Jale

In the vibrant Halifax music scene that also produced Sloan and Eric's Trip, four art students established the shimmering indie-pop group Jale in April 1992. Taking their name from the initials of Jennifer Pierce on guitar, Alyson MacLeod on drums, Laura Stein on bass, and Eve Hartling on guitar—all four handling vocals and songwriting duties—the band borrowed equipment from friends and performed live for the first time within five weeks. Their debut single "Aunt Betty" appeared soon afterward, followed by a slot on Sub Pop's double seven-inch Halifax compilation Never Mind the Molluscs.

Following additional singles, Jale secured a deal with the label and cut the 1994 album Dreamcake, whose bright melodies and layered harmonies stood out. The group next recorded the 1995 EP Closed, after which MacLeod departed to play bass in Halifax's Hardship Post. Drummer Mike Belitsky joined, and the band headed to Chicago to work with producer Brad Wood, emerging the next year with So Wound, whose track "All Ready" seemed destined for wider success. In early 1997 Hartling stepped away to raise a family, leaving the remaining members to continue briefly as the Vees, who released a self-titled EP on murderecords that same year.