David Francey
is one of Canada's best-kept secrets, but he's one who deserves to be globally recognized on a level similar to
Joni Mitchell
or
Neil Young
. His songs are deceptively simple, tinged by his accent, a Scots-Canuck mix, the images direct, as on
"Ashtabula,"
but put together they create a complex, multidimensional picture -- not unlike a younger version of
Gordon Lightfoot
, in his own way. Accompanied here by friends
Kieran Kane
,
Kevin Welch
, and
Fats Kaplin
, there's nothing fancy about this acoustic disc, but it remains affecting.
Francey
looks at the world with a poet's eye, as on the religious parable
"Morning Train."
This was recorded in Nashville, and he looks at America with affection, but also an outsider's skepticism, such as on
"Fourth of July,"
a meditation on the run up to the 2003 Iraq War. He can turn bluesy (with a touch of
bluegrass
in the harmony vocal) on
"Wanna Be Loved"
and keep a driving rhythm on
"Sunday Morning."
Every piece here is a loving little gem.
makes them seem effortless, which is the mark of a true craftsman. Brilliance. ~ Chris Nickson