Barney Bentall 'Flesh & Bone' - True North

The Canadian artist again show himself a fine storyteller with songs like The Ballad of Johnny Hooke. Bentall and band are joined by several guests including fellow artist fiddler Kendal Carson. The sound is full and Bentall's production gives room to the songs to explore a range of interesting arrangements. From the celtic mood of Johnny Hooke to Annabel's more reflective piano centred ballad through the banjo infused direction of High Up On The Mountain. Bentall is well able to use his voice to set the tone for these songs. Many of which allude to old-time or other musical territories but he never lets the music loses sight of his overall sound.

The tale of Four Went To War is again another picture in words that expresses comradeship and the joy of survival with a strong sing along chorus of a tale of Canadian Civil War participants. Say Goodbye To Albert Comfort is a slow ballad of facing up to fate. By way of contrast On Fine Day rocks with another big chorus and it's sense of getting there - a tribute to longevity of relationships. A theme also picked up for Long Lovely Love Affair which closes the album.

Barney Bentall and his band make music that has a wide-ranging appeal that would doubtless find a bigger audience outside of Canada and given the quality of every aspect of this and previous albums deserves to be. But things don't always happen the way they should so his mix of the personal and the pictorial that moves from the pensive to some more heartland rock workouts will find its audience if the effort is made to listen to the songs of this talented rancher and songwriter. We are all made of flesh and bone and can relate to the reasons that these songs exist.

Barney Bentall 'The Inside Passage' True North

This Canadian singer/songwriter, formally a member of the band The Legendary Hearts, has carved out a solo career with his roots, full band rock and country. He now owns a horse ranch in the Cariboo and divides his time between running that and continuing his recording career. He is also behind the Grand Cariboo Opry which gathers together a host of fellow musicians to play original and classic country songs. Here the sound is broader to reflect a wide emotional landscape. Sending Out A Message To You is the kind of song about being apart that Springsteen might do. By way of contrast On This Beautiful Night is bolstered by brass, with a soulful twist it talks of travel and of finding people and places. The title track has a feel of a classic Jackson Browne song and is again about of reflection and beauty. Elsewhere fiddle and steel play a prominent place in the production, by John Ellis, as on the uptempo Catch That Train or the tender, self-explanatory I Never Meant To Make You Cry. Papa Henry's Boy is a "Seeger Sessions" style sing along with banjo well to the fore. She Ran Away is a fine stripped back song with guitar and some atmospheric dobro and a stand-out here for that reason, and reminds of some classic John Hiatt. This is the sort of album that, with exposure, could easily find favour with a European audience. www.barneybentall.com