| VANCOUVER BLUE - PAUL FENTON |
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| His third solo effort, Vancouver Blue, produced by Greg Godovitz and mixed at Liquid Studios by Alec Fraser, demonstrates Paul's continuing evolution as a versatile performer, as there are several styles of music displayed here. The first track, "The Girl Next Door", is a catchy pop tune, whose title speaks for itself (although I'm personally glad I'm not a blond, dumb or otherwise!), with much commercial appeal and featuring back-up vocals from Bob Segarini and Greg Godovitz. I didn't find this track does much justice to Paul's vocals, though, which are actually very sweet when not being overly strained. "Vancouver Blue" is a pop tune, as well, about a long-distance love affair, and distinguishes itself from the first track by Paul's trademark dreamy slide guitar riffs sandwiched in between the hard-rockin' chorus lines. "Midnight Train" takes us back to Paul's recurrent love for Southern U.S. blues. When I first heard the slide guitar on this track I immediately pictured that group of escaped convicts boarding that lonesome steam locomotive (literally and figuratively) that would take them to freedom. "T-Bone Walker Blues" is, of course, a tribute to one of Paul's many traditional blues-playing heroes. While it is definitely a track to please blues purists, I also detect a "double entendre" in its lyrics ("I'm so tired of singing 'Stormy Monday' but that's all they want to hear") against those same people who can't seem to get past the "blues classics" and listen to a different approach to the blues. "Time" (my personal favourite on the EP) could well be described as "neo-classic rock", which definitely contains psychedelic overtones on guitar and Hammond B3 organ reminiscent of Iron Butterfly, Creem and even early Captain Beyond. It also sharply reminds me of Paul's early session recordings with the late Mick Ronson (David Bowie and Mott the Hoople). "Mind Your Own Business", Hank Williams Sr.'s country-rock classic, although very similar in style to Paul's rendition of "Rattlesnakin' Daddy" (included on Paul's "Worldwide Slide" CD and performed "live" on Breakfast TV), seems a curious choice for inclusion on this EP, but perhaps it was simply a message which needed vocalizing in order to exorcise some personal negative emotions. Paul's excellent supporting musicians on this EP are Doug Inglis on drums (a regular with Paul, going back to the days of the Fenton Brothers project), Robb Sheik on lead guitar, Mike Pellarin on bass, Peter Jermyn on Hammond B3 organ, the aforementioned Greg Gregovitz and Bob Segarini on backing vocals and Dave Love on 12-string electric guitar. Paul's current players, slated to appear at Blues on Bellair on March 2 and 3/01, consist of Rick Gunn (lead guitar), Tony Nolasco (drums), Gary Kendall (bass), Peter Jermyn (Hammond organ), Chris Aris (vocals), Jamie Lawliss (vocals and mandolin), and no doubt a host of other special guests! Come out early to reserve a good seat - this gig's gonna smoke! NOTE: A revised (and abbreviated) version of this review appears on www.701.com - Arts & Entertainment Section - CD Reviews - November/01. |
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