Regular Columnists

Artist: Kevin Mitchell
Album: All The Way
CD Review: Dylan is alive and well and living on Denman Island. At least, Kevin Mitchell with his new CD, All The Way sure sounds like Dylan. And I’m talking the old Dylan – playing acoustic guitar and singing about real stuff.

There are more than enough Dylanesque tunes on this CD to make it a ton of fun. Mitchell has that classic voice, nasal, drawling and singing just a little off key. But it works. And he’s assembled some great players – most notably Riki Gee playing fiddle.

I loved Morning Light. Great fiddle playing. Same Old Train, got a dead ringer opening for While My Guitar Gently Weeps and doesn’t really need it cause the song is great on its own. Still Running has a good old timey feel.

One thing I did find though was at times the lyrics were confusing and I’m not sure what Mitchell is trying to say. He includes a blurb above the lyrics but it doesn’t always clarify the song. As a songwriter, I would like him to be a little clearer with his images and phrases. As a listener, I’m often confused as to where he’s going to go next musically. One of the instruments is a soprano sax and it seems a bit odd. Not because a sax is odd, but it doesn’t seem to fit what the music and song are saying.

I read somewhere that musical mood and tone are as important as lyrics and form. I feel that Mitchell could use a little more work in that area.

The very last song is actually a poem he found in the basement of an old house. Kathyrine Barbara – possibly written for the passing of a child. Mitchell builds a lovely acoustic guitar melody around the words, but I found myself wishing he had left it instrumental and let me find my own way through the words without his tune. Just a thought.

For more information about Mitchell, he has a website – www.kevinmitchell.ca or you can e-mail him at redtree@denmanis.bc.ca.