CD Review: Jim Fidler -- Up That River

[David Dalton]

Newfoundland musician Jim Fidler released a new solo CD
entitled Up That River on Dec. 8. It contains some
upbeat pop songs, some reggae songs, and some folk songs.


The track listing is:

1. Up That River -- an anthemic reggae-influenced pop
song about not waiting to see what is coming
downstream but going up river to check it out.

"I'm going up that river just to see what they got on the way"


2. Me -- a catchy danceable reggae influenced pop song

"if you wanna know me, take a look at yourself"


3. Cats WIll be Katz --- a catchy mostly instrumental
with some vocal touches from Jim's backing
vocalists The Secrets (Terri Lynn Eddy, Renee
Batten and Karla Pilgrim)


4. No Woman, No Cry --- a great new interpretation of
the classic Bob Marley reggae song


5. Be Free --- an original reggae song with great
backing vocals from The Secrets

"all we need is some peace and harmony;
all we need is to be free"


6. Operation Africa --- a funky danceable African-influenced
instrumental tune.


7. Leslie Street --- a moody (and maybe waltzable) folk/pop track
with some celtic influencss

"walking over Leslis Street, slippin' toward the water side;
where the disenfranchised met, to fortify their Irish pride"


8. All the Way Back home --- a waltzable dreamy summer love song

"all the way back home, you can close your eyes,
you can dream a dream, 'neath he summer skies"


9. For God Cried the Stars --- a short instrumental with
some nature sounds; intro to Matrix


10. Matrix --- a progressive rock tune, lots of keyboards,
but danceable

"Don't get me going, it's not the way it is
We live in a matrix, it's all illusion"


11. Down That River --- a celtic-influenced (nice low whistle)
folk song that is a bookend to track 1, and is about
relaxing after all the hard work (of the CD?). Has
some nature sounds too. Good acoustic guitar work.

"sun goes down turns the day to night,
moonshine whiskey and moon shines bright
down that river"


In summary I highly recommend this new CD and think several
songs on it are worthy of radio play. This is a great
addition to Jim Fidler's previous solo celtic CDs
Gypsy, Friendly Fire and Midnight Rover and his
solo reggae CD Revolution Time.

You can get it for $14.99 from http://jimfidler.com/music-store
but also you can listen for free to samples from the CD at that site
by double-clicking on the green play button below the picture
of the CD.

--
David Dalton dal...@nfld.com http://www.nfld.com/~dalton (home page)
http://www.nfld.com/~dalton/nf.html Newfoundland&Labrador Travel & Music
http://www.nfld.com/~dalton/dtales.html Salmon on the Thorns (mystic page)
"Here I go again...back into the flame" (Sarah McLachlan)