Northern Exposure: Caledonia, 'We Are America' -- Free MP3

The cover of Halifax indie quintet Caledonia's first full-length, 'We Are America,' features an eye-catching painting of an American flag with a Canuck maple leaf amid the stars. While it may be premature to judge a record by its cover, the band's tunes prove equally worthy of attention -- particularly the rootsy, guitar-driven title track, which echoes the warmth and twang of the likes of Neil Young, the Band and Bruce Springsteen.

After several years of working together as a group and surviving a number of tumultuous personal experiences, Caledonia's five members finally pulled their respective influences together under the production of Toronto music scene veteran Dylan Hudecki (former bassist for By Divine Right) to record the recently-released 'We Are America' last year back home in Nova Scotia.

Just as the album's 14 songs refuse to conform to one particular style, easily meandering through everything from alt-country, folk, reggae, indie rock and beyond, the title track also weaves together distinctive elements. While the tune is clearly built around its strummy guitar hook, the hazy, harmonized vocals and driving rhythm still manage to stand out.

Though the track recalls modern-day troubadours like Jason Collett, who also borrow from the best of retro-rock and folk for their own spin on a classic sound, what makes Caledonia particularly interesting is that there are five capable songwriters and players all contributing to the mix. That's most evident on the song 'We Are America,' which serves as a fitting introduction to an act that's clearly more than the sum of its parts.