Exhausted and overwhelmed by extremely stressful projects, I ventured out last Friday night to seek some relief and found it at Mother’s Wine Emporium in the beautiful, stirring melodies sung by Canadian folk artist Tim Harrison.
The poetic lyrics in Harrison’s songs were perhaps the finest I’ve heard sung at Mother’s while I’ve been a student at RPI. The songs’ expressive words told moving stories about everyday life in a way that passionately expressed the intensity surrounding the promise of joyful highs and the misery of sorrow-filled lows.
Phrases such as “moving around in a world that keeps them down,” “where the world seems to just disappear,” and “one more night of conscious distance” painted vivid images of harsh adversity.
The wonderful performance also featured stellar guitar play whose rhythm was flawlessly orchestrated by Harrison. Harrison’s expert use of variations in tempo produced a uniquely vibrant and intriguing sound that gently soothed my weariness and inspired my imagination.
The songs that most impressed me during the evening included “In Dark Irish Kitchens,” a ballad about missing someone who you love, “Oh the Places You Go,” an upbeat, whimsical narrative about adventure, and “Down to the River,” whose lyrics were written to honor musical workshops that keep children away from drugs in Owen Sound, Ontario—Harris-
on’s hometown.
Harrison earned a Porcupine Award—the Canadian honor for folk music—in 1996 for his instrumental role in building and sustaining the modern folk music movement in Canada. The award recognized his support in directing the Mariposa Festival in Orillia, Ontario, helping to found the Summer-
folk Music and Crafts Festival in Owen Sound, Ontario, and the North-
winds Festival in Toronto.
Harrison has recorded seven CDs during his 18-year career: Train Going East, In the Barroom Light, The Stars Above, Bridges, Tim Harrison, and Sara and the Sea. His newest album, Wheatfield with Crows—named after the last painting by Vincent van Gogh—is due for release on November 29.
Overall, Harrison’s performance was very enjoyable and definitely well worth seeing. Since folk music shows at Mother’s are always free to students, I recommend going to one as a way to reduce the large amount of stress created by projects and exams during this time of the year.
