The shaggy-haired wonder and his band of ragtag vagabonds made their mark on Halifax, playing a handful of shows this past year. Most recently, the band blew the crowd away when they played two candidates for best shows of 2004 with Dartmouth hero Matt Mays at the Marquee in January. Of course, all that is nothing without great tunes to back it up and We Were Born In a Flame is chock full of them. Roberts set Canadian radio on fire in 2003 with “Don’t Walk Away Eileen,” “The Hard Road,” “Brother Down” and “Where Have All the Good People Gone?” Judging by the energy of the Roberts performances in Halifax this year, all the good people are on the east coast and they rewarded the Montreal musician with a best Canadian album win.
Runner-up: Nickelback, The Long Road
