Joe Fournier 
Who: Joe Fournier
What: Twangy nuggets of Americana
Where: Peggy's Cove, NS
To Contact: Junkyard Dog Music, (902) 823-1754,

Upon first hearing Joe Fournier's debut CD, Raw Sugar Shed, you marvel at his talent for writing a great song. When you discover that Fournier recorded the album himself and played all the instruments, you know you're onto something special. Having moved to Nova Scotia from Ontario about a year ago, Fournier set up a makeshift studio (dubbed the Eight Track Shack) to finish some half-written songs - just as a fun project. But after being urged by friends to send out copies of his CD, Fournier started getting some very favourable press and radio spins in Europe and airplay down in Texas. "I thought, 'Oh crap, now I gotta get serious about this,'" Fournier recalls, laughing. He says his songs come to him in spurts. "If I have a handful of songs and it seems like it's coming together as a concept, then I'll work and see it through. But until I feel that way, I don't really try and force it." That must be why each song on Raw Sugar Shed is a little nugget of craft, attitude and emotion, from the irreverent broadside "Country Music's Gone To Hell" to the twangy two-stepper "All About Irene", and the Orbison-like balladry of "Everything" and "New Girl In Town". So far he hasn't had much response to his music in Canada. Hopefully that'll change soon, because, as our European and Texan friends have already discovered, a songwriter as good as Joe Fournier won't be kept in the shed for long.

Hopeful Monster 
Who: Hopeful Monster
What: Chamber pop with wood panelling
Where: Seabright, NS
To Contact: Brobdingnagian Records, (902) 425-9669, , www.brobdingnagian.com.

Hopeful monster is an evolutionary term, referring to the process by which an organism mutates to the point of being recognized as a new, unique species. Likewise, Hopeful Monster, the band, springs from recognizable musical DNA to create something worthy of celebrating on its own terms. Songwriter and multi-instrumentalist J. Ball recorded the project at his own Nervous System Studios in rural Nova Scotia. A year in the making, this eponymous album is drenched in all sorts of chamber pop reference points. An ace arranger, Ball revels in studio layering and stacks of harmonies a la Pet Sounds-era Beach Boys or more contemporary soundscapers like The High Llamas. "Both of those references have pretty sophisticated arrangements, which is something that I've been working towards," says Ball. "They're both good shoulders to be standing on." What keeps the baroque sound of Hopeful Monster intriguing is the infusion of roots-y elements, like steel guitar and fiddle, punches of horns here and there, and brightly strummed acoustic guitars. Among the standout tracks, "Daily Electric" offers Bacharachian horn parts, bouncy pop piano and theremin. "Goldmine" is a deftly written ballad adorned with steel guitar and vibes. And "Cobra Wings" shimmers and soothes like an afternoon in the shade of a palm tree. Ball's voice is the perfect instrument for these tunes, evoking comparisons to pop vocal princes like Todd Rundgren or Carl Wilson. Hopeful Monster is a welcome addition to the diversity and ongoing evolution of East Coast music.

The Heelwalkers 
Who: The Heelwalkerss
What: Heavy, aggressive, irresistibly fun rock
Where: Halifax, NS
To Contact: Brobdingnagian Records, (902) 425-9669, , www.brobdingnagian.com.

With The Heelwalkers, everything goes to 11. The Halifax band's self-titled CD is loud and hard and aggressive - and fun as hell! It's not even metal, per se, just unapologetic, balls-to-the-wall hard rock. Monolithic power riffs, pounding drums, thumping bass and testosterone-fuelled vocals rule the day. "For lack of a better term, we've been calling it jean-jacket rock," explains lead guitarist Benny Bjabin. The rest of the group is Ree Ree Bowler (rhythm guitar), Tubby Lovespy (drums) and Short Bus Tully (bass). You don't need much more than their names to know that these guys don't take themselves too seriously. The band's name refers to the term Native North Americans used to describe the decidedly unstealthy hunting style of the newly arrived Europeans, who, unlike the fleet-footed natives, would walk noisily through the woods, scaring off prey. Or as Bjabin says, it's a reference to being "loud, dumb, goofy white guys." Each member takes a turn on lead vocals, according to whoever wrote the song. They'll rock you with tracks like "Old School", "Rockin' With Seka" and "Shake My Ass". And if those titles aren't enough to win you over, the band will be launching a cross-Canada tour in late September and early October. If their live show is half as enjoyable as their album, it'll be time to dust off that leather jacket and start practicing your air guitar technique. And just try not pumping your fist in the air. I dare you.

Credit: Jim Kelly is a Toronto-based freelance writer.

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