Light As A Feather (Review by Sid Smith).
Now this is what I call an album of ambient music. No, I'm not talking some cerebral, remote-control synthi-droneathon but the acoustic and electric sounds rebounding against such terminally old-fashioned surfaces such as wood and glass. The third album by Canda's Great Lake Swimmers – the vehicle for songwriter Tony Dekker – was recorded in the beautiful environment of the Aeolian Hall in London, Ontario. Revealingly, the examples of the peerless acoustics offered on the venue's own website include a Shostakovich piano piece and "Your Rocky Spine", the first track from Ongiara.
Site-specific recordings aren't a new fad for this outfit. Their first self-titled album (2003) was recorded in a grain silo, whilst Bodies And Minds (2005) was laid down in a church. The resulting sound from this venerable Ontario venue is crisp and clean but with plenty of warmth to it – especially when played at a bit of volume. Whilst borrowing some trappings of country music, Bob Egan's pedal steel, Erik Arnesen's melancholic banjo and Serena Ryder's winsome backing vocals, evoke a landscape of unadorned beauty that's about as far removed from the well-worn shtick associated with the hat acts and rhinestone starlets of that genre as it's possible to imagine. Sadcore, ambient folk, alt-pop, nu-country – call it what you will, there's a magical presence on this record that defies categorisation. With no sign any unnecessary preening throughout the 43 minutes which these ten songs occupy, in essence they're gently mesmerising chamber pieces, performed in an articulate but utterly uncluttered fashion. There's no studio "fairy dust", fade outs, or any artifice of that kind. "Changing Colours" has a honed poetic electric guitar solo by Arnesen that is as stirringly magnificent as it brief, whilst Egan's ascending pedal steel guitar echoes and embodies the lyric's observation "I was heavy, but now I am light" on 'I Became Awake.' Simplicity really is the ultimate sophistication.
Hovering at the centre of it all, Dekker's woebegone voice with its combination of yearning fragility and breathless wonder, conjures an image of Neil Young and Paddy MacAloon's paths crossing on an otherwise deserted, windswept prairie. Quietly impressive.
................................................................................................................Exclaim! Magazine Wood Wires & Whiskey Year In Review, 7, Great Lake Swimmers 'Ongiara.' Tony Dekker — chief song catcher behind the Great Lakes Swimmers — takes a page from Romantic poets like William Wordsworth and John Keats to find inspiration here. Raised along the shores of Lake Erie, the sombre songwriter knows a thing or two about how environment affects mood. Dekker uses this knowledge to paint haunting vignettes that linger long on your brain. Warm, lo-fi, and magical describes this listening session. Listen closely and you hear the hurt. Listen a little longer to decipher the beautiful despair. The sparse, acoustically inclined recordings allow the sound of each instrument to be heard behind Dekker’s delicate delivery. (David McPherson)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….....……………………… Great Lake Swimmers explore the worlds of indie folk, roots music and alt-country pop, with a focus on lyrics and songwriting. Known for haunting, somber ballads, their sound blends natural reverb with folkie arrangements and inspirational lyrics. In 2007 they released their third album, “Ongiara” with ten songs inspired by environments, both internal and external. Special guests on this recording include Bob Egan (Blue Rodeo), Serena Ryder, Darcy Yates, Sarah Harmer, and Owen Pallett (Final Fantasy). “Ongiara” was primarily recorded at the Aeolian Hall, an acoustic jewel in the heart of old downtown London, Ontario, and was engineered by Andy Magoffin. Their first two critically acclaimed albums “Great Lake Swimmers” (2003) and “Bodies and Minds” (2005) have had the band on the move for the past few years, playing venues across Canada, the United States, Europe, and Australia.
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GREAT LAKE SWIMMERS music can be purchased online at iTunes, Zunior.Com, and Nettmusic.
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For more information: www.greatlakeswimmers.com & www.weewerk.com.
I LOVE "Your Rocky Spine". It is so soulful and has great lyrics. It makes me want to cry and fall in love at the same time. Please come to Oklahoma. I would really enjoy hearing you play live.
Your songs are simply, "Beauty without alternative," and for that I bow in humble reverence to an art that gives me divine hope that everything through music is POSSIBLE.
It was great seeing Great Lake Swimmers share the stage with an icon like Robert Plant at The Molson Amphitheatre. The collaboration with Alison Krauss is great, but the highlight was definitely The Battle Of Evermore.
I was watching season three of "Weeds" and at the end of episode 6 the most beautiful haunting song came on and I had no idea who it was. I was so taken by the music that I scribbled down the lyrics and googled them and thankfully you came up. I just bought everything you've done so far.
Thank you for making some of the most beautiful music these ears have ever had the pleasure of hearing.
I must say that I was totally blown away when I was watching the dvd of season 3, episode 6 of WEEDS, and Rocky Spine came on at a pivotal moment. I got chills! It made it my favorite episode out of the 15.
