Tim Harrison
Tim Harrison
Second Avenue Records
1999
10 tracks
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You can see inside this song
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Tim Harrison writes and performs contemporary folk music at a level to which most singer/songwriters can only aspire. Harrison's new self-titled release is a class act all the way, creating a new benchmark for folk artists everywhere. Even though several tracks are updated versions of older songs previously recorded for other releases, the overall sound is consistent and the quality unflagging.
Harrison plants himself soundly in the folk music tradition with straightforward lyrics that tell simple, but not simplistic, stories of real people in the real world. His are words from the heart that will appeal to each listener in a slightly different and personal way. Simply put, Harrison is one of the finest folk lyricists in Canada today.
That Harrison has a solid grounding in traditional music is evident not only in his well-written lyrics but also in his choice of melodies. He sets his tales against simple folk and country melodies that both reflect the past and stand up as creations in their own right. These are the sort of melodies that fans can pick up and play in their own back-porch jams. Yet, Harrison manages to bring this traditional feel to his music without ever sounding like he's simply picked up an old melody and adapted it. His melodies are fine original creations.
The music is straightforward, the sort of mix one suspects will sound at least as good performed live and will probably sound even better. Here, Harrison doesn't reach deep into the prehistory of folk music. No sweet madrigal or fake Celtic sounds here but something more of the twentieth century. The echoes here are more of early Lightfoot (Steel Rail Blues, Early Morning Rain) and James Taylor (Sweet Baby James). There are even hints of the more straightforward Cohen (Bird on a Wire, Famous Blue Raincoat). This is folk music with a distinct country edge and a hint of rock and jazz thrown in. The instrumentation is kept simple and Harrison sings with a with a bright, clear voice.
While, like many recent Canadian singer/songwriter releases, this is a mixed bag of genres, it shouldn't create much problem for radio programmers. About half the tracks have a folk sound and the other half country. When I say country, I don't mean to suggest it's likely to get played on most modern country stations. Rather, the sound is that of country music around the middle of the last century, quiet and less about big music than about story.
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On a plane across the ocean
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In this release, Tim Harrison has made something very special. Nothing I say can demonstrate that. I may comment on the lyrics, tightly written and seductive. I may tell you about the warmth of the traditional sounding melodies. I may even mention the well-crafted arrangements set against Harrison's evocative singing voice and style. In the end, it all means nothing at all. This is a release that must be experienced in person, must be listened to in a room with no distractions.
For anyone interested in the evolution and growth of contemporary Canadian folk music, this new release by Tim Harrison is a must have.
To discover more about Tim Harrison, visit his home page.
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Since about February 14, 2004 |
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