I began listening to this
album on cheap ear buds (I’d left my big headphones at the office over
the weekend). I hadn’t realized how
spoiled I was with the good sound of a full set of headphones, but what a
difference! The ear buds have no richness
in their sound, and are mostly bass and tinny high notes. I’m glad that before I did the final review I
was able to hear the whole record on a proper sound system, or this review
might have gone a lot worse.
Disc 509 is…. Edge of Day
Artist: Jimmy
Rankin
Year of Release: 2007
What’s up with the Cover? Jimmy, playing the guitar down by the…er…fence. I think he’s near the sea as well. Having seen Jimmy live I can advise he’s not
a tall man, but he can make that guitar sound plenty big.
How I Came To Know It: I’ve been a fan of Jimmy Rankin since he was in the
Rankin Family. This was just me buying
his latest solo album when it came out.
How It Stacks Up: I have three Jimmy Rankin albums. I like the other two much more, so I must put
this one third.
Rating: 2 stars
Back in
2007 when “Edge of Day” I couldn’t wait to get it home and give it a
listen. I had loved 2003’s “Handmade” (reviewed
way back at Disc 130) and had impatiently awaited Jimmy Rankin’s next
record ever since. Unfortunately, I
found “Edge of Day” a disappointment then, and six years later it remains
merely OK.
I work
hard to review every album on the CD Odyssey on its own terms, however, and
every album doesn’t have to measure up to an artist’s best. “Edge of Day” still has its moments and it
still features Jimmy Rankin, who I think is one of Canada’s many brilliantly
talented contemporary folk singers.
Rankin’s
voice is excellent once again, particularly on “Slipping Away.” The guitar
work on this track is also superior, with a full and bluesy groove. Jimmy hits the falsetto with practice ease as
he sings “I heee-aaar you callin’”
only to follow with an absent-minded “a
thousand light years away.” The two lines are expertly divided by a measure
of that bluesy guitar, and the effect of it all together is remarkable. It puts you in a mood that evokes hot summer
days on a porch, cold beer in hand, and not entirely pleasant memories on your
mind. It may always be the same old
three or four chords in this kind of music, but that doesn’t make all the songs
the same.
I also
enjoy “When I Rise” which has that
desperate feel that captures the plight of disadvantaged dreamers. Best lines:
“If I was a pretty girl I wouldn’t
be standin’ here
I wouldn’t be all alone - I’d
have my way with the world.”
And:
“If I was a rich man, I wouldn’t
have to break my back
Wouldn’t have to walk this line –
you’d never see me tip my hat.”
This
song reminded me of Patty Griffin’s “I
Don’t Ever Give Up” thematically and it made me appreciate the stubbornly placed
hope people place in blind luck when they’ve got nothing else to hold out for. It is also interesting how easily we slip into
old notions that girls should be pretty and men should be wealthy. Jimmy draws our attention to long-standing sexual
stereotypes and how hard they are to dispel when we foolishly hold ourselves to
those standards, outdated as they are.
Another
nice side note to “When I Rise” is former
“Rankin Family” band mate (and sister) Cookie Rankin providing some pretty harmony
on the chorus.
Unfortunately,
these moments on “Edge of Day” are just not frequent enough. The album has brilliant musicianship, including
the talents of slide guitarist Colin Linden, Gordie Sampson on vocals and mandolin,
and Jimmy himself. It is just that the
songs have an adult contemporary feel that sucks a lot of the passion out of
them.
Also,
there was a broken-heartedness that made “Handmade” so deeply evocative that is
missing on “Edge of Day.” I sincerely
hope that is because Jimmy was in a happier place when he made the record. For all that I love a sad song, I wouldn’t
wish any sadness on the artist just to make one. I still wanted something a little deeper
though, even if that something was just idle reverie.
Despite
the good stuff in “When I Rise” the
lyrics on “Edge of Day” are fairly spotty overall. Jimmy’s voice makes most things sound good
but there are some cringe-worthy items.
From “Touched by an Angel”:
“I’ve been touched by an angel, that’s
one thing for sure…
I felt the flutter of her wings
on my skin.
I fell harder than ever before
From higher than I’ve ever been.”
Overused
phrases like “touched by an angel” (and
later in the song “angels can fly/she’s
living proof” isn’t much better) feel forced. Add to that filler lines like “that’s one thing for sure” that mostly
serve the rhyme, and it fully pulled me out of a song that might have given the
depth of emotion I was seeking. That said,
worth noting once again Colin Linden’s slide guitar on this song, sweet and
beautiful as ever.
Even not
liking some of the lyrics, I can’t point to anything truly terrible on “Edge of
Day.” This is a record made by someone
who understands how to write a song, and how to deliver it with passion and
professionalism. I didn’t emotionally
connect to the album as a whole, but it is still a good effort from a talented
countryman.
Best tracks: Stranded, Slipping Away, When I Rise
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