Adam Baldwin – No Rest for the Wicked
Adam Baldwin goes heavy on the rock for the title track from his No Rest for the Wicked album, in which he deals with addiction.
Pallmer – Grass Garden
Pallmer combine strings and percussion to paint a story for us amidst a tapestry of flourishes.
Jon Samuel – Lesser Evils
Jon Samuel strips down the party lines as he weighs the fate of Canadian politics in “Lesser Evils.”
Rich Aucoin – The Mind
Strong showing in the category of instrumentals this year, and “The Mind” doesn’t even require Rich Aucoin to bring a parachute. He’s painting alien worlds for us instead.
Prism Shores – January
Prism Shores use Youth in Abstract as a means of exploring the trappings of growing up on a literal island, while indulging in the abstract aspect of it. It makes for some unintelligible dream pop with a strong vibe.
Calm Baretta – Silver Screens
“Silver Screens” has Calm Baretta daydreaming about embarking on the life of a Hollywood starlet.
bleu – weight
Mellow and deep, bleu touches on the heavier feelings associated with coming to terms with life’s inherent changes in “weight.”
Sam Wilson – Honest Moments
Sam Wilson surprised us with her album, Groundless Apprehension. “Honest Moments” stands out as a lively and accessible jazz number that can make you wonder why there isn’t more jazz at jazz festivals.
Tim Baker – All Hands
Tim Baker, the former Hey Rosetta! frontman, crams in as much nostalgia as he can on “All Hands,” reflecting on his life, where he’s been, and where he hopes to return to.
Terra Spencer – Brooklyn
Terra Spencer wrote a beautiful concept album about the flux of a relationship. It should be taken as a whole. “Brooklyn” is the happy, catchy, little track that hook you before plunging into the depths of Terra’s post-romantic fantasies.
Wintersleep – Forest Fire
On an album already full of strong messages, Wintersleep’s “Forest Fire” reminds us that, at best, we are all fatally temporary.
Dave Sampson – Trouble
Dave Sampson reworks “Trouble,” polishing it off with a much fuller sound than the previous release with Port Cities, and we honestly can’t tell you which version we like better.
Kiwi Jr. – Salary Man
Kiwi Jr. displaced themselves from Charlottetown in search of fortunate and fame, but at what cost? “Salary Man” sheds a realistic light on big city life and the toll it can take.
Jamie Comeau & The Crooked Teeth – Tall Pine
We’re still waiting on this album from Jamie Comeau & The Crooked Teeth, but we’ve been heavily indulging during festival season. They’ve been rocking it with this staple.
Tim Baker – Dance
Tim Baker’s “Dance” is absolutely gutting. From one of the most anticipated albums of the year, the song makes a double impact with a touching video that features the dance moves of Tim Baker and Sydney Levitt.
Kiwi Jr. – Leslie
Prince Edward Island ex-pats throw together a post punk whodunnit that answers its own question.
Chris Kirby – Pot of Gold
Chris Kirby’s “Pot of Gold” holds a special place in this list as being one of the funkiest tracks tracks, while indulging in a good amount of wordplay.
Mo Kenney – Ahead of Myself
Mo Kenney reflects on a wild past and in return we’re blessed with this single and the hope that there’s more to come in the near future.
norc – Riviera Paradise
norc’s “Rivera Paradise” slides in at a cool second place, which is no small feat for an instrumental. Ryan Holland in particular stands out as his drumming fits this track like spandex on a pineapple.
Wintersleep – Beneficiary
Wintersleep nail the top spot this year with “Beneficiary,” a spoonful of sugar to take with our bitter pill as we dance through this acknowledgement that we’re all beneficiaries of genocide.