MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: STEVE POLTZ - SHINE ON

Eclectic, eccentric and awesome, Steve Poltz left Halifax for California when he was a kid, but continues to bless us with his presence in the Maritimes at least a couple of times a year. His shows are legendary, his wit unmatched and his positivity infectious. You can forget trying to get tickets to his shows at The Carleton in Halifax, he always sells out, three different nights on this upcoming tour. But nicely, he's spreading the joy around the region this time with a bunch of different locales, and I'd advise snapping up seats ASAP.

Poltz's latest has just arrived, and it marks his first since moving to Nashville from his long-standing San Diego home. While California was good to him (he co-wrote Jewel's massive You Were Met For Me there, for instance), he is settling into Nashville just fine. Teaming up with producer Will Kimbrough (Shemekia Copeland, Rodney Crowell), Poltz highlights his wide-ranging roots, a hodge-podge of acoustic numbers from story-songs to bluegrass, gentle picking on ballads to quirky sounds for quirky tales. Windows Of Halifax starts off as a meditation on snow before Christmas, and turns into a conversation between windows (yes, windows), about flunking out of Dalhousie University and the Halifax Explosion.

Poltz can crank out a catchy country-rocker like The Pickup Song that most of Nashville would die for, and a moment later turn to a gentle mandolin ballad, 4th Of July. He can write a song about a guy having a crush on his pharmacist: "You can tell me that my prescription is only for my lower lumber/And I could ask you if you have something for a chronic emotional fumbler/And could I have your number?" Then, he breaks your heart with the tender Furthest Star: "I cried in front of you in bed the other night/You said, 'Come here' then you held me tight." And only Poltz could write a feel-better song featuring a mass shooting and a terrorist bombing. That's part of the magic.

Catch the magic at the following:

Tuesday, May 14 - The Vogue, Miramichi, NB

Weds. May 15 - Dolan's, Fredericton

Thursday, May 16 - The Carleton, Halifax (sold out)

Friday, May 17 - The Carleton, Halifax (sold out)

Sat., May 18 - The Union Street, Berwick, NS

Sun. May 19 - The Frolic & Folk, Iona, NS (sold out)

Mon., May 20 - The Cellar Cafe & Bar, North Sydney, NS (sold out)

Tues, May 21 - The Carleton, Halifax (sold out)

Weds., May 22 - Strathspey Performing Arts Centre, Mabou NS

Thurs. May 23 - The Frolic & Folk, Iona, NS