GREY COUNTY QUICK JUMP TO REVIEWS BY: J.A., Sing Out, US Kerry Dexter, Dirty Linen, US Roots Music Report, Texas Eric Thom, Exclaim Magazine, Canada     "... poetic exposition...eloquent..." -- Arthur Wood, Folkwax, UK - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- Sing Out, U.S. If 1960s-era folk music makes you sigh with contentment, you'll love this album. I don't mean that in a sarcastic way. Harrison captures the honesty and great storytelling of that era as well as effectively using simple arrangements of banjo, acoustic guitar, mandolin and more to frame his great songs. There are nine originals, plus one cover (Richard Farina's "Pack Up Your Sorrows"), all directly or indirectly related to Grey County, his home in Ontario. "Don Quixote's Dream" has light percussion that gives it a Spanish feel, but also features a Dobro that offers a grittier sound. The most moving song on the album is "Canada Gander's Lament". It's said that Canadian geese mate for life and this true story of a gander waiting for his love's return is heartbreaking. He finally flies away in December when the pond they used to share is frozen over. If you don't have a tear in your eye after hearing this one, you're not made of flesh and bone. "Dan's Song" is a true tale about a young man who is found hanging from a tree, dead by his own hand. Found in drag, he was not accepted in this town where "there were churches built all around the square". The last cut, "Grey County Winter", features a beautifully finger-picked guitar. It sounds like it's in a dropped D tuning, with that low string providing a nice drone under the poetic lyrics. Don't worry about getting those old Ian and Sylvia LPs transferred to CD. Just put on this album. I guarantee it'll fit the bill". - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- Dirty Linen, U.S. Reflections on the life, landscapes, memories, and characters of Grey County, Ontario, Canada, form the subjects of Tim Harrison's music on this disc. These reflections are both poetic and pragmatic, lyrical and straightforward, as befits a man who's had a long history in one place, moving from childhood to adult status. He's got a fine, melodic voice and an ear for the right music to support his songwriting imagery. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- Roots Music Report, TexasThis folk singer and songwriter is a master of his craft. Storytelling by music simplifies the feel of this album. Believable moving tales of life accompanied by beautiful music and vocals that are haunting and truthful. Canada is crowded with talented musicians and song- writers and Tim Harrison is one of the best. What a treasure this new music is - 5 star. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- Eric Thom, Exclaim Magazine, Canada This is an intrusive effort ­ Harrison's 8th release. Giving it a good listen, I left it alone for awhile. Upon returning to it, the opening notes of the rapturous "Don Quixote's Dream" sent a shiver down my spine, my measuring stick for great music. This song, in particular, is haunting echoing the tired perspective of Cervantes' key figure as he gathers strength from his friend and servant, Sancho Panza. Despite Grey County's (named for the place, not the mood) dark sentiments, Harrison probes the positive through his choice of subject matter and lyric. Yet it is the rich tapestry of instrumental backdrop to each of his works that provides the true sparkle of sunshine, like well-defined rays breaking through the clouds to reassure the most disheartened of listeners. Enter the banjo,­ an effective new tool in Harrisonıs arsenal, adding even more texture to an already colourful style. "Your Love Brings Me Around" is a case-in-point, its bluegrass leanings adding a smile to its happy ending. "We Believed" ­another shiver-inducing tour- de-force, recalls Lightfoot at his most uplifting ­ its chorus hitting its mark. Likewise, "Dan's Song" transfixes the listener with a sad tale of intolerance in epic proportions. Of special note is the pick-me-up power of the contagious "Pack Up Your Sorrows",­ a Richard Farina song and the only non-original on the 10-song collection. The combined guitar work of Paul Mills and Harrison is exemplary. Harrison has again succeeded in creating a record that demonstrates his commanding warmth and significant presence over his material and, in so doing, he carries a proud torch that celebrates a sense of place as it underlines our common lineage. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - LISTEN TO GREY COUNTY   HOME   ALBUMS   ORDER PRESENTERS' COMMENTS BIO   SHOWS   REVIEWS info@secondavenue.ca WHEATFIELD WITH CROWS   QUICK JUMP TO REVIEWS BY: Rich Warren, Sing Out! Michael Parrish, Dirty Linen Les Siemieniuk, Penguin Eggs Greg Quill Toronto Star Eric Thom, Exclaim Magazine Kevin McCarthy Folk/Celtic Music Review Arthur Wood Folk Roots     Folk DJ Comments: "[Wheatfield With Crows is] a very well crafted song, excellently performed. I look forward to airing more from the CD." -- Steve Jerrett, KOPN, "Sunday Morning Coffeehouse" "Thanks for sending me such a nice album. I will be playing 'There But For Fortune' of course, but I was really taken with 'Sea Fever'! Nice job!" -- Sonny Ochs, WRPI, "Mostly Folk" "Tim's voice is always wonderful, but in addition, these songs are striking, especially Home Boys." -- Harlon Joye, WRFG, "Fox's Minstrel Show" "[Wheatfield With Crows] is outstanding." -- Michael Stock, WLRN "[Tim's] voice and style are quite extraordinary" -- Laurie-Ann Copple, CKCU "I will be playing Tim's cd's as often as I can, I love his singing and his style. He is a wonderful songwriter, I hope it generates interest for him from Australia " -- Aline Kruse, "Sunday Folk", 103.1FM, Kempsey, NSW, Australia Rich Warren, Sing Out! "Since the title of this CD refers to a Van Gogh painting, reproduced with permission as the cover and centerfold of the booklet on this CD, one might consider this Tim Harrison's masterpiece. Of the 14 songs, half are new compositions and half reprised from Harrison's discontinued CD, The Stars Above . However, even those have been given new arrangements and re-recorded. Ten songs are Harrison originals. The impeccable, crisp, simple production keeps the sound consistently interesting and appealing to the ear. Harrison sings with a voice that knows where it's going, and plays guitar, mandolin and bass. He receives occasional support from Paul Mills' guitar and Chris Whiteley's harmonica. Like Van Gogh's paintings, Harrison paints with deep colors and palpable textures. The moods tend more toward dark than light. The title song pays homage to the painter and a bit more. "Home Boys" tells of the young boys born in desperate poverty deported from England to near slave jobs overseas, such as in this case, Canada. "Innocent Eyes", with a slightly Latin sound, walks the razor edge of trust versus danger, while "The Parting Letter to Ophelia" came about after Harrison re-read "Hamlet". "Fortune and Men's Eyes" stemmed from the bard, Edgar Allen Poe, and a personal experience. Harrison covers the Judy Collins/Dave Van Ronk setting of the W.B. Yeats poem, "Song of the Wandering Aengus". He also covers Phil Ochs' "There But For Fortune" in a probing, revealing interpretation that to my ear surpasses Ochs' own version. Harrison sings his setting of John Masefield's poem, "Sea-fever". Perhaps the one happy song on the CD is "Joy Alright" that offers hope amid the perils of life. I've watched him develop from a songwriter and performer in the crowd to a true stand-out!" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Michael Parrish, Dirty Linen "Wheatfield With Crows, Canadian singer-songwriter Tim Harrison's seventh release, is a stirring collection of original story songs sung with gusto. The disc combines seven new songs with seven that Harrison previously recorded on the out-of-print The Stars Above. Harrison draws broadly from the arts for inspiration, with songs sparked by Shakespeare, Poe, and the title tune's Van Gogh's painting. In addition to a dozen originals, the disc also includes a stirring version of Phil Ochs' "There But For Fortune and a version of the Yeats poem, "Wandering Aengus" as set to music by Judy Collins". - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Les Siemieniuk, Penguin Eggs "One of my favourite books when I was in university was The Magus by John Fowles. Lo and behold, Fowles later rewrote parts of it. Mostly he changed the ending with a conclusion that came from maturity. It was an interesting and satisfying exercise for both the autor and the reader. Tim Harrison is sort of doing the same thing. Seven of the songs on the new Wheatfield With Crows come from the now discontinued The Stars Above (1995). He has re-recorded them with new arrangements, and seasoned arrangements - the works of an older and more experienced musician. He has done a wonderful job and his fans will appreciate the new renditions. But the highlight and strength of the album are seven new songs. Two of them are poems - W.B. Yeats' The Song of Wandering Aengus and John Masefield's Sea-fever - wonderfully set to music. Gently helped by guitar, mandolin and harmonica, Harrison sings the words in fine style. They'd both be impressed in how he captured the essence of their works. Home Boys mines a bit of, probably obscure, Canadian history - the shipping of the sons and daughters of the destitute in England to Canada for employment as farm laborers. As ever, Tim's voice is in great form and his handling of the arrangements, deft and lovely. Ballads at their best. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Greg Quill, Toronto Star "Seven new originals and seven salvaged from a now discontinued CD and reconstituted, make up the new collection by veteran singer-songwriter Harrison, who's in fine voice on this album. It is perhaps his most complete and confident to date. Still very much informed by the British Isles folk balladry, union songs and the style of the great narrative poets of the 1930s through 1950s, Harrison reveals more of himself this time around, even while he's working in the grand tradition, as in "Home Boys", an anochronistic tale of the suffering of impoverished British children, the jetsam of the Industrial Revolution, sent to work more or less as indentured slaves on Canadian farms in the early decades of the 20th century. Accompaniment by guitarist Paul Mills, Celtic harpist Sahra Featherstone, Chris Whiteley on harmonica, is sparse, assured, tasteful, allowing Harrison's fine voice and work on guitar and mandolin all the room they need." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Eric Thom, Exclaim Magazine What first struck me about this release was the Van Gogh cover art. If that wasnıt distinguishing enough, I was further delighted to discover that Tim Harrison has created a moody, melancholic mélange that falls somewhere between Gordon Lightfoot and Stan Rogers. His debut was released in ı79. Seven releases later, Harrison suffers from that same fate of many who chart the lonely channels of purebread Canadiana folk: relative anonymity. This rich release features seven rearranged songs from an earlier release, plus seven new compositions, including a cover by Phil Ochs and inspiration drawn from everyone from Shakespeare, to W.B. Yeats and Dave Van Ronk. Harrisonıs vocals pour like warm, melted butter over richly picked acoustic guitar and mandolin, drawing from many folk traditions. Guests include Paul Mills, Chris Whiteley and Tom Leighton. This is a guitar record first, yet the mood is highly introspective and manages to capture something "very Canadian", recalling the late, great Stan Rogers. Of special note is the beautiful "The Parting Letter To Ophelia" and the shimmering instrumental, "Watson Goes to the Park". Wheatfield With Crows was Van Goghıs final offering. Letıs hope that Harrison has many more to follow." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Kevin McCarthy, Folk/Celtic Music Review It is interesting what Tim Harrison has done with his latest release. He has re-recorded seven songs from his discontinued early CD "The Stars Above" and combined them with seven new compositions to create over an hour's worth of offerings. The result: long-time fans will, first and foremost, enjoy his latest material but also appreciate the new arrangements on the resurrected selections. Listeners newly exposed to Harrison's music will receive an excellent overall immersion into his musical world. Two of the new cuts, both poems set to music, are exceptional: "The Song of Wandering Aengus" and "Sea-fever." Softly backed by guitar and harmonica, Harrison gently sings the words of W.B. Yeats' elegant poem. It's a cut that draws the listener in with its barebones subtlety. John Masefield's "Sea-fever" absolutely spot-on captures the lure of the ocean. To guitar and mandolin backing, Harrison sings: "I must down to the seas again To the lonely sea and sky And all I ask is a tall ship And a star to steer her by And the wheel's kick and the wind's song And the white sail's shaking..." "Home Boys," like a number of fellow Canadian James Keelaghan's songs, unearths a bit of history unknown to probably almost everyone not directly connected to the shameful tragedy. That tragedy being the English policy from 1870-1940 of shipping the sons and daughters of the poverty-stricken in Great Britain to Canada for employment as indentured farm laborers. The engaging "Fortune and Men's Eyes" concludes with these loving lines: "...When our past would rob the present time And all our woes would try to slow us down You're like the sun to which all floweers bend When the night is burnt away and sorrows end..." The most enjoyable of the "old" offerings are numerous. The title cut "Wheatfield with Crows" opens and closes with a Van Gogh vision surrounding a tale of the boundless passion, energy and outlook of the young. With a nod to Van Gogh, Harrison sings: "...And in the darkened rooms Streams of streetlight bathed their bodies as they moved Slowly tracing Aphrodite's pas-de-deux Through the starry nights..." The theme of "Elizabeth's Lament," individual female freedom, is akin to that of the current film "The Hours." As mentioned in the liner notes, from a re-reading of Hamlet emerged "The Parting Letter To Ophelia." "Joy Alright" is an ode to shouldering on to reach one's goals despite any and all setbacks. And for those feeling the least bit of self sorry, Harrison offers: "...Old men sleeping in the alleys Women sunk in doorways deeper than the blues They push their carts past a love they do not know Still they wake up in the morning Trying to find something new..." "The Stars Above" tackles this same theme, along with some bashing of those whose sole life focus is political and financial gain and nary a nod to the spiritual: "...In the city streets you listen for the sounds But the poets and the prophets all went underground Bank towers loom over steeple spires And the status quo smothers hearts of fire..." Harrison adds: "...Still every dawn in creation yet Lets you make a life if you don't forget..." Harrison, on vocals, guitar, mandolin and bass, is backed by Sahra Featherstone on Celtic harp; Tom Leighton on accordion; Liane de Lothiniere and Lisa Weitz on background vocals; Paul Mills on guitar and Chris Whiteley on harmonica. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Arthur Wood, Folk Roots "As with his 1999 self-titled collection, this album merges reinterpretations of previously recorded songs (in this case seven from his 1995 comeback album, 'The Stars Above' (Second Avenue's note: now discontinued)) with new compositions. The title track focuses about the boundless, almost brazen innocence of youth, a time when it seems so very easy to believe that anything and everything in life can be achieved. The reinterpretations: 'Elizabeth's Lament', 'Innocent Eyes' and 'The Parting Letter To Ophelia" form a three-song segue, and later, back to back, 'Joy Alright' and 'Maps Of Paris' and 'The Stars Above'. The first of these, 'Elizabeth's Lament', focuses on how people become disillusioned in later life, while the inspiration for using the voice of the Prince of Denmark for 'The Parting Letter To Ophelia' came from the Bard of Avon. Constantly challenging whatever life throws at us constitutes the theme of Joy Alright, while here on earth, and in Harrison's Ontario home in particular, 'The Stars Above' are literally the only facet of life that has not been affected by the decisions politicians make. Located in the middle of this collection are two cover songs, 'Song Of The Wandering Aengus', a William Butler Yeats poem set to music by the late Dave Van Ronk, and 'There But For Fortune', by the late Phil Ochs. 'Song Of Thanksgiving' and the closing track, 'Sea-fever', are new songs. Employing John Masefield's 1899 poem, the latter is a tribute to Tim's father and his seafaring ancestors. Apart from Harrison's acoustic guitar and voice, Tim is occasionally supported on this engaging set by Celtic harp, accordion, harmonic and backing vocals. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - LISTEN TO GREY COUNTY   HOME   ALBUMS   ORDER PRESENTERS' COMMENTS BIO   SHOWS   REVIEWS info@secondavenue.ca     QUICK JUMP TO REVIEWS BY: Arthur Wood Folkwax Wayne Bergerson, "Fretz" KVSC-FM St. Cloud, MN Moshe Benarroch F.A.M.E., & Amazon.com Reviewer Les Siemieniuk Penguin Eggs, Canada's Folk, Roots and World Music Magazine Independent Songwriter Web Magazine Massimo Ferro Radio Voce Spazio (Italy) Robert Reid Kitchener-Waterloo Record Roz & Howard Larman Folkscene "Songs From The Woods",CKWR-FM Henk de Weerd "Folk till Midnight", Australia Kevin McCarthy Kevin's Celtic Folk Music CD Reviews     "SARA AND THE SEA" Arthur Wood, Folkwax Phil Ochs' prophetic "When I'm Gone," is the only cover on this nine-song set by one of Canada's acoustic folk music giants. In fact, the melancholic quality of Ochs' 30-year-old words are mirrored in much of the material featured here. Early in the opening title cut "A love was lost on a starry night," but the song ends with the positive, forward-looking perspective, "A new day comes with the morning sun/ New paths she's never known." The subject of departing this earthly plane underpins the "This Song's For You (Hugh's Song)," and the CD liner bears the dedication "For Dad and Hughie." The listener is allowed to deduce that Hugh was a high-spirited character and the narrator speculates that he carried that trait with him to the next plane: "I bet you rocked Charon's boat." (Charon, in case you needed to know, is the boatman on the River Styx from Greek mythology.) Prince Edward Island is the setting for "Ghosts On PEI," a water-locked location where claims of sighting ghosts is somewhat legendary. While the opening lines of "One Woman" acknowledge that all women are different, the narrator yearns for the spirited one woman who was once the love of his life. Until, that is, she succumbed to that urge for going. It's obvious from the song title that "Gonna Ride That Train" is another song about moving on, in this instance, in search of gainful employment. The lyric of the closing cut, "Prayer Watching," could be interpreted in these troubled times as a hymn of hope for better times in all our lives. Released in the early months of 2001, Sara And The Sea more than maintains the high standard set by Harrison's comeback recordings of the late '90s. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Wayne Bergerson, "Fretz" KVSC-FM St. Cloud, MN Harrison has scored another winner. I wanted to drop a short note to let you know that I recieved the two Tim Harrison cds and have enjoyed more than an announcer should reviewing them. Reviewing cds is supposed to be work but not when there is good music like that found on Sara And The Sea. Tim Shows a sincerity that really rings a bell with me, and the songs themselves speak of people and stories that I think everyone can understand or relate to. The Self Titled cd has a different feel and sound, which adds to the understanding of Tim as an artist and not just a performer of songs. Anyway just wanted to say thanks for adding KVSC and the Fretz program to your list. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Moshe Benarroch, FAME & Amazon.com Reviewer This is another great CD by Tim Harrison. One of the best acts to come out from Canada in the last decade. Harrison takes the best from American folk, singer-songwriter, Irish and celtic music. The music flows as deep as the biggest lake, when violins, guitars and mandolins fill your room with a sound that will make you want to see the sea, and will fill your eyes with tears, you will remember everyone you ever loved, and love more the ones still alive. "And the sea gives up what is in each soul / and the mountains and sky do the same / and whatever we lose / as the shoreline moves / can never be found again." Harrison reminds me of Lightfoot, Bill Mays, Stephen Fearing, Bruce Cockburn, Dave mallet, Bill Staines, and his singing brought to mind Sean Tyrrell, one of the best Irish singers ever. I have played this CD ten times and each time it ended I asked myself if there was something wrong with my CD player, my soul craved for more... - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Les Siemieniuk, Penguin Eggs, Canada's Folk, Roots and World Music Magazine It's the backbone of folk music - a boy or girl and their guitar. There are a lot of good ones around and Tim Harrison, one of old reliables who has played the folk circuit for many years, is still one of the best. In addition to all his work artistically directing a myriad of Ontario festivals, he's always kept up the songwriting and performing. He seems to be having a creative renaissance in the last few years. Harrison put out his first album in 1979, then one in 1985, but now he has put out four recordings in the last six years. Sara And The Sea is the latest. And you get exactly what you have come to expect from Harrison - songs sung from the heart and with passion. A great songwriter and even better singer, he puts his all into every word and transports you from the shoreline of the sea, in the title track, where a woman wanders the beach pondering the loss of a loved one. Sara And The Sea is populated with people facing the realities of life in Canada these days - relocating for a chance at a better life (Gonna ride that Train) to the human melancholy of lost loves in a stunning ballad Ghosts On PEI. Tim Harrison's Sara And The Sea exceeds the standards he has set in his other recordings and is a joy to listen to. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Independent Songwriter Web Magazine It's hard to get an album that's better produced than one made by Tim Harrison. It is an auditory treat that tingles as it works its way through the ear canal. Shudder. His voice is a cross between Gordon Lightfoot and Jack Williams. The music is powerful and moving, yet has the soft touch of a feather as it sweeps the crevices of the mind. Surreal ecstasy. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Massimo Ferro Radio Voce Spazio (Italy) An excellent album...one of the best contemporary Canadian songwriters. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Robert Reid Kitchener-Waterloo Record ...Harrison is a link between Gordon Lightfoot and Stan Rogers on the one hand, and David Francey and Aengus Finnan on the other. In fact, Harrison's first of seven albums, Train Going East, was produced by Rogers and engineered by a young and gifted Daniel Lanois... Harrison falls firmly within the tradition of the folk troubadour/balladeer, as a gifted songwriter, singer (he has a rich, expressive voice), musician (he's an accomplished guitarist) and storyteller (he possesses a delightful sense of humour)... - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Roz & Howard Larman Folkscene We just thought of something, if you intend to thank us each time we play Tim's CD, you better not ever leave your computer. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Doug Gibson "Songs From The Woods",CKWR-FM "The album is fabulous, the songwriting is marinated in humanity and emotion, extremely listenable and peppered with great instrumentation. a great Phil Ochs cover as well." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Henk de Weerd "Songs From The Woods",CKWR-FM Love the CD. Will be used regularly in my programmes. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Kevin McCarthy Kevin's Celtic Folk Music CD Reviews Swathed in loss and pain but embracing a soothing element of reflection, Tim Harrison roots through the debris of human upheaval for most of his cuts and then sets listeners back on their heels with the hymn-like "Prayer Watching." Presented with soft guitar backing, he sings in a positive vein of the unworldly but hopeful simplicity in youthful prayer: "I hear the prayers you breathe before you sleep as you ask God for your soul to keep and I wonder how in young years you found the things you say and how you've brought to focus things that could be far away..." He concludes with: "...and in your eyes the universe unfolds as you look up when your story's told to make sure that someone's listening To what you have to say to send your feelings outward and to see them on their way Hold them close and keep them for another day" Most of the cuts glisten with a similar simple, quiet eloquence. Of a doomed-to-failure, mismatched couple inhabiting the haunting "Ghosts on PEI," Harrison sings of needs unrecognized and unmet: "...only ghosts go fleeting by when you do not choose to live there are only alibis and no love can you give..." He finishes with this revealing confession: "...you were my lover and my foe it wasn't easy to let go..." The theme of lost love also occupies the canvas of both "Sara And The Sea" and "One Woman." In "One Woman," Harrison sings of another coupling--this one of a nomadic soul, whose dancing feet cause the earth to surrender and whose hair is blown back by the four winds, with someone bent on the conventional: "...now I guess that you could say we were happy at least I can say for a time but the urge it caught, it was time to go I can never use that word mine..." The desperation of down-and-outers is juxtaposed with the catchy, almost upbeat rhythm of "Gonna Ride That Train." Singing of the state of life and mind during economic downturns, Harrison, backed by harmonica and violin, sings: "...it seems that if you're broke these days you're safer back at home but just when you're back you hear wheels on the track and wonder when you have to go..." Harrison, as on past CDs, continues mining the vagaries of human interactions on this release and again has unearthed some intriguing nuggets. The production is minimal but appropriate, with harmonica, violin and guitar all complementing his usual strong and attractive vocals. Harrison on lead and harmony vocals, guitar and percussion is backed by Liane de Lotbiniere on background vocals; Zeke Mazurek on violin; Paul Mills on mandolin; Dennis Pendrith on bass; and Chris Whiteley on harmonica. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - LISTEN TO GREY COUNTY   HOME   ALBUMS   ORDER PRESENTERS' COMMENTS BIO   SHOWS   REVIEWS info@secondavenue.ca

QUICK JUMP TO REVIEWS BY: Arthur Wood Folk Roots Moshe Benarroch F.A.M.E. Bob MacKenzie Sound Bytes Stephen Flood Ottawa XPress John Varner Rambles Kevin McCarthy Celtic/Folk Music Review Geoff Hays Toronto.Com

"TIM HARRISON"

  Arthur Wood, Folk Roots
Harrison has scored another winner.

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Moshe Benarroch, FAME (Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange)
Canadian singer songwriters, from the famous ones like Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Bruce Cockburn, Leonard Cohen and Gordon Lightfoot to the more obscures like David Wiffen, Colin Linden and Stephen Fearing, are highly individual voices in the folk field. In many cases they have been pioneers and teachers to many Americans and English acts. Tim Harrison is in line with all the names mentioned above.

His music is very poetic, and probably like nothing you've heard before. It's not that you can't feel influences...but there is no way to say that he is pupil of someone. His music verges on the Irish scene, without any hint of new age music. His words are highly philosophical and many of them give a feeling of loss, as well as longing...Harrison sings the magic in his poetry.

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Bob MacKenzie, Sound Bytes
Tim Harrison writes and performs contemporary folk music at a level to which most singer/songwriters can only aspire. Harrison's new self-titled release is a class act all the way, creating a new benchmark for folk artists everywhere. Even though several tracks are updated versions of older songs previously recorded for other releases, the overall sound is consistent and the quality unflagging.

Harrison plants himself soundly in the folk music tradition with straightforward lyrics that tell simple, but not simplistic, stories of real people in the real world. His are words from the heart that will appeal to each listener in a slightly different and personal way. Simply put, Harrison is one of the finest folk lyricists in Canada today.

That Harrison has a solid grounding in traditional music is evident not only in his well-written lyrics but also in his choice of melodies. He sets his tales against simple folk and country melodies that both reflect the past and stand up as creations in their own right. These are the sort of melodies that fans can pick up and play in their own back-porch jams. Yet, Harrison manages to bring this traditional feel to his music without ever sounding like he's simply picked up an old melody and adapted it. His melodies are fine original creations.

The music is straightforward, the sort of mix one suspects will sound at least as good performed live and will probably sound even better. Here, Harrison doesn't reach deep into the prehistory of folk music. No sweet madrigal or fake Celtic sounds here but something more of the twentieth century. The echoes here are more of early Lightfoot (Steel Rail Blues, Early Morning Rain) and James Taylor (Sweet Baby James). There are even hints of the more straightforward Cohen (Bird on a Wire, Famous Blue Raincoat). The instrumentation is kept simple and Harrison sings with a with a bright, clear voice.

While, like many recent Canadian singer/songwriter releases, this is a mixed bag of genres, it shouldn't create much problem for radio programmers. About half the tracks have a folk sound and the other half country. When I say country, I don't mean to suggest it's likely to get played on most modern country stations. Rather, the sound is that of country music around the middle of the last century, quiet and less about big music than about story.

In this release, Tim Harrison has made something very special. Nothing I say can demonstrate that. I may comment on the lyrics, tightly written and seductive. I may tell you about the warmth of the traditional sounding melodies. I may even mention the well-crafted arrangements set against Harrison's evocative singing voice and style. In the end, it all means nothing at all. This is a release that must be experienced in person, must be listened to in a room with no distractions.

For anyone interested in the evolution and growth of contemporary Canadian folk music, this new release by Tim Harrison is a must have.

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Stephen Flood, Ottawa XPress
The idea of the singer-songwriter as poet is one that has divided critics and musicians alike. While few would argue Leonard Cohen's claim on the mantle, citing someone like Patti Smith amongst the noble ranks would no doubt raise a few hackles.

Toronto-based singer-songwriter Tim Harrison, while caught a little off guard by my direct query on the issue as it applies to him, may have come up with a simple and definitive take on exactly where to draw the line.

"If being a poet means to be part of a tradition in which every aspect of your life is expressed through the wonder of words, then I certainly consider myself one now, at this point in my career", muses Harrison. "Because as I've moved along my songs have taken on dimensions of spirituality, affairs of the personal heart and political concerns. These, to me, are things that round out the human experience."

The point in his career Harrison is referring to, finds the consummate wordsmith with six releases as a leader under his belt. Equal parts philosopher and motivator, Harrison is also a wizard on the guitar, both in the traditional style of playing and in the often sadly underused flat-picking style most prominent in early country blues recordings.

I used to go to Mariposa (Folk Festival) during its earliest incarnations, and I would see Ramblin' Jack Elliott play", Harrison recalls excitedly. "He had this really great rythmic style of playing that gave me the fever to learn. Finger-picking was something I also developed to give my music a more diverse sound, and the influences on that learning were more general. But nobody has moved me as much as Ramblin' Jack".

A further profound talent of Harrison's is his ability to mesmerize audiences with intricate storytelling, a talent he claims he came by almost without choice or volition.

"I always wondered why I was compelled to tell stories between songs, with some of them being very long and involved", says Harrison. "Then once, about 10 years ago, I went on a short trip with my dad and he told stories for three days straight, something he'd never done once around the house when I was growing up. But in speaking with friends of his that were surprised I didn't know of this side of my father, I realized I'd picked it up by osmosis. And I'm glad, because I've always believed in making conscious efforts to keep cultures alive and to me, storytelling is one of the most important of all".

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John Varner, Rambles
Tune up the bus, pack some clothes and head for Toronto!

If there weren't already so many rave reviews about Tim Harrison, I'd swear my eclectic roots were showing. Tim is a true folky with enough power to top the charts time after time. First thing you should know about is his background. Based in Ontario, this singer, songwriter and artistic director has been one of the most active figures in the Canadian folk music scene for many years. He has a resume to rival George Lucas's and he truly knows how to deliver. Just look at these credentials: artistic director of the Summerfolk Music and Crafts Festival (Owen Sound), the All-Canadian Mariposa Festival, Northwinds and the Eaglewood Festival. What more do we need to know, except why isn't he better known in America?

The man has developed a definitive tone of his own. The whole Harrison package suggests a writer who's mature, yet doesn't jade the world with depressing concepts that often flood music of this genre. He writes using a unique blend of traditional and contemporary folk with a country base and a pervasive essence of spiritual/Celtic moods. His guitar charges on with powerful rhythms, some smokin' country leads and countless other melodic incantations. Everybody gets equal time to shine. Vocal themes do center around the typical love, hope and relationship subjects, but his unique approach creates a magnetic originality. Tim Harrison is spiritual and serious with an occasional easygoin' release. He keeps it real.

Tim is essentially the Bob Dylan I always wanted to hear. The words all plead with powerful desperation and make you a true believer. His desperate vocal quality has a way of reaching through your chest, gripping your heart and forcing you remember Shakespeare's words, "To thine ownself be true." You can't listen to this album without gaining some sense of therapy.

He tears at hidden truths in a realistic sense in "Inside This Song" with words like these: "It's funny how a passion's fire can make flames that burn as ice. And how love makes us a liar, an alchemy to sacrifice." But fear not a-coming of age too early, he always leaves us with a flickering light of hope.

One thing that distinguishes the quality of a songwriter is whether or not it is full enough to hear it a different way each time it spins. Well, rest assured, you'll find no shortage on the menu here. Tim's included a vast number of instruments, and each song has just the right mix for the mood. The spectrum of sounds includes emotional fiddle and pennywhistle lines, country twangin' dobro, an occasional soulful saxophone, and more. Nineteen artists in all, so get ready to be moved by a full chorus of voices.

Tim plays 6- and 12-string guitars, piano and mandola. Guests include Rick Whitelaw on flat-picked guitar, Al Cross on drums, Dennis Pendrith on bass, Kim Deschamps on dobro and steel guitars, Kevin Gould on Hammond organ and accordion, and Zeke Mazurek on fiddle.

There is so much thoughtfulness in these recordings that I'm going to seek out his first four albums, too.

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Kevin McCarthy, Celtic/Folk Music Review
"The good news is that Tim Harrison is back with a new release. The even better news is that he has returned with an assortment of laser-like portraits of the innerscapes of human beings. His insights into the human condition, our heavenly ascents and our hellish descents, are as remarkable as is his talent for putting them into enjoyable song."

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Geoff Hays, Toronto.Com
"Harrison is a wizard with words, wringing poetry from our everyday struggles and making those subtle shifts in imagery that make a great songwriter. Harrison has the all-too-rare ability to reach inside and body forth lyrics that are from the heart and real. The true heritage of folk music - alive not archival. Reminiscent of greats such as Dylan, Springsteen, Marley, you can't help but hear Harrison out."

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