Pop And Rock

The Live Anthology (Reprise/Warner)

Over the last 30 years Tom Petty has been a constant in the studio and on stage, but only has one live album to his credit (1986's Pack Up the Plantation: Live!). The Live Anthology rights that wrong in a big way with a four-disc, 48 song set featuring material from 1980 to 2007 covering Petty's entire career along with a handful of covers from the likes of the Grateful Dead, Bobby Womack, Thunderclap Newman and the Zombies.

In the skimpy liner notes Petty states he went through thousands of hours of recordings to pick the best songs, which are presented non-chronologically in terms of original release date or concert date. He sequenced the albums like he would a concert, with emotional and musical ebbs and flows. It's not just a greatest hits set, either (although most are on here), but filled with standout album cuts like A Thing About You, Century City and Drivin' Down to Georgia.

The expanded collectors edition includes a bonus live disc, a Blue-ray audio disc, a 1978 concert DVD, an unreleased documentary DVD, a book, a vinyl bootleg album and more. Either way, you can't really go wrong. 'Ö'Ö'Ö'Ö'Ö

-- Rob Williams

Quinzy

One Boy's Guide to the Moon/These Nautical Miles/Self-Defense (Independent)

When local pop-rockers Quinzy announced they were going to release three EPs in a year, the question was, why? Well, why not? It took the two sets of brothers a little longer than the promised 12 months, but the wait was worth it, since the series ends with Self-Defense, the strongest set of the collection.

One Boys Guide to the Moon and These Nautical Miles were recorded in Toronto with Michael Phillip Wojewoda (Rheostatics) and both boast a big lush sound to complement the material, which ranges from the bouncy Brit-pop of From St. Cloud to the psychedelic overtones of the title track on One Boy's Guide. These Nautical Miles is filled with slower, more experimental moments, most notably Glass Wing, the Ben Folds-esque title track and atmospheric 10-minute closer Polywater.

Self-Defense was recorded in Vancouver with Vince R. Ditrich (Spirit of the West/Quinzy's manager) whose production style is perfectly suited to the darker, more straight-up hook-filled pop of the final EP, highlighted by the throbbing I Dream in Exponents and grandiose Be That Way.

One Boy's Guide 'Ö'Ö'Ö1/2; Nautical Miles 'Ö'Ö'Ö; Self-Defense 'Ö'Ö'Ö'Ö

-- RW

Sons of York

Black and White Summer (Independent)

Winnipeg's Sons of York have issued a challenge for themselves on their debut album. Opening power-pop blast Promise Land describes the group's ambition to play New York City, vowing never to watch David Letterman until they are invited to play on the show and vowing to make the hipsters "shake their hips and clap their hands."

Big dreams for sure, but after a few listens to Black and White Summer, a gig in the Big Apple doesn't seem so far-fetched (a Letterman date, on the other hand, could be a few more years down the road).

The Kennard brothers -- vocalist-guitarist Luke, bassist Jake and drummer Cody--- specialize in energetic, jangly pop-rock filled with plenty of harmonies, handclaps and gang vocals, while mixing things up along the way with some dance-rock on the title track and some classic country on the ballad Twice the Fool. Paul Shaffer would dig it for sure. 'Ö'Ö'Ö1/2

-- RW

Shrimp

Smell My Finger (Independent)

Comedy and performance art junkies, along with Winnipeg's downtown hipsters, could not seem to get enough of local potty-mouthed female quartet Shrimp before they broke up this past fall. It does make sense that in a straight-laced burg such as our own, four raven-haired gals fuelled on beer 'n' attitude would get a certain notoriety for the utter, er, ballsiness of their language and song subject matter. If anyone was there for the music it was also reliably amateurish.

SMF captures the combo live and slightly unhinged at the Times Change(d) High & Lonesome Club and it relays well the rather spunky and cacophonous band at the top of their game. If titles like Lesbian Army, Big Bush and Lazy Vegan intrigue you then these cute crustaceans may be just what you need. 'Ö'Ö'Ö

-- Jeff Monk

the mission light

Hearts for City Limits (Independent)

Our fair city seems to have no shortage of all types of bands working hard to make themselves a notable place in the constantly shape-shifting music scene. The Mission Light no doubt has enough of a fan base to release an album, and on its face, Hearts for City Limits is a candidate for success.

Buoyed by their first-rate musicianship, the album rolls out of the speakers with an earnestness and even some personality. Vocalist Guy Abrahams' soaring vocals are lifted to dizzying heights while being pushed along by the melodious tones of violinist Saya Gahungu. Their progressive folk will appeal to those that enjoy a certain ebb and flow and the option of closing ones eyes and mentally drifting far outside the limits of any city. 'Ö'Ö'Ö

-- JM

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition January 2, 2010 C4