Hey Rosetta! are a band well known at home in Canada that US pop-rock fans should know as well. They play a brand of pop-rock that falls somewhere among the music of Coldplay, Snow Patrol, and Mumford and Sons. Two albums by the group have been shortlisted for Canada's prestigious Polaris Prize. This year Hey Rosetta! is nominated for a Juno Award in the New Group of the Year category.
I was fortunate to catch Hey Rosetta! in concert last week opening for Gomez. The day before I spoke with songwriter and lead vocalist Tim Baker by phone. The band were on the road from Minneapolis to Milwaukee. He said that Hey Rosetta! was formed when he had a set of songs he wanted to work on, but he had grown, "tired and uninspired playing by myself." The group came together in 2005 with cello and violin among the instrumentation. In concert the strings seem to give Hey Rosetta! a bit of Celtic edge which Tim Baker says would be in keeping with the musical traditions of the band's home of Newfoundland. While performing, Hey Rosetta! weave a distinctive atmosphere that draws the listener in leaving them wanting more as the set comes to a close.
The current album Seeds is now available for digital purchase. Hey Rosetta! are signed to Dave Matthews' ATO Records in the US. Check out the band's "Yer Fall" below, and familiarize yourself with one of Canada's top recording groups.
- Watch "Yer Fall"
Photo courtesy ATO Records
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