One of the few Halifax groups to maintain indie credibility while flirting with mainstream success, the Joel Plaskett Emergency made some serious inroads in the Canadian music scene last year. The trio signed a production and distribution deal with MapleMusic, released the critical favorite Truthfully, Truthfully in late fall and hit the road almost immediately. The fans responded accordingly—Truthfully, Truthfully exceeded sales expectations, hit number one on college charts and earned a 2004 Juno nomination for Best Alternative Album. And now that JPE has finally released a single—“Come On Teacher” hit radio and television stations nationwide last month—who knows how far the band’s star will rise?
Runner-up: Wintersleep