Some of the best Canadian music being produced in the last couple of years has been released by the wonderful "You've Changed" record label. You've Changed was formed in 2007-2008 by (former) Attack In Black members Daniel Romano, Ian Kehoe and former Constantines guitarist Steve Lambke. The label is based out of Welland, Ontario, which is Romano & Kehoe's hometown. YC also had a satellite base in Sackville, NB (where Kehoe and Lambke both called home for a while) but is now solely based in Welland.
All of YC's releases (except for Daniel Romano's "Songs For Misha" EP) have been issued as both vinyl and CD. I own 9 out of the current 14 catalog items on vinyl and they all sound wonderful. The pressings are on (now) standard 180 gram vinyl, and with little surface noise once they have been well cleaned before the first play.
The lion's share of YC releases are in the "roots" folk and country vein. Daniel Romano's 2011 album "Sleep Beneath The Willow" (YCR-011) is straight country with top notch songwriting and performances. (I'm not generally a country music lover, per se, but this album is simply beautiful. You want GOOD country, this is the album to get!). (Daniel's newest album "Come Cry With Me" is out now, but isn't on YC. Again, this is a straight ahead country album with great songs. I suggest you get it as well!)
Shotgun Jimmie's great "Transistor Sister" record (YCR-009) and Ian Kehoe's new project "Marine Dreams" (YCR-012) are both solid slabs of Canadian power pop of the highest caliber. You gotta own these and listen to them often.
Last year, Vancouver based pop-punkers Apollo Ghosts released "Landmark" (YCR 014) and this is a great high-energy listen. Country, rock, power punk, folk, You've Changed has it all.
Things have been kinda quiet in the YC camp for a while. Some of the roster is out on tour and the most recent release from YC is the vinyl issue of Daniel Romano's album "Workin' For The Music Man". This was originally issued as CD only but the vinyl came out late last year. "Music Man" is a more folky-sounding album, and really puts me in mind of Bob Dylan's "John Wesley Harding" album or late-60's Byrds. Its a fine album!
My first exposure to YC was the amazing album "Daniel, Fred & Julie", recorded by Daniel Romano, Fred Squire and Julie Doiron. This album is definitely a step back into the past. Much of the material are old folk songs ("Clementine", "Johnny Sands") with 2 Romano originals ("Runner", "Your Love") thrown in. The recording of this album is a nod to the past as well. The whole thing was recorded in mono, on just 1 microphone. From what I could gather, the "master tape" was compiled onto a cassette, more out of "using what equipment that was there." I put this recording on and close my eyes, and I am taken back to the days of Alan Lomax scouring the back roads of America, capturing Appalachian folk music on an old portable disc cutter, capturing the performance from someone's front port. In this album's case, it was Fred's garage at his home in Sackville, NB.
Because YC was a major part of the Sackville music scene for a few years, many of its acts have appeared at Sackville's wonderful yearly indie festival, Sappyfest. Last year, Marine Dreams , Baby Eagle and Shotgun Jimmie all made appearances. Looking right around the corner, Marine Dreams and The Weather Station are both making appearances this weekend at Sackville's "Stereophonic" Festival, presented by Mount Allison University's radio station, CHMA.
You've Changed's products are available in better record shops and also from their website. http://youvechangedrecords.com/ is the place to go. You can also stay in touch with YC via thier Facebook page, Twitter and downloadable versions of thier records are available on Bandcamp (http://youvechangedrecords.bandcamp.com/)
I strongly urge everyone to check out EVERY act on the YC roster. The music is good, the artists are really super cool folks (the one's I have met and know...) And their dedication to releasing music on vinyl is great.
Support Canadian music and check out YC's artists when they are rolling through your town. Tell them Keltie sent you!
- Post by Keltie Harding
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