The Young Novelists - Made Us Strangers (2015) Lossless

The transition in names from Graydon James to Graydon James & The Young Novelists (for Galaxie Rising Star-winning album In The Year You Were Born) to now just The Young Novelists is a mite confusing, but the new moniker correctly shows this sextet is now a real band. The expressive voice and songs of Graydon James are still to the fore, but the writing and lyrical contributions of Laura Spink on cuts like the lovely "Always Make the Mistake" adds depth to the folk meets rock sound of new record Made Us Strangers. There's an effective mixing of tempos, tones and styles here, and the fluent guitar work of John Laws is another key component. Carlin Nicholson of Zeus produced, and he balances the sonic elements nicely. Look for the album to place the group in the top tier of Canadian roots-rockers.