![3D""=20](3D"http://www.whatsupyukon.com/images/stories/mini_masts/discourse.pn=)
Gordie=20
Tentrees has released his third studio album and is planning =
to=20
celebrate with a tour of northern communities. More of that =
later,=20
for now let=E2=80=99s get to the CD, Mercy or Sin.
For =
those familiar=20
with his last two releases you will immediately hear two big =
differences, namely the production and the =
performance.
The=20
production is much more atmospheric than past albums.![3D""=20](3D"http://www.whatsupyukon.com/images/stories/2009/May14/cd.jpg")
=
Bob=20
Hamilton produces Mercy or Sin with great subtly and, in my =
humble=20
opinion, it is a real credit to his skill. The instruments =
and=20
vocals are mixed well and there is great stereo action =
happening on=20
each track. The blend of gritty lead guitar with the cleaner =
Dobro=20
guitar on Devil Talks really accentuates the completely dark =
bluesy=20
grind of the thing.
There is special emphasis on the =
recording of=20
the slide guitar on many of the tracks that give it its own =
tasty=20
space that, to my ear, is a sonic listening pleasure. The =
slide=20
guitar on Hey Mama is downright spacial.
I really like =
the=20
treatment on Rambling and is that a Mellotron in there =
somewhere or=20
merely a clever mix of strings? If you listen with the right =
kind of=20
ears, you might hear a shade of Nights in White Satin in=20
passing.
You would think that Tentrees constant touring =
over the=20
last few years would have worn him down somewhat. On the =
contrary,=20
the road has served him well.
His songs and song writing, =
while=20
keeping a familiar flavour, express a strength that only a =
rigorous=20
schedule of performance would provide.
In the same way an =
athlete=20
might use exercise, Tentrees seems to have toned his craft =
and=20
buffed up his playing and vocals in the process.
Tentrees =
exudes=20
a new confidence on this album manifesting in a tighter band =
and=20
lyrics that are more reflective. He seems to be more =
comfortable=20
with his singing also: It may be subtle, but it is =
there.
A prime=20
example would be his vocals on Devil Talks. On this track, =
we hear=20
Tentrees going deep and giving a performance that is both =
gritty and=20
more expressive than on his past albums.
Traveling Song =
Man,=20
Rambling=E2=80=99s Gonna be the Death of Me and Ross River, =
among others,=20
are reflections from the road.
=E2=80=9CWrite what you =
know=E2=80=9D is the first=20
rule a writer uses to fill a cold empty page and in Mercy or =
Sin,=20
Tentrees uses this honest axiom to great effect.
Mercy or =
Sin is=20
a powerful title for songs that delve deep into the =
psychology of=20
the road. In that moment, standing at the crossroads, which =
path=20
would you choose?
May 14 sees Tentrees at the Yukon Arts =
Centre=20
for a CD release show with Fred Eaglesmith and, on the 15th, =
they=20
are at the Odd Fellows Hall in Dawson.
You can check out =
his=20
website at www.tentrees.ca and =
www.myspace.com/gordietentrees to=20
hear some of the tunes from the new album.
And, on Page =
14 of=20
this paper, you will see a story on Gordie Tentrees and Fred =
Eaglesmith and their northern shows this week.
Bill Polonsky is a radio =
geek and=20
music programmer at CJUC 92.5 fm in Whitehorse and can be =
contacted=20
at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You =
need=20
JavaScript enabled to view it
.
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