Shotgun Jimmie

Whenever you hear that an artist has retreated to a cabin somewhere to record an album, you immediately assume that the product will be drenched in sadness and sorrow, à la Bon Iver. But as Canadian songwriter Jim Kilpatrick (aka Shotgun Jimmie) assures us, he isn't a "love-wounded man," nor does he have a beard. Instead, new album Everything, Everything is the opposite; it's joyous, fun and practically oozes charm with every jolt of a song. Most of the numbers on this album burst by, clocking in at one or two minutes, the perfect anecdotal slices to keep listeners hooked. Still evoking the sounds of Can-rock past (Eric's Trip) and present (Chad Vangaalen, especially on opening statement "Standing in a Line"), Shotgun Jimmie's music is a perfect piece of the puzzle that is the Canadian music landscape. Arguably the only one who can pull off a song about Skype dates, Kilpatrick is a most charming entertainer.