Canadian four-piece Harlan Pepper grew up listening to music on dusty record players and hissing radios. Those sounds have been channelled into these songs that in turn make up their album Young and Old.

It’s an album that encapsulates their obvious love for raw roots, rock country, blues, and folk music, but seen through their own 21st century kaleidoscope.

Take a listen to Great Lakes, the lead track from the record. On the one hand it is classic roots music that calls to mind Hank or Gram, but on the other it has a freshness and zest that that means they’re bold enough and confident enough to incorporate slyly mischievous lyrics over a vintage country refrain and get away with it.

It is the sort of song that puts a smile on your face without you even knowing it, and a song you could imagine still being sung on back porches in fifty years time. Well worth checking out.

Visit their Bandcamp page here and buy the album for $8.

Visit their MySpace page here.

Download Harlan Pepper – Great Lakes mp3 (from Young And Old)