When Bob Egan (of Blue Rodeo, fomerly of Wilco) played with Shannon Lyon this summer in Guelph he played less than 10 songs, but what great songs they were! With a surprisingly wide variety of instrumentation -- long, atmospheric musical composites accompany his accomplished and versatile vocals, in unique and intriguing song constructions. From the steel guitar and the drum machine, to experimental pedal weirdness, a slide, an acoustic and a National Steel guitar, Egan held the full audience's rapt attention. What great music.
His latest album, The Glorious Decline, has just been released, and it is well worth buying! You can hear samples at www.bobegan.com, but suffice to say it is a another powerful work from a master musician and songwriter, with a pleasing voice and way with a melody. But it is an album full of sad, sad songs -- both subject matter wise and in the way it sounds, because of the instrumentation. He said "I really don't know how to describe my music......folk pop with country and rock influences?" also mentioning the genre of "Sad" appealled "because I've always written sad songs and been drawn to sad songs. Sadness would allow me a mood to work within and set a theme for the record." Bob Egan has succeeded once again -- the recent sorrowful release certainly makes good listening!
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