Gordon Lightfoot – Solo Review
By Ewan Gleadow
January 4, 2026
Plundering the backlog sometimes starts before an artist has retired or died. Gordon Lightfoot, a veteran of stage and studio, had this happen with Solo. A fine album release and, in title alone, a fitting end to his decades-long career. He was alone for much of it and provided some of folk music’s very best moments. But he doesn’t get the credit he deserves, he still stands as an occasional outlier in the knowledge people have of the genre. Bob Dylan cites him and covers him often enough for more people to know about his work, but the lack of relevancy his latter albums had keeps Lightfoot out of sight. Solo does little to help, an album comprised of demos, some of which are from the previous century. It’s hardly a moment of reflection from one of the great voices, but more material from Lightfoot is good news, and that is the basis of interest in Solo for many.
Oh So Sweet is an apt opener. It is sweet, but it’s little more than that. Lightfoot maintained an excellent voice well beyond the days of his early 1970s hits, but little differences mean delivering a slightly changed tone and warmth here. It works nicely for demos compiled on Solo, the acoustic guitar unchanged in its sincerity and Lightfoot evoking some truly great moments with an emotional overhaul of his music. Reflection is the lead there, it’s what manages to conjure up enough of a sentiment to push Solo onto fans. You can project what you like onto individual lines from E-motion, for instance, about Lightfoot having now said everything he wanted to, but it does take a little heavy lifting from a listener, and a lot of good will, to suggest these are truly finished pieces of work. Demo work is still listenable, of course, but Solo, more often than not, lacks that final blow, the finishing touch which defines the very best of Lightfoot’s work across his career.
E-Motion, for instance, feels dated. “Online tonight,” is a kick around of emails and the connection between people online. Sincerely delivered, just lacking in its point. We can project new meaning onto the likes of Return Into Dust, an inevitability of an artist in their twilight years. Any moments which seem to suggest reflection in the final moments of life are eaten up by those who were listening for years, and rightly so. It’s the sentimentality which will attract people to Solo, rather than the rambling-like quality of the songs. Return Into Dust is a strong piece of work all the same. Some of these songs are hardly beyond their demo status, though. Do You Walk, Do You Talk feels very light on meaning and instrumental impact, but the defence of it being just another demo is what will keep Solo from falling apart.
A bit of a dud to follow the best song on the album with something as weak as Do You Walk, Do You Talk, but ultimately it’s the niceness of Lightfoot’s guitar playing that wins out. Even in the simpler meanings found on Just a Little Bit and The Laughter We Seek is the niceness which Lightfoot allows to prevail. It’s the hope within that keeps his music lingering that little bit longer on the mind than most of his contemporaries. A beautiful voice, and that acoustic style still rings through well. It borders on brilliance from time to time. Even if it didn’t, more material from Lightfoot is a real treat. Solo has the shortcomings associated with demo tapes being revived and remodelled as a new piece of work, but it’s a lovely listen, and short enough to warrant returning to once or twice.
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SOLO album review-Jan.2026
