giraffecycle.com music & community news for Saint John & Fredericton

• Home
• Message Board
• Shows
• Bands
• Resources
• Articles
• Classifieds
• Podcast
• RSS

Articles.

Best Saint John Albums of the Decade 2000-2009

-by Chuck Teed [31/01/08]

Last month I posted a thread about the best local albums of the decade, hoping it would inspire people to haul their favorite local albums off the shelf. After reading a few responses, I was inspired to dig through my collection of locals discs (over 300 and counting) in the hopes of coming up with a solid list of contenders. The following list is the result of dozens of hours in front of the computer, listening to nothing but local music.

A couple of things to note before I begin:

1) This list is as unbiased as I can get. If it wasn't, you would likely see both Hospital Grade's Secrets & Sawdust and Saint John Three: The Revenge on the list. I love both discs and spin them regularly, but thought that adding them to the list would look kind of weird, so I didn't. They are definitely list worthy, though, so feel free to check 'em out.

2) I tried to consider a album's impact on the music community at large when coming up with the list. That being said, personal preference did trump historical significance on a couple of occasions - it is my list, after all.

Ok, enough of my rambling. Here's the list!

10)Alex Keleher – Elusive Recluse (2005)
Elusive Recluse isn`t as well known as some of the other albums on this list, but it still holds of after five years of constant listening. Sparsely recorded with a couple of acoustic guitars and a handful of vocals, the disc`s disturbingly compelling lyrics, layered harmonies and shape-shifting rhythms channel the spirit of master arrangers Brian Wilson and Syd Barrett, yet thrive in their lo-fi environment. Alex has since released other wonderful albums, EPs and demos, but Elusive Recluse still stands out.
www.myspace.com/alexkeleher

9) Brent Mason – Hitcher On The Road (2001)
Saint John’s most prolific songwriter, Brent was in top form on Hitcher On The Road. Featuring a stellar line up of backing musicians – Peter Doyle, Jay Vautour, and Lloyd Hanson are just a few of the players that grace the disc – Hitcher contains some truly inspired performances, including “Amelia,” “Las Brisas,” and the gorgeously layered title track. Brent’s songwriting is sharpened to a fine point (Hitcher was written shortly after the release of the wildly popular disc River Songs), as is evidenced on such songs as “Face Against The Glass” and “Wishes Were Horses.” Mason’s best disc.
www.myspace.com/brentmasonmusic

8) Coffin Birth – The Miracle of Death (2008)
Saint John was best known for its punk/metal scene in the 1990s, but few bands from the region made any notable impact outside of the region in the new millennium. One notable exception was Coffin Birth, who landed a deal with Ontario label Bleak Art Records and performed a handful of memorable (and well attended) shows in the process. The quartets debut album, The Miracle of Death, is an inspired piece of blackened thrash metal, and one of the best heavy albums this region has ever produced.
www.myspace.com/coffinbirthcanada

7) Shinjuku Mad - Organic Thoughts From The Synthetic Mind (2009)
The cream of Saint John’s new crop of bands, The Shinjuku Mad has released two excellent CDs in a very short period of time. The group’s latest disc, Organic Thoughts From The Synthetic Mind, is a hypnotic and dazzlingly dreary electronic/new wave offering that doesn’t pander to the dance floor audience. Shinjuku Mad gets bonus points for giving away the disc away at record stores around the city, ensuring themselves a large audience in a relatively short period of time.
www.myspace.com/theshinjukumad

6) Adam Mowery – The Three Sisters (2007)
Adam’s first solo release is short, but how sweet it is. Clocking in at a mere 15 minutes, The Three Sisters EP contains three Mowery gems – “2006,” “If Yer Going To The City,” and the anthemic title track – and flows flawlessly from start to finish. A natural progression from his work with The Port City All-Stars and Port City, The Three Sisters was small taste of what we could expect from one of Saint John’s finest.
www.myspace.com/adammowerysmyspace

5) Port City – Breakin’ Up Is Hard To Do (2005)
A failed relationship is never a pleasant experience, but it sure makes for great music. Case in point: Port City’s stellar EP Breakin’ Up Is Hard To Do. The swan song for one of Saint John’s most beloved bands, Breakin’ Up pulls no punches musically or lyrically – check out “Meanwhile The Months Go By,” “How Come You’ve Been Acting So Funny,” and “I Get No Answer For Proof” - making it an honest, raw, and beautiful listen.

4) 16th Avenue – In It to Win It (2006)
One of the most popular bands to come from this region, 16th Avenue amassed a large and loyal following, thanks in large part to their 2006 release In It To Win It. A solid blast of poppy punk, In It To Win It sold over 1000 copies, spurred a video for the high energy track “Tentativa Favorita,” and logged hundreds of thousands of hits through sites such as MySpace and Pure Volume. The band recently disbanded due to the death of guitarist/vocalist Joel Cochrane, but In It To Win It will cement the band’s legacy for years to come.
http://www.myspace.com/16thavenuerock

3) Jessica Rhaye – Short Stories (2006)
Jessica Rhaye’s sophomore album came out six years after her debut, but it was well worth the wait. Short Stories showcases Jessica’s impressive vocal range, and also contains a healthy dose of mature folk pop. Best known for the uptempo track “Running For The Door,” Short Stories’ darker cuts– “Where It All Begins” and “Only One,” for example – truly make the disc a memorable experience. Nominated for two East Coast Music Awards, Short Stories cemented Rhaye’s reputation as one of the East Coast’s finest songwriters.
http://www.myspace.com/jessicarhaye

2) Organizers – Painting Bricklin Blue (2003)
Painting Bricklin Blue is one of those rare discs that improved with age. Kicking off with the bluesy title track, the disc rarely stays in one place stylistically, content instead to roam around the fringes of 60s rock and pop. Surprisingly complex in its scope, Painting Bricklin’ Blue effortlessly jumps from balls out rockers (“Soul In Pieces,” “Maurice”) to hypnotic slabs of psychedelia (“Is This A Love,” “Blue Armistice”). The disc continues to inspire to this day, as evidenced by bands such as The Fedoras and Telecasts. If you ever come across a copy of the album, pick it up.

1) Happy Medium – S/T (2002)
I pulled this disc out of my local collection a couple of year ago for an extensive review (which you can read here) and have yet to put it away. Why is that, you ask? Well, the disc is solid Saint John gold from start to finish. Want stellar song writing? Check out Saint John anthem “The Greyest Day.” Want polished performances? Skip to “A Difference In Time.” How about a little production? Take a listen to “Debut.” Before Happy Medium came along, the Saint John music community was dominated by punk and metal bands - this album turned the gaze toward indie pop, and paved the way for the countless bands that would follow. Stellar stuff.

Okay, that’s it! Please feel free to comment here!

Upcoming SJ shows:

Other regions:

© 1999-2010 Giraffecycle | Contact us