Track Listing

1. On The Riverfront
2. One More Pony Ride
3. Glory Years
4. Rhythm Of Your Wings
5. Rocks Of Home
6. You Don't Give Up
7. One More River Run
8. A Perfect World
9. Rock & Roll Dreams
10. Heroes
11. You Are My Song
12. Under Western Skies

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #16032 in Music
• Released on: 1996-04-23
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .23 pounds

Amazon.ca
Gary Fjellgaard is a West Coast island-dwelling straight shooter whose lyrics celebrate everyday people going about their business. In other words, his brand of folk is strictly old school, delivered in a deep voice often reminiscent of Gordon Lightfoot's. Fjellgaard, however, seems to lack Lightfoot's pop savvy--at least on this record. So on Under Western Skies, his eighth album, Fjellgaard's lyrics, vocals, and guitar-playing carry the songs more often than do the simple, plain melodies. Often, his plainspokenness is his greatest asset. For instance, in the gung-ho "One More River Run" and the inspirational "You Don't Give Up," he sings with such conviction that it's difficult not to get caught up in his story-songs. At other times Fjellgaard's earnest delivery and hokey lyrics are too much to bear, especially on the ballad "Rock & Roll Dreams," as un-rock-and-roll as anything you might ever hope to hear. Mostly, the arrangements are spare, with a mix that pushes the Saskatchewan-born musician's acoustic guitar playing and expressive singing to the forefront. Nostalgia is the overwhelming mood, and Under Western Skies features few novel lyrical ideas and even fewer ear-catching hooks. But for those looking for the folk-music equivalent of comfort food, this is roast beef by the fire on a cold winter's night. --Shawn Conner