Les Jupes

Cuccooning. Writing. Scheming. Plotting. Amassing our musical militia.
Here's what the media had to say about Petkau's previous solo work:
"Petkau strikes the balance between hair trigger rage and earnest romanticism on his sophomore effort Don't Say A Word, as he copes with a suffocating world of soft smiles, bitter truths and "long walks home." Petkau, who sings with a detached cynicism that lends a faintly sinister edge to the proceedings, wears his disillusionment like a badge of honour. And his strident, emotional tug of war rock songs are all the better for it. Liberally sprinkled with wiry synths, the 12-track set is brash, bracing and occasionally melancholy to the point of hopelessness (check out the woeful duet "Winter Waits", beautifully fleshed out by vocalist Meagan Peasgood). Don't Say a Word sounds like the kind of record Bob Mould has been trying to make since Copper Blue.
(Ottawa Xpress)
"When he's not challenging the notions of what a singer-songwriter can be, touring, producing other people's records, working his day job as a recording engineer, or staying up for days on end working on the final mixes for his album, Mike Petkau somehow finds time to run the fledgling record label, Head In The Sand... now, Petkau is making a difference himself. Head In The Sand has just released Darren Day's debut This Evening Tonight, and Petkau's latest, Don't Say A Word is on tap for May. While they could both be vaguely described as singer-songwriter albums they both go beyond the hoary old staple of an artist earnestly strumming an acoustic guitar, largely due to Petkau's ambitious production."
(Regina Leader-Post)
"STYLE: Pop-rock songcraft that balances art, heart and smarts."
"SUBSTANCE: It's one thing to make a disc that sounds exceptional. It's quite another to make a disc that is exceptional. As a veteran recording engineer and producer, Mike Petkau certainly has no problem achieving the former. His solid second release Don't Say a Word confirms he can pull off the latter too. These dozen cuts of sharp singer-songwriter pop-rock are amply and artfully decorated with fat-free arrangements and ear-catching sonic manipulations -- but the knob-twiddling never overshadows the bittersweet melodies and earnest emotions at the heart of the matter. Meanwhile, Petkau's gruff, unvarnished vocals and chunky guitars give the whole affair an earthy, folky richness that adds even more power to his musical arsenal. So take Mike's advice -- shut up and listen."
"STANDOUTS: The smoky, rising tension of I Claim These Streets gets the disc off on the right foot. The off-kilter rocker Patch Me In makes a fine centrepiece. And the icy classical strains of Winter Waits send you off in high style."
(Winnipeg Sun)
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Buy the album at CDBaby