Jason Collett

Find me a Canadian who doesn’t like Jason Collett, and I’ll show you a sucker. The guitarist from Toronto’s indie finishing school, Broken Social Scene, has been less noticeably (than his bandmates) releasing solo albums every few years grounded in his roots-based, folk-rock style.

First came a compilation album, Motor Motel Songs, released on Arts & Crafts. Then, came the highly-anticipated and collaboration-heavy Idols of Exiles in 2005. Favorites off the album included the pop, love duet “Hangover Days” with Metric’s Emily Haines as well as “Fire,” a slice of foot-stomping, lyrical parade ornamented with the tinkling of piano keys. Collett is schooled rock interwoven with the privacy and intimacy of folk. His songs come across as very simple, but are in fact layers upon layers of finely thought-out pieces.