Mauno

The sophisticated indie pop of Canada's Mauno ("mao-no") combines elements of '60s pop, jangly guitar pop, and the sleeker sounds of '70s prog and power pop for a tuneful mash-up of their own. They emerged with their first album, Rough Master, in 2016. Formed in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 2014 by singer/songwriters Eliza Niemi (bass) and Nick Everett (guitar), Mauno was named in honor of Niemi's Finnish grandfather. With help from Evan Matthews on various instruments including drums, Mauno's debut album, the self-produced Rough Master, arrived on the Tin Angel label in 2016. A year later, the group issued Tuning as a four-piece with Adam White replacing Matthews on drums, and the addition of guitarist Scott Boudreau. Though the quartet moved their base to Montreal, Mauno's third album was recorded mostly in Calgary by singer/songwriter Chad VanGaalen, with Everett tracking vocals at home. The completed Really Well arrived on Tin Angel in 2019. ~ Marcy Donelson