Jim Fidler albums are as diverse as the musical styles that are infused throughout them. He is as much informed by many types of world music as he is traditional Newfoundland/Irish Music. He has a keen sense of music as an emotive tool. He is one of the few artists that can do a Bob Marley tune with pure authenticity and sincere homage. He has an absolutely incredible ear and an uncanny ability to achieve the perfect soundscape to serve the messages he conveys in his songs. He is infamously meticulous in the studio and the product of this attention to detail is a full sounding, smooth and masterfully delivered album. He is an impressive musician having performed lead and backing vocals, drums, percussion, bass, acoustic and electric guitars, keyboards, whistle and melodeon on the record. He does all this while arranging, engineering and producing. The scope of this endeavor can not be underestimated.

The debut recording from Forgotten Bouzouki was purely a labour of love for singer/guitarist George Miminis. Having rediscovered an old Greek bouzouki that had been literally forgotten about in his basement for ten years, George was inspired to record the music from his home. He assembled a diverse and talented group of St. John’s musicians to help him do so and this debut is a result of their work together. It is a heartfelt tribute played with care and great diligence. The string work on the album is quite impressive with contributions from Darren “Boobie” Browne and Dave Panting on Bouzouki, Tzouras, Lute and Banjo and Violin, Viola and Baglamas by Allison Corbett and Heather Wright. This is a unique view into the interpretation of Greek music by a band made up primarily of born and raised Newfoundlanders. With George at the helm, they have done a fine job indeed.

Is collaboration between Lee Tizzard and Tom Ronan. The album takes an interesting look at some of Newfoundland’s most popular and beloved songs by manipulating them through the use of synthesizers and digital effects. We have affectionately termed it “Folktronica”. By using catchy and repetitive beats, crafty looping and some colourful historical archival material (A recording of Joey Smallwood played over a funky and danceable techno version of “The Feller from Fortune”), Lee and Tom create a dance party vibe filled with groove and flow. This is an interesting and unique take on tunes that have been a steadfast part of our musical fabric. It brings them in a new direction that could potentially open them up to an audience unfamiliar with the originals.

Kim says that this is the album she’s wanted to make her whole career. She is fiercely proud of it and is certainly one of our most patriotic ambassadors abroad. After experiencing massive success with her album “Bonavista”, featuring her award-winning hit Jerk, great success as a solo artist and with the trio Shaye (with Damhnait Doyle and Tara McLean) she decided to make a record of traditional Newfoundland songs. They are a collection of songs that featured prominently in her years spent growing up in Newfoundland and have acted as ballast, keeping her grounded during her time spent away from home. “I grew up listening to my Dad play accordion and my Grandma play pump organ. The songs on this record are songs that I love and songs I hope my kids will love long after I’m gone. “Back to the Water” is a sparse, gentle and reverently performed album. It is subdued as though the songs contained on it were three minute sermons. They have a folky lilt, are acoustic at their core and are accentuated by some of Newfoundland’s finest folk and traditional acts (The Once and The Dardanelles). It also features Kim’s 2011 SOCAN songwriter of the year nominated song “Back to the Water, a song that she began writing a decade ago. It was finished during the recording of this record. It came to completion during a writing session with friend and musical collaborator, Damhnait Doyle (who appears on the album) while the two were atop Signal Hill, a fitting way to round out such a deeply personal record.

“Two Places” is the debut release of one of our city’s most popular pop rock acts. Baytown is a three piece combo that offers up catchy and danceable rock. The listener will find elements of blues, reggae, funk and rock throughout the album. Lead singer and principal songwriter, Matthew Cooke is a talented guitar player whose slightly dirty toned riffs give the tunes an edgy feel. He’s got a smooth but strong voice and his sense of a great pop hook is evident on a number of the tracks. Anchored by a strong and steady rhythm section the songs on this debut are fun, light and groovy. This is a fantastic road trip album. Drive to a beach on a sunny day and give this record a spin. It’s a good one!

This is the first release from a band comprised of some of the city’s finest musicians: Kalem Mahoney (formerly of Gearbox), Mark Neary and Elliot Dicks (The Novaks), Grant King (Pathological Lovers) and Brad Power (every band that needed a virtuosic guitar player). This coming together of talent yielded a fantastic record of folk and pop rock that is both thoughtfully arranged and masterfully performed. At the helm of the project is primary songwriter, Kalem Mahoney. Kalem is highly regarded as one of the finer songwriters in Newfoundland and has been called upon to write songs for many artists, perhaps most notably Great Big Sea (Shines Right through Me and Hard Case). His writing deals with a number of themes that range from love lost (Old Friend), the fatigue and monotony of living life in a town that seems stagnant (Old Dirt Town) or struggling to get out of old routines and trials of feeling low. There remains, however an element of hope in his writing and these themes are supplemented with some great, upbeat and driving rock songs, perhaps most notably, Big City Lights and Stereo Loud. Kalem’s vocal has a weathered charm that gives credence to his words and is elevated by impressive guitar, Rhodes piano and Hammond organ. The solid combo of Neary on bass and Dicks on drums also gives the record a solid backbone. This album is a killer offering from one of the province’s premier rock bands.

The group that spawned two very successful St. John’s bands, Matthew Hornell and the Diamond Minds and All the Wiles, Dead Language is one of the finer examples of an authentic folk band in the province. Their lone album is a strictly acoustic record featuring guitar, banjo, mandolin and violin. It is rootsy and earthy and lends itself to naturalistic images. One could hear these tunes being played in a forest, in the mountains or a wide, open field. It is a beautifully sparse recording, earnest in its delivery, youthful in its tone and timeless in its cadence. Katie Baggs is, at times, sublime in her vocal delivery. She is finding her voice on this record and in years to come it will serve as a unique look at where she began. She sings as though her voice could be carried off on a breeze. That is to say with a lightness and mild beauty that is very becoming. The album also features a great, stripped down version of Matthew Hornell’s tune, “Easy on Me”, a sing-along favourite at his shows. Johnny Bungay (mandolin) performs a stark and hauntingly striking original tune called “Creek Run Dry” and his piece, along with Matthew’s creates a lovely balance with Katie’s tunes. This is a contemplative, slow burn of a record. A must have for lovers of finely-crafted folk songs.

It is hard to imagine how Sean could muster the time to record a solo album in the midst of a feverish touring such as Great Big Sea’s. Sean describes life on the road as ideal for nurturing the writing process. His second solo release, “Son of a Sailor”, touches on themes resulting from this nomadic lifestyle and the longing for home that it creates. He pays musical tribute to the lives of those who have made their living from work on the sea and despite not relying on fishing as a career himself, portrays the lifestyle with sincerity and a genuine sympathy that is quite touching. Musically, the album is somewhat of a departure from the floorboard shaking, traditional folk rock of Great Big Sea. On a number of the tunes, Sean takes a more soft-spoken, pondering stance as he reflects upon his life away from home and how he has been positively influenced by his roots. He is clearly indebted to the place and people that helped shape his upbringing. He is careful and deliberate with his words and their delivery and the music follows suit. This record is his letter home. He has a seemingly effortless ability to write heartfelt and lasting ballads. His voice sounds warm, familiar and lived in; the voice that has acted as a perfect foil for Alan for 20 years. “Son of a Sailor” offers up a blend of acoustic folk pop with elements of country and bluegrass. It should be noted that the album is certainly not without its upbeat foot stompers. There is a lively country/bluegrass infusion that may be attributed to Sean’s time in New Orleans during the recording of the latest Great Big Sea record. Local bluegrass master, Craig Young serves up some pretty tasty guitar licks on barn burners like “Simple Song”. There are still elements of the traditional folk style that Sean has become known for and these genres blend in a complimentary way on the recording. It fits him well. This is a musically star studded album as well, featuring legendary multi-instrumentalist Kelly Russell (Figgy Duff, The Planks), multi Canadian Country Music Award winner Craig Young, and the boys of GBS. The result is a fine record that shows Sean’s great strength not only as a songwriter but as a confident and versatile solo artist.

After having achieved great success as a solo artist and as one third of the critically acclaimed folk pop group Shaye, Damhnait Doyle has embarked on a new project as front woman for The Heartbroken. The group’s debut finds Damhnait in fine vocal form. Her voice, arguably one Atlantic Canada’s finest, is her greatest musical tool. She displays incredible tonal control and her versatility as a singer provides her with an incredible ability to emote sincerely whether through her powerfully sustained higher register or with a mild and earnest whisper. An interesting element to the recording, vocally, is the addition of a prominent male vocal that really adds a warmth and cushion of Damhnait’s. She is backed by an impressive band that serves to heighten the power and beauty of her vocal. The record is steeped in folk pop and contains elements of rock and country. It runs the gamut of dynamic and tempo, from quiet, stripped down acoustic lullaby to upbeat, driving rock song. Ultimately, the songs are catchy, and performed with awareness that the bands true musical asset is Dav’s voice. The arrangements and instrumentation are sympathetic to this fact and the finished product is a fun, light and accessible of radio-friendly folk-rock.

When Allan initially broke into the traditional music scene in St. John’s he wasn’t old enough to a have drink at the venues he played. His skill at the time was incredible for someone of such a young age. The amazing thing about him now is the rate at which he has progressed and the impression he has made on the music community in such a short time. “Rivers”, Allan’s second release, is an absolute accomplishment regardless of his age. Allan’s attention to detail and his penchant for maintaining the traditional authenticity of this collection of songs is evident on this record. He brings an obviously Irish flare to the tunes and echoes of legendary Irish acts such as Planxty, The Bothy Band, Andy Irvine and Paul Brady can be heard throughout. This tip of the hat is not a borrowing but rather a tasteful homage to influences that have governed and informed Alan’s vocal and instrumental styles. One of Allan’s most endearing qualities is his voice. He is a young man but sings with a brogue, timbre and delivery well beyond his years. His voice is the kind you earn after a lifetime of living the stories that his songs relay. It’s remarkable to hear and producer Kalem Mahoney (The Monday Nights) captures the essence and untrained and honest vitality of Allan’s vocal wonderfully on “Rivers”. Aside from his voice, Allan is also a gifted multi-instrumentalist. With an affinity for stringed instruments, Allan’s strumming and picking is very well executed and some of the triplet playing on the octave mandolin and banjo are reminiscent of some of Andy Irvine’s work. Another impressive element of the record is the who’s who of traditional musicians present on the album. From Pamela Morgan, Dave Panting, Mike Hanrahan and Duane Andrews to Fergus O’Byrne and Graham Wells, this record is loaded with our finest players. “Rivers” is simply a great album. It has a cadence and flow that is instantly pleasing. It also insures the continuance of the fine Irish tradition that has been such an integral part of Newfoundland’s musical mosaic.