I write about random things a lot. I write a lot about random things. Did you know that the Yardbirds, an English rock band in the 1960s, are responsible for launching the careers of Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page?

Each served a term as the band's lead guitarist between 1963 and 1968, and after remarkable careers across the board, they all made the top five in Rolling Stone's Top 100 Guitarists published this past November (at numbers two, five and three, respectively). In fact, when the Yardbirds broke up in 1968, they left Jimmy Page in charge of upholding their concert commitments, so he formed a new band to honour them: Led Zeppelin.

Patrick Krief is a man who appreciates the classics. His website describes his love for music as being inherited from his uncle and steeped in the live music scene while growing up in Montreal. Krief built his reputation as a guitarist for The Dears, but after the release of Hundred Thousand Pieces on April 17, attention is bound to shift finally and solely to his work as a solo performer and composer.

After releasing his debut solo EP Take It Or Leave in 2007, Krief formed Black Diamond Bay for subsequent releases — Calm Awaits and the Marching Backwards EP, both released in 2009. Still an active member of The Dears, Krief is turning his attention to his solo work and his new album, Hundred Thousand Pieces.

Due for release on April 17, Hundred Thousand Pieces is stylish indie album that succeeds in being personal and unique with a distinct Montreal vibe — casual listeners will savour tastes of Arcade Fire and Coldplay while more seasoned ears will hear ghosts of Conor Oberst and Frank Black among the refrains.

Krief produced the record himself, and he is responsible for most of the musical performances you hear: drums, piano, keys, bass, guitar, percussion and vocals. As anticipated, he demonstrates exceptional prowess and virtuosity throughout the record, but even more impressively, he demonstrates exceptional restraint; on “Tell Yourself” and “Hundred Thousand Pieces,” Krief solos and assaults the ear with the sort of sharp hot blues the British made famous, yet other songs are constructed in more understated and disarming ways.

This album is fueled with a love and understanding of music unlike many other these days, a refreshing change that credibly adds to the pleasure one can derive from the Motown-esqueties of garage soul on “Perfect Bodies” or the pure cinematic atmosphere created in “Blessed.” Overall, it's a highly listenable work from a very talented artist, sure to make people take notice.

Hundred Thousand Pieces is preceded by the singles “Simple Lives” and “Forever Goodnight,” the latter of which premiered on AUX TV just before Canadian Music Week in Toronto, which Krief celebrated with a performance at the Pirates Blend Showcase at the Great Hall.

Krief will be performing a string of special gigs leading up to the album release, with appearances in Montreal, Toronto, Windsor and Hamilton. For more on Krief, his coming record and tour dates, visit krief.ca or follow on Twitter @patrickkrief.

And for more of the latest music news, reviews, album streams and more, consider following this column on Twitter @fsu_bobbyisms or via Tumblr at bobbyisms.com. And in case you found yourself wondering while you were reading this, I wrote Krief 13 times. Go Krief! I'm out of words.