It's funny how a little time can change things. In the early 90s, I purchased an LP at a record show by some random band. (It was in stellar condition!) Big Blue Sky by the Northern Pikes was, at that age, something I found funny. It seemed to me that there was too much rhyming and a general sense of goofiness. I bet I'd like it now, but at that time... Then, at some point in the late 90s, I said to several people that a Northern Pikes album was one of the best finds in music I'd had in years. And, this was at a stage where listening to music was serious; music shaped my life as it probably never can again. Snow in June is the 3rd album by this Canadian band. The album is rock and roll, and the writing, production, and performance is executed with a sophistication that constantly surprises. You go in thinking songs with titles like "Love These Hands" or "Kiss Me You Fool" will be fluff, but the cottony, tame stuff is nowhere to be found. "Love These Hands" is an attractive song of commitment and caring with driving instrumentation and a cool fade out. "Kiss Me You Fool" changes up the musical feel (something more "acoustic" sounding, maybe) but the observation of a relationship is again satisfying and mature. Then, following an uptempo bit of fun ("She Ain't Pretty," with the nicely juxtaposed follow-up "she just looks that way") are two deeper pieces that can seem monumental, if you're so inclined to such things. I was 15 years ago, and the sense of awe that I had for these two songs lingers on. "Tomorrow Never Comes" is a lament or, maybe, a warning about addiction and abuse with an almost etherial collection of vocals, guitar, and percussion. "Shadow of Doubt" is a heavier stab at the ugliness of humanity delivered by vocals varying from low rumbles to near excitement. Well done. The final feather in Snow in June's hat is the final impression it leaves. "Snow in June" is an epic musical experience with 3 stages. Beginning with a parting shot to the singing and instrumentation that you've experienced over the past 50 minutes, it transitions (with a wake up alarm, literally) to a slightly more pounding and impassioned serenade. Finally, with obvious separation, the listener is transported to an arena with 80s-style hard rock guitars as the grand send off. That's what you get with this album: a steady flow of interesting and varied pleasures. In many ways it probably works better for a mellowed (read: older) listener. Or, maybe it just sounds that way in 2012 to a mellowed listener (like me). As I did a little background research on the Northern Pikes, I found out that they actually experienced commercial success far greater than I ever realized. According to allmusic.com, three songs on this album even charted (Canada?). Oh well. In my mind, Snow in June is still an amazing album and an amazing find by a band that I nearly dismissed several years earlier. I am so very glad I didn't.