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Year in Rock 2011 Nominee: Hey Rosetta!


HEY ROSETTA!
Welcome

From: Seeds
Released: February 15

When you think of Newfoundland, you think of its lush scenery, rich history and friendly people.  When you think of Newfoundland in a musical sense, you think of kitchen parties, fiddles, and Great Big Sea.  Hailing from St. John's, six-piece Hey Rosetta! are one of those bands you'd be forgiven for assuming are just another of the wave of indie rock bands calling Montreal or Toronto home.  Indeed, they incorporate the big sounds of Canada's best-known musical collectives into their third album Seeds, but there's also an overlying sense of neighbourly compassion and communal play that absolutely screams Newfoundland.  They didn't have to bring fiddles into the proceedings (although, by times, they do) or sing traditional sea shanties to beam with provincial pride.  Sometimes, all it takes is a bandwide brotherhood, heartfelt performances and an intelligent, soaring brand of universally recognized rock to make people take notice.  And notice they have; Seeds is the second consecutive release by Hey Rosetta! to be shortlisted for the Polaris Music Prize, Canada's highest honour for a musician.

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