Gruff-voiced and noir-tinged, Ottawa-area troubadour Zeman is at home in a folk setting but is equally edgy. He's a story-teller, an observer who sings real-life struggles about characters you care about.
10 Year Fight is shot through with sadness, about a father who has seen his family torn apart. With a mournful cello behind, it's like early Tom Waits. But then Zeman turns up the volume, adds slide guitar, a hard smack from the drums, and Drop Your Bucket puts the alternative in roots music. Now he's Springsteen in a bad mood. Closing tune Everybody Loves Elvis is an emotional gut punch about the power of music, where Zeman wants to know what kind of song plays on your radio; "Does it steal away your breath, does it knock you off your feet, does it blow your hair back, or make your heart skip a beat?"
That's the kind of song that plays on my radio.
I have had the pleasure of watching this gifted singer/songwriter in Perth for the past ten years. He is one of Canada's best kept musical secrets. Thanks for the great review.
ReplyDeleteI've been keeping tabs from Winnipeg for more than 10 years - wondering why he's such a secret! Maybe this will be the album that makes him a household name...
ReplyDeleteme too, Shelly :)
DeleteI've watched and listened for the past umpteen years, most Tuesday nights to Brock as he evolved from a young writer/singer to one of the most hard working musicians I know. See him live and you'll see him strummin' and pickin', while playing a pedal bass with his feet and continually wowing us listeners with new stories that weave and catch ya every time.... Yet another One of Canada's Unsung Hero's.... His new CD raises even his bar for production, writing and arrangement quality ... WELL DONE .... !!
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