The Vancouver Province

Approach this without preconceptions and it will hook you deep. Wall is a Toronto based musical polymath who’s worked widely and led his own Bourbon Tabernacle Choir and Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band for a while. No wonder he has the cream of Toronto players on this, plus Ken Whiteley producing. Right from the opening “Fortify Me”, the very southern-sounding background singers set the bluesy-gospel tone and the groove just digs deeper and deeper. Interestingly, the lyrics are particularly positive. The closing “Be Not Broken” is extraordinary but “Set Your Sails” featuring that killer slide is amazing.

-JPM