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| Canadian Country-Rocker Knows Who He Is and What He’s After After three well-received country-rock albums, singer-songwriter-guitarist Tim Harwill, who has been called everything from The Vegetarian Cowboy to The Prairie Legend, has just released "The Wander Man Revisited, " his fourth album, which is as distinct as it is compelling. Not only is it Harwill's first fully electric album, it was also entirely mixed and mastered in the famed country music capital of the world, features such renowned guest artists as James Talley, Steve Young and Tim Hus, and advances the raw appeal of the type of story-song that country-rock was made for in the first place. The album, currently available at more than 40 digital retailers worldwide, features a dozen tracks, all of which continue Harwill's musical exploration of real life—as only a private, pensive, "graduate of the school of hard knocks" guy like Tim Harwill can live it. "I write what I know and I write what I believe, " states the Manitoba-born, Alberta-based Canadian musician. "You'll hear no second- or third-party character positions in my songs. Case closed." The songs on the new album, all composed by Harwill, include stories about the three L's of existence—life, love and loss—poignantly told in "Sittin' in a Hotel Room, " a drunkard's lament bluntly shared in "The Only Thing Worth Keeping, " biographical memories candidly revealed in "The Wander Man Revisited, " and nine other provocative and emotional tunes. Take It or Leave It "We took a no compromise approach to recording and producing this album, " Harwill explains. "Each and every track is a complete and live performance, not the result of post-production editing or 'punch-in' techniques. Hey, if it can't be played live, it will never be on one of my albums. That's just the way it is. Take it or leave it." To provide harmony vocals on a series of duets, Harwill recruited noted friends such as James Talley, the Oklahoma born folk-country singer and songwriter who, over his 40-year career, has been likened to Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan; Steve Young, an acclaimed performer and songwriter whose work, which runs the gamut from country to folk and from blues to Celtic, has been recorded by many established artists; and Tim Hus, a popular rising star from Canada who also recently released his fourth album of gritty, narrative-driven Canadiana country. "The Wander Man Revisited" follows Harwill's earlier albums, "Spinner of Tales" (1998), "Thru the Bottom of a Glass" (2005) and "All I Really Need" (2006) Too Folk for Country, Too Country for Rock & Roll In the past, Harwill has been tagged as 'too folk for country, too county for rock & roll, ' but has proven at concerts, in recording studios, in a recent music video, and with the release of "The Wander Man Revisited" to be just the right kind of musician for the sort of authentic Americana—melodious, visual and no-holds-barred—that more and more people want to hear today. Also featured on the new album are Paul Martineau on drums, Charlie Deshane on lead electric guitar, Ken Flaherty on acoustic guitar and background vocals, Delores Hershey on background vocals, and Andy Gasparini on bass. "The Wander Man Revisited" is available online at iTunes, the Indie Pool eStore, at HMV, on Puretracks, and an extensive range of additional digital distributors. About Tim Harwill Singer-songwriter-guitarist Tim Harwill has been creating, recording and performing music for more than 20 years, and has been doing it professionally for more than a decade. His profoundly personal lyrics, distinctive vocal style and passionate approach to performance—all rooted in a life of deep contemplation, roving curiosity and on-the-road lifestyle—has made him a growing favorite in the U.S. and Canada. In addition to providing the vocals and playing the 12-string guitar and harmonica in concert and on his albums, Harwill is also the producer and engineer for most of his own projects. He counts among his greatest musical influences Johnny Cash, John Lennon, Kris Kristofferson, Merle Haggard—as well as the guest artists who he invited to be part of "The Wander Man Revisited." write your comments about the article :: © 2009 Jazz News :: home page |