exclaim review!

Posted on March 31st, 2009

Nice one… read it here

 


Proof of Love!

Posted on March 29th, 2009

Big congratulations to Old Man Luedecke for winning the Juno award for Roots Traditional album.  Quality gets awarded!  Move over Nickelback, there’s something leaner…

Way to go Chris!

Joel


VINYL

Posted on March 27th, 2009

It’s running a little behind but Three is being pressed by the hard working folks at Bill Smith Custom Records in California as we sleep.   We’re hoping to receive them within a month.  It will be available through the Maplemusic site as well as Joel’s New Scotland Records site here .  You can watch Joel talk about it the record (after a Grand and Toy commercial) here.  Four New Scotland 7″ singles by Ana Egge, Tyler Messick, Peter Elkas, Yellow Jacket Avenger and Joel’s Three outtakes 7 ” “Three More” will be available through Maplemusic very soon.  If you live in Halifax you can already pick the singles up at Taz Records on Market Street,  CD Plus and Random Play on Barrington St.


The Globe and Mail

Posted on March 27th, 2009

Click here to read the Globe’s article on Three  


Now Review!

Posted on March 26th, 2009

NOW RATING: NNNNN 
Joel Plaskett
Three (MapleMusic)
BENJAMIN BOLES

When word first spread that East Coast singer/songwriter Joel Plaskett was releasing a triple album, we couldn’t help wondering what the hell he was thinking, trying to pull this off in the single-oriented iPod era. Hell, even in the days of vinyl, few artists succeeded at this kind of ambitious undertaking.

 

Turns out our reservations were grossly misplaced; Plaskett’s meditation on leaving home, getting homesick and returning to his roots is an incredibly strong collection. There’s not a single dud in the 27 tracks. Recorded at home and featuring the singer’s father, Bill Plaskett, quite prominently throughout, each disc has its own mood, sound and theme, but the package holds together brilliantly. 

What makes this better than his previous solo outings is the immediacy and intimacy that recording at home afforded him. It’s as if he spent most of his time honing the songs and then recorded them quickly and casually. The resulting minimalism and rawness complements the concept beautifully – and unpretentiously.

Top track: Wait, Wait, Wait

Joel Plaskett performs May 23 at Massey Hall.


DRIVENMAG.COM Review

Posted on March 25th, 2009

It is time that Canada realized what a national treasure Joel Plaskett is. Whether with his band The Emergency or on his own solo recording, Plaskett keeps writing perfect pop songs with lyrics that will stick to you like peanut butter on the roof of your mouth. Now, in a time of music industry doom and gloom he has the audacity to release a triple CD Three.

 
There are 27 new Plaskett gems including the closer “On & On & On” which clocks in just north of 12 minutes. Fourteen of the tunes incorporate the same three words in their titles and the same playfulness carries on with lyrics such as “You be April Stevens, I’ll be April Wine,” “Talk is cheap, but music’s cheaper” and, lamenting a broken relationship, “I need a telescope not a telephone.” This is a career defining epic.

 
This work is so stripped-down and intimate, at times you feel like you have snuck into Joel’s living room for an impromptu jam with friends. As the criminally overlooked Art Bergmann once hissed “give me some emotion, something I can chew on.” Joel Plaskett delivers a three-course meal.

http://www.drivenmag.com/features/cd-review-joel-plasketts-three#more-2860


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Emergency drummer, Dave Marsh, has a new record of his killer songs called The True Love Rules (buy it here).


Chris Pennell also plays in Yellow Jacket Avenger.


The soulful Peter Elkas often joins the Emergency on keys and guitar.


Ana Egge & Rose Cousins sang on Joel's new record, Three.


Ingram Barss took all the photos for "Three".


Rebecca Kraatz creates beautiful woodburn artwork and award winning comics. She made the artwork for Ashtray Rock, LaDeDa and In Need of Medical Attention.


Two Hours Traffic from Charlottetown, PEI write great songs. Joel produced their last two records.


Old Man Luedecke is a banjo picker and fantastic songwriter.


Gordie Johnson produced Ashtray Rock and Make a Little Noise. He rocks out as Grady.


Mr. Chill aced the harmonica on Ashtray Rock.


Al Tuck is the longtime friend and fellow musician who penned Wishing Well and other classics.


Joel used to play in Thrush Hermit and Neuseiland.


Former band mates Ian McGettigan and Rob Benvie now play in Camouflage Nights.


Joel and The Emergency have cut records at The Sonic Temple, Flying Blanket Recording, Phase One Studios, Pedernales Studio and Ultramagnetic Recording.


Joel Plaskett uses the Neumann KM 105 exclusively live. Joel is also recording his new album using ( Sennheiser & Neumann Microphones ) that were graciously supplied by Sennheiser Canada.