Brown Bag Lunch by Sonic Deli

Many of the songs were also written by Jim and his long-time co-writer, Andrea Poulis, often in collaboration with the other artists featured here.

Press Reviews

BROWN BAG LUNCH ***

EYE Magazine - Toronto, Canada Issue 05.12.05

If straight ahead, Q107-style radio rock bore more critical currency than lo-fi indie pop, Sonic Deli's unbroken social scene, documented on this label compilation, would be the one we're hearing about ... Armstrong himself crafts seviceable, catchy, blue-collar rock ... Extra points for Armstrong starting to record the project three months after undergoing brain surgery to control his epilepsy.

HOWARD DRUCKMAN

Andy Frank of THE FIRST WORD & IT'S ALIVE!

CIUT 89.5 FM - Toronto, Canada (April & July 2005)

"Freed of some of the shackles of epilepsy, this gifted song-writer and multi-instrumentalist with shades of Waits and Bachman, played his first live gig (post-op) at Healey's on ... we were there to record it, and play it on IT'S ALIVE!. Jim is a genuine hero, an inspiration to all who are faithful to their art. Listen to "Rhythm Of The Moon" (live from Healey's) after Jim speaks of facing risky surgery on THE FIRST WORD."

Keith Ross Leckie, Emmy- and Gemini award-winning writer/producer (Lost In The Barrens, Journey Into Darkness, The Arrow): “Over the years Jim Armstrong's music continues to surprise and entertain me. His first album "Brown Bag Lunch" revealed a strong and confident talent as a musician, singer, songwriter and arranger in different genres. And now his new album, "Mudtown", fulfills that promise again. I find myself looking for films to make that can take advantage of Jim's accomplished music.”

E. Thomas Canton, Director/Producer: "As the director and producer of The Adulterers’ Guide to Toronto I found that working with Jim Armstrong and Andrea Poulis was not a matter of simply putting music in the film: it was creating a whole new level of understanding in the film for both comedic and dramatic effect. Watching the film became a new — and far better — experience and this is why the first thing I did for my next movie was to have Jim and Andrea agree to do the music. I say, without hesitation, that the songs and the music created for The Adulterers’ Guide to Toronto were without a doubt Oscar caliber. The proof is in the movie. Watch it and I dare anyone not to agree with me."

Mark Papousek; of Mark & Nida In The Morning

Y101 Today's Best Country - Ottawa, Canada

"After having had the chance to listen to the BROWN BAG LUNCH CD a few times, I am impressed with the songs and the artists. I am sure that we will be hearing some of them on the airwaves very soon."

Myrocia Watamaniuk; television host for

Rogers DAYTIME TORONTO

"When Jim sings, you know he's singing from his heart."

Jon Long

Long & McQuade Musical Instruments - Canada

"Jim is an incredibly talented musician. His music needed to be heard, I had to help him and his friends."

The Sonic Deli Collective

The core of The Sonic Deli is Peter James (Jim) Armstrong, a multi-talented singer-songwriter whose extensive catalogue of songs is resonatingly honest and from the heart. Jim's compelling, infectious melodies and strong lyrical imagery are supported by solid grooves and reminiscent of Bruce Springsteen, John Hiatt and Tom Petty. Since his start as a child prodigy drummer (touring from the age of 10), Jim has demonstrated his abilities as both an accomplished multi-instrumentalist and a talented producer. Jim's longtime collaborations with songwriter and business partner Andrea Poulis and bassist Wes Miller culminates in 2005 with a solo CD on the Sonic Deli label.

And...

Awesome little package of vocal talent, Jennifer Bettencourt blasts many music styles including her signature, an unlikely pairing of jazz and heavy rock (think Norah Jones meets Amy Lee of Evanesence)

. Jennifer Claveau is the lead singer of the Toronto band Likewater. Writing alone and in collaboration, she combines a lyrical gift that draws from normal, everyday life, with a talent for expressive melody. Labelled "Canada's next big singing star" (Joe Warmington, The Toronto Sun). Toronto-based Crazy Babies rock!

Amer Diab - it's country music and city music, but it's definitely not in-between. Amer's first solo release, 2003's The Year of the Apology (featuring members of Broken Social Scene) enjoyed serious critical acclaim.

Bruce Dies - Lead guitarist, who's vast experience includes local, as well as international performing and recording. Bruce has played with artists ranging from domestic stars Lee Aaron and Lisa Dalbelo to superstar Ozzy Osbourne. Josh Hutchinson - of the hard-rock band The Entropy. Josh's solo turn on BROWN BAG LUNCH showcases his intense, impassioned voice and compelling lyrics. Shelley Jacobson is a CMT/NSAI award-winning singer-songwriter who resides in Thunder Bay, Canada, but regularly performs, co-writes and records in Nashville; she has recently been signed to a major Nashville publishing company. New face and new sound in the Canadian country/pop/rock music scene is dAVID jANES. His successes include the title of Best Singer and Best Stage Performance in the Canadian leg of the 2004 Emergenza competition. Juno Award winner (2000) and three-time nominee Lazo was born on the island of Dominica. First Canadian artist to be signed to Washington's RAS Records, has won Top Reggae Performer of the Year from the Canadian Reggae Music Awards, in rotation on CSN and BET. Lazo has toured in the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean sharing the stage with such artists as Maxi Priest, Burning Spear, Third World and The Wailers. Bass player Wes Miller has been an integral part of The Sonic Deli sound for over 10 years. As part of the label's "thumb and drum" duo (along with drummer Jim Armstrong), he is largely responsible for the solid groove that defines the music on this disk and throughout the Sonic Deli catalogue. Singer/songwriter Violet Ray's debut CD Good Things was released on her own label, Climb-it Records, receiving airplay in Canada and Australia. Violet has showcased at Nashville's famous Blue Bird Cafe, Bluebird North (with the Songwriters Association of Canada), Glenn Gould Studio Stage in Toronto. Nominated for the Rising Star award by the Ontario Country Performer and Fan Association. Debbie Shessel is a regular contributor to The Sonic Deli, lending her powerful voice to various projects over the years. Deb's vocal style is a heady, exhilarating mix of rock & roll, blue-eyed soul and old-style R&B spiced with a little blues and funk.

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