Sligo songwriter and wandering minstrel Perry Blake has enjoyed more success around continental Europe than he has in his homeland. Canyon Songs, his self-produced fifth studio album, sees him in typical downbeat mood, but there’s a subtle country tinge cropping up on some of the nine songs here that might see him expand his loyal fanbase considerably.
‘Gemini’ opens the batting well with stirring wide-screen strings, and ‘The Ballad Of Billy Bob’ uses strings and mandolin to effectively underpin Blake’s consciously fragile vocal. ‘Do We Really Fall In Love In Love Songs?’ is less satisfactory: irritating plinky-plonk country, with the sort of quasi-philosophical title beloved of Nashvillians everywhere.
‘Something Still Reminds Me’ reminds me of early Simon and Garfunkel but the vocal is a bit monotone to carry the song. Things pick up excellently on the plaintive and affecting ‘If You See Mary’, with its fine banjo colourings – and ‘Songbird’ is a delicious slab of soft country-rock on which Blake gets uncannily close to Neil Hannon. ‘The Letter’ ups the tempo and, buoyed up by lavish harmonies, emerges as a real highlight. All told, an interesting record.