The Museum Pieces are of those rarest bands that can sound relevant and contemporary while channeling a lot of ancient ghosts and forgotten virtues. As a songwriter and lyricist, Tyler Messick is one of Canada’s true hidden gems—and one of America’s, too. Messick spent his childhood years in Pennsylvania before moving to Nova Scotia, and Philadelphia is in a many ways a symptom of his cross-border charm. When he sings about the Hudson River on “We Searched for Arrowheads”, there’s affection in his voice that goes much deeper than nationality. The album is full of moments, musically and lyrically, that evoke this kind of old-world wisdom, summed up almost perfectly on “Old Cathedral”: “bloody spears and other ancient fears / corrupt sermons falling on the people’s ears / I’ve been witness to a thousand years / and it’s funny, because I don’t even pray / but still I feel like an old cathedral / where the steps have been worn away”. The whole conceptual mood of Philadelphia is musically paralleled with the addition of Andy March on piano and drums, as well. The dynamic between March and Messick help the songs go beyond simple folk rock when it’s least expected (and most effective). Take “I Know You Too Well”, the album’s biggest anomaly and one of its most interesting tracks. The piano and guitar alone might suggest a moody troubadour’s ballad, but the unique drum roll and subtle buzzing effect somehow takes the song into Radiohead territory.With Philadelphia getting the attention it deserves, and the band already recording its follow-up, The Museum Pieces are poised to do the rarest of things among young exciting bands—endure. “While Messick’s lilting quiver strongly resembles Neil Young’s voice, Philadelphia rarely sounds like a classic-rock throwback. Messick’s measured pace and smart lyrics—whether he’s singing about getting drunk and high (“It Keeps Me Up”) or analyzing American explorers (“Lewis and Clark”)—are reminiscent of Smog’s clearest days and Kingsbury Manx’s nightswimming piano-and-guitar tunes.” Magnet MagazineMUSICIANS: Tyler Messick: Lead Vocals, Guitar, Piano / Andy March: Piano, Organ, Drums, Backing Vocals / Pamela McInnis: Bass, Vocals / Benn Ross: Drums / Ronnie MacEacheran: Fiddle / Jill Barber: Vocals