Maritime Pop Explosion

Maritime culture is the heart of one of Canada’s most vibrant music scenes. From all-out rock ’n’ roll (the Trews) to hat country (George Canyon) to the angel-calm of Sarah McLachlan, the varied sounds are bound together by an integrity and honesty that permeates a region where the people are friendlier, the food tastes better, and the music sounds like nothing you’ll hear anywhere else.

When Sloan exploded out of Halifax in 1991, the industry took notice, in the process discovering an incredibly diverse musical community: the psych-rock of Elevator and the cute pop of Plumtree, right alongside traditionalists like Figgy Duff and Lennie Gallant. Meanwhile, experimental hip-hoppers like Buck 65 and Sixtoo shared the spotlight with Melanie Doane.

Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and PEI’s remote communities have given birth to some of Canada’s finest artists. Many of these artists, whom we’ve included in our Deep Cuts, have been nurtured through small, innovative indie labels and a supportive circuit of art galleries, coffeehouses, small halls, clubs, and that old stand-by — the kitchen party.

Music is the lifeblood of the Maritimes. It’s in the air, it’s the tonic that cures all ills and lifts every spirit. Nova Scotia has nurtured Sarah McLachlan, Sloan, and Buck 65. Newfoundland’s Great Big Sea embodies a unique blend of rock and traditional Maritime folk. Meanwhile, Roch Voisine and Julie Doiron represent the gentleness of New Brunswick’s quiet resolve. Here is a concise sampler of the diversity of pop music in today’s Eastern Canada.