Maverick

Yes you read that right, Matt Patershuk is a bridge builder from Alberta and, at first listen, his songs are constructed with the same care you would expect from the construction of a bridge. However it is probably best that I leave that appalling sentence behind and move on to the important stuff. So here goes: This album contains twelve self written songs and, as far as I am concerned, it is pretty much a game of two halves. Although they are not sequenced as such there are songs of gritty realism such as "Sometimes You've Got to do Bad Things To Do Good" and "Hot Knuckle Blues" that come complete with the requisite rockiness, and they are knocked into a cocked hat by the more delicate and, dare I say, pastoral songs like "Boreal" and the ornithologically titled closers "Sparrows" and "Swans". But I'm sure that if all the songs were of the same persuasion I'd be bemoaning the lack of variety, there is just no pleasing some people. That said I have absolutely no problem recommending this album to all admirers of the finest songwriters such as Tyson, Prine and Russell, for every nuance drips with sincerity and every syllable rings with the truth, and you should listen and explore the heart of a poet.