When We Learn The Things We Need To Learn
David Newberry
Indie
9-out-of-10
There is always greater interest in doing reviews for musicians I have been lucky enough to see live, so David Newberry's disk was one I was definitely looking forward to listening to. In this case it helped that Newberry's performance Oct. 21 at 5th Avenue Cup & Saucer in Yorkton was one of the best nights of live music that has occurred in Yorkton, at least those shows I have seen, in months.Newberry has a friendly approach when performing live with stories connected to many songs which allow him to interact in a natural way with the audience.
Musically, Newberry is a minstrel of old seemingly reincarnated for today. He is a natural poet, able to capture stories and emotions easily with his words. You can mark this guy as one of the better songwriters of the current folk world in Canada. Truly excellent with songs such as All of My Friends are Famous, a song with a political message that speaks back to songwriters of the 1960s.
Performance wise, Newberry can deliver his songs as good as it gets. I was talking to Dale Winnitowy after the show, who himself reviewed music for years, back in the ancient age of LPs and 8-tracks. He has been a music fan for decades. The conversation soon had Newberry's performance likened to Bob Dylan when you could still understand the words Dylan was singing.Now I'll admit comparing someone to the great Dylan may be a surprise for some, but Newberry can wear the mantle easily. You hear the similarities in the lyrical approach, the vocals and the way both artists speak of the world they see around them.
Check him out at www.davidnewberry.ca
- CALVIN DANIELS
Everywhere West
Jim Byrnes
Black Hen Music
8.5-out-of-10
Since his 1995 release of That River, Jim Byrnes has been a favourite of mine. I totally loved that CD, and still rate it among the best blues disks I have reviewed.
Now Byrnes is a versatile performer, and his 2008 release House Of Refuge was more gospel in nature, and still earned a 9-out-of-10.
Last June Byrnes was back on the review pile with My Walking Stick which was and eight.Which brings us to Everywhere West, Byrnes newest release.
The disk seems a little bit between pure blues and gospel, two musical styles which actually have a lot in common.
Hot As A Pistol starts the disk, and it's certainly blues.
Then Byrnes switches gears a bit, and gives us Yield Not To Temptation, a song while bluesy, is also very much a gospel effort.
Then it's back into pure, old time blues with Bootlegger's Blues.
Overall the new effort is more a blues album. In that respect it might be most closely related to That River among Byrnes' recent efforts, and for me that is a good thing.
I truly enjoy Byrnes clear vocals, and relaxed approach to the blues. It comes across like he's sitting across the living room strumming his guitar and singing to the listener directly. That sort of musical intimacy is not always easily achieved, but Byrnes seems to pull it off effortlessly.
Check him out at www.jimbyrnes.org
- CALVIN DANIELS
Past reviews are archived online at http://calmardan.blogspot.com/
