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Tim Harwill & Friends -- The Wander Man Revisited (Independent)

Continuing his musical journey of crafting tunes rich in warm, roots-flavoured authenticity, Tim Harwill offers up some of his best cuts yet in his latest offering Tim Harwill & Friends.

Opening cut Sittin' in a Hotel Room reflects this honest approach beautifully with its attractive foundation of acoustic guitar. Barely Alive picks up the pace a bit with a catchy, percussive drive, again showcasing Harwill's impressive vocal abilities, and how well suited they are to the genres he's chosen to express himself within.

Tim Harwill & Friends – The Wander Man Revisited features guest vocal appearances by James Talley, California country/rock pioneer Steve Young and rising Canadiana country star Tim Hus.

As usual, Harwill shows a terrific knack for storytelling as the disc unfolds as well, from the earnest tones of Hard Times to the harmonica-laden Road Traveled Less and The Ballad of Kenny Holmes.

What's always been compelling about Harwill's music is the sincerity that continually surfaces throughout the tunes. That's an element you can pretty much be guaranteed of with each successive release, and it continues to firmly propel Harwill to the forefront of Canada's indie folk/roots/country scene.

Rating: 4 out of 5
-Mark Weber

The David Liberty Band -- Objects in Mirrors (Independent)

From the curious opening notes of I'm Irked, it's clear The David Liberty Band has unconventional ways of crafting tunes.

Driving everything home further is that singer/songwriter David Liberty is quite the unique singer, wielding a three octave voice that proves, for the most part, an effective vehicle to tell his stories. It usually works well, but sometimes sounds just downright odd and grating as in New Beginnings and Happy Endings. Restless works better because Liberty's distinctive voice doesn't overpower the compelling, cool acoustic guitar foundation of the song.

But back to the better moments. After the quirkiness of I'm Irked, comes the personal, thought-provoking sensibilities of Van Gogh followed by the flat-out rocking fury of Where Does the River Go.

Things also revert to a more light-hearted nature with Small Talk Crazy, again showcasing Liberty's remarkable skills at putting together songs that meld a rare lyrical punch with tunes to match. He's been described as an artist that “cannot be categorized, nor can he.” It's pretty much unimaginable he could convey himself any other way.

Rating: 3 out of 5
-Mark Weber