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Without pushing any boundaries, Canadian singer-songwriter
Ian Sherwood has served up a highly palatable collection of songs underpinned
by a folk substance but frequently uncoiled with a powdering of 80s pop. This
latest release from a poetic wordsmith steeped in North East Canadian
storytelling lore has adopted mini album status in its eight track compilation
and has struck an egalitarian balance between aiming for the pulse and
penetrating the heart.
Symmetrical in effect though not necessarily in album
position, four tracks could have been lifted straight from the golden age of
melodic pop where enthusiasts of a certain age now, once held their breath for
the weekly chart entries and countdown. Perhaps there will be an element of
nostalgia in this notion as Ian’s inevitable target audience are more likely
nowadays to be ploughing through reams of mournful numbers dressed in pain and
etched in heartfelt soul.
Yet starting with title track ‘Everywhere to Go’, threading through the chant properties of ‘Non Believer’, tapping your feet to ‘Me or Your Money’ and reminiscing to the
sound of ‘Big Love’, this quartet
will guarantee a brief respite from that middle aged passion of searching for
the meaning of life, or to be more exact, music. Ian executes this part of the
record without any throwaway tendencies and portrays an artist at ease with
striving for a style to match the conflicting moods of us complex music seeking
individuals.
In the name of true eclecticism and for those preferring the
safer ground of deep introspection, ‘Stop, Don’t Fall in Love’, ‘Fireman’s Ball’, ‘Kiss Me Quick’ and ‘No Water’ see Ian rein in the search
for the killer melody and concentrate on exploring the darker and more solace
tinged side of song construction. The degree of Ian’s success depends on the approach
of the listener but as you would expect the demand for greater intensity is an
essential ingredient in tapping into the vibes from this quartet.
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| Photo by Scott Blackburn |
For the record, all eight tracks are either a solo or
co-write of Ian and saw their recording birth in a Toronto studio accompanied
by a stream of musicians adding the strings, brass and beat. Ian is making
tentative steps in touring the UK, starting off with regional confined dates
before hopefully branching out to a wider set of nationwide gigs in 2015. Like
many Canadian artists, Ian has been fortunate to receive life blood backing from
the government’s heritage department, an increasingly alien concept to UK
performers and this has led to recognition from several of the nation’s award
giving bodies.
As far as stand out tracks are concerned, it is only polite
to select one from each facet of the record with ‘Non Believer’ and ‘Fireman’s
Ball’ sharing the honours. Quite how you approach EVERYWHERE TO GO will
depend on your prevailing mood but its chameleon characteristics will come in
handy and ultimately add to the record’s appeal. Even the hardiest of music
critic has the occasional yearning to delve into their non-judgmental past and
Ian Sherwood provides this in a well packaged and inviting release.
www.iansherwood.com
