This collection of 19 songs taken from 1999 to 2012 is a very potent reminder why Ian Tyson is considered one of the most important songwriters of his generation. The quality of the cowboy narratives, and the evolution of his songwriting powers is simply a force of nature.

It cannot be explained any other way.

Songs like This Is My Sky, Lost Herd, Little High Plains Town, The Road To Los Cruces and the pureness of the track Song In A Dream have no equal except for possibly Bob Dylan.

Tyson would be the first to acknowledge that the musicianship of the players he chooses is important. That may be true, but like his peers Gordon Lightfoot and Leonard Cohen it’s the songs that are key.

Now nearing 80 years of age and in almost full recovery of a damaged voice and still touring and writing Ian Tyson’s influence on folk/country music cannot even be calculated.

If indeed everything is fast forward and the years go flying by Ian Tyson continues to redefine his role as the ultimate cowboy.

This album/cd is available May 21 in Canada and in the United States June 18th 2013.

John Emms is a veteran music journalist, online radio host, singer-songwriter and bandleader with Canada’s blues rockers The Shaftmen www.theshaftmen.com

In fact, if you never thought that intelligence and rock could fit together in the same sentence then you better make this album your essential rock destination.

Blasting off with the nasty groove of Tim White, and Dale Harrison with Trent Carr’s percussive compressed guitar attack Hugh Dillon smacks you upside your head with Change My Ways, and the killer single longwaytoneverland

It’s a dead centre hit..You better know it.

Far Away From Here and Don’t Follow The Leader prove that Hugh Dillon is the thinking man’s rock n’ roll front man while the band plunges riffs and stones you like a summer day in July.

Nothing can prepare the listener for Astronaught (correct spelling) the band’s most atmospheric song ever.

The sweeping cinematic lyrics and chord changes take you to a place that’s comfortable but not numb.

In fact, space commander Chris Hadfield may have a new theme song.

The band does a blistering version of  what sounds like  Abba’s S.O.S. before the killer stereo mix on Bin This Way For Years and the superb Leonard Cohen meets Coldplay vibe of Midnight Of This Life.

Not many bands could take 10 years off and sound so vital.

A must have album for any music fan who loves the fury of great rock n’ roll.

JOHN EMMS is a veteran music journalist, radio host and songwriter with Canada’s blues rockers THE SHAFTMEN.

https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/paycheque-blues/id365389443

http://www.theshaftmen.com

For players like Jimmy Vivino and his band and for the guys who play like they mean it playing music is life and life is playing live.

Sound kind of wacky. Well it won’t when you let this album burn it’s way through you.

Just let vocalist Catherine Russell take one of Vivino’s originals Fool’s Gold and wrap you up in her intense soul drenching and you will know what I mean.

Of course you could always check out the wicked shuffle of Bob Dylan’s From A Buick 6 when harp man Felix Cabrera and Vivino blast away your cobwebs with killer solos.

Check out the groove stick attack from James Wormworth on the Allman Bros ‘vibe’ of Fast Life Rider and the Chuck Berry on steroids rip of Vivino’s Heaven In A Pontiac.

Each member of the Black Italians gets a chance to shine.

Hey, just like a real band

Like the best Mortadella, this is a tasty “live” treat

JOHN EMMS is a veteran music journalist, radio host and bandleader with blues rockers The Shaftmen available worldwide https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/paycheque-blues/id365389443 or www.theshaftmen.com

David Clayton’s new album A Blues For The New World is an album steeped in superior musicianship, solid material and of course great vocals.

However, in today’s world of the quick fix will it take hold at radio?

Does he need it to?

DCT authored some superb songs with Blood Sweat & Tears. Mega hits in fact.

This cd sounds like an album he and his killer band made for the sheer musicality of it all.

Believe me it shows.

With the recent success of Boz Scagg’s Memphis album and unknown veteran soul singer Charles Bradley hitting the charts is David Clayton Thomas poised for more radio airplay?

With songs as good as the gospel Holy Moses, the adventurous and most bluesy track Sounds So Sweet and the excellent tracks Second Chance, Politics, and the superb arrangement to The Sky’s The Limit who knows?

Fans should know this cd is not a 12 bar blues album or even a mainstream hybrid R&B cd in the vein of Bonnie Raitt.

It instead draws on DCT’s extensive blues and gospel background from the sixties heyday with the Shays all the way through Blood Sweat & Tears

What it is and what it does show is David Clayton Thomas is still making vital original music.

JOHN EMMS is a veteran music journalist, radio host and songwriter with Canada’s blues rockers The Shaftmen www.theshaftmen.com

Frank Turner’s new cd Tape Deck Heart is the rare pop album that puts your faith back into music. it’s not perfect and of course that is the point.

Putting it simply Tape Deck Heart has killer songs. Combining an REM jangle wall of sound and passionate vocal Turner rips into Losing Days, gets Strummer-esque on Plain Sailing Weather while Tell Tale Signs goes way more than skin deep.

Elsewhere, the opening track Recovery piles up the words almost to the point of Turner running out of breath. Coupled with the gorgeous earthy The Way I tend To Be, they are both sublime songs

At 16 songs the album is a bit too long. It could also be said this is Turner’s most American sounding roots album and that is a good thing.

This album is at least four singles deep but more importantly Turner has upped the ante.

This release will be available April 23 2013

JOHN EMMS is a veteran music journalist, radio host http://emms.podbean.com/ and songwriter/vocalist with Canada’s blues/roots band THE SHAFTMEN www.theshaftmen.com

It could be said that if John Lee Hooker was The Healer, then Ronnie Earl and his great band The Broadcasters are spiritual messengers.

And the message they deliver on Just For Today the group’s latest album is a throwback to the days when B.B. King’s Live At The Regal or John Coltrane’s Live At Birdland ruled your record collection.

What those albums did was showcase the players, the intimate venue and mood.

The ambience Earl and the Broadcasters dish out recorded live at three venues on this album has that same kind of vibe. In one word Special.

The audience is really listening and the band delivers.

Blues for Celia has Earl’s reverb spiked Fender Stratocaster gently pulling and pushing the song so that the audience is almost eavesdropping as the Broadcasters move in, while Miracle’s almost Neil Young’s Like A Hurricane’s progression has drummer Lorne Entress  pushing the groove to Earl and the band.

If the band has a secret weapon then keyboard player Dave Limina qualifies throughout the album. His distorted organ solo on John Coltrane’s Equinox just smokes, while his piano work on his own Vernice’s Boogie grabs the groove and does not let go.

Entress and bassist Jim Mouradian play with class and their support on the gentle Pastorale and the track Blues for Hubert Sumlin run the gamut of cool dynamics.

Throughout this album Ronnie Earl’s exquisite guitar tone and chops gives testament to the fact what you play comes from your heart and flows out through your fingers and above all your soul.

Every once in a while they make recordings like this. And this is one of those times.

JOHN EMMS is a veteran music journalist, radio host and songwriter/musician with
Canadian Blues Rockers THE SHAFTMEN who’s third all original blues/soul recording is almost ready to go. www.theshaftmen.com

Jeff Healey Band-House on Fire-Demos & Rarities-Convexe Entertainment should stop everything and release Too Late Now. Believe me, it’s the 7th song in on the cd and it’s written by Tom Stephen, Joe Rockman and Jeff and with a proper push it could become one of their great ballads in line with Angel Eyes. Other standouts include Who’s Been Sleepin’ in My Bed written by Bobby Whitlock and Jack Tempchin. Also noted is the killer cover of Bob Seger’s We’ve Got Tonight, and the band’s jazzed, funky instrumental Bish Bang Boof.

Justin Timberlake-Don’t Hold Out The Wall-Wow, the most funked out, coolest jam you will hear in 2013. Check the headphone mix on this baby. Damn fine JT from the cd the 20/20 Experience.

24th Street Wailers-Live In Halifax-So many bands and musicians could learn a ton from a band so young. The most telling thing is how this band plays with passion and groove. Sure, the are tons of covers and I’m not sure if anyone needs another 10 minute cover I’ve Got My Mojo Working. But man, this band has it going on. Some more work on orginals and watch out. Throw this on at any party!

Celleste-Superstar (by myself) I can hear this track at radio in a big way. In fact, when this song comes on in my vehicle I crank it up. That’s a good sign folks. Celleste has tons of dynamics as a vocalist. Download it now. From the cd Join the Infestation!

Ian Hunter and the Rant Band-Saint-Along with Willie Nile this is some of the best roots rock since Hunter’s early solo stuff and his outstanding Mott days. WOW. From the cd When I’m President

John Emms is a veteran music journalist, radio host and rocker..check out www.theshaftmen.com

Bon Jovi-Into The Echo-Jon and the band get very passionate..Superb, yearning  lead vocal from Bon Jovi with superb lyrics .. Great solo by Richie Sambora who’s coming off his own killer solo cd

Colin James-Sweets Gone Sour-Funky and chunky opening track from the album Fifteen. The stereo mix on this just kills. background vocals jump out at ya!!

Robert Cray-Blues Get Off of My Shoulder-Nice horn arrangement. Nobody writes blues songs as cool as Cray. That’s because he never falls  into the standard 12 bar pattern. From the cd Nothing But Love.

Alvin Lee-Keep On Rockin’ -The late and great Lee rips a wild, fat swingin’ lead guitar and with a pumped up boogie. Think Dave Edmunds on steroids. From the cd The Anthology.

Jack de Keyzer-Mojo Woman-Heavy Duty riffology from De Keyzer and his urgent and supple guitar weaves and glides behind the thump of his great band. From the cd Electric Love.

Eric Clapton-Gotta Get Over-The most electric track on his new cd Old Sock. Killer bk vocals from 10 time Grammy winner Chaka Khan.

David Bowie-I’d Rather Be High-When other artists vocals get worse with age, Bowie’s vocals get better. Superb weaving guitar work from Gerry Leonard. From the cd The Next Day

Aerosmith-Oh Yeah-Leave it to Joe Perry to come up with the goods for this. Vintage, tough, and durable. Download it pronto. From the cd Music From Another Dimension

Bonnie Raitt-  Split Decision-Fueled by Mike Finnigans’ killer B-3, and Raitt’s slinky slide guitar this a knockout. From the cd Slipstream.

Blues Traveller-Devil in the Details-Absolute and vital. ,One of their best songs in recent memory .From the cd Suzie Cracks the Whip.

I think every album should be a progression that shows real growth”  I had related this comment to someone who asked why the band have took their time on our upcoming third feature full length album.

Fact is THE SHAFTMEN have always been moving into a groove not far from what Gary Clark,  Robert Cray, Bonnie Raitt, Tommy Castro and many American blues rockers have taken up.

That being songs reflecting Soul, R & B, Blues, and Rock.

After I had written the songs over the last 2 years  all of the band members Mike Charette, Joseph Di Marco, myself and Gilbert Boissonneault
had plenty of input on the arranging of the material

However, we still maintain our Canadian Northern Ontario Culture and Heritage. And that is completely unique.

Part of the growth had been asking other musicians to add to the sound we had heard when playing the songs in rehearsal and on stage. On three of the album’s tracks we used a horn section and arrangements put together by Monty Kirkpatrick. In addition we asked Steffany Venneri to add harmony vocals on about 5 songs.

Those features show up on the Blues and R & B tracks on the upcoming release.

We could not co-ordinate time schedules with Juno winner Jack De Keyzer which was our fault. The guys could not get time off during the work week when Jack was available.

I produced the album with Engineer George Witham who also mixed the recording and we believe this is our most cohesive album.

PURCHASE THE SHAFTMEN ON APPLE  ITUNES    https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/paycheque-blues/id365389443

Visit the band www.theshaftmen.com

JOHN EMMS is a veteran music journalist,  radio host and musician