Uptown

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With five Juno awards on his bookshelf and a raft of wonderful appearances on other people’s albums, it's truly a wonder that guitarist extraordinaire Steve Dawson has any time left to make records under his own name. Nightshade is one of those rootsy, damn good albums that will stand the test of time and dozens of repeat listens. Dawson is of the breed that knows how to add all kinds of emotion with his playing and he rolls from slow blues (Have That Chance) to Tom Waits-inspired oddities (The Side Of The Road) and slide-driven shuffles (Darker Still) with ease and charm. If you have dug his work with others, Nightshade is a no-brainer pleasure.