Jenny Whiteley (2000) review

From the extensive Fervor Coulee archives Jenny Whiteley Jenny Whiteley Self-released (2000) Jenny Whiteley is a treasure for roots music fans. Her debut solo album is a recording of rare qualities. She successfully blends elements of traditional, hurting country with folk boldness and bluegrass virtuosity. Whiteley was recently honoured at the Juno Awards for best…

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Tom Savage, Mark Martyre, & Rob Lutes reviewed

Three Canadian singer-songwriters. Three very different voices and visions. What keeps me writing about roots music? The money dried up in 2012. Most PR and label types expect writers to get by with downloads, totally disregarding the importance of packaging art, notes, and musician credits. It is more difficult than ever as a freelance writer…

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Petunia And The Vipers- Lonesome, Heavy and Lonesome review

Petunia And The Vipers Lonesome, Heavy and Lonesome PetuniaAndTheVipers.com I’ve never known exactly how to take Petunia And The Vipers. Are they spoofing country music? was among my initial thoughts when first encountering them several years back. Is it musical theatre, and I just don’t get it? Nope. They are the real deal. Hell, Phil…

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Jesse Waldman- Mansion Full of Ghosts review

Jesse Waldman Mansion Full of Ghosts JesseWaldmanMusic.com A music industry veteran with considerable soundtrack and live performance work behind him, Mansion Full of Ghosts is the debut album from Vancouver’s Jesse Waldman. There was a time about 15 or so years back when a friend and acquaintance produced scores of house concerts and cafe shows…

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Lee Palmer- Bridge review

Lee Palmer Bridge On The Fly Music http://www.LeePalmer.ca Ontario’s Lee Palmer has made a string of satisfying albums in recent years, but with Bridge the prolific musician has raised the bar for himself and independently-produced, guitar-based roots music. With a musical approach similar to that of Ray Materick a generation ago, Palmer explores a variety…

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Brock Zeman- The Carnival Is Back In Town review

Brock Zeman is an artist I’ve reviewed a few times now, (I could only find one on-line; if I can locate the previous review, and it is readable, I may add it in down below) and he has always impressed me. Like the best roots artists, he has grown with time, and his latest is…

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Blackie and the Rodeo Kings- Kings and Kings review

A while back, Country Standard Time asked me to review Blackie and the Rodeo Kings’ latest, Kings and Kings. I had previously bought the download of the album for my own enjoyment, so I was more familiar with it than I normally am with an album by the time came to write about it. It…

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Fred Eaglesmith- Standard review

Fred Eaglesmith has been around the Americana/roots/Canadiana music world for almost 40 years. His first album was released in 1980, and since then he has unleashed more than 20 albums (including live sets) to a devoted following, but hasn’t ‘quite’ broke through to the threshold of household name; for perspective, Lucinda Williams’ folk/blues cover set…

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Richard Laviolette- Taking the Long Way Home review

Richard Laviolette Taking the Long Way Home You’ve Changed Records Earnest country records are few and far between. Ignoring the trappings of modern country recording, Ontario’s Richard Laviolette has created a natural-sounding album, balancing the beauty and fidelity of old-time country and folk music (think Clarence Ashley and Doc Watson recordings with the refinement of…

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Lynn Jackson- Songs of Rain, Snow, and Remembering review

Lynn Jackson Songs of Rain, Snow, & Remembering Busted Flat Records Dang. I hate coming late to the game, but such is the situation as I first encountered Lynn Jackson this past month. The Kitchener, ON singer and songwriter is on album number eight with Songs of Rain, Snow, & Remembering and I don’t think…

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