Singer and songwriter Jim Bryson has earned a reputation as one of Canada's most distinctive alt-country acts, but he isn't afraid to add a pop melody or some off-kilter electronics into one of his roots-inspired tunes. A native of Ottawa, Bryson was a member of the alternative rock band Punchbuggy, appearing on their 1995 album All Nite Christian Rollerskate, before leaving the group to strike out on his own. In 2000, Bryson released his first solo set, The Occasionals, named for the band he'd been playing with in Ottawa. However, personal commitments prevented Bryson from taking the Occasionals on the road, and he'd enlisted a new set of players for his follow-up, 2003's The North Side Benches, which was released through the Universal-distributed Orange Records label. Bryson's solo career took a back seat for the next several years as he stayed busy working as a sideman, playing guitar on Howe Gelb's project 'Sno Angel Like You and in Kathleen Edwards' band (she recorded his song "Somewhere Else" on her fine 2005 album Back to Me). Bryson also recorded with Sarah Harmer, Kate Maki, and Lynn Miles before he found the time (and accumulated the songs) for his third solo set. Where the Bungalows Roam was released by the Canadian independent label Kelp Records in the spring of 2007, with Bryson planning an extensive series of Canadian dates to support the album. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
