The Northern Pikes FLAC Pack (6 Albums) [FLAC] [h33t] - Kitlope

File Type: FLAC Compression 6
Cd recorder: Plextor PX-716SA
Cd Ripper: Exact Audio Copy V0.99 prebeta 4
EAC Log: Yes
EAC Cue Sheet: Yes
Tracker(s): http://www.h33t.com:3310/announce; http://tpb.tracker.thepiratebay.org:80/announce; http://inferno.demonoid.com:3419/announce
Torrent Hash: 913F61A993FD5982F534575CC12691C73F26CA65
File Size: 2.23 Gb
Albums &Years in this torrent: Big Blue Sky 1987, Secrets of the Alibi 1988, Snow in June 1990, Neptune 1992, Hits & Assorted Secrets 1999, Truest Inspiration 2001
Label: Virgin
Note: Had some trouble ripping “Hits & Assorted Secrets” using EAC so the last 5 tracks are ripped with CDex.
Please help seed these FLACs!
From Wiki:
The Northern Pikes are a Canadian rock band formed in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in 1984. The original members were Bryan Potvin, Jay Semko, Merl Bryck and Glen Hollingshead. Hollingshead left the band in 1985, and was replaced by Don Schmid in 1986. The band was active until 1993 and subsequently reunited in 1999.
The Northern Pikes released two independent EPs before being signed to Virgin Records in 1986. Their first album for the label, Big Blue Sky, included "Teenland", the band's first significant hit. The follow-up album Secrets of the Alibi contained two more minor Canadian hits, "Wait for Me" and "Let's Pretend".
Their 1990 album, Snow in June became their biggest seller in Canada and the US. That album's lead single, "She Ain't Pretty", was the band's biggest hit. An innovative music video for that song received heavy play on MuchMusic and was nominated for a Juno Award. Overall, the band has been nominated for 5 Juno Awards, but have yet to record a win.
In 1992, the band released Neptune. After touring to support the album, they announced their retirement as a group in July 1993.
In 1999, Virgin Records asked the band members for their input on a "greatest hits" package. The band decided to do a short promotional tour following the release of Hits and Assorted Secrets 1984-1993, but found themselves enjoying the more relaxed independence of making their own schedule that they continued touring. They have since released three independent albums, including a live one aptly titled Live, with promises of more to come.
In 2006, the band was expected to release a hybrid collection of songs from Truest Inspiration and It's a Good Life under the name Beautiful Music. It was to include a bonus DVD of footage from the recording of Truest Inspiration and some promo clips from It's a Good Life. However, this has yet to see the light of day.[1]
Recently, the band has struck up a musical collaboration with Les Stroud. Throughout 2005 and 2006 they performed together live several times, and a collaborative album is currently being produced under the tentative name Les Stroud and the Pikes. The official Northern Pikes website, the album is scheduled to be released in 2008.[2]
Big Blue Sky is the first major label album by The Northern Pikes released in 1987. It featured two hit Canadian singles - "Teenland" and "Things I Do for Money".
The album was certified Gold in Canada by the Canadian Recording Industry Association in December 24, 1987.
The songs "Love Will Break You" and "Heartaches Heartbreaks (Open Up)" were added to the album when it was released on CD in 1990. "Heartaches Heartbreaks (Open Up)" was the b-side to the "Teenland" single in 1987. "Love Will Break You" originally appeared on The Northern Pikes, the band's original independent release in 1984 and it was the b-side to the "Things I Do for Money" single.
Additionally, the song "Dancing in a Dance Club" originally appeared on the band's 1984 independent release The Northern Pikes, while the songs "Lonely House", "You Sold the Farm", "Jackie T", and "Teenland" all appeared on the band's 1985 independent release Scene in North America.
The album is dedicated to the memory of Neil Morgan who played guitar, synth, and vocals for The Idols, an early incarnation of the band which also included Jay Semko, Merl Bryck, Don Schmid, and Robin Billinton.
1. "Teenland" (Jay Semko) – 4:19
2. "You Sold the Farm" (Semko, Merl Bryck, Bryan Potvin) – 3:18
3. "Things I Do for Money" (Semko) – 4:21
4. "Just Another Guy" (Semko) – 4:47
5. "Dancing in a Dance Club" (Semko) – 4:01
6. "Jackie T" (Semko, Potvin) – 4:08
7. "Lonely House" (Semko) – 3:04
8. "Love and Muscle" (Semko, Bryck) – 3:38
9. "Never Again" (Semko) – 3:53
10. "Love Will Break You" (Semko) – 3:43
11. "Heartaches Heartbreaks (Open Up)" (Semko) – 9:08
12. "Big Blue Sky"
Secrets of the Alibi is the second album by The Northern Pikes released in 1988. It featured two hit Canadian singles - "Wait for Me" and "Hopes Go Astray".
Although this was their second album, the Pikes were nominated for "Most Promising Group" at the 1989 Juno Awards. This was likely because no Juno Awards were presented in 1988, the year their debut album would have been up for nomination. They were also nominated for Best Video at the 1989 Juno Awards for their song "Wait for Me". They failed to win either award.
The album was certified Gold in Canada by the Canadian Recording Industry Association on July 18, 1991.
About one year after recording their successful debut album, the Northern Pikes returned to the studio in the Spring of 1988 to record the follow-up. The resulting production had a more serious tone than their first, no longer talking about "Teenland" but themes of growing up and a political awareness of the world at large.
The first track on the album is "Place That's Insane", apparently about a pretty waitress who works in a smokey bar, as the lyrics describe "The girl that works in the club downtown / Knows all about life, man, she's been around". The guitar sound in this track is representative of the live sound throughout the album. A remixed version of this track was released on the 12" single.
The first single "Wait for Me" is a sad remembrance of love lost written and sung by Jay Semko. As guitarist Bryan Potvin recalls: "Our demo process was always an intense thorough exercise and we came very close to some true magic with this song. The demo version was very relaxed and rather meloncholy. Another killer chorus though, can't lose no matter how you play it." The video was directed by Ron Berti and nominated for "Best Video" at the 1989 Juno Awards.
The second single was the offbeat "Hopes Go Astray" written by Potvin, complete with a strange video of the band members in household situations in the middle of a prairie field. The song was one of Potvin's first attempts at song writing and dated back to 1986, before the band was signed to Virgin Records. Jay Semko said "I think this was a breakthrough for Bryan as a singer and a writer. I recall the sessions at Bearsville with Bryan singing the break ('Now the princess washes dishes...') as a pretty cool evolution."
The band would tour extensively to support this album, including the opening spot for Robert Palmer's 1989 tour.
1. "Place That's Insane" (Jay Semko) – 4:19
2. "Walk Away" (Semko, Bryan Potvin, Don Schmid, Merl Bryck) – 3:18
3. "Wait for Me" (Semko) – 4:21
4. "One Good Reason" (Semko) – 4:47
5. "Blood She Wants" (Semko) – 4:01
6. "Let's Pretend" (Semko) – 4:08
7. "Better Twice" (Bryck) – 3:04
8. "Hopes Go Astray" (Potvin) – 3:38
9. "Stars in the Sky" (Semko) – 3:53
10. "Hole in the Ground" (Bryck) – 3:43
11. "One Good Reason (Extended mix)" – 9:08
Snow In June is the third major label album by The Northern Pikes released in 1990. It featured three hit singles - "Kiss Me You Fool", "She Ain't Pretty", and "Girl With a Problem".
This was the band's most successful album and garnered them three nominations at the 1991 Juno Awards. The nominations were: Group of the Year, Single of the Year for "She Ain't Pretty", and Best Video for "She Ain't Pretty".
The album was certified Platinum in Canada by the Canadian Recording Industry Association on October 31, 1990. To date, it is the band's only Platinum album.
1. "Dream Away" (Bryan Potvin)
2. "Love These Hands" (Jay Semko)
3. "Kiss Me You Fool" (Merl Bryck & Semko)
4. "She Ain't Pretty" (Potvin)
5. "Tomorrow Never Comes" (Bryck)
6. "Shadow of Doubt" (Potvin)
7. "Shotgun Morning" (Semko)
8. "Isn't it Lovely" (Semko)
9. "Unimportant" (Bryck)
10. "Am I in Your Way" (Potvin & Semko)
11. "Girl With a Problem" (Semko)
12. "Green Fields" (Semko)
13. "Snow in June" (Potvin)
Neptune is the fourth album by The Northern Pikes released in 1992. This was the band's last studio album until they reformed in 1999.
Although "Twister" and "Everything" were released as proper singles, with "Twister becoming a moderate hit. The song "Believe" was released as a promotional single, and was a top 40 hit. Meanwhile, "Everything" failed to chart -- instead, the b-side "Worlds Away" picked up airplay and peaked at #40 on the Canadian singles charts.
The album was certified Gold in Canada by the Canadian Recording Industry Association on December 10, 1992.
The album features co-vocals by Margo Timmins of Cowboy Junkies on two songs, and the playing of Ken Greer of Red Rider on two songs.
1. "Twister" (Jay Semko, Bryan Potvin) – 3:25
2. "Believe" (Potvin) – 4:35
3. "All This Man Can Do" (Semko, Potvin, Merl Bryck, Don Schmid) – 3:52
4. "Worlds Away" (Semko) – 4:19
5. "Why Cry" (Semko, Potvin, Bryck, Schmid) – 3:37
6. "Somedays" (Bryck) – 4:31
7. "Crocodile Tears" (Potvin) – 4:24
8. "What it's Really About" (Semko) – 3:57
9. "Hold On" (Potvin) – 3:58
10. "Chain of Flowers" (Semko, Potvin, Bryck, Schmid) – 5:11
11. "Francesca" (Semko) – 5:10
12. "Everything" (Semko) – 3:37
13. "Straight Line" (Semko, Potvin, Bryck, Schmid) – 6:20
14. "Black Cat" (Bryck) – 3:37
15. "The Way You Are" (Potvin) – 5:15
Hits and Assorted Secrets 1984-1993 is a Greatest Hits album by The Northern Pikes released in 1999. Along with some of the band's biggest hits, the album included 3 previously unreleased tracks.
Following the tour in support of Neptune in 1993, the band decided to dissolve. However, in 1999 Virgin Records asked the band members for their input on a "greatest hits" package. To support the package, the band decided to do a short promotional tour. They found themselves enjoying the more relaxed independence of making their own schedule that they continued touring.
1. "Teenland"
2. "Things I Do for Money" (radio edit)
3. "Place That's Insane"
4. "Hopes Go Astray"
5. "Let's Pretend"
6. "Wait for Me" (radio edit)
7. "She Ain't Pretty" (radio edit)
8. "Kiss Me You Fool"
9. "Dream Away" (stasium re-mix)
10. "Girl With a Problem"
11. "Wasting Away" (previously un-Released)
12. "What She Wants" (previously un-Released)
13. "Beautiful Summer" (previously un-Released)
14. "Chain of Flowers" (edit)
15. "Believe"
16. "Worlds Away"
17. "Unimportant" (live)
18. "Dancing in a Dance Club" (live)(edit)
Truest Inspiration is the sixth studio album by The Northern Pikes released in 2001. This was their first album of new music since they reformed in 1999 after a 6 year break.
Following the release of Neptune in 1992 and the subsequent live album called Gig in 1993, the band decided to disband. During their time apart, Jay Semko and Bryan Potvin each released a solo album. However, in 1999 Virgin Records asked the band members for their input on a "greatest hits" package. The band decided to do a short promotional tour following the release of Hits and Assorted Secrets 1984-1993, but found themselves enjoying the more relaxed independence of making their own schedule that they continued touring.
After a live album called Live released in 2000, the band decided to record a new album in the latter half of 2000. No longer signed to Virgin Records, the album was released independently by the band's Square Dog management group.
Tracks:
1. "Echo Off The Beach" (Bryan Potvin)
2. "Little Boy Kelly" (Merl Bryck & Neil Morgan)
3. "Swirl" (Jay Semko)
4. "Christ" (Bryck)
5. "I Can't Compare" (Potvin)
6. "Favourite Cousin (Still In Prison)" (Semko)
7. "Out Of Love" (Bryck)
8. "Michigan" (Potvin)
9. "Head First" (Semko)
10. "Colour Into Colour" (Bryck)
11. "Beautiful Music" (Semko)
Enjoy :)