Mike Duerksen
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Our Noise: The Story of Merge Records, the Indie Label That Got Big and Stayed Small
While major labels struggle to come up with a sustainable business model and cope with wavering music sales, indie label Merge Records has defied the odds and is celebrating its 20th anniversary this fall.
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Volcanoless in Canada, acoustically inclined in Saskatoon
If you look up the word “volcanoless” in the dictionary, chances are you won’t find it. But that hasn’t deterred Saskatchewan acoustic dance-rock outfit Volcanoless in Canada from capitalizing on its catchy ring.
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Cheering for the Bad Guy: More hardcore than most punk
These days, Sheldon Birnie can be seen straddling with an acoustic guitar and crooning dusty, hard-luck country tales with the Winnipeg band he fronts – the amusingly named six-piece Cheering for the Bad Guy.
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In sickness and in health
For Winnipeg musician Todd Hunter, life couldn’t be much better.
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PATRICK BREALEY - Mercury in Songbirds
Following his breakthrough 2007 debut City Blood, Country Heart, rootsy singer/songwriter Patrick Brealey is back with Mercury in Songbirds.
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Good will haunting
It’s been said a good writer writes what he knows best. If that’s the case, Canadian alt-country rockers The Wheat Pool undoubtedly know their country like the back of their hand.
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Stone cold crazy
In an age where it seems there are as many rock bands as there are stars in the sky, what does it take to rise above the rest?
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THE WIND WHISTLES - Animals Are People Too
While Vancouver-based duo The Wind Whistles’ first record was a folky affair, their sophomore effort Animals Are People Too is emphatically less so.
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JOHN DOE AND THE SADIES - Country Club
Best known as founder of influential L.A. punk band X, John Doe formed an alliance with Canadian psychedelic roots rockers The Sadies for an ambitious project – an album of classic country covers.
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City of potential
Winnipeg’s The Weakerthans may be busy playing sold-out venues all over Canada, in some cases having to add more shows to meet the high demand for tickets, but that doesn’t mean they’ve lost touch with their hometown.
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Just doing what he does
For alt-country rocker, studio musician and producer Luke Doucet, being on the road since the age of 18 is finally paying off.