Recorded live at Blues On Bellair, this Ottawa-based, frequently-visiting band got me off on the right foot with a rousing song called here "Highway 401", but it is actually new lyrics to "Going To Toronto" from McKenna Mendelson Mainline's Canada - Our Home And Native Land LP. I'm told that the new lyrics are a true story and the connection to the city is a nice touch indeed. Mainline is also a pretty good indication of their sound: Fenton plays a mean slide guitar and Rick Gunn is on lead guitar, Doug Inglis, drums and Mike Pellarin, bass round out the band with club co-owner Peter Jermyn sounding just fine on the B3. "Luddite" continues the rocking pace with literate lyrics on the human cost of innovation. "Little Red Rooster" & "Shake Your Moneymaker" keep everything grounded before original material returns with "Midnight Train" and "T-Bone
Walker Blues". "Train" is merely serviceable but "T-Bone" is a slow blues about playing "Stormy Monday" so often it's driving him to drink! "I'm Goin' Upstairs" is a way-too-long Hooker boogie done up Canned Heat style and is a low point of the set for me, but things pick up with "'Way Down In Georgia", which is a much better, original, song. A fine version of "It Hurts Me Too"
closes things out. A couple of CDs ago I accused Fenton of being too fond of his FX pedals at the expense of the songs and here he seems to have reversed that with generally excellent results. This live CD is more than just a souvenir of a night at the club. If you can't find it anywhere else, it is available from www.paulfenton.com.
John Valenteyn
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