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The Juno Award nominees were announced today and there was little joy for the roots folks this year. In the ‘big’ categories, not a wiff of roots amongst the populist material that keeps the industry afloat.

Roots & Traditional Album of the Year: Solo- the nominees are

Amelia Curran- Spectators

Annabelle Chvostek- Rise

Corb Lund- Cabin Fever

Old Man Luedecke- Tender is the Night

Rose Cousins- We Have Made A Spark

Roots & Traditional Album of the Year: Group- the nominees are

Elliott Brood- Days Into Years

Great Lake Swimmers- New Wild Everywhere

Le Vent du Nord- Tromper le temps

The Strumbellas- My Father and the Hunter

The Wooden Sky- Every Child a Daughter, Every Moon A Sun

I haven’t heard all of these albums, and will endeavor to correct that, but as it stands today, if I had a Juno ballot- and I don’t- I would put a ticky tick beside Corb Lund’s name and the Great Lake Swimmers. New Wild Everywhere was prominent on my Polaris 2012 ballot- as was The Wooden Sky and Rose Cousins, for that matter- but I give the edge to Great Lake Swimmers as it is a more listenable, more engaging and far-reaching album, I believe. At the same time, I sure wouldn’t be upset to see The Wooden Sky walk away with the prize.

To be fair, Corb Lund’s Cabin Fever is every bit a group album as anything in the other category. Still, it is placed where it is and would be a deserving winner. I’ll be advocating Cabin Fever for the 2013 Polaris Music Prize.

All nominees are listed at the Juno Page and the ceremony is April 21 in Regina.

Thanks for visiting Fervor Coulee. Donald

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I’m not sure how the album made its way to me, but I am certainly glad that it did. Cahalen Morrison and Eli West’s release of last autumn Our Lady of the Tall Trees is terrific. I’ve posted my review of the album at Fervor Coulee Bluegrass. If you are open to acoustiblue music- stuff that in some ways reminds you of bluegrass but most obviously isn’t, you will want to consider locating this beautifully packaged set. Their website is www.CahalenandEli.com.

This video gives you a taste of what they are all about. Thanks for visiting Fervor Coulee. Donald

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Annie Lou- formerly and still Anne Louise Genest- released Grandma’s Rules For Drinking this past autumn, and while it took its time finding me, I am certainly glad HearthPR helped it make its way east from the coast. My review has been posted over at Fervor Coulee Bluegrass. The album has been featured fairly frequently on CKUA.

As always, thanks for visiting Fervor Coulee. Donald

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Just doing some housekeeping to help out the search engines. My review of Kathy Kallick Band’s Time is at Fervor Coulee Bluegrass here.

As always, I appreciate your interest in Fervor Coulee. Donald

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Just doing some housekeeping to help out the search engines. My review of Niall Toner’s Onwards & Upwards is at Fervor Coulee Bluegrass here.

As always, I appreciate your interest in Fervor Coulee. Donald

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Just doing some housekeeping to help out the search engines. My review of Old Man Luedecke’s Tender is the Night is at Fervor Coulee Bluegrass here.

As always, I appreciate your interest in Fervor Coulee. Donald

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Just doing some housekeeping to help out the search engines. My review of Bo Isaac’s Dollar is at Fervor Coulee Bluegrass here.

As always, I appreciate your interest in Fervor Coulee. Donald

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Just doing some housekeeping to help out the search engines. My review of Danny Paisley’s Road into Town is at Fervor Coulee Bluegrass here.

As always, I appreciate your interest in Fervor Coulee. Donald

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Over at Fervor Coulee Bluegrass, I’ve posted my latest raving combined with album review. I look at the Minnesota bluegrass group Monroe Crossing, and consider the lack of critical acclaim I’ve witnessed about a band that I consider increasingly significant within my bluegrass world. Their new album, The Road Has No End, was released in physical form late last year and has its digital release February 1. My column appears here as part of the Country Standard Time site.

Thanks for visiting Fervor Coulee; I hope you found something of interest, something that may inspire you to explore roots music. Donald

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Over at the Country Standard Time site, Jeff has posted my review of Darrell Scott and Tim O’Brien’s recent live disc, We’re Usually A Lot Better Than This. I think it is a very excellent album. It was recently named Engine 145′s Best Bluegrass Album of 2012 despite not being a bluegrass album in any shape or form. Then again, neither is # 2, 4, 8… By the way, the best bluegrass albums released in 2012 were, in no particular order, The Special Consensus, The Steep Canyon Rangers, The Earl Brothers, the Bobby Osborne, and the Niall Toner albums. If you don’t agree, you are welcome to being incorrect. As am I.

Thanks for visiting Fervor Coulee. Donald