Gordon Lightfoot Book, Music and More!

A mixed bag, this Lightfoot love-in ranges from refreshing interpretations by Cowboy Junkies (a rocking “The Way I Feel”), Bruce Cockburn (a spooky “Ribbon of Darkness”) and Blackie & the Rodeo Kings (a stirring “Summer Side of Life”) to such weak or dated choices as “Go Go Round” (Blue Rodeo), “Bend in the River” (Harry Manx) and “Black Day in July” (the Tragically Hip). With Aengus Finnan’s paean joining the Guess Who’s early testimonial, at least two tribute songs now exist titled “Lightfoot.” Go Go Gord.

Along with k.d. lang’s Hymns from the 49th Parallel and the recent Gordon Lightfoot tribute album, Lee’s latest represents a new trend: singers mining vintage Canadian nuggets for repertoire. Lee casts songs by Randy Bachman, David Clayton-Thomas and others in a jazz setting—with surprising results. While her version of Lightfoot’s folky “If You Could Read My Mind” swings beautifully, her takes on jazzy pop numbers like Bachman’s “Undun” and Clayton-Thomas’ “Spinning Wheel” fall surprisingly flat.

Frontman Yannis Philippakis’ previous band was called the Edmund Fitzgerald, but there’s nothing Lightfootish about Foals, a smart-rock outfit from Oxford, England, home of fellow braniacs Radiohead. Like America’s Vampire Weekend, Foals has a taste for African music—check out the rhythmic romance of “Red Sock Pugie” and the closing, anthemic “Tron,” featuring the horns of Afrobeat big band Antibalas. And the infectious “Cassius,” which references the fall of Rome, is guaranteed to dancefloors everywhere. Apr. 8   

The latest from Roberts and his bearded bandmates is chock full of anxious anthems for our edgy times, from the uneasy “Stripmall Religion” and the twitchy “Them Kids” to the apocalyptic “End of the Empire,” with its Hip-like boogie guitar. And “Detroit ’67,” which reflects on the Motor City riots, is Roberts’ response to the Lightfoot classic “Black Day in July.” But hope is never far away from his worldview, as in the stirring title track and the joyous singalong “Lions of the Kalahari,” a shout out to his baby girl.

The appetite for Cash shows no signs of abating. This release will please fans who like their Man in Black raw and unadulterated. With spare accompaniment, Cash sings about love and salvation on stark originals like “I Came to Believe” and “Like the 309” (the last song he wrote before his death) and covers by Hank Williams and Bruce Springsteen. For Canadian Cash-aholics, his interpretations of Ian Tyson’s “Four Strong Winds” and Gordon Lightfoot’s “If You Could Read My Mind” are a cool, maple-leaf waving bonus. July 4