Rock musician and singer/songwriter Joel Plaskett rose to fame in the Canadian indie rock scene during the 1990s. Plaskett formed Thrush Hermit and the Neuseiland with other local musicians in Halifax County, Novia Scotia where he honed his vocal and songwriting skills. After both bands had broken up in 1999, he embarked on a solo career and released In Need of Medical Attention, an album made up of leftover songs from his days with Thrush hermit. His first success as a solo artist came with his 2001 album Down at the Khyber, featuring his new backing band The Emergency. The band became known as Joel Plaskett Emergency and achieved critical acclaim, including six East Coast Music Awards in 2008. Shortly after the release of Plaskett's 2009 solo album Three, which featured three discs for a total of 27 songs, the triple record was nominated for the 2009 Polaris Music Prize short list.
