Customer Reviews

Snow In June

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is classic 80's music. The only radio hit off this album is "SHE AIN'T PRETTY" but the whole album is fantastic. It takes you from simple folk music to rock. This album has that certain something that cathches your ear and keeps your attention!!

I have had this album since 1992, when I bought it on one of my trips to Canada. I was hooked by the title track, almost 2 songs in one, with an interesting link in between, but the thing that really got me was the simply awesome guitar solo at the end of the song. I can play it over and over again and never tire of it.

The other thing is that all the other tracks are good too, I like the middle of the album a lot, "Am I In Your Way" and "Unimportant" are also real favourites of mine.

Since buying this, I also went for "Secrets Of The Alibi", "Big Blue Sky", "Neptune" and the last live recording. The Pikes always have something good to offer on every outing they make. Pity they don't get a run in Australia.

If you like guitars, get this for the title track alone as it is a great piece of rock playing.

I have followed the Northern Pikes for the last 10 years and own all of their releases. I have also traveled to Canada twice in 2001 to see them live and meet the band. Truly nice individuals. I have enjoyed to the Smithereens and own a couple of their albums. To compare the Pikes with the Smithereens is ridiculous. One singer/songwriter versus three for the Pikes and the content of the Pikes lyrics as well as diversity of musical styles cannot compare. I would suggest that anyone looking for something different fromt the music scene available today and with a few dollars to spend checkout Canadian music outlets such as Maplemusic.com and purchase "Snow In June", the greatest hits compilation and the new release "Truest Inspiration". Bassist Jay Semko also has a solo release that is available from his website and Bryan Potvin, lead guitarist has a recent solo release. Both are a must, in my opinion as with all releases, but keep in mind that I am a fishhead. I have introduced the Pike's music to a number of friends and the response is always the same, great music. Give them a few listens before you pass judgment. That's how I found them. Check it out.

"Snow In June" (1990), should of been a million seller, instead it barely made a ripple. This is a great lost classic that got by about everybody, Virgin didn't want to release it (fools!), so little Scotti Brothers did. The Pikes released some great music here. "Dream Away", a great lead off track by any rock band, "Love These Hands", "Kiss Me You Fool", their only U.S. Hot 100 entry "She Ain't Pretty" #86, good slide guitar with barrel house piano on this track, (it won best video in 1991 in Canada), "Shadow of Doubt", the thought provoking "Unimportant", the blistering "Shotgun Morning", the tragic filled tale of "Girl With A Problem", Garth Hudson (Of The Band) plays a mean pump organ on this track and the title track ends this album, with you wanting more. To me this is The Pikes at their most ambitious.
The band in 1990:
Merl Bryek-vocals,guitar
Bryon Potvin- vocals,guitar
Jay Semko-bass,vocals
Don Schmid-drums

This is basically a songwriters album. each song is either good, or great, and so well written, especially with each song having its own sound and particular instrumental layering..3 songwriters in one band and they were all at the top of their game at this point, i play this album 2 or 3 times a year, every year for the last 18 years, it hasnt aged at all.

I'd already picked up on the Northern Pikes back in the late 80s thanks to the West Virginia University student radio station. Back then, the Pikes got some airplay here in the States via college radio and the local privately owned indie record shops stocked their LPs and CDs. When 'Snow In June' appeared in the summer of '90, it knocked me out (and still does). It is one of those rare moments when a recorded collection of songs makes a perfect album. Every song here is a winner, and combined, they make for a recording that has been a mainstay in my listening pleasure since that summer long ago. This one should have made the Northern Pikes International stars. Unfortunately, that did not come to pass (as often happens with many truly talented bands and singer/songwriters). Over the years, the Pikes have broken up and regrouped in their native Canada and have since produced more great music. Search them out and visit their website to keep informed of their latest happenings. Get a copy of 'Snow in June' and you'll find out what you've been missing!

I'd already picked up on the Northern Pikes back in the late 80s thanks to the West Virginia University student radio station. Back then, the Pikes got some airplay here in the States via college radio and the local privately owned indie record shops stocked their LPs and CDs. When 'Snow In June' appeared in the summer of '90, it knocked me out (and still does). It is one of those rare moments when a recorded collection of songs makes a perfect album. Every song here is a winner, and combined, they make for a recording that has been a mainstay in my listening pleasure since that summer long ago. This one should have made the Northern Pikes International stars. Unfortunately, that did not come to pass (as often happens with many truly talented bands and singer/songwriters). Over the years, the Pikes have broken up and regrouped in their native Canada and have since produced more great music. Search them out and visit their website to keep informed of their latest happenings. Get a copy of 'Snow in June' and you'll find out what you've been missing!

The Northern Pikes released this album in 1990 and from the moment I listened to it at the young age of 12 I was hooked on the Pikes this album is a beautiful mix of music it has something for everyone. It can bring you from laughter to tears and back again no Northern pikes collection will be complete without Snow In June.

"Now and then it seems to happen time to time - Snow In June" - Bryan Potvin

They weren't exactly the most challenging band lyrically but I loved the songs of Jay Semko. Check out Secrets of the Alibi, their second record.

The argument can be made that the Pikes are a tragically underappreciated pop-rock band, and this is the album that reinforces the argument to the nth degree. Do not relegate these guys to the eighties ghetto: for one thing, this album was released in the summer of '90, and the boys toured it well into late '91. And they're back together again (their latest, "Truest Inspiration", rivals "Snow") and touring. "Snow In June" was a sublimely confident work, cohesive but all over the map stylistically, with folk, hard rock, radio pop, and even tinges of celtic, country, and bluegrass making appearances. Not dated at all, this is a personal sounding record, that saw lead guitarist Bryan Potvin come into his own as a singer and songwriter, and give the band its biggest hit, in "She Ain't Pretty". The three frontmen share all duties and work so well together, harmonizing in beautiful combinations of two or three in most songs, without ever losing their individual personas. For some reason this album always stood out because of the "middle eights" in songs such as "Am I In Your Way" or "Shadow of Doubt" - trancendant breaks that make good songs great. A team effort, with help from legends Garth Hudson, John Sebastian, and Mellencamp vocalist Crystal Talifero. Folks, if you love good pop and rock with a rootsy appeal, harmony and melody and intelligent, poetic lyrics, this should do you fine. (And at these prices, you can't go wrong). There's no one to compare these guys with, in any country. They were and are again, unique.