Friends In Bellwoods

I'll be honest, my interest in this CD set was spurred by a desire to hear what Sebastien Grainger sounds like all on his lonesome. I figured anything else even half decent would be a bonus. Little did I know. Compiled from a musical community centred around a house on Toronto's Bellwoods Avenue (where a handful of Ohbijou members reside), this two-disc collection is, simply put, fantastic. You can almost see Jeff Buckley's ghost hanging out in the corner of the basement where Grainger recorded the delicate gem, "Young Mothers." Bry Webb and Casey Mecija's measured retelling of "Oh Sweet Nuthin'" is gut-wrenching in its sincerity. Water Colour's "Hidden Sound" could soundtrack pretty much anything Wes Anderson has ever made, with its horn flourishes and poppy, upbeat keyboards. These three tracks are just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Each disc is rammed wall to wall with some of the best stuff you've never heard. Plus, all the proceeds from the disc go to the Daily Bread Food Bank.