Land of Talk bring sound to Rock ‘N Roll Hotel

“One of the most important things I learned was [not to believe] the impression that as a woman you are supposed to be singing a certain way,” said Powell, who was incredibly modest about her vocals prowess. “As a female singer, you’re almost expected to hit the high harmonies, regardless of your physiology. It was until I lost my voice during the Broken Social Scene tour that I realized [that isn’t always possible].”

As Powell recovered from her vocal malady, she used the time to write songs, 10 of which are on the trio’s recently released album “Cloak and Cipher.” The album by Powell and her bandmates Joe Yarmush and Andrew Barr also includes guest contributions from Patrick Watson and members of other notable bands, including Stars, Arcade Fire and Thee Silver Mt. Zion.

Writing the songs for the album was an unusual experience for Powell because it was the first time she really had to work on her own with just the Garage Band application as company.

The result is a sound that’s a mix of pop, post-punk, electronic and folk in a very clear, signature style. While they sounds incredibly textured, the songs began in a very basic process, she said.

“It was the exact same process I used as a teenager,” said Powell, who began writing at home when she was a teen armed only with an acoustic guitar. “It was kind of a return to my beginnings creatively.”

Powell said the magic really started to happen when she went into the studio — where a Michael Jackson cover band played on one side and a heavy metal band played on the other — and worked with her bandmates, producer and guests to finesse the songs.

“That’s when they took the more defined shape and really blew out the ideas,” she said. “It was really cool.”