The Coppertone

Toronto, ON singer/guitarist Amanda Zelina has been an emerging figure for a couple of years now, combining passionate songwriting with a no-holds-barred slide guitar attack. Working under the moniker the Coppertone, she's finally put all of that talent on full display with this short but satisfying nine-track debut album. Hidden Dreams was one of the final projects completed by the late Dan Achen at his Catherine North studio in Hamilton, and his unmistakable touch is all over the album's warm, haunting sound. But it is Zelina's pure ability (accentuated only by Bonham-esque Spirits drummer Nick Skalkos) that sets her apart from so many other young blues devotees following in Jack White's footsteps. In fact, on tracks like "Heroine" and "Satisfied Mind," Zelina sounds more like she's simultaneously channelling Chris Whitley and Jeff Buckley. It all adds up to Hidden Dreams being an ideal introduction to an important new homegrown talent.