“Vampire Hotel” is the second release from award-winning soul, RnB, monster, Chris Kirby. “Heavily influenced by New Orleans Rhythm & Blues and Motown Soul, but rooted in the rich Newfoundland tradition of storytelling, Vampire Hotel offers a unique and refreshing brand of music from a truly original artist.” (chriskirbyonline.com). Chris is a multi-talented performer. He is an accomplished guitarist and piano player and an equally impressive singer. He’s got a huge amount of charisma and conviction as an entertainer and is one of the most heartfelt writer/performers in the province. This record sees Chris focus more on piano based tunes. He really digs in on some notable Rhodes piano tunes and his chops as a player are outstanding. He has an uncanny ability to emote through his fingers just as well as through his voice and the combination of the two is exciting and fresh. He is backed by one of the most noteworthy rhythm sections in Atlantic Canada The Marquee, featuring Mark Marshall on drums and Craig Follett on bass give the tunes a solid backbone allowing Chris to run all over the songs with virtuosic guitar and piano riffs. No matter how wild the solos get they always keep the tunes locked down to perfection. The album, which won the 2009 Music Newfoundland and Labrador award for Best Blues/Jazz recording and garnered four East Coast Music award nominations, was produced by Gordie Johnson (Big Sugar, Grady) and some of the tracking was done at Willie Nelson’s studio in Texas. Johnson brought an edge to the album that really gives it some grit. Listening to the record you can hear allusions to some of Chris’s influences. As a writer, he takes some cues from greats like Randy Newman and Colin James and these artists also inform elements of song structure and performance. These are favourable comparisons, of course, but it is also clear that Chris has undoubtedly defined himself as truly gifted and unique artist in Newfoundland and, indeed Atlantic Canada and beyond.

“Lessons Learned” is the first recording in the bands history to feature Maureen and Karen as a duo without the presence of Teresa. With Teresa pursuing a solo career, Karen, Maureen and long time collaborator, Mark Murphy, went into the studio with a mind to focus on the accentuation of two female vocalists as opposed to their traditional three part sound. At the forefront of the record is Maureen Ennis, a marvelous vocalist and guitar player; she also co-writes the majority of the Ennis material with Mark. Karen and Mark round out the vocal sound. The quality and precision of vocal blending has become a trademark aspect of the Ennis sound and it is certainly in fine form on “Lessons Learned”. Lyrically, themes of coming of age and having gained perspective through the living of ones life are prominent. A beautifully touching moment comes by way of the ballad, “I Will Sing You Home”, a glowing and hopeful tribute to a loved one who has passed on. The record is polished and clean and the performance is quite lovely. “Lessons Learned”
gained Ennis the 2011 East Coast Music Award for Roots/Traditional Recording of the Year.

Fun, super catchy, danceable electro/syth pop describes the vibe and feel of the Subtitles debut album. Nominated for the 2011 East Coast Music Award for Best Pop Recording, “Quick and Painless” marries layers of synthesizers, buoyant electric guitar, bass and drums to create a cover to cover dance floor gem. There are a number of stand out tracks on the record but one that has really caught on with audiences and listeners is the instantly infectious, “Mea Culpa”. Lead singer and principal songwriter, Kirk Penney knows how to write a great pop hook and this tune has one of the strongest on the album.

After a highly acclaimed, multiple award-winning debut, The Novaks took two years to record their follow up. The band went from a four piece to three with the departure of lead guitarist, Chuck Tucker and getting time to record proved difficult. Finally, they got into the studio and recorded “Things Fall Apart” in a little over a week at the Sonic Temple in Halifax. The record was recorded live off the floor and is certainly the most raw and nothing to lose sounding album of the two. As a three piece, lead singer, Mick Davis is given an opportunity to stretch his legs and take over lead guitar duties. This new sound relies more on the space between instruments which Davis fills with well-timed, melodic feedback and drawn out, dirty solos. The absence of the additional guitar is not missed and new fans of the Novaks will be impressed with Mick’s tasteful and hard-nosed guitar chops. The rhythm section is as hard-edged as the guitars with Mark Neary on bass and Elliot Dicks on drums. The poppy, jangle of the first record has been replaced with a rougher, riff-heavy sound that is reminiscent of the Canadian rock being made in the 1990’s. Mick’s vocal, as strong and commanding as ever, is reminiscent of Tom Petty and, at times, Dylan circa Highway 61. The band sounds tighter and more unified on this record. Lyrically, Davis is at the top of his game, often dealing with the frustrations of following such a successful debut, living up to critical expectations and going through significant life and inter-band changes. Musically, the band takes a more adventurous and sparse approach to the arrangements again, creating space and more of a dynamic ebb and flow. Where they wanted to get everything out and onto tape on the first record they now sound more patient and sure of themselves. They have grown as a band and the album reflects that growth. If there was any doubt about their ability as a three piece band, it was extinguished with “Things Fall Apart”.

Terry Penney’s modus operandi as a songwriter is one of poignant reflection on experiences resulting in lessons of lasting value and this has been his greatest strength. A storyteller at heart, this SOCAN/Music Newfoundland and Labrador Songwriter of the Year’s tales revolve around simpler times and the process that bear its fruits. “Shoal Harbour” is a wistful ditty, nostalgic without pandering to sentimentality, comparable to Ron Hynes best work in a similar vein. “I Have Offered” and “Shells” portray an often revisited theme by Terry; human conflict, quiet contemplation and feeling out of step with both, in the midst of some hovering need for reconciliation. This is a subject he addresses well. “Jesus Crisis” hints at a deeper issue without any direct lyrical reference. The subtlety is effective. Terry’s voice is that of your brother’s at a family gathering- pure, warm and honest. Craig Young handles co-production duties as well as quintessential contributions on guitar, mandolin and dobro resulting in Penney’s most country & western sounding record to date. The flickering mandolin on “I Have Offered” along with several lovely dobro bits on others works effectively, sympathetic to varying themes. Perhaps Terry Penny’s best album to date, certainly consistent and further evidence of his growth as one of Newfoundland’s finer singer/songwriters.

Ian’s second album, “Room in the City” was released in 2008 and immediately marked a significant growth in his abilities both as a songwriter and musician. Our store manager, Tony Ploughman says, “Ian is imagistic and reflective to the point of examination, a romantic indeed. But his growth as a writer has birthed degrees of poignancy. His use of metaphor is astute, a ponderous writer whose curiosity produces realizations smattered with whimsy and emotional yearnings. In the face of loss, a significant theme, he is part pensive and part philosophical. Indeed, Foster is very perceptive and there is much sober soul-searching upon which his poetic lyrics are unveiled. But when circumstances appear dire, an injection of optimism pours forth. Some songs are like inspired eulogies”. “Room in the City” set a new high water mark in Ian’s career and went on to receive multiple Music Newfoundland and Labrador Award nominations and an East Coast Music Award nomination for Pop Recording of the Year.

Released in 2009, Ian’s third record is musically stripped down relative to his previous record, “Room in the City”. A multi-instrumentalist, Ian chose to play the majority of instruments present on the album with the exception of cello, performed by Adam Press. This slightly more sparse approach allows for the strength of his lyricism and narrative to be highlighted in a more open and sonically freeing way. The album has a notably acoustic feel with elements of folk, blues, Americana and pop interwoven throughout. For those who appreciate, embrace and applaud artistic quality, commitment, drive, and the fruits of a laborious creative process, Ian Foster is reason to take notice.

“I Made This for You” is the fourth release from Jon Janes of The Mountains and the Trees. Jon has been incredibly busy over the last number of years with multiple Canadian and European tours, showcases at some of folk music’s most highly regarded festivals and building on an international fan-base that continues to grow. This is easily Jon’s most adventurous record to date. It sees him playing and experimenting with a wide variety of instruments, sounds and arrangements that are unique in his catalogue. “I Made This for You” had the distinction of being named one of Exclaim! magazine’s top 10 folk/roots albums of 2010 and deservedly so. Jon blends folk, pop, Americana and roots with new forms of digital effects, creating interesting soundscapes to underlay his soft-spoken, earnest, autobiographical songwriting. The album, fittingly, is full of sonic peaks and valleys. The album opening track, “Fear of Ghosts” starts quietly and unassuming with a single guitar and Jon’s warm and understated vocal. He sings nostalgically about growing up in a small town and the song captures that dream-like reminiscence wonderfully. Half way in, the song explodes into a symphonic march, joyous and steady. Tubas, glockenspiels, horns, guitar, drums, bass and keys, chime together to give the song an anthemic lift. This wall of sound is new territory for Janes and it symbolizes a growth and willingness to let tunes grow organically. The record is lovely and continues to gain critical notice in Canada and beyond. It is a new sound in folk, current but familiar. It is

Founded by brothers Luke and Duncan Major in 2008, Mercy, the Sexton has emerged as one of the city’s most popular bands. “Say it Back” is a driving, infectious, danceable rock offering filled with great hooks and radio-friendly indie-pop tunes. Lead singer and primary songwriter, Luke Major delivers an energetic and youthful vocal with an urgency in his voice that is accentuated by driving guitars, synthesizers and the backing vocals of Jessie Power and Geraldine Hollett (The Once). Zach Goudie of CBC once said, “Mercy, the Sexton sound the way a great Friday night feels”. We agree. This is some of the province’s finest pop music by one of it’s favourite bands.

2011 Music Newfoundland and Labrador Group of the Year nominees, Ashelin have been singing together for most of their lives. Formerly known by their stage name, The Palmer Sisters, Cassy, Joesie, Kaliyan, Shaelin, and Thea have had music as an integral part of their family and the fruit of their musical pursuits culminates on this lovely record. Defined by precise, buoyant and multi-harmonized vocals the album is exceptionally performed with a cadence and togetherness reflective of their closeness as sisters. There is a belief that musical families tend to have a synergy that can be deeper than non-relative performers. This is certainly true on this record. Pristine vocal arrangements are the signature of this young group. “The Road Not Taken” was produced by Grammy Award winning producer/engineer George Massenburg and ECMA award winning producer/engineer Al Strickland, and features performances by some of the East Coast’s finest musical talent including bassist Jamie Gatti, multi-instrumentalist J.P. Cormier, and bluesman John Campbelljohn. This all-star cast performs beautifully and provides a beautiful backdrop for the sisters to colour with their charming voices.