Year in Rock 2011 Nominee: The Sheepdogs

THE SHEEPDOGS
I Don't Know

From: Learn & Burn (Deluxe Reissue)
Released: September 27

Okay sure, Learn & Burn was technically released in 2010, but only independently; so as to say, not many people outside of Saskatoon had the slightest inkling who these guys were. That is until this past August, when the Sheepdogs became the first-ever unsigned artist to be featured on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.

Okay sure, they did so by winning a contest, but they had to work their asses off to win that contest. And in doing so, they also got major label support, which saw their album reissued continent-wide in September. That reissue saw their popularity rise thanks to the massive boost in radio play for the perfectly-suited-for-summer's-end vibed single I Don't Know.

Okay sure, radio only jumped on board after the album shot to #1 on the Canadian iTunes chart after their Rolling Stone victory. Look, can I stop rambling about technicalities and just tell you that Learn & Burn is a nice, solid throwback to vintage '70s AM radio rock that, if you've ever (and I mean ever) grooved to a Guess Who song, will make you weep with joy?

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