Tuck has always been a devotee of his fellow Island songwriter, and
here he presents a nuanced look at MacLellan's rich catalog. With quiet
instrumentation and slower tempos, we all lean in for a closer study of
the lyrics, Tuck's wavering vocals highlighting both the beauty and the
sadness. Drops of pedal steel, along with surprising touches of penny
whistle and clarinet highlight the laid-back, clubhouse feel of the
recordings.
Wisely Tuck leaves "Snowbird" off
the setlist, that song's fame too much for this nuanced collection. But
"Put Your Hand In The Hand" is here, a reminder of the great quality of
that Christian anthem, presented here with a shuffle beat, as catchy as
always. "Street Corner Preacher" is successfully turned into a much
bluesier number, losing the dated arrangement of MacLellan's early '70's
recording. Even "Days Of The Looking Glass" (along the same theme as
"Dreams Of The Everyday Housewife" by Glen Campbell) loses its
sentimentality, and becomes a wise look at how life slips by. And that's
the real success of the album, bringing the songs out of their decade
into this one. Tuck has added an edge, and more of a roots feel to these
gems. If any Canadian songwriter needs that, it's MacLellan, whose own
fine recordings are long out-of-print.
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