Harmony--An Honest Review

[Selene]

I for one think this is a bit more complex than--yeah, it's a classic without a single mediocre track--or—no, it's a complete disappointment. There are so many different ways to look at Gord's music--many levels that one can appreciate.

Some of the songs are lyrically simplistic but emotionally charged. Harmony is the best example. I hate to interpret someone's work, but I can't help but project my thoughts on to the song. To me, Lightfoot is searching for that elusive ability to create--musically, artistically--to birth a song. Where are you? Where have you gone? You're a part of my nature. When I see it this way, this song goes very deep. And as one who likes to write when the spirit comes, I can relate.

When listening to End of All Time, Sometimes I Wish and Clouds of Loneliness, one can almost see a man wondering the rooms of his house, looking for someone who is no longer home. It's quite haunting. Lightfoot has touched a depth of soul that has been largely missed in recent projects. He may go deeper here than in any of his previous work. I think this is why some listeners rank Harmony among his best work.
Inspiration Lady, for me, is a real gem. But again, it seems stronger on emotion than some descriptive portrayal of a place or time his earlier work would have drawn us to.

So what is lacking? Songs like Couchiching and No Hotel don’t come through with the depth of the others, and seem rather monotonous. I see these songs more akin to some on PPT. Musically and lyrically, things can be picked apart even on some of the better songs. But we have to keep in mind he co-produced this from a hospital room, with no opportunity to refine his basic tracks. Shellfish seems to aspire to something better. I especially like the lead-in instrument. But it never breaks or rests or finds a familiar hook or repeat. The lines all run together. The song fails to drive home a central theme, but rather wanders, looking for a place to land.

I think Lightfoot has made great strides since his previous album--even though PPT also has some real keepers. Overall, Harmony is much more sensitive and deep. Perhaps Lightfoot has begun to refocus on pouring more of himself into his music. He seems to have recovered an important piece of his "knack", his "harmony". But if the Lightfoot of the 70s was a man for all seasons, Harmony seems much more focused on deep personal experiences--more melancholy than anything he has done.

What might still be lurking in Lightfoot’s mansion is his renowned ability to tap those emotions with the artistry and craftsmanship it took to write If You Could Read My Mind. That song was also the result of a divorce. But going beyond deep emotion, Lightfoot poetically portrayed the drama, the interplay, and strangely--deep romance, even in the story of a break up. And having done that, he was able to change gears and write a song about growing up and facing the folks in a time of war (Sit Down Young Stranger), or any number of other themes found on that album.

True, he visits other themes in Harmony, but the melancholy stays dominant. Flying Blind may be a stab at the great outdoors, but the feel is tied up to the memory of his mother. The organ tones are a bit too eerie. No Mistake About It has a wonderful jazzy feel we haven’t heard in some time, but the lyrics are rather flat.

The fact that some are comparing Harmony to work from Lightfoot’s hay day is a good enough sign. Who can blame us for being enthused about a rejuvenated legend still working his craft? In Harmony, Lightfoot focused intently on recovering some personal depth to his music, which is a great stride forward. Having done this, let’s hope he will bring back more dimensions of his music on the next project. And if there is a next project, let’s hope he builds quickly on this momentum, and does it sooner than we’re accustomed.

[Martin/12]

I for one think this is a bit more complex than--yeah, it's a classic without a single mediocre track--or—no, it's a complete disappointment. There are so many different ways to look at Gord's music--many levels that one can appreciate.

Some of the songs are lyrically simplistic but emotionally charged. Harmony is the best example. I hate to interpret someone's work, but I can't help but project my thoughts on to the song. To me, Lightfoot is searching for that elusive ability to create--musically, artistically--to birth a song. Where are you? Where have you gone? You're a part of my nature. When I see it this way, this song goes very deep. And as one who likes to write when the spirit comes, I can relate.

When listening to End of All Time, Sometimes I Wish and Clouds of Loneliness, one can almost see a man wondering the rooms of his house, looking for someone who is no longer home. It's quite haunting. Lightfoot has touched a depth of soul that has been largely missed in recent projects. He may go deeper here than in any of his previous work. I think this is why some listeners rank Harmony among his best work.
Inspiration Lady, for me, is a real gem. But again, it seems stronger on emotion than some descriptive portrayal of a place or time his earlier work would have drawn us to.

So what is lacking? Songs like Couchiching and No Hotel don’t come through with the depth of the others, and seem rather monotonous. I see these songs more akin to some on PPT. Musically and lyrically, things can be picked apart even on some of the better songs. But we have to keep in mind he co-produced this from a hospital room, with no opportunity to refine his basic tracks. Shellfish seems to aspire to something better. I especially like the lead-in instrument. But it never breaks or rests or finds a familiar hook or repeat. The lines all run together. The song fails to drive home a central theme, but rather wanders, looking for a place to land.

I think Lightfoot has made great strides since his previous album--even though PPT also has some real keepers. Overall, Harmony is much more sensitive and deep. Perhaps Lightfoot has begun to refocus on pouring more of himself into his music. He seems to have recovered an important piece of his "knack", his "harmony". But if the Lightfoot of the 70s was a man for all seasons, Harmony seems much more focused on deep personal experiences--more melancholy than anything he has done.

What might still be lurking in Lightfoot’s mansion is his renowned ability to tap those emotions with the artistry and craftsmanship it took to write If You Could Read My Mind. That song was also the result of a divorce. But going beyond deep emotion, Lightfoot poetically portrayed the drama, the interplay, and strangely--deep romance, even in the story of a break up. And having done that, he was able to change gears and write a song about growing up and facing the folks in a time of war (Sit Down Young Stranger), or any number of other themes found on that album.

True, he visits other themes in Harmony, but the melancholy stays dominant. Flying Blind may be a stab at the great outdoors, but the feel is tied up to the memory of his mother. The organ tones are a bit too eerie. No Mistake About It has a wonderful jazzy feel we haven’t heard in some time, but the lyrics are rather flat.

The fact that some are comparing Harmony to work from Lightfoot’s hay day is a good enough sign. Who can blame us for being enthused about a rejuvenated legend still working his craft? In Harmony, Lightfoot focused intently on recovering some personal depth to his music, which is a great stride forward. Having done this, let’s hope he will bring back more dimensions of his music on the next project. And if there is a next project, let’s hope he builds quickly on this momentum, and does it sooner than we’re accustomed.

[misstori1958]

excellent review.
well done.

[peterpeter]

excellent review.
well done.

[stationmaster]

Great review! I especially love the part about "Harmony"(the song). I think that this song is the most powerful song ever recorded by Lightfoot. It is very simple yet extremely complex. I love it and play it again and again and again and again and again................

[Borderstone]

Excellent review Martin 1/2. I wont chime in with my two cents on certain points but I'll just say that,Excellent! (I made my points when the CD came out.) Later!

------------------
"A knight of the road,going back to a place where he might get warm." - Borderstone

[Selene]

Thanks.
Maybe I should quit my day job as an aspiring musician.

[Martin/12]

Thanks.
Maybe I should quit my day job as an aspiring musician.

[Jim Dundee]

Great review - I think you really hit the key points and got the core of the music and his direction. I thought you described it very well.

John

[donquixote]

Great review - I think you really hit the key points and got the core of the music and his direction. I thought you described it very well.

John

[bjb]

To Martin 12: I find I disagree with you. I don't find any of the songs monotonous or repetitive. It makes me wonder what criteria you are using when you say "Musically and lyrically, things can be picked apart even on some of the better songs." When you put aside your prejudices and imagine what Gord was trying to accomplish with each song, either musically (as in Couchiching's particular style -- see if you can pick it out!) or lyrically (did you get the irony of the last couple of lines?)you will find the work rich, satisfying, and quite refreshing.

I don't mean to be offensive when I say that I think it's lazy and shallow to criticize rather than challenging yourself to experience more. You obviously put some thought into what you wrote, and I hope that someday you listen again and rethink it all.

Friends?

[LSH]

Martin/12,
I'm not real fond of generalizations, they leave a points uncovered, so I appreciated your review. However,you didn't mention "River of Light". My personal favorite. Love the whole CD but that songs makes me hit the replay button again and again. I think that one definitely touches on the great outdoors. It puts me right there in the canoe.

[Selene]

LSH,

Yes, River of Light deserves mentioning. I enjoy that one too.


bjb,

Lazy and shallow? It was just my thoughtful, honest critique. If you like a particular song you're free to enjoy it. Get a grip.

[Martin/12]

LSH,

Yes, River of Light deserves mentioning. I enjoy that one too.


bjb,

Lazy and shallow? It was just my thoughtful, honest critique. If you like a particular song you're free to enjoy it. Get a grip.

Yes. On first listen Harmony is repetitive. But geeze, the vocal inflections in each verse, the slight variances in the repeated refrains . . . I can't imagine the song any other way. There is a genuis in taking such simple variances and creating a picture.

People tend to talk about Lightfoot as a story teller. And he is, but sometimes the stories are very abstract, and they're about a feeling or point of view, rather than the telling of a story with a beginning middle and end. He paints a picture of an emotion or feeling. That is one of the things that resonates so strongly with me in some of his more abstract songs. He can take words and music and create a portrait of an emotion or an experience that I cannot for the life of me put words to or even give a name sometimes.

quote:Originally posted by bjb:
To Martin 12: I find I disagree with you. I don't find any of the songs monotonous or repetitive. It makes me wonder what criteria you are using when you say "Musically and lyrically, things can be picked apart even on some of the better songs." When you put aside your prejudices and imagine what Gord was trying to accomplish with each song, either musically (as in Couchiching's particular style -- see if you can pick it out!) or lyrically (did you get the irony of the last couple of lines?)you will find the work rich, satisfying, and quite refreshing.

I don't mean to be offensive when I say that I think it's lazy and shallow to criticize rather than challenging yourself to experience more. You obviously put some thought into what you wrote, and I hope that someday you listen again and rethink it all.

Friends?

Yes. On first listen Harmony is repetitive. But geeze, the vocal inflections in each verse, the slight variances in the repeated refrains . . . I can't imagine the song any other way. There is a genuis in taking such simple variances and creating a picture.

People tend to talk about Lightfoot as a story teller. And he is, but sometimes the stories are very abstract, and they're about a feeling or point of view, rather than the telling of a story with a beginning middle and end. He paints a picture of an emotion or feeling. That is one of the things that resonates so strongly with me in some of his more abstract songs. He can take words and music and create a portrait of an emotion or an experience that I cannot for the life of me put words to or even give a name sometimes.

quote:Originally posted by bjb:
To Martin 12: I find I disagree with you. I don't find any of the songs monotonous or repetitive. It makes me wonder what criteria you are using when you say "Musically and lyrically, things can be picked apart even on some of the better songs." When you put aside your prejudices and imagine what Gord was trying to accomplish with each song, either musically (as in Couchiching's particular style -- see if you can pick it out!) or lyrically (did you get the irony of the last couple of lines?)you will find the work rich, satisfying, and quite refreshing.

I don't mean to be offensive when I say that I think it's lazy and shallow to criticize rather than challenging yourself to experience more. You obviously put some thought into what you wrote, and I hope that someday you listen again and rethink it all.

Friends?

[sally traffic]

I just loaded my iPod up with 107 songs by Lightfoot. From his early years to present. These one-hundred-and -seven songs represent my favorite Lightfoot songs. For me, part of the greatness of Gord's early material and his mid-seventies era music, is the attention to detail in recording techniques and instrumentation. Seems to me that when Gord was very popular in the 70's the record companies put a lot of money in the production quality of their artists. Brass and orchesteral arrangements by Nick DeCaro, engineering and mixing by Lee Herschberg and produced by Lenny Waronker. Some of the most recent Lightfoot recordings have been self-produced and I just don't think the production value has been as high as in years past. I mean no disrespect to Gord or the current engineers he has worked with lately but there's a reason why artists seek to work with famous Producers and recording engineers. They may hear a quality or beauty that the artist doesn't or can't describe and these pros help to bring that beauty out of the artist. Granted this is not always a success but that's the way I see it.

[John Doe]

I just loaded my iPod up with 107 songs by Lightfoot. From his early years to present. These one-hundred-and -seven songs represent my favorite Lightfoot songs. For me, part of the greatness of Gord's early material and his mid-seventies era music, is the attention to detail in recording techniques and instrumentation. Seems to me that when Gord was very popular in the 70's the record companies put a lot of money in the production quality of their artists. Brass and orchesteral arrangements by Nick DeCaro, engineering and mixing by Lee Herschberg and produced by Lenny Waronker. Some of the most recent Lightfoot recordings have been self-produced and I just don't think the production value has been as high as in years past. I mean no disrespect to Gord or the current engineers he has worked with lately but there's a reason why artists seek to work with famous Producers and recording engineers. They may hear a quality or beauty that the artist doesn't or can't describe and these pros help to bring that beauty out of the artist. Granted this is not always a success but that's the way I see it.