Bob Ardern
moved from England to Canada when he was 13, but it was on a visit back to
England for the holidays that Bob discovered the guitar. Santa brought him a
guitar for Christmas and then came the practicing. Living in the country without
a television made for minimal distractions.
Bob took a break from guitar
when life came knocking at his door. He finished his Computer Science degree,
started a career, got married and bought a home. Life changed again after about
twenty years and Bob found himself alone with no television and plenty of time
to practice.
He began to play a local
coffee shop and eventually ended up in Nova Scotia where he met producer David
Findlay and joined with him to produce Wires, Rosewood & Roots.
This album is a collection of
Bob’s instrumental pieces some on acoustic guitar and some with backing
instruments. If I had to choose a genre to describe this album I would call it
Nova Scotian New Age Blues.
The night I started to listen
to Wires, Rosewood & Roots I was starting my 40 mile commute home in a blizzard.
It became the perfect soundtrack to my snowy trek home. The first track “Dusty’s
Train” was just what I expected to hear based from the picture on the cover of
the cd. Open strings, natural harmonics, finger picking. It’s a very beautiful,
soothing piece.
By the time I reached the
track “Scotch Rocks” the snow was starting to stick to the roads. Normally I
would have had the urge to drive a little faster than I was, but “Scotch Rocks”
is so smooth that I just sat back and enjoyed the solitude while listening. This
song has an acoustic jazz feel and the backing instruments really make this my
favorite track on the CD.
When I cross the railroad
tracks I know I am almost home and I was almost finished with my first listen to
Wires, Rosewood & Roots. The album had made my trip home more of a
journey than a commute. I was now listening to the final track “Windrush”. It’s
a fine example of how Bob is able to combine New Age style guitar with bluesy
guitar licks. This hybrid gives the album a very unique style of its own.
Wires, Rosewood & Roots made my hellish commute a little piece of heaven.
If you like acoustic guitar, you should add this album to your collection. Make
sure you keep a copy in the car just in case.
4/5 Stars
Key Tracks: Dusty’s Train, Scotch Rocks, Windrush
Kirk Bullough
Tracks:
1. Irish Mood
2. Skating
3. Palindrome
4. Dusty's Train
5. Scotch Rocks
6. Flea's Reel
7. Eleanor of Aquitaine
8. Windrush
9. Tea Rose
10. Waiting for McAfee
11. Pray for Rain
12. Out of Work
Michael Trew (guitars,
vocals) met Naomi Smith (keys) at a coffee shop in Seattle. After their first
tour they picked up drummer Dan Desrosiers off of Craiglist. They played as a
three piece for a year and then hooked up guitarist/film maker Barton Macguire.
The band has recently met their fund
raising goals at kickstarter.com and will begin recording a new CD Make Me a Tree in February. In the mean
time you can listen to their current album If
You’re Home.
The songs from this album are born
out of the experiences the band had back packing in the UK and their first
national tour in 2009.
If
You’re Home begins with the ethereal “In the
Redwoods”. The distorted guitar, cymbal rolls and vocal harmonies accented by church
bells transport you into a dreamy world of electric folk music. I enjoy the
imagery Trew paints of Paul Bunyon carving his name in to a redwood tree.
The percussion in the middle of
“Garage Rock” is a creative mix of rim shots and ratchet sounds that make it
like you are in a garage. It’s the little things like this that make me think
that these guys are probably a lot of fun to see live.
“Alasdair and the Sunwidow” is
probably my favorite track off the album. It’s very mellow. This track combines
airy acoustic guitars and snare drum and cymbals with brushes to create a soft backdrop
for haunting vocals and harmonies.
Trew’s voice is unique and the
variety of instruments: melodica (key-flute), mandolin, shakers, brushes, etc…
add a lot of texture to these songs. The production is lacking in areas, but
that’s to be expected for an indie band that can record and publish a whole CD
for less than two grand.
If you want to support a hard working indie folk band
give them a listen.
3.5/5 Stars
Key Tracks: In the Redwoods, Alasdair and the
Sunwindow, Colorado
Kirk Bullough
Tracks:
1. In the Redwoods
2. Garage Rock
3. Wild Blackberries
4. Alasdaire and the Sun Window
5. Canyons
6. Colorado
7. The Bad Postman
8. Smarter Than Love
9. Letter from Laspatzia
10. Malmo
Artist:
The Autumn Electric
Title:If You’re Home Genre:
Indie/Folk/Rock
Release Date:
November 21, 2010 Label:
Unicorn Music Website:
http://www.reverbnation.com/michaeltrew
