someone that sounds so good as Ian.  But alas my previously mentioned friend Jeff Sadler did just that a couple of years ago. Its fair to say Ian is one of Jeff's favorite artists and its easy too see/hear why. I has a smooth voice and some tasty rifts.  I am not sure what you call his type of music. I think its a cross between jazz, blues and folk. Whatever it is I like it. Great quality videos can be found here but you have to deal with commercials : http://www.cbc.ca/atlanticairwaves/2010/05/studio-h-sessions.html

Be sure to get his latest CD, Piece of Mine and if your in the Halifax Area he has a permanent home at the Red Stag Tavern on Friday nights. Ian please come to Harvest this year







Thanks Jeff. Roadie to see Ian in Halifax soon?

Fred Rock Festival

Hello Friends. I am going to stop our cross Canada tour for a concert announcement. Fred Rock Festival http://www.fredrockfest.com/ announced their 2011 line up yesterday and I am quite happy about it. This years one day festival will be headlined by the Sam Roberts Band, the Joel Plaskett Emergency, Classified, Serena Ryder and the Beauties and Carmen Townsend. A pretty solid line up of Canadian talent indeed. Having just moved home I have never been able to attend the festival but past artists include the Black Crowes, Live and Our Lady Peace to name a few of the more popular ones. I have already blogged about my strong liking of Joel Plaskett and I was hoping to be able to blog about Serena Ryder but it was going to be hard to get her into the top 3 of Ontario since there are so many. I just had an epiphany on how I could do it, Top 3 Males, Top 3 Females and Top 3 Bands? Initial thought, me likey. Based upon this revelation I will give you just a taste of my favorite song by these artists. The concert goes August 13th at the Fredericton Loyalist Rugby Grounds.

Great Tune:

(Available in HD)

A couple of killer songs by Serena

Nova Scotia - Old Man Luedecke

A Banjo player. Yes, I am going to blog about a banjo player. The one man band of Chris Luedecke, Old Man Luedecke. I have liked him since I saw him on the east coast sessions website and in case you missed it earlier its here: http://www.cbc.ca/eastcoastsessions/  The first time I saw him live was, any guessesÉ, Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival. If you ever get to see him live please do some because he is one funny guy. Due in part that teh banjo is not the quickest instrument to tune he has to fill the tuning time with stories of his songs and how he came up with them. They are usually quite witty and funny. You can find a great full concert here: http://www.cbc.ca/radio2/cod/concerts/20100430luede  You should also go to his website. He is giving away his first ep for FREE. You can download that here: http://oldmanluedecke.ca/mole.html After you listen to the CBC concert and download his ep make sure you go out and buy his most recent CD, My Hands Are On Fire and Other Love Songs. Its great. Here's some of his best stuff on the tube:

He does a much better job of introducing him then I can:

(ps I love the intro music, it is a good cape bretoner Ashley MacIsaac)

Pretty funny if you ask me:

(Make sure you change to HD)

My favorite song off his new album, again pretty witty lyrics

(HD Available)

Nova Scotia - Joel Plaskett

Joel is awesome. I figure I can call him by his first name since I've listened to him for so long. I have been trying to remember today the first time I saw him. It was either, as usual, at the Harvest Jazz and Blues or opening for the Hip. I have seen him at different venues all across Canada and anytime he's playing within a couple of hundred kilometers of me I am there. I was at this concert with my good friends Andrew and Christine: http://www.cbc.ca/radio2/cod/concerts/20090424plask  He used to play with "the emergency" but most his shows now are acoustic, sometimes even with his dad by his side. My favorite series of shows I have seen him was at the Horsehoe Tavern in Toronto. He played 6 nights in a row and played with a different special guest each night and played a different album cover to cover. The first night I saw him with Gord Downie from The Hip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VG-r1Jhqtn0&feature=related  Amazing concert, amazing venue and just good times. His is certainly one of my favorite artists currently out there and I cannot wait to see him next.

My favorite song (I love the 12 string)

Here's the studio version http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkLB5-TiLxQ&feature=artist  just because I really want you to listen to this song.

From his album Three:

You'll notice Rose Cousins singing backup. We'll talk more about her once I get to PEI

Best find (probably ever)