The Other Paisley

I love it when I get music recommendations from other continents. But its even better when someone from another country recommends an artist from your hometown. Just this week I had an 18-year-old from Brazil e-mail me a track from The Sadies. It made me laugh because The Sadies are my favorite Canadian band, and I love the fact that someone half my age in the southern hemisphere is digging their music as much as I do.

Also this week, a friend across the pond in the UK told me about Doug Paisley (MySpace), a Toronto country artist. At first I thought he was talking about Brad Paisley, of cheeseball Nashville new-country radio fame, and I said "no thank you." Fortunately, I was totally wrong about this comparison. Although they share a surname, the two Paisleys couldn't be more stylistically apart. Doug plays more of a classic singer/songwriter stripped down style of country music, and reminds me of a countrified Jim James (lead singer of My Morning Jacket), with obvious musical influences from Canadian icons Neil Young and Levon Helm.

He had his CD release party last night at the Dakota Tavern, but I am old and it was a school night, so I skipped it. Yeah, I know, I suck. I am hoping to catch more of him around the Toronto area very soon.

What About Us.mp3
Buy: Doug Paisley (2009)
Also available on eMusic and on No Quarter Records