Joel Plaskett
William Joel MacDonald Plaskett (born April 18, 1975) is a Canadian rock musician and songwriter based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He was a member of Halifax alternative rock band Thrush Hermit in the 1990s.[1] Plaskett performs in a number of genres, from blues and folk to hard rock, country, and pop.
Joel Plaskett | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Birth name | William Joel MacDonald Plaskett |
Also known as | Joel Plaskett |
Born | Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada | April 18, 1975
Origin | Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada |
Genres | Indie rock, Folk rock |
Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter, record producer |
Instrument(s) | Vocals, guitar, bass guitar, drums, mandolin, keyboards |
Years active | 1992–present |
Labels | MapleMusic Recordings, New Scotland Records, |
Website | joelplaskett |
Plaskett's songwriting frequently contains allusions to his home city, Halifax.[2] With his band The Emergency, he has toured throughout North America and Europe with The Tragically Hip, Sloan, Bill Plaskett (his father), and Kathleen Edwards.
Early life
Plaskett grew up in Lunenburg, a small town on Nova Scotia's South Shore. His father, Bill Plaskett, is also a musician, and was a cofounder of the Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival.[3] Plaskett learned to play guitar and write songs while listening to an eclectic range of music, from singer-songwriters such as Joni Mitchell and Neil Young to rockers such as the Sex Pistols and the Pixies.
Plaskett's family moved to Halifax when he was twelve; by the next year, he had formed his first band with friends Rob Benvie and Ian McGettigan. Initially, they called themselves Nabisco Fonzie.[2] By 1992, they were a foursome called Thrush Hermit, with Michael Catano on drums.[4]
Career
Thrush Hermit
Plaskett was the lead singer and guitarist for the Halifax-based band Thrush Hermit. Catano was replaced by drummer Cliff Gibb in 1994, the same year the band was signed to Murderecords.[2] After two EPs, the group went on to release its full-length debut on Elektra in 1997--Sweet Homewrecker, which was recorded in Memphis with producer Doug Easley. The album did not do well commercially, and they were dropped by their label. The band would record one more album, Clayton Park, for Sonic Unyon Records, before quitting in 1999.[5][6]
Neuseiland
In late 1998, Neuseiland was formed by Plaskett of Thrush Hermit, as well as members of popular Halifax bands The Super Friendz and Coyote, the Euphonic, both of which had also recently broken up. Taking the name of the band from a Dutch children's book by Annie Schmidt called The Island of Nose, the band consisted of Plaskett on drums, Charles Austin and Drew Yamada on guitar, Andrew Glencross on keyboard and Tim Stewart on bass. They cited King Tubby, Kraftwerk, Pink Floyd, Ray's Chicken Pita and Willie Nelson as influences. The goal of the band was to mix conventional song structure with experimentation inspired by krautrock, stoogian protoplasm and the subtractive mixing techniques of "version" reggae.[7] The band released one album, the self-titled Neuseiland, recorded and released on March 4, 2000.[8][9] The band released an extended play, The Disappearing E.P., on December 8, 2001.[10] Sessions for a third release, titled Ai Yi Yi, were recorded in 2002, but never materialized in an official release until 2014.[11] The band broke up after performing a farewell show on January 6, 2005.
In August 2014, the band released a digital-only compilation collection titled Rarae Aves, which included outtakes, CBC RadioSonic performances, and select demos from recording sessions dating back to 2002, on Bandcamp. Included in this collection were photographs and a near-complete video of their final show in 2005.[11][12]
On August 3, 2017, the band's bassist Tim Stewart passed away.[13]
Solo work and the Emergency
After the breakup of Thrush Hermit and Neuseiland, Plaskett embarked on a solo career. His first release, In Need of Medical Attention, consisted of leftover songs that were written near the end of his days in Thrush Hermit. It was well received by critics, but not until the release of 2001's Down at the Khyber did Plaskett begin to enjoy more widespread acclaim. Khyber was a harder-rocking album that featured a new backing band, The Emergency, consisting of Plaskett, drummer Dave Marsh and bass player Tim Brennan.[14] Together they called themselves Joel Plaskett Emergency. The album earned Plaskett a Juno Award nomination as best new artist.[15]
The band's next album, Truthfully Truthfully, in 2003, was Plaskett's first all-out commercial success.[15] It was produced by his old Thrush Hermit bandmate McGettigan and was the band's debut release for MapleMusic Recordings.[2] The album featured the song "Come On, teacher," which became a hit in Canada. The album later received an East Coast Music Award as best rock recording.
Plaskett's follow-up album was a solo effort, called La De Da, on which he played most of the instruments himself (McGettigan, however, played bass).[15] Plaskett consciously sought a different sound for La De Da than he did for his previous effort; he considered it a record more for himself than for commercial radio. The album was released in 2005 and earned two East Coast Music Awards in 2006, as Male Artist of the Year and Songwriter of the Year, for the song "Happen Now." He was also nominated for a Juno Award for songwriter of the year that year and was named male artist of the year and songwriter of the year at the East Coast Music Awards.[2]
In March 2006, Joel Plaskett Emergency released their first DVD, Make a Little Noise. It included an EP of three songs. The single "Nowhere with You" has received the most mainstream radio airplay of any Plaskett release to date, and was featured in a Zellers television commercial. Make a Little Noise had three wins at the 2007 East Coast Music Awards: DVD of the year, single of the year ("Nowhere with You"), and songwriter of the year (Joel Plaskett, for "Nowhere with You").[16]
The band's next album was Ashtray Rock, released in April 2007. A concept album about high school love and suffering[17] Ashtray Rock was on the shortlist for the 2007 Polaris Music Prize,[18] but lost to Patrick Watson's album Close to Paradise. The album's single "Fashionable People" was nominated for the 8th Annual Independent Music Awards for pop/rock song of the year.[19]
During the week of December 10, 2007, Plaskett and the Emergency played six consecutive shows at the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto as part of the music venue's 60th-anniversary celebrations. Each night, a different album was performed in its entirety, starting with In Need of Medical Attention on Monday and finishing with Ashtray Rock on Friday night and Saturday night.[20]
Emergency was nominated for seven East Coast Music Awards in 2008, more than any other act. They won six of those awards, tied with the previous record.[21][22]
Another solo album came next: the album Three, which was released on March 24, 2009. It consists of three discs each consisting of nine songs for a total of 27 songs. The first single from the album was "Through and Through and Through." The triple album was nominated for the 2009 Polaris Music Prize short list.[23] In the same week that the Polaris shortlist was announced, Paul McCartney announced that he had selected Plaskett and the band Wintersleep as the opening acts for his concert of July 11 at Halifax Common.[24] Three won adult alternative album of the year at the 2010 Junos; Plaskett was also nominated for songwriter of the year.[2]
In May 2011, he became the first artist ever to reach one million plays on CBC Radio 3's online music streaming site,[25] and released an exclusive acoustic version of "Nowhere with You" to the network for the occasion. In June, he released a B-sides and rarities compilation titled EMERGENCYs, false alarms, shipwrecks, castaways, fragile creatures, special features, demons and demonstrations.[26]
The band returned for the 2012 Joel Plaskett Emergency album Scrappy Happiness, released in March.[27] The album followed a unique release strategy, in which Plaskett and his band recorded one song each week for ten weeks, releasing each song to iTunes for sale as a single as soon as its recording and production were completed, and then rereleased the songs as a complete album once the project was concluded.[28]
His album The Park Avenue Sobriety Test was released in March 2015.[3] He released the album Solidarity, a collaboration with his father Bill, in 2017.[29]
A "spiritual successor" to his album Three, Plaskett released the quadruple album 44 on April 17, 2020, the last day he was 44 years old.[30][31] Plaskett recorded the 44-song collection across Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Memphis, Nashville and Toronto, having worked with 33 other musicians over four years.[32] Each of the four records in the album contains 11 songs, with their own title and theme. The first record (41: Carried Away) is centred around travelling, the second collection (42: Just Passing Through) turns to finding a homecoming unfamiliar, the third set (43: If There's Another Road) tackles transitioning from lost to found, and the last record (44: The Window Inn) deals with arriving at a personal destination.[32]
Other collaborations
In recent years, Plaskett has embarked upon a number of projects. He has acted as record producer for a variety of Atlantic Canadian artists, including Steve Poltz, David Myles, Mo Kenney, Sarah Slean, and Meredith Shaw.[33] As well, in 2004 he made his television debut as a rock coach on the CBC Television documentary series Rock Camp.[16] In 2008, Plaskett and his father Bill were featured in an episode of the Bravo! television concert series The Berkeley Sessions.[34]
Plaskett also appeared as a busker in the film One Week[16] and was a guest anchor on the March 5, 2013 episode of This Hour Has 22 Minutes.[35] A collaboration with CBC Kids in 2012 resulted in a music video for an alternate rendition of Plaskett's "Fashionable People", recast from the original song's satirical portrait of hipsters into a song about how fun it is to play dress-up.[36] Fellow East Coast Canadian musician Classified (Luke Boyd) featured Plaskett on his single "One Track Mind" from his 2009 release, Self Explanatory.
Plaskett and Chris Murphy collaborated on the production of Prize for Writing, a posthumous album by singer-songwriter Matthew Grimson which was recorded in 1995 but was not commercially released until 2020.[37]
Discography
Thrush Hermit
- 1994: Smart Bomb, EP
- 1995: The Great Pacific Ocean, EP
- 1997: Rock and roll Detective, EP
- 1997: Sweet Homewrecker
- 1999: Clayton Park
Neuseiland
- 1999: Neuseiland
Solo albums
- 1999: In Need of Medical Attention
- 2005: La De Da
- 2009: Three
- 2009: Three More (EP)
- 2010: Three to One (UK)
- 2015: The Park Avenue Sobriety Test
- 2017: Solidarity (with Bill Plaskett)
- 2020: 44
- 2022: The Window Inn Sessions
Emergency
- 2001: Down at the Khyber
- 2003: Truthfully Truthfully
- 2006: Make a Little Noise (DVD/EP)
- 2007: Ashtray Rock
- 2011: EMERGENCYs, false alarms, shipwrecks, castaways, fragile creatures, special features, demons and demonstrations
- 2012: Scrappy Happiness
- 2021: Twenty Years Gone: The Joel Plaskett Emergency Revisits Down at the Khyber
Singles
Year | Song | Chart peak | Album | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CAN All [38] |
CAN Alt [39][40] |
CAN Rock [41][42][43] |
CAN Hot AC [44] | ||||||
2006 | "Nowhere with You" | 25 | 6 | Make a Little Noise | |||||
2011 | "Jimmie's Still Jimmie" | 26 | 25 | Jimmie's Still Jimmie / That's Not Joel (with Shotgun Jimmie) | |||||
2012 | "Transit Strike" | — | 48 | Non-album single | |||||
"You're Mine" | 38 | 40 | Scrappy Happiness | ||||||
2020 | "Head over Heels into Heaven" | 44 (41: Carried Away) | |||||||
"Just Passing Through" | 44 (42: Just Passing Through) | ||||||||
"If There's Another Road" | 44 (43: If There's Another Road) | ||||||||
"Melt the Universe with Brotherly Love" | 44 (44: The Window Inn) | ||||||||
"—" denotes a release that did not chart. | |||||||||
Producer credits
- Moving East (CD/LP) Jimmy Rankin (2018)[45]
- Through the Long Night (Digital EP) Bend The River (2018)[46]
- Things Change (CD/LP) Dennis Ellsworth (2018)
- The Details (CD/LP) Mo Kenney (2017) [47]
- Field of Trampolines (CD/LP) Shotgun Jimmie (2016)[48]
- Hymn After Hymn (EP) Villages (2016)[49]
- "Birthday" (single) The Brood (2015) [50]
- You Know I Love You (CD) Sean McCann (2015)
- In My Dreams (CD/LP) Mo Kenney (2014) 2016 JUNO Award Nominee [51]
- The Old Silo (CD/LP) James Hill 2015 JUNO Award Nominee [52]
- "A Game Goin' On" (single) Dave Gunning (2014)
- I Never Sang Before I Met You (EP) Old Man Luedecke (2014) [53]
- Help Yourself (CD) Sean McCann (2014)
- "Lead Me On" (single) Direction (CD) Colleen Brown (2013) [54]
- "Soap and Denim" (single) Direction (CD) Colleen Brown (2013) [54]
- "Randy Newman" (single) Direction (CD) Colleen Brown (2013) [54]
- "Let You Down Again" (single) Gloryhound (2013) [55]
- Trouble (EP) Meredith Shaw (2013)[56]
- Mo Kenney (CD) Mo Kenney (2012) [57]
- Land (of Land & Sea) (CD/LP) Sarah Slean (2011) [58]
- Turn Time Off (CD) David Myles (2011)
- Dreamhouse (CD/LP) Steve Poltz (2010) [59]
- The True Love Rules (CD) Dave Marsh (2010) [60]
- Territory (CD) Two Hours Traffic (2009)
- Little Jabs (CD) Two Hours Traffic (2007) Polaris Music Prize Short-list [61]
- Two Hours Traffic (CD) Two Hours Traffic (2006)[62]
Self-Produced
- 44 Joel Plaskett (2020) [63]
- Solidarity Bill Plaskett & Joel Plaskett (2017)
- The Park Avenue Sobriety Test Joel Plaskett (2015) 2016 JUNO Nominee [64]
- Scrappy Happiness Joel Plaskett (2012) [65]
- Three Joel Plaskett (2009) [66]
- La De Da Joel Plaskett (2005) [67]
- Truthfully, Truthfully Joel Plaskett (2003)[67]
- Down at The Khyber Joel Plaskett (2001)
- In Need Of Medical Attention Joel Plaskett (1999) [68]
Vinyl Singles Produced
- “Eden” b/w “The Great Escape” Mo Kenney
- “When You Come Around” b/w “Paper Crowns” Joel Plaskett Jeremy Fisher
- “Jimmie's Still Jimmie” b/w “That's Not Joel” Joel Plaskett Shotgun Jimmie
- “Destructive” b/w “High Road” Ben Gunning[69]
- “Police Cops”, “Ayatollah” b/w “Boom! Boom!” Myles Deck & The Fuzz
- “Out of Love” b/w “Wrong So Wrong” David Myles
- “Matthew Doesn't Live Here Anymore” b/w “For A Song” Matthew Grimson[70]
- "Three More" Joel Plaskett[71]
- “Half Lit Through the Leaves” b/w “The Scotsman” Tyler Messick
- “Storm Comin'” b/w “Farmer's Daughter” Ana Egge
- “Becoming a Silhouette” b/w “Holding Ghosts” Yellow Jacket Avenger
- “Poor Young Things” b/w “Repeat Offender” Peter Elkas[72]
Awards and achievements
- 2018
- The Coast voted "Best Songwriter"[73]
- The Coast voted "Best Solo Artist"[73]
- The Coast voted "Best Producer"[73]
- ECMA Winner Songwriter of the Year – Joel Plaskett[74]
- ECMA Nomination Album of the Year – Bill & Joel Plaskett, Solidarity[74]
- ECMA Nomination Folk Recording of the Year – Bill & Joel Plaskett, Solidarity[74]
- ECMA Nomination Fans’ Choice Entertainer of the Year[74]
- 2017
- Music Nova Scotia Award Winner Folk Recording of the Year – Bill & Joel Plaskett, Solidarity[75]
- 2016
- The Coast voted "Best Songwriter"[76]
- The Coast voted "Best Producer"[77]
- The Coast voted "Best Male Solo Artist"[78]
- JUNO Award Nomination Adult Alternative Album of the Year – The Park Avenue Sobriety Test[79]
- ECMA Award Winner Producer of the Year[80]
- ECMA Award Nomination Fans’ Choice Entertainer of the Year[80]
- 2015
- CBC's "50 Best Canadian Albums of 2015" – The Park Avenue Sobriety Test[81]
- Dave Hodge's Annual Best of Albums 2015 – The Park Avenue Sobriety Test (#3)[82]
- CBC Music's Top Songs of 2015 – "The Park Avenue Sobriety Test"[83]
- Music Nova Scotia Award Winner Entertainer of the Year[84]
- Music Nova Scotia Award Winner Producer of the Year[84]
- The Coast voted "Best Songwriter"[85]
- The Coast voted "Best Producer"[86]
- The Coast voted "Best Merch By An Artist/Band"[87]
- Polaris Music Prize Long List Nominee – The Park Avenue Sobriety Test[88]
- ECMA Award Winner Producer of the Year[89]
- 2014
- Music Nova Scotia Award Winner Producer of the Year[90]
- 2013
- 2012
- Polaris Music Prize Long List – Scrappy Happiness[93]
- CBC Radio 3 Bucky Award Winner for The Golden Bucky – "Lightning Bolt"[94]
- Music Nova Scotia Award Winner SOCAN Songwriter of the Year – "You're Mine"[95]
- Music Nova Scotia Award Nomination Entertainer of the Year[95]
- Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal[96]
- 2011
- The Coast voted "Best Songwriter"[97]
- 2010
- Juno Award Winner Adult Alternative Album of the Year – Three[98]
- Juno Award Nomination Songwriter of the Year – "Through & Through & Through"[99]
- Finalist International Songwriting Contest "Through & Through & Through" Performance Category[100]
- CMW Indie Award Winner Favourite Solo Artist[101]
- CMW Indie Award Nomination Favourite Album – Three[101]
- ECMA Award Winner Male Solo Recording of the Year – Three[102]
- ECMA Award Winner Entertainer of the Year[102]
- ECMA Award Winner SOCAN Songwriter of the Year – "Through & Through & Through"[102]
- ECMA Award Winner FACTOR Recording of the Year – Three[102]
- ECMA Award Winner Single of the Year – "Through & Through & Through"[102]
- ECMA Award Winner Pop Recording of the Year – Three[102]
- ECMA Award Nomination Single of the Year – "You Let Me Down"[102]
- ECMA Award Nomination Video of the Year – "Through & Through & Through"[102]
- The Coast voted "Best Local Solo Male"[78]
- The Coast voted "Best Vinyl" – Three[103]
- The Coast voted "Best Local Album" – Three[104]
- 2009
- Polaris Music Prize Nomination – Three[105]
- Canadian Folk Music Award Winner Contemporary Album of the Year - Three[106]
- Canadian Folk Music Award Winner Producer of the Year[106]
- Canadian Folk Music Award Nomination Solo Artist of the Year[106]
- Canadian Folk Music Award Nomination Pushing The Boundaries Recording of the Year – Three[106]
- ECHO Songwriting Prize Nomination – "Through & Through & Through"
- First Place Winner Great American Song Contest – "Face of the Earth"[107]
- ECMA Award Winner Entertainer of the Year[108]
- ECMA Award Nomination Single of the Year – "Face of the Earth"[108]
- Music Nova Scotia Award Winner Album of the Year – Three[109]
- Music Nova Scotia Award Winner Male Solo Artist of the Year[109]
- Music Nova Scotia Award Winner Pop/Rock Recording of the Year – Three[109]
- Music Nova Scotia Award Winner SOCAN Songwriter of the Year[109]
- Music Nova Scotia Award Nomination Entertainer of the Year[110]
- Music Nova Scotia Award Nomination Video of The Year – "Through & Through & Through"[110]
- 2008
- Juno Award Nomination Songwriter of the Year – Ashtray Rock[111]
- First Place Winner Billboard World Song Contest Pop Category – "Fashionable People"[112]
- First Place Winner Great American Song Contest – "Fashionable People"[113]
- CMW Indie Award Nomination Favourite Rock Artist/Group of the Year[114]
- CMW Indie Award Nomination Galaxie Rising Star[114]
- COCA Mainstage Artist Award
- ECMA Award Winner Recording of the Year – Ashtray Rock[115]
- ECMA Award Winner Group Recording of the Year[115]
- ECMA Award Winner Rock Recording of the Year[115]
- ECMA Award Winner SOCAN Songwriter of the Year[115]
- ECMA Award Winner Single of the Year – "Fashionable People"[115]
- ECMA Award Winner Video of the Year – "Fashionable People"[115]
- ECMA Award Nomination Entertainer of the Year[115]
- The Coast voted "Best Local Solo Male"[116]
- 2007
- Polaris Music Prize Nomination – Ashtray Rock[117]
- CBC Radio 3 Bucky Award Winner "Song Most Likely to be a Future Classic"- "Nowhere With You"[118]
- CBC Radio 3 Bucky Award Nomination "Best Falsetto" – "Fashionable People"[118]
- ECMA Award Winner SOCAN Songwriter of the Year – "Nowhere With You"[119]
- ECMA Award Winner Single of the Year[119]
- ECMA Award Winner DVD of the Year – Make A Little Noise[119]
- Music Nova Scotia Award Winner Album of the Year – Ashtray Rock[120]
- Music Nova Scotia Award Winner Pop rock Recording of the Year – Ashtray Rock[120]
- Music Nova Scotia Award Winner Entertainer of the Year[120]
- Music Nova Scotia Award Winner Group of the Year[120]
- Music Nova Scotia Award Winner Songwriter of the Year[120]
- Music Nova Scotia Award Winner Video of the Year – "Fashionable People"[120]
- The Coast voted "Top 50 CDs of the Year Award" – Ashtray Rock
- The Coast voted "Best Canadian Male Musician"[121]
- The Coast voted "Best Canadian Solo Artist"[121]
- 2006
- Juno Award Nomination Songwriter of the Year – La De Da[122]
- First Place Great American Song Contest – "Nowhere With You"[123]
- Verge Award Winner – Album of the Year Award
- Chart Magazine The Golden Toque Award Nomination – Best Canadian Album[124]
- Canadian Radio Music Award Nomination – Best New Solo Artist Hot AC
- CBC Radio 3 voted #1 Top 94 list – "Nowhere With You"
- ECMA Award Winner Male Artist of the Year – La De Da[125]
- ECMA Award Winner Songwriter of the Year Award – "Happen Now"[125]
- ECMA Award Nomination Album of the Year[125]
- ECMA Award Winner Single of the Year[125]
- ECMA Award Winner Video the Year[125]
- Music Nova Scotia Award Winner Songwriter of the Year – "Nowhere With You"
- Music Nova Scotia Award Winner Entertainer of the Year
- Music Nova Scotia Award Nomination Single of the Year
- The Coast voted "Best Canadian Male Musician"[126]
- The Coast voted "Best Local Male Musician"[127]
- The Coast voted "Best Local Album" – La De Da[128]
- 2005
- MIANS Award Winner Male Artist of the Year[129]
- MIANS Award Winner Album of the Year – La De Da[129]
- MIANS Award Winner Pop/Rock Recording of the Year[129]
- ECMA Award Winner Rock Recording of the Year[130]
- ECMA Award Nomination Album of the Year[130]
- ECMA Award Nomination Group of the Year[130]
- The Coast voted "Best Canadian Male Musician"[131]
- The Coast voted "Best Local Male Musician"[132]
- The Coast voted "Best Local Song"[133]
- 2004
- Juno Award Nomination Best Alternative Album of the Year
- MIANS Award Winner Group of the Year – Truthfully, Truthfully
- MIANS Award Winner Alternative Recording of the Year
- MIANS Award Winner Entertainer of the Year
- The Coast voted "Best Local Band"[134]
- The Coast voted "Best Local Album" – Truthfully, Truthfully[134]
- 2003
- The Coast voted "Best Local Band"
- The Coast voted "Best Local Live Act"
- 2002
- Juno Award Nomination Best Alternative Album of the Year – Down at The Khyber[135]
- ECMA Award Nomination Rock Recording of the Year[136]
- ECMA Award Nomination Best New Artist of the Year[136]
- ECMA Award Nomination Video of the Year – "Maybe We Should Just Go Home"[136]
- The Coast voted "Best Local Album" – Down at The Khyber[137]
- The Coast voted "Best Video" – "Maybe We Should Just Go Home"[138]
- The Coast voted "Best Male Solo Artist"[139]
References
- Duffy, Rob (May 22, 2012). "Concert Review: Joel Plaskett gets the crowd moving in Toronto". The National Post. Don Mills, Ontario: Postmedia Network Inc. Retrieved June 1, 2018.
- "Joel Plaskett". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Toronto, Ontario: Historica-Dominion. Archived from the original on July 12, 2013. Retrieved July 9, 2013.
- "Joel Plaskett's new album is a veritable kitchen party". The Globe and Mail, March 13, 2015.
- Gillis, Carla (March 24–31, 2010). "Thrush Hermit flies again". NOW. Toronto.
- "The story of the band called Thrush Hermit". www.maplemusic.com. Toronto, Ontario: MapleMusic Ltd. Retrieved June 27, 2013.
- Wittchen, Tara Lee (October 23, 2003). "The East Coast survivor". www.ffwdweekly.com. Calgary, Alberta: Fast Forward Weekly. Archived from the original on August 7, 2007.
- "Neuseiland". cbcmusic.ca. CBC Radio-Canada. Archived from the original on March 1, 2016. Retrieved June 27, 2013.
- "Neuseiland - Neuseiland". Discogs. March 4, 2000.
- Edey, Noel (September 12, 2012). "Plaskett/Kenney kick off folk club season". The Cochrane Times. Cochrane, Alberta.
- "Neuseiland - the Disappearing E.P." Discogs. December 8, 2001.
- "Rarae Aves, by Neuseiland".
- "Neuseiland - Rarae Aves". Discogs. August 27, 2014.
- "Tim Stewart (6)". Discogs.
- O'Kane, Josh (April 1, 2016). Nowhere with You: The East Coast Anthems of Joel Plaskett, The Emergency and Thrush Hermit. ECW Press. pp. 157–. ISBN 978-1-77090-840-6.
- Denning, Mark. "Joel Plaskett – biography". allmusic.com. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
- Bell, Michael (May 2009). "Interview: Joel Plaskett". The Wire MEGAzine.
- Denning, Mark. "Ashtray Rock – Review". allmusic.com. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved June 27, 2013.
- "Arcade Fire, Feist on Polaris short list". CBC News. July 10, 2007. Retrieved June 1, 2018.
- "Joel Plaskett Emergency, Finalist, Pop/Rock Song, "Fashionable People"". The Independent Music Awards. Clifton, New Jersey: Music Resource Group LLC. February 5, 2009. Retrieved June 28, 2013.
- Wheeler, Brad (December 12, 2007). "A Plaskett prescription for the 'Shoe's birthday". The Globe and Mail. p. R2.
- 2008 East Coast Music Awards nominees Archived July 15, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- "Plasket gets 6; local talent makes city proud". Daily Gleaner Archived July 8, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- Polaris Prize 2009 Longlist. Archived June 19, 2009, at the Wayback Machine Polarismusicprize.ca
- "McCartney hires Halifax musicians as opening acts". CTV News. July 9, 2009. Retrieved June 1, 2018.
- "Live on CBC Radio 3 w/ "Grant Lawrence: Trivia Tuesday... the Joel Plaskett Edition!" Archived March 1, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. CBC Radio 3, May 31, 2011.
- "Joel Plaskett Rarities Compilation On The Way" Archived May 18, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. chartattack.com, May 16, 2011.
- "Joel Plaskett's Announces 'Scrappy Happiness' LP, Canadian Tour with Frank Turner". Exclaim!, January 6, 2012.
- Wheeler, Brad (February 17, 2012). "For Joel Plaskett, another week, another jam, another song in the can". The Globe and Mail. Toronto, Ontario.
- "A little bit folk, a little bit rock: Joel and Bill Plaskett bring Solidarity to Saskatchewan". CBC News. March 23, 2017. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- White, Adam (March 22, 2020). Make A Sound'Some Party. Retrieved on 2020-04-25.
- O'Kane, Josh (April 21, 2020). The audacity, and necessity, of Joel Plaskett's pandemic quadruple-recordThe Globe and Mail. Retrieved on 2020-04-25.
- Thiessen, Brock (January 24, 2020). Joel Plaskett Unveils Quadruple Album '44'Exclaim!. Retrieved on 2020-04-25.
- "Producer credits". www.joelplaskett.com. April 9, 2013. Retrieved June 27, 2013.
- "New Bravo! series The Berkeley Sessions sets the musical stage September 10". www.channelcanada.com. Montreal, Quebec: Channel Canada. August 27, 2008.
- "Joel Plaskett's new job: This Hour Has 22 Minutes news anchor". music.cbc.ca. Toronto, Ontario: CBC Radio-Canada. March 6, 2013. Archived from the original on March 1, 2016.
- "Video of the day: Joel Plaskett and Mamma Yamma". cbc.ca/strombo/. Toronto, Ontario: CBC. January 18, 2012.
- Brad Wheeler, "Joel Plaskett and Sloan singer-bassist Chris Murphy bring songs of late Halifax musician Matthew Grimson back to life". The Globe and Mail, August 5, 2020.
- "Joel Plaskett Chart History (Canada All-Format)". Billboard. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
- "Canadian Active Rock & Alt Rock Chart Archive: Alternative rock – August 9, 2011". America's Music Charts. Retrieved August 9, 2011.
- Rock/alt, Canadian (June 28, 2012). "Canadian Active Rock & Alt Rock Chart Archive: Alternative rock - June 26, 2012".
- "Canadian Active Rock & Alt Rock Chart Archive: Active Rock – August 8, 2011". America's Music Charts. August 2, 2011. Retrieved August 2, 2011.
- "Canadian Active Rock & Alt Rock Chart Archive: Active Rock - April 17, 2012". canadianrockalt.blogspot.ca. April 18, 2012. Retrieved August 13, 2016.
- "Canadian Active Rock & Alt Rock Chart Archive: Active Rock - March 6, 2012". canadianrockalt.blogspot.ca. March 6, 2012. Retrieved August 13, 2016.
- "Joel Plaskett Chart History (Canada Hot AC)". Billboard. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
- "Jimmy Rankin: Moving East (Album Review) | Folk Radio UK - Folk Radio UK". November 27, 2018.
- "Stream Bend the River's Joel Plaskett-Produced EP 'Through the Long Night' | Exclaim!".
- "Five Questions With... Mo Kenney | FYIMusicNews". October 20, 2017.
- "Playing the Field: Lots of fun on Shotgun Jimmie's new album | Music | Halifax, Nova Scotia | THE COAST".
- "It takes a Villages | Music | Halifax, Nova Scotia | THE COAST".
- "New Music: The Brood's 'Transistor' Is Already Some Of Your Favourite Songs - The East". October 27, 2017.
- "Mo Kenney's dreams | Music | Halifax, Nova Scotia | THE COAST".
- "James Hill: Old Silo – Victrola.com". Archived from the original on April 22, 2021.
- "Old Man Luedecke I Never Sang Before I Met You | Exclaim!".
- "A new Direction for Colleen Brown | Edmonton Journal".
- "Gloryhound Map Out Canadian Tour with Poor Young Things".
- "Interview – Meredith Shaw | Canadian Beats Media".
- "Mo Kenney Signs with Pheromone Recordings for Joel Plaskett-Produced Debut Album | Exclaim!".
- "CD Review: Sarah Slean, Land and Sea | The Manitoban". Archived from the original on April 22, 2021.
- "Steve Poltz: Dreamhouse – Tower Records".
- "True love makes the rules | Music | Halifax, Nova Scotia | THE COAST".
- "Two Hours Traffic Little Jabs | Exclaim!".
- "Two Hours Traffic Two Hours Traffic | Exclaim!".
- "The audacity, and necessity, of Joel Plaskett's pandemic quadruple-record - The Globe and Mail". The Globe and Mail. April 21, 2020.
- "Joel Plaskett - "The Park Avenue Sobriety Test" - The Revue". April 2015.
- "Joel Plaskett on finding Scrappy Happiness in imperfection | The GATE". June 26, 2013.
- "Best Album 2010 | Joel Plaskett, Three | Music".
- "Joel Plaskett Emergency | Music | Halifax, Nova Scotia | THE COAST".
- "Joel Plaskett - In Need of Medical Attention LP". Archived from the original on November 28, 2020.
- "Ben Gunning - Destructive/High Road 7-inch - NOW Magazine".
- "Music played for keeps: Grimson's songs preserved by fans Murphy, Plaskett | SaltWire".
- "Joel Plaskett - Three LP". Archived from the original on December 5, 2020.
- "Joel Plaskett & Peter Elkas "Poor Young Things" | Exclaim!".
- "Best Songwriter". The Coast Halifax.
- "Festival - Winners & Nominees - East Coast Music Association". www.ecma.com.
- Thorne, Tara (November 6, 2017). "Your 2017 Music Nova Scotia award winners". The Coast Halifax.
- "Best Songwriter". The Coast Halifax.
- "Best Producer". The Coast Halifax.
- Flinn, Sue Carter. "Best Male Solo Artist". The Coast Halifax.
- "11 | 2016 | ADULT ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR | Joel Plaskett".
- "ECMA 2016 Awards Nominees and More News Announced! - East Coast Music Association". www.ecma.com.
- "The 50 best Canadian albums of 2015". CBC Music.
- Hodge, Dave (December 14, 2015). "Jay and Dave's annually tolerated best albums of 2015 - TSN.ca". TSN.
- "CBC Music's favourite songs of 2015". CBC Music.
- "2015 Music Nova Scotia Award Winners Presented at the Music & Industry Awards Brunch". musicnovascotia.ca.
- "Best Songwriter". The Coast Halifax.
- "Best Producer". The Coast Halifax.
- "Best Merch". The Coast Halifax.
- "Joel Plaskett & The Park Avenue Sobriety Test". Polaris Music Prize.
- "Your 2015 ECMA Award Winners Are…". Sea and be Scene.
- "2014 Music Nova Scotia Award Winners Presented at the Music & Industry Awards Brunch". musicnovascotia.ca.
- "The 2013 Bucky Award Winners". Indie88. December 5, 2013.
- "Your 2013 ECMA Winners". Sea and be Scene.
- "Scrappy Happiness". Polaris Music Prize.
- "WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, THE OFFICIAL 2012 BUCKY AWARDS SHORT LIST CBC RADIO 3 - CBC Media Centre".
- "Your 2012 Music Nova Scotia Award WINNERS!!!". Sea and be Scene.
- "The CBCMusic.ca festival comes back to Toronto | CBC News".
- Knox, Carsten. "Best Songwriter". The Coast Halifax.
- "2010 | Adult Alternative Album of the Year | Joel Plaskett".
- "Chart Attack - Best Magazine 2021". August 3, 2023.
- "International Songwriting Competition | The #1 Song Contest for Songwriters". www.songwritingcompetition.com.
- "2010 Nominees/Winners | Jim Beam INDIES with INDIE88".
- "Festival - Awards Archive - East Coast Music Association". www.ecma.com.
- Flinn, Sue Carter. "Best Vinyl". The Coast Halifax.
- Flinn, Sue Carter. "Best Album". The Coast Halifax.
- "2009 Nominees". Polaris Music Prize.
- "Results 2009 | Canadian Folk Music Awards".
- "Great American Song Contest Winners". www.greatamericansong.com.
- "ECMA 2009 Music Award Nominees". The Coast Halifax.
- "Chart Attack - Best Magazine 2021". August 3, 2023.
- Johns, Stephanie. "Nova Scotia Music Week full list of nominees". The Coast Halifax.
- "2008 Juno Award Nominees - Francomix". www.francomix.com.
- "Joel Plaskett Emergency cleans up at six East Coast Music Awards | The Star". thestar.com. February 10, 2008.
- "Great American Song Contest Winners". www.greatamericansong.com.
- "Feist leads nominees for Indie Music Awards | CBC News".
- "Festival - Awards Archive - East Coast Music Association". www.ecma.com.
- "Music". The Coast Halifax.
- "2007 Nominees". Polaris Music Prize.
- "CBC Radio 3 Announces Bucky Awards Winners". exclaim.ca.
- "Festival - Awards Archive - East Coast Music Association". www.ecma.com.
- "Atlantic Seabreeze: Music Nova Scotia 2007 Award Winners". www.atlanticseabreeze.com.
- "Best Canadian Solo Male". The Coast Halifax.
- "2006 Juno Awards Nominees - Francomix". www.francomix.com.
- "Great American Song Contest". www.greatamericansong.com.
- "Chart Attack - Best Magazine 2021". August 3, 2023.
- "Festival - Awards Archive - East Coast Music Association". www.ecma.com.
- "Best Canadian Solo Male". The Coast Halifax.
- "Best Male Solo Artist". The Coast Halifax.
- "Best Local Album". The Coast Halifax.
- Arts, Joan of. "Shocking MIANS nominees". The Coast Halifax.
- "Festival - Awards Archive - East Coast Music Association". www.ecma.com.
- "Best Canadian Solo Male". The Coast Halifax.
- "Best Male Solo Artist". The Coast Halifax.
- "Best Single". The Coast Halifax.
- "Best Local Band". The Coast Halifax.
- "2002 | Best Alternative Album | The Joel Plaskett Emergency".
- "Festival - Awards Archive - East Coast Music Association". www.ecma.com.
- "Best Album". The Coast Halifax.
- "Best Video". The Coast Halifax.
- "Best Male Solo Artist". The Coast Halifax.