1. Mobina Galore: Cities Away / Red Moon Road: Sorrows and Glories (tie) 

2. Bros Landereth: Let it Lie / Cannon Bros: Dream City / Chic Gamine: Light a Match / Human Music: Cool Party (tie) 

 

This year, there has been a tie between two great, but contrasting albums. 

There is the energized, grungy garage punk from Mobina Galore and the full folked-out charm of Red Moon Road. 

The fact that two different genres are coming together, voted in as favourite local albums, sheds light on the fact that Winnipeg is home to a diverse music scene that explores all types of sound on a spectrum. 

Mobina Galore’s album, Cities Away, showcases the band’s self-proclaimed punk-alt-pop tunes. 

With Jenna Priestner on distorted guitar and punchy vocals, Marcia Hanson drives the drums. 

The duo creates an in-your-face dynamic that moves with an approachable force. “Skeleton” and “You’re not 23 Anymore” are just two examples of the eight tracks on the record that demonstrates the duo’s powerful energy when they play together. 

The same energy is found in Red Moon Road’s album Sorrows and Glories, but through the different avenue of rounded twang and full arrangements that feel like soulful honey. 

The folk trio creates a sound that feels breezy with storytelling lyrics like in “Old Things,” while they also create uplifting ballads like “Beauty in These Broken Bones,” where the group’s vocalist Sheena Rattai performs powerful gospel-like melodies over the backdrop of a choir. 

These are not exactly two albums expected to be sold side-by-side in a record store, but they both are bursting at the seams with energy within their own genres. Uniter readers have spoken; both records were recognized as being favourites with locals, so both groups must be doing something right.

Published in Volume 70, Number 13 of The Uniter (December 3, 2015)