Ian Fitzgerald
Album: No Time To Be Tender
Label: Self Released
Tracks: 10
Website: http://www.ianfitzgerald.com

Audibly rooted in Americana's contemporary folksinger tradition, Ian's music might be felt to reference role-models like Townes Van Zandt and Woody Guthrie, but for at least some of the time on No Time To Be Tender, which as far as I can tell is his fourth album release since 2004, he also takes inspiration from Bob Dylan and Gillian Welch. The latter is evoked on what's possibly this CD's most compellingly literate song, Galveston, while the Dylan comparisons are arguably more diverse - the more mystical side comes through in Ian's philosophical ruminations, the penchant for knowing namechecking on songs like Walks Like Tussaud, while the plaintively romance-driven personal-becomes-universal side occurs on Let's Go Down To Memphis and A Place For You To Sleep.

The backdrop Ian utilises for his songs is very sparse indeed, with a tendency towards the dull at times maybe, but at least it allows for maximum concentration on the imagery and import of Ian's lyrics. Aside from some more or less permanent harmony vocal input from Courtney Gallagher, the support crew consists of just producer Eric Lichter (guitars, pedal steel, accordion, drums) with Brian Battles (basses), and the effect is very much of less-is-more.

Fittingly too, it was all recorded in just four days in deepest Connecticut, straight to analog. It's a close-listen-type album, but with the possible warning that the close-listen gambit might just send you nodding off too - I think you gotta be in the mood to be stimulated rather than entranced by Ian's songs, but there's no disputing their crafted quality and sense of unprepossessing, honest commitment.

David Kidman