LivinBlues- CD reviews - Ian Tyson and Big Dave McLean

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LivinBlues CD Reviews by Gary Tate - Big Dave n' Ol' Eon - back to archive

IAN TYSON: OL’ EON (STONY PLAIN) - Ian Tyson, one half of the Ian & Sylvia duo that gained international prominence in the sixties with songs such as 'Four Strong Winds', 'You were on My Mind' and 'Someday Soon', has impacted the course of Canadian music like few others. By 1973, Ian & Sylvia had broken up--both personally and professionally--and on that year Ol’ Eon’ debuted, signaling Tyson’s emergence as a front-rank solo artist. Ol’ Eon’ has a very intimate feel, yet it’s now considered Tyson’s most elaborately produced effort. Go figure. Vignettes typical to Canadian experiences and its history.

The pictures painted on tunes such as 'The North Saskatchewan', 'Sam Bonnifield’s Saloon' and 'Great Canadian Tour' form the backbone to their enduring longevity. Open fields and runaway dreams are constant backdrops to the frailties of the human condition, yet Tyson is also the master cowboy balladeer in the grand tradition of Gene Autry. 'She's My Greatest Blessing', and 'If She Just Helps Me' renew your faith into the healing powers of love, without ever descending into cheap sentimentality. Tyson’s voice is especially rich and warm on songs of regret like 'Lord Lead Me Home' and 'The Girl Who Turned Me Down'. The playing is rock-solid, with notable contributions from long-time Lightfoot sidemen, Pee Wee Charles and Red Shea, on steel guitar and lead guitar respectively. Ol' Eon is a time-tested tonic, and it’s also guaranteed brighten up your day. MP3 - Girl that Turned me Down | surf to www.iantyson.com

BIG DAVE MCLEAN: BLUES FROM THE MIDDLE (STONY PLAIN)
Big Dave McLean is finally getting his due. 'Blues in the Middle' marks s the first recording he's done completely in his hometown of Winnipeg. Just how important Muddy Waters was to the development of Big Dave can be gleaned from an 11-minute tribute, aptly titled 'Muddy Waters for President'. Stone Blues to the the core, its stream of consciousness testifies how the power of one man can touch so many. Big Dave invests it with such soul, passion, and intensity that it must have left him totally drained.

Two other originals invoked Muddy's name: 'Sweet Della Jones' and 'Lowdown Dirty Rotten Blues', and there's a Muddy original as well, 'Trouble No More'. Dave's whiskey-tinged vocals are etched with a raw spirituality. 'B. Meets Bo' raucously celebrates the famous Bo Diddley beat, while 'Ooh Wee' is a bouncy shuffle that Howlin' Wolf would dig. Pianist Graham Guest helps lubricate the greasy groove. The punchy 'She's Got the Stuff' is akin to an early Fabulous Thunderbird song, while 'Lowdown Dirty Rotten Blues' is pure Rock n' Roll fun, as McLean and Sue Foley latch onto a Chuck Berry-vibe. Little Walter gets feted on the Jazzy/Blues classic 'You Know It Ain't Right', but the gold medal for packing the deepest emotional wallop belongs to 'St. Mary (At Main)'. There's a hypnotic Magic Sam-style riff percolating throughout its glorious 8 minutes. 'Blues From The Middle' is a release that virtually defines what a memorable traditional/modern Blues recording should sound like. MP3 - Trouble No More | Got Love |