This 12-pack of Canadian folk songs, from the heart of Iqaluit, Nunavut, is yet another musical coup for Borealis Records. Drive is Night Sun�s fifth CD, so if you�ve never heard of them, the switch to this popular record company will change all that.
The basic instrumentation provided by Ellen Hamilton, Adam Hodge, Les Casson and Scott Davey of guitar, bass, drums, and keyboards is variously enhanced by Chris Coleman on mandolin, Irish flute, guitar and banjo. As this that weren�t sufficient, various guest players (including guitarist/dobroist Terry Tufts) add upright bass, fiddle, accordion, clarinet, more guitars and back-up vocals. In the hands of less professional musicians, this could mean a lot of extraneous noise, but that is not the case here.
The multi-faceted personality of rural Canadian music, incorporating predominantly Celtic and French roots, is held to its highest standards here. Ellen Hamilton�s lead vocals may be a little too similar to those of Jewel on some tracks, particularly on �Look for the Sun�, but fans of that more famous singer will likely enjoy Ellen�s as well.
The majority of the tracks, mostly all composed by Ellen and/or Chris Coleman, are mellow but lighthearted, with elements of Zydeco (�Jolie Pantalon� and �Vavoom�, both with co-credits from Les Casson and Bonnie Dawson), a medieval nod in �Safe and Well� and a heavy dose of Spanish conquistador in �Petawawa River�. Mariners on either coast will be pleasantly lulled by �A Canadian Song�, a Susanna Moodie poem brought to musical life by Ms. Hamilton, who was further inspired by her to write �My Name�, accompanied by a bluesy piano and a flute. Woody Guthrie, another idol, is covered on the fast-paced gospel-bluegrass tune, �Going Down the Road Feeling Bad�. There�s even a fusion of gospel and reggae on �Don�t Count Riches�.
�All I Do is Drive�, lending the CD its title, marries traditional jazz with an interestingly unorthodox layering on keyboards, while lyrically substituting the sometimes aimless instrumental meanderings of more �progressive� jazz � a brilliant composition by an equally brilliant songwriter.
I wouldn�t be surprised at all if this one gets nominated for a Juno, and deservedly so. |
