Toronto Star

An absolutely masterful reduction of ancient and modern guitar-based folk, blues and country music forms, rendered with great panache by Vancouver-based, Juno-award winning slide guitar whiz Dawson, We Belong to the Gold Coast is an oblique tribute to the Hawaiian slack-string guitar and steel guitar style from which this instrumental wizard derives much inspiration. Jazzy chords, impeccable finger picking, elegantly simple arrangements mark this largely instrumental effort, which is nicely embellished by organist, pianist and accordionist Chris Gestrin, bassist Keith Lowe and drummer Elliot Polsky, and several severely gifted West Coast guest artists, including singer Jeanne Tolmie, guitarist Michael Dunn, and Dawson's partner in another musical universe, fiddler Jesse Zubot and a crack string section.

(3.5/4 Stars)

-Greg Quill