North of Nowhere – Oh Brother
“Oh Brother” is perhaps the most touching song on this list. Written as an apology to his older brother shortly after his funeral, Dylan Ellis set out to get some things right that the two hadn’t quite managed during this lifetime. (Read more…)
Papal Visit – Inaudible
From Papal Visit’s Five Fathom Hole, “Inaudible” wasn’t actually released as a single, but it still stood out for us as a fine example of what Arcade Fire would have sounded like if they’d teamed up with New Order in the ’80s. (Read more…)
Alli Walker – Country Music
Dolly Parton, Alison Krauss, Alan Jackson; there are very few country legends Alli Walker doesn’t mention on her ode to the genre that raised her. (Read more…)
Baby God – Insane Now
Baby God drives off towards the sun—and better times—on “Insane Now,” leaving all their worries in the rearview. (Read more…)
Dennis Ellsworth – Endless
Ellsworth’s “Endless” is an ocean contained inside of a song. It’s a call to Hakuna Matata your way through some of the less pleasant inevitabilities of life, all delivered with a calmness that suggests Ellsworth has learned to keep his head safely above water. (Read more…)
Air Traffic Control – Rocketeer
Air Traffic Control takes a shot at the billionaires with “Rocketeer.” Channelling some big ’90s vibes, the band get critical of the way some people choose to spend their money—particularly when it comes to touching the near-edge of outer space. (Read more…)
Mary Beth Carty – Mo Mhathair
Mary Beth Carty, our resident squeezebox technician, released a cultural wonder with “Mo Mhathair”—which translates to “My Mother” in Scottish Gaelic. The song is something of a modern-day Rosetta Stone, with versions of it crafted in English, French and Gaelic to celebrate both Mother’s Day and Gaelic Awareness Month in Nova Scotia. (Read more…)
Keeper E. – Telling the Truth
Despite being easy on the ears, Keeper E.’s “Telling the Truth” is a hard-to-swallow pill. Inspired by the increasing severity with which Fredericton floods annually, the song is a call to action to be honest with ourselves and think clearly about how we’re going to prioritize taking care of the Earth. (Read more…)
Waants – Keep Careful
Adam Warren flexes his skill as producer on “Keep Careful” while pulling in Emily Sorrey for vocals. The track maximizes the dynamic range of your speakers (naturally, we suggest proper headphones) while Sorrey muses over a relationship with all the attentiveness of idle hands. (Read more…)
Loviet – Picture
“Picture” is Loviet’s reiteration of the maxim “never judge a book by its cover” for a digital age. The message here is to never judge someone by their digital presence. Easier said than done, however, with Loviet questioning what that really means when it’s a culture each of us has already bought into. (Read more…)
Book Buddies – Neon
Most car-owners will have a special place reserved in their hearts for the first heap of junk that came into their lives, usually some long-suffering hand-me-down, Ulysses’s ship reimagined in steel, nigh on impossible to kill. Such is Rebecca Dalley’s ode to her beloved Dodge Neon. (Read more…)
Adam Young – Corned Beef and Garbage
Adam Young’s Yearbook project was wildly ambitious and produced just a ridiculous amount of material—though, naturally, only some of it made it onto the album. The single, “Corned Beef and Garbage”—both the modern and traditional counterparts—proved to be fun standouts, particularly when it comes to showing off Young’s take on contemporary ragtime. (Read more…)
Proud Dads – Leap Year
Born of the idles of quarantine, “Leap Year,” Proud Dads’ debut single, summarizes just that: a year that effectively might have skipped over. The reverb-soaked bedroom pop exists in the haunting limbo of the pandemic we’ve all found ourselves in. (Read more…)
Moira Bren – Already Homesick
Moira Bren really hit home with the line “who is going to file my income taxes?” on this song about some unfortunate necessities of adulthood, and after the year we’ve had, “Already Homesick” has only grown more relateable. (Read more…)
Andrew Waite – Ain’t Goin’ Out Like That
Andrew Waite was determined to get his solo album this year and, despite a few hiccups, he showed us that he wasn’t prepared to give up on his dreams so easily. (Read more…)
Papal Visit – The Opposite Heart
Papal Visit, Saint John’s lo-fi champions. churned out a whopping 30-song album full of lightning-fast hooky hits, but it’s the crunchy rhythmic guitars juxtaposed against Adam Mowery’s distinctive vocals that get us with the chorus of “The Opposite Heart.” (Read more…)
Jason Anderson – Telluride
“Telluride” stands out from the deliciously layered soundscape of Jason Anderson’s Canyonlands—with what the Fredericton-based artist describes as a straightforward message about friendship—and sounds like it would be right at home on Bon Iver’s 22, A Million. (Read more…)
Golden Cinema – Little Sunscreen
Golden Cinema’s “Little Sunscreen” manages to meld lazy car rides with thrilling chases—either way, you’ll want it blasting from the radio. (Read more…)
Jesse Cox – Whipping Post
Jesse Cox’s debut album came with its gems, but “Whipping Post” stood out. Cox offers up his perspective on racism and the incredulous language he witnessed firsthand from the mouths of adults when he was a child. (Read more…)
Steve MacIntyre – Bluebirds
Cape Breton singer-songwriter Steve MacIntyre serves up folk with a healthy dose of mandolin on “Bluebirds.” Off his debut EP, the track reminds us that it’s okay to not be great at everything and even to be sad when we need to be, because “even bluebirds sometimes get the blues.” (Read more…)
Good Dear Good – Guess Again
With “Guess Again”, Good Dear Good tap into big themes of perseverance, strength in numbers and a desire to burn with all the energy of the unapologetically alive, all while channelling big Julian Casablancas vibes. (Read more…)
The Backstays – Forever Gold Bricks
The Backstays turned out a whole hook-laden album, but it was the synth-fuelled hit “Forever Gold Bricks” and the reminder that we should be chasing after our dreams—even the ones beyond our reach—that really got us this year. (Read more…)
Lisa LeBlanc – Pourqoui faire aujourd’hui
Funky and disco and 100% encouragement to put off your chores until tomorrow, “Pourquoi faire aujourd’hui” is Lisa LeBlanc’s answer to self-care and owning the 2021 mood of allowing yourself to relax and let go.
Campbell & Johnston – Rock n’ Roll Breaks Your Heart
With a classic rock feel and a groovy stereo sound, “Rock ‘n’ Roll Breaks Your Heart” is a high-octane reprieve from all of life’s troubles. (Read more…)
Air Traffic Control – The Climber
With clipped vocals and a dose of drum and bass, Air Traffic Control launch in with the sort of heavy vibes you’d expect from psych-rock bands Pond or The Black Angels. (Read more…)