ancestor's eyes
David Leask
Independent
1999
11 tracks
Listening to the music of Canada's independent singer/songwriters as we enter this new millennium, I notice a couple of things.
One thing I notice is that nearly all of them are good at what they do. They have a certain proficiency at writing words and music, although some artists are less skilled at one thing or the other. And they are competent performers of their own songs.
The other thing I notice is that, while clearly talented and technically skilled at writing and performance, all too many gravitate toward a folkish manner that tends to be cliche and mundane, so that there is little to differentiate one from another.
And, more often than not, there is no depth. I had an online conversation with a folk-dj a few days ago, who said: "I receive a lot of CDs with very pleasant music and very pointless lyrics." I think he expressed the situation perfectly. It may be that the ability to release one's own work without benefit of an independent editor or producer is not always a good thing.
David Leask is distinctive among singer/songwriters in no small degree because he eschews the folk-singer model for something leaning more toward pop music. In this, Leask too is following a trend, rather a minor theme flowing through mainstream of Canadian indie folk music. Like some others I have heard, Leask's music echoes a type of pop-folk that was prominent in the late Sixties and early Seventies.
The lyrics are still rooted in story and the melodies have a mostly traditional feel to them. The instrumentation and arrangements, however, take a direction that is located somewhere between middle of the road, easy listening, and soft rock.
In David Leask's recording, there are elements of jazz and rock reminiscent of a music pioneered by such artists as Van Morrison and the later James Taylor, among others. This makes for an interesting mix. On this release, a listener may hear songs that appear to be influenced by Morrison ("Halfway to Heaven" and "The Message in You"), The Blues Travellers ("The Other Side") and even Gerry and the Pacemakers ("Take Me In").
There are some quirky elements here. For example, "Make My Bed" begins with an a capella near-doowop line that repeats as a bridging theme throughout the song without ever actually connecting with Leask's singing.
"Talking Away" is a jazzy little number with a funky edge and a bridge that verges on spoken word, except that the patter is mostly buried beneath the music. I call it a "bridge" because it has all the sound and feel of those long freeform bridges we heard in Sixties rock, the sort of thing The Doors did. In fact, it does not "bridge" anything but just flows out to the end of the song. That it does so makes an interesting transition to the "Bridge Over Troubled Waters" piano intro of "I'm Alive," the final track on the CD. "Talking Away" is perhaps the best, or at least the most interesting song on ancestor's eyes.
One element that becomes irritating at times is that the drums seem to be mixed far too strong in several of the tracks and distract from the overall sound. However, this is a minor problem.
For those listeners seeking a break from the usual folkie fare, the music of David Leask's ancestor's eyes might be just the ticket.
Those wanting to know more about David Leask can visit his home on the internet.
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