Rootsy Canadian rockers Paso Mino mine a bit of influence from their countrymen Neil Young and the Band, but their sound is equally rooted in the contemporary Canadian indie scene that's produced eclectic, imaginative bands like Broken Social Scene and the Dears. Formed in the small lakeside city of Barrie, Ontario, the group consists of guitarist Afie Jurvanen, guitarist and keyboardist Mike O'Brien, bassist Michael Clive, and drummer Robbie Drake. The band's nonsensical name, Clive joked in a 2007 interview with an online arts and entertainment magazine in Toronto, roughly translates as "a place in Mexico that sells Japanese straw coats." After migrating about 80 kilometers due south to Toronto, Paso Mino self-released their debut album, Good People, in 2004. The following year, Paso Mino connected with Toronto-based singer/songwriter Jason Collett (Bird, Broken Social Scene) and served as both opening act and backing band on his tour supporting his 2005 solo album Idols of Exile. They later performed the same functions for Stars singer Amy Millan on her tour supporting her 2006 solo record Honey from the Tombs. While recording a new album with Collett, Paso Mino also began work on their second album, due in 2007. ~ Stewart Mason, Rovi