Mike Angus

As a member of brother-fronted Edmonton, AB band the Wheat Pool, Mike Angus has been pounding out gritty country rock since 2005. On his solo debut, he uses a gentler touch on a set of intimate songs that demonstrates his songwriting without straying too far from the Wheat Pool sound. Written in a farmhouse in Italy, the tracks ramble along with an easy rhythm. Generous vocal reverb gives Hymns a churchy vibe, though irreverent lyrics on tracks like "Gsus Minor" and "Scaffold Christ" neutralize any sense of piety. "Scaffold Christ," in fact, is where Angus does break away from the rootsy Wheat Pool vibe. Born of a personal challenge to write without the use of acoustic instruments, the song is strung with drum loops and keyboard effects. Whether a one-time creative departure or a hint of less-traditional things to come, it's the most evocative number on the album and the one that lingers longest in the ears.