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My Horse Knows the Way Home
Horse Crazy Cowgirl Band
The title track on the latest release from this dynamic cowgirl trio strikes a chord down deep inside. After eight or ten hours in the saddle covering miles of timber, rocks and canyons, or being lost in the low cloud and fog for hours, more than once my ol’ pony has picked the right trail when I had no idea where we were.
There’s a lot to like on this one.
When the names of Kenny McLean, Winston Bruce and Ivan Daines come in the lyrics, you ears perk right up. Allen Christie’s Old Bronc Saddle, Tim Hus’s Saddle Bronc Rider and Jim Reader’s Baler Twine will make it easier to meet the Canadian Content Criteria for airplay in Canada.
There’s nothing like sitting in the audience when these gals do a live show, but this CD is the next best thing. There’s some great swing chords, good banjo pickin’, plaintive sweet harmonica strains and some lively country point harmony when they do Mike Fleming’s Hey Conductor.
This is their fifth release and to my ears, the mix and balance is the best yet. The vocals particularly have more presence. Well done gals.
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Ian Tyson
Raven Singer
The life lessons come through loud and clear, but it’s the passion and the energy that makes the songs come to life. Ian’s latest CD Raven Singer draws you right into the lyrics and the captivating arrangements run through your mind for days after you hear them.
The silky smooth, perfect pitch that was the “Tyson Voice” we knew for years is different, but just as listenable. When Ian did a concert in Kamloops recently, I commented to Billie that the stories, lyrics, the melodies, the interplay of guitars and bass and the three-part harmony made this the best show we’d ever seen him do.
Raven Singer has 10 tracks and from the opening song, Charlie Goodnight’s Grave to the haunting instrumental closer, The Yellow Dress, it’s a ride worth taking.
I’d suggest you have a close look at the artwork on the entire CD cover. Is that Ian’s father kneeling beside the grey horse? Calgary teacher Paul Rasporich was the artist and his images are as deep and beautiful as Ian’s music.
