Now this is exactly what we Canadians need to be doing more of. On this gleamin’ plate of laser disc, the good folks at Catch & Release have heaped up a pile of the best and brightest in the Calgary music scene for a 19-track tribute to legendary Canadian songster Stompin’ Tom Connors.

Bring Your Own Plywood has an array of songs that cover the map of Stompin’ Tom’s career, but what really make the selections great are the personal recollections and anecdotes that surround them. We’ve got Sean Marchetto recalling the time Connors called in to his late-night radio show to request a song while on tour, and the boys in the Agriculture Club trading verses so that every band member has a chance to pay tribute to the Canadian legend. Even the fiendish Jackson Phibes [Forbidden Dimension] manages to dig up a classic Connors morsel that made it’s way onto the soundtrack of a ’70s era horror flick.

A couple of standout tracks are "The Consumer" redone in fine form by Calgary’s own cyber-saboteur, The Spam Avenger, and Lorrie Matheson’s chillingly desperate rendition of "Margo’s Got the Cargo." From Matt Masters’ traditional version of "Rubberhead" to the rawked out "Martin Hartwell Story" done by The Cripple Creek Fairies, this tribute disc has enough variety to keep it interesting and really proves how versatile Connors’ songs are. A fiercely loyal Canadian artist, Stompin’ Tom has traveled to every corner of Canada sharing his songs about real people and places in the country he loved so much. Based on the variety of talented musicians on B.Y.O.P., his influence was far reaching indeed. Canada is a country full of great artists, and this album manages to pay tribute to a legend while highlighting the abilities of some of Calgary’s local music personalities.