One of the best times I had during Nova Scotia Music Week in Sydney in November was the gathering of Gordie Sampson Songcamp participants on one stage, sharing songs, stories and collaborations. Hearing performers like Carleton Stone, Molly Thomason, Kyle Mischiek and Mo Kenney singing together and displaying a raucous artistic community spirit gave at least some sense of what happens each summer in [Ingonish] as they put their musical ambitions to the test.

Some of the flavour of that experience is captured on a new CD featuring some of the province’s best young musicians singing together, over a broad range of styles. Dana Beeler gets dark and tough on “Where Have You Been”, while teaming with Willie Stratton and Natalie Lynn on the bone-rattling boot stomper “Black Water”. At the other end of the spectrum, there are some stellar modern pop performances, like Laura Roy’s heartwrenching “Fall Out of Love” and the trouble-times-three combo of Barb Cameron, Elijah Wohlmuth and Nicole Curry on “Last Night’s Party”.

Listening to this CD is like getting to eavesdrop on an exclusive club, except ultimately these songs are meant to be shared.

The Chronicle Herald