The gifted Canadian singer/songwriter, Colin Linden, is joined by his own band of Canadian all-stars and special guests Bruce Cockburn, Rick Danko, Levon Helm and Garth Hudson on 13 exquisitely recorded songs.
Showcasing Linden's songwriting and interpretive talents on material ranging from traditional blues and acoustic music to roots rock, South at Eight North at Nine is treasured by music lovers everywhere who appreciate contemporary, cross-genre approaches to roots music.
Produced by Colin Linden
Associate Producer: Gary Craig
Executive Producer: Randy Labbe
Additional Recording at See The Light and Manta/Eastern Studios (Toronto) and Helmsley Palace, N.R.S. and Bearsville (Woodstock).
Additional engineering by Colin Linden, Rich Chycki, John Naslen, Tod Levine and Scott Petito.
Assisted by Chris Laidlaw, John Rodd, Scott Dibble.
Photographs by Elliott Landy (Woodstock).
Art direction and design by Patrick Duffy (Toronto).
If life was a ship and the captain got drunk
and he gambled away his coat and his hat
and he couldn't care less if the ship it sunk
Well some people treat their love like that
But I know you're the one
I can tell you're the one
Positively the one
I felt fireworks the night we met
I felt the fright of love's hot sting
I started falling and I haven't stopped yet
I'm still waiting for the alarm to ring
Keep what you got or give it away
So hard to let go even harder to stay
I crawled through the heat of the night for love
and I waited at the end of the phone for love
and I bit my tongue 'til it bled for love
and I lost everything but my hat for love
and I know you're the one....
Toronto - With the release of his third solo album South at Eight, North at Nine, and with mare than two decades of music making behind him, Colin Linden deserves a degree of international recognition.
The album, the 33 year old guitarist/singer/producer's first solo release outside of Canada, was recorded in the U.S. blues indie, Deluge Records. In a licensing agreement with Deluge, Sony Records Canada has picked up the album in this country and issued it on Columbia. Worldwide rights have not yet been assigned.
Linden, also a member of Bruce Cockburns band, is the sole Canadian on Deluge's roster, which includes Eddie Kirkland, Pinetop Perkins, Zora Young, and Little Anthony and the Loco-Motives. "Colin performs on four of our first six releases, so that should tell you what we think of him," says Deluge president Randy Labbe.
"When Randy approached me to do this album, I thought it'd be a fun way to spend the summer," says Linden, now recording at the Bearsville Studio neat Woodstock, N.Y., with Cockburn.
excerpts from: Billboard (March 20, 1993)
Colin Linden - South at Eight, North at Nine
It is fairly well known just how Canadian artists, from folk to rock, are influenced by American music; especially the Southern Sound. Why not? We're neighbors. If the North and the South were to mingle a bit more, we would undoubtedly have many more records with the diversity and sensitivity of South at Eight, North at Nine, the latest release by Toronto - based Colin Linden. Linden is not only a member of Bruce Cockburn's summer tour but has been constantly at work with The Band.
Between Bonnie Raitt's blusey/country appeal and Lyle Lovett's eccentric diversity, there is a crack big enough masterpiece to slip into obscurity unnoticed. This LP just overflows with the slangy Southern blues style; mingling throughout with a country twang. Canadian style.
This record is a rare treat. As a songwriter, Linden is very busy. Not only is he performing and co-writing with The Band, Colin has been involved with at least eight other projects, including work wit Watertown's One Phoebe Street, Colin James, and on a new release by Rita Coolidge. How Linden has found time to put together this charmer, can only be explained by his obvious devotion to the art, which comes shining through in the end product.
South at Eight, North at Nine is a big production from one of North America's most gifted singer/songwriters. Linden seems to have brought his entire career to bear on this release with material ranging from traditional acoustic blues duets to full-band, roosty rock. The record possesses a comely intimacy, which is enhanced by the acoustics, of being recorded in a warehouse, with the vocals usually recorded live. Other overdubs were completed at Levon Helm's home studio, in Woodstock.
Some guests on this LP include: Who else? Rick Danko, Levon Helm, and Garth Hudson, three of The Bands original line-up. Bruce Cockburn and a host of other fine artist also rise to the occasion.
This record kicks on a few traditional blues covers. Sonny Terry's "Gonna Get On My Feet After Awhile," which is simply Colin and Bruce Cockburn - two acoustic guitars, two voices, and that's the blues. "Black Horse Blues," a Blind Lemon special , totally driven and taken over by Linden's guitar work, and enforced with a few piano surprises by Richard Bell, who also pays his dues on a Willie Dixon cover "I Want To Be Loved." These are three of the finest traditional blues tunes to date. Still Colin Linden always maintains a trademark twang, keeping you totally confused as to the taste of this CD. Blues/country, country/blues, there's no difference, since Linden's quality, emotions, and expertise bring the music to you and with a pleasant brilliance.
Linden also packs a few chilling stories as well. "I could have been a savior, so what do you think of that? Now I'm gonna take your life, Billy, because you won my Stetson hat." So said "Richard Lee." South at Eight, North at Nine will have you shopping a little more NORTH OF THE BORDER in no time.
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Last Update: March 27, 1996 12:15 PM