There appears to be an endless supply of hugely talented Canadian singer-songwriters emerging in recent years. Ryan Boldt, Jim Bryson, Kathleen Edwards, Kendal Carson, Luke Doucet, Frazey Forde, immediately come to mind in this context, artists unfortunately unlikely to achieve the commercial recognition they richly deserve. Matt Patershuk, on the basis of this delightful offering, is yet another Canadian to richly impress.
I Was So Fond Of You follows Patershuk’s debut, the Western Canada Music Awards nominated Outside the Lights of Town released in 2013. This album is a collection of eleven songs, in the main dedicated to his sister Clare, tragically killed by a drunk driver in 2013. It’s an album that has the listener immediately seeking out the lyrics to some beautifully written songs from the understated title track to the equally moving and saddening Prettiest Ones.
Equally impressive is the quality of the musicianship throughout. Fiddle, banjo, accordion, mandolin and guitar are contributed by Nashville resident and one of America’s finest, Fats Kaplin. Gary Craig adds drums and percussion, with backing vocals, to beautiful effect, by Ana Egge, an extremely talented singer-songwriter in her own right. The album was produced by Juno Award Winner Steve Dawson who also adds some elegant steel guitar throughout and was recorded at Dawson’s Henhouse Studio in Nashville
Sounding decades beyond his years (elder statesmen Guy Clark and Jerry Jeff Walker come to mind) Patershuk’s baritone vocals throughout cannot be described as melodic but are controlled, disciplined and magically suited to his lyrics. Melancholy may be the overriding tone of the album yet it’s not without humour. Pep The Cat Murdering Dog tells the tale of Pep the Labrador sentenced to life without parole by a State Governor for killing his wife’s cat and Burnin’ the Candle is straight down the middle honky tonk.
Despite these lighter moments it is the material dealing with its core subject that remain with the listener. The previously mentioned and understated title track, the wonderful Tennessee Warrior ( his lines weren’t straight but his heart was true, papa said girl he was meant for you) relating to a horse owned by Patershuk’s sister and the evocative Prettiest Ones standing out in particular.
Noteworthy also is the striking packaging and artwork on I Was So Fond Of You which is better described as a sharing of thoughts by Patershuk than simply an album. Highly recommended indeed.