Live at Longview

by

Ian Tyson

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Ian is 68 years old and could rest on his laurels and do a "greatest hits," but this album ignores them with a couple of exceptions (Someday Soon, Navajo Rug) and creatively presents some new and recent songs in the cowboy-western tradition. A couple of these (Little High Plains Town, Bob Fudge) are among his very best ever. The sound is wonderful for a live concert, the arrangements are creative, with effective addition of drums and fiddle on some songs and even a trumpet on one, and his voice is as strong as ever. In an amazingly strong catalog that includes some of the best 60s folk (Ian and Sylvia), early country rock (Great Speckled Bird) as well as the cowboy classics of his later career, this album is one of his very best. It's my favorite of all his solo albums, because of the consistency of the material and the warm feeling of the concert that makes you wish you had been there.

Being a fan of all things Ian Tyson, I didn't think I could go wrong with this release. I love live albums , and thought this would be magic.

After a few listens, I decided the let down for me was the slightly loungy ,almost Vegas style arrangements of some classic tracks. Plus , there is something discouraging about picturing the old West as Tyson portrays it, with the very modern electric acoustic guitar sound that roars through the album. I would personally rather here a well miked classic old Martin guitar with a natural tone to suit the mood.

Petty complaints , maybe , but I don't get that true cowboy feel from the sound or the arrangements on this album.

Really liked Blue Moon though, and even the "country rap" . I guess I also have other tracks from his albums I prefer. I didn't think Smugglers Cove would be the track off the Lost Herd album Ian would choose to do.

Still, the man is in my top three singer /songwriters of all time.