The weather has improved a bit today and I’m looking forward to quitting time so I can go home and take a leisurely bike ride with HRH. But until then, there’s work to do and I have keep focused. Yup, just another day here in office paradise. So until I can bunk off for the day I’m taking in another Blue Rodeo album, ‘Tremelo’.
Truthfully, this was where I ultimately jumped off the Blue Rodeo bandwagon years ago. I guess I decided to depart on a high note, whatever, my bad. This seventh release from the Canadian alt-rockers in 1997 was pretty good, or so I’m learning anyway. On this particular album, the band attempted to maintain a more immediate vibe than its predecessor, which had been labeled as overly mannered by many critics. To that end, songs were not brought to the whole band until the day of recording, so that the band’s performance would retain a more spontaneous flair. And for the most part, it worked – the result is a technically polished album that retains a good deal of jam-type spontaneity. The sounds range from genial acoustic folk-rock (‘Moon and Tree’) to more reflective singer/songwriter-type pieces like ‘Falling Down Blue’ to bluesier tunes like ‘Fallen From Grace’ and harder, heavier numbers like ‘No Miracle, No Dazzle’, which could pass for Buffalo Springfield on a good day.
‘It Could Happen To You’ was a popular upbeat Jim Cuddy single that received a lot of airplay at the time but I was about far removed from country back then as one could possible get so I never paid it any attention. In fact, I probably avoided it like the plague. ‘Dragging On’ is an atmospheric Jim tune, with some beautiful watery keyboards backing it, with fantastic lyrics of heartbreak that only Jim can sing. ‘Brother Andre’s Heart’ and ‘Frogs’ Lullaby’ work together as one Greg Keelor tune, quite extended and jammy; 12 minutes in total. Gawd I love you Greg Keelor, you moody son of a bitch you!
I definitely got off the bus a bit too early, true, but am I ever glad I decided to hop back on this week. I can’t really think of any better Autumn inspired music to pass away the afternoon.
Music in Motion 