Barney Bentall
Album: Flesh & Bone
Label: True North
Tracks: 11
Website: http://www.barneybentall.com

Story telling singer-songwriter, Canadian, Barney Bentall, is on a musical journey that stretches back to '78. Since that time he's released three independent albums, seven studio albums, been a founder member of The Legendary Hearts, gone off and ranched cattle which reconnected himto his music and its importance.

"Flesh & Bone" is an album that reflects a host of roots influences, from Celtic, blues, country as well as pop and rock, intermixed as the songs require them. This is an album of story songs, some biographical, check out "The Ballad Of Johnny Hooke" for a song that manages to tell a lifetime's tale in six minutes, birth, marriage, kids, death and everything, that by the end of it makes you feel you actually knew him, now that's songwriting.

Whilst not all songs on the album cover such a time span or indeed have quite the same impact, this is an album with a strong sense of narrative. Bentall has a good turn of phrase and knows how to get across what he wants to say. He also makes good use of arrangements, giving the songs what they need, sparse instrumentation where needed, including quite a lot of whistling.

There's also a good mix of tempo, "4 Went To War", about Canadian troops that fought in the American Civil War, sung with the rough harmonies of a barroom singalong, a real carousing song, full of dark humour, but one that brings home what it might have been like, the personal side, comradeship and facing adversity together.

That creates a significant contrast with the likes of, "Her Beautiful Mind" a soulful and reflective ballad where bowed instruments and wirebrush sticks take the lead from strummed ones and wooden stick percussion, with both the quality of the song and the subtle use of plucked instruments, sometimes banjo, but in this case mandolin, poignant.

There's a nod towards the French side of Canada's heritage with "L'Anse aux Meadows" though the song its self is performed in English and reflects the various immigrations into aforementioned country.

There is a lot to recommend about, "Flesh & Bone", it's a great collection of short stories brought together in the guise of an album and whilst each song is standalone the album has a strong narrative of its own. Similarly, whilst there are a number of singers that have a better voice than Barney Bentall, his is an ideal voice for storytelling. Then there's the instrumentation, yep, this is an album that holds together well.

Neil King