Debut folk album from Kyle Gryphon!

Elton John would love the new Natasha Blackwood record, “Ease Back”. Having always had a great ear for well-crafted songs spread over an album as varied as it is diverse, Elton would be pleased with reminisences and shadows of past masters like Laura Nyro, Phoebe Snow and Ann Mortifee that Ms. Blackwood exihibits on her solo debut.
With a likely unintentional nod to the sounds of the early/mid 1970’s, “Ease Back” has the perfect ‘little bit of everything’ goin’ on. If this slice of wax was a meal, the plate would excite and tantalize the taste buds with its many flavours and colours. And her band truly gets it.
Opening with the wisfully tender, “Triage” followed by the poppy, “Are You The Light” through to the punchy “What I’d Give” and swaggering “Small Talk”, Blackwood wastes no time expressing her multi-faceted sensibilities and many talents.
“Scifi And Sad Songs” has a luscious jaunty, jazzy vibe while the title track takes it one step further with its playful, coy melody and lyric. The album closes beautifully and simply perfectly with a proper swan song and her artistic sisters from Eastern Owl providing idyllic vocal support.
This is arguably one of the best contemporary singer/songwriter albums released in the past few year. In a province rich with a multitude of great women artists, Natasha Blackwood is a force to be reckoned with.

The Once, self-titled album is now available on vinyl!

This is a truly significant release. Fred’s number one selling album over the past decade features a wonderful and compelling mix of traditional pieces performed by our most successful musical export since Great Big Sea.

Latest from local garage-punk-rock band, Conditioner. Cassette tape that comes with a poster and a pin.

Debut experimental electronic album from local band, CIIJ.

Brand new album from Great Big Sea’s Alan Doyle.

Patrick Canning’s 2020 RPM challenge album!

Fred’s has Natasha’s wonderful new CD, “Easeback” for sale right now. This fantastic new release featuring a popourri of musical styles built on jazz/folk foundations with splendid pop sensibilities. You will hear sax, flute, clarinet, accordion, pedal-steel, harp, cello, double-bass, violin and much more in alliance with a stellar band that includes Andrew “Dicky” Strickland on guitars, organ and percussion, Ryan Kennedy on piano, keys and backu vocals, Paddy Byrne on bass and Chris Donnelly on drums. 

 The man was born to entertain. Sean made his recording debut in 1990 with his band, Joyful Noise and the cassette, ‘Babbling About Bob’ but it was as frontman for both DRIVE followed by THE PLANKS that Sean’s energy and creativity on the St. John’s live circuit exploded. His brilliant solo debut, “Lotus Land” revved up the new millennium when it debuted in August of 2000 and 4 more albums of original songs culminating with “Man Of The Year” in Dec. 2011 cemented his importance as a truly unique singer/songwriter respected, admired and quite simply adored here at home by fans and peers alike. As a solo performer he is dynamic and absolutely compelling. Whether you’ve seen him perform at pubs like The Ship or annually at the Feast Of Cohen or anywhere else along the road you know that his incredible energy and many and varied subjects in song are all-consuming. Lyrically, Sean is by and large a ‘stream-of- consciousness ‘ artist. He finds a place to start, goes where it leads, allows the light to shine wherever it does and stays out of the way. He seems to possess the uninhibited nature of a child as pertains to his subject/muse correlation; the thoughts churn and the line dictates. And his robust guitar stylings… sure you knows he can go.
I’ve often likened Sean’s work to that of Elvis Costello, Billy Bragg, Louden Wainwright III, Randy Newman and Ray Davies (Kinks). One can also hear likely influences from Dog Meat Barbeque, Ramones and perhaps Pixies.

Lotus Chant Group perform Indian chant pieces sung in English and Hindu. You will hear music played on tambura, dotar, guitar, flute, sitar-inspired keyboards, percussion and bass. Very good!