MAPLEMUSIC ONE (www.maplemusic.com) Rating: NNN Rating: NNN
Despite the wealth of Canuck talent connected with the fast-growing MapleMusic online portal, this label-launching debut sampler — co-presented with NOW Magazine — undersells its substantial resources with so-so track selection and poor sequencing. It’s clearly weighted toward brooding singer/songwriters, with the contributions of Sam Roberts, Bodega, Jason Collett and Kathleen Edwards easily outshining those of more established artists like Ron Sexsmith, Hayden and the Weakerthans, but none of the songs are really the artists’ best work. For an introductory sampler, it’s short on desirable exclusives and artist information.
