Tolan McNeil, Circus Devils, Anne Lindsay, Sarah Jane and Corey Heuvel

First off, a note to let you know that I’m done with the haiku, for now. It was interesting, but it’s time for another shift. So, be it a sentence, a paragraph or a full-page diatribe, it will be what it will be.

Ready? Go!

Tolan McNeil – Give ‘Er

We offer our MASSIVE thanks to Andrew, formerly of Red Cat, for ensuring we got our sweaty little hands on the happy sounds of this long-sought record. Thanks heaps, Dude! We love Tolan, here at the KMA, and what a treat this record is. Completely brilliant guitar work all over the place, whip-smart thoughtful and funny lyrics, and a wry wink and a smile that comes naturally. This is the stuff of dreams, of talent displayed boldly, of music that ought to be heard by everybody everywhere. This country-tinged truckrawk rules!

Circus Devils – Gringo

Here we have wee-hours basement experimentation done slightly more quietly, so as not to wake up the house. Every Pollard record has a mood – here it’s a brilliant, gentler breeze fuzz-rockin’ us from the summer of love.

Anne Lindsay – News From Up The Street

If you can you get Anne Lindsay, Jason Fowler, Al Cross and Oliver Schroer (among many others) together, you just know the resulting record is going to be a blast. To me, it sounds simultaneously like being down east, and those Scottish bands that have been taking old standards and dressing them up in new clothes, and jazz torch song vocals and instrumentation and some ‘world music’ and… Wow!

Sarah Jane – Kind Of Day It’s Been

We caught Sarah Johnston at this year’s Knox Youth Showcase (may Knox R.I.P.), and here she offers up a tasty disc of Lisa Loeb-like acoustic folk pop songs mixed with a sense of the blues that feels great. Her vocals, in both English and French, are powerful and clear, and what she’s saying needs to be heard. Yes, I liked this very much, indeed. Keep an ear open for her, folks. Hers is a name you should be hearing more shortly.

Corey Heuvel – Evers

Another performer to whom we were introduced at this year’s Knox Youth Showcase (may Knox continue to R.I.P.), Corey’s disc is a display of guitar and songwriting prowess that got multiple plays here in our house. My only complaint is that, as a 5 track EP, it’s tasteful but I’m greedy and find it a bit short… A full album is anticipated, Corey!