We begin the next 100 discs with another milestone. When I'm finished this review I will have completed the first artist where I own more than one album. In this case, I have three discs by this artist.
When this happens, I'm going to take the opportunity to do a quick summation of how all the albums rank against each other in the final analysis. Call it a little extra celebration of their work.
Disc 201 is...Land
Artist: Captain Tractor
Year of Release: 1994
What’s Up With The Cover?: It is a ship sailing across a field of wheat, capturing Captain Tractor's fusion of prairie rock with atlantic Celtic folk. In fact, every Captain Tractor has some variant of piracy or tall ships against a prairie background. It is their thing. I like it.
How I Came To Know It: I discovered the band on their second album, "East of Edson", so "Land" was just me going back and buying their first album after liking their first. I've probably had this album since about 1996 or so.
How It Stacks Up: I have three Captain Tractor albums (their first three). I'd say this is my least favourite, so third. As promised in the teaser - here's a recap of all three in order of preference.
1. East of Edson: 4 stars (reviewed at Disc 148)
2. Bought The Farm: 3 stars (reviewed at Disc 59)
3. Land: 2 stars (reviewed right here).
Rating: 2 stars.
As noted above, and in previous reviews, Captain Tractor is a nice mix of prairie roots rock and celtic folk, done Canadian style. They are like The Barenaked Ladies in that they are known for their humor, but they've got a serious side that is just as good when they choose to show it.
This album does all the things the later two will, but it doesn't quite do it at the same level. The funny songs aren't quite as funny - and usually lack the satirical insights of later songs as well. The serious songs aren't as strong either.
The one exception to this is the first track, "Pitcairn Island" which is a mostly humorous, slightly serious review of the whole Mutiny on the Bounty story, told through the eyes of the crew. It is principally focused on the crew wanting to marry the native island girls, and say goodbye to England. There are many great lines, but this one sums up the themes:
"Well we're sick of planting breadfruit
For the profit of a King
If we never see Great Britain again
We sure wouldn't miss a thing.
That's why we've met in secret
And quietly we've planned
And as for good old Captain Bligh
From the yardarm he will hang!"
Of course, Bligh isn't hanged in the mutiny - he's set adrift in a smaller boat. The song does get this right later (I guess they only planned to hang him, but relented).
Musically, the song has such a catchy chorus that you can't help but sing along as the crew cheerily revels in gaining their freedom from the English Navy (personally, I'd miss the rum ration, but that's just me). Near the end, it recounts the scuttling of the Bounty. As the ship sinks, the song briefly switches to a reggae beat, which is a clever way to show that they've truly 'gone native'.
Other than this the album doesn't have a lot of standouts. It isn't bad, but it does compare unfavourably to their later work. They have a definite campus rock feel, and the song "Not In This Town" does a passable version of what it's like to move to a new town and not know anyone. It reminds me of what it was like to come from a small town to the 'big city' of Victoria (it was big to me).
While not a good song, I had a few laughs at "Mmmm Donut" which is a song comparing a man and woman to donuts in love featuring more than a few very dirty lines. I can't resist sharing a couple (lines - I don't share my donuts):
"If I were a donut
Of you would I dream
You'd be my bismark
And I'd make you cream.
If we both were donuts
In tender embraces we'd roll
I'd flip on my side
And show you my hole."
This album also features a remake of the McGarrigle Sisters "The Logdriver's Waltz". I think I prefer the original, but Captain Tractor hold their own. By the way, if you haven't seen the National Film Board animated short featuring the original song, it is worth seeking out. It is a classic piece of Canadiana.
This record is only average, but it is a good average, and I enjoyed it. I almost went three stars, but they had to test me by including too many songs (15) many of which really should've been left in the studio. I like extra filling in my donuts, not my records. Less is more, Captain!
Best tracks: Pitcairn Island, Not In This Town, The Road Ahead, Hold Me, Logdriver's Waltz
When this happens, I'm going to take the opportunity to do a quick summation of how all the albums rank against each other in the final analysis. Call it a little extra celebration of their work.
Disc 201 is...Land
Artist: Captain TractorYear of Release: 1994
What’s Up With The Cover?: It is a ship sailing across a field of wheat, capturing Captain Tractor's fusion of prairie rock with atlantic Celtic folk. In fact, every Captain Tractor has some variant of piracy or tall ships against a prairie background. It is their thing. I like it.
How I Came To Know It: I discovered the band on their second album, "East of Edson", so "Land" was just me going back and buying their first album after liking their first. I've probably had this album since about 1996 or so.
How It Stacks Up: I have three Captain Tractor albums (their first three). I'd say this is my least favourite, so third. As promised in the teaser - here's a recap of all three in order of preference.
1. East of Edson: 4 stars (reviewed at Disc 148)
2. Bought The Farm: 3 stars (reviewed at Disc 59)
3. Land: 2 stars (reviewed right here).
Rating: 2 stars.
As noted above, and in previous reviews, Captain Tractor is a nice mix of prairie roots rock and celtic folk, done Canadian style. They are like The Barenaked Ladies in that they are known for their humor, but they've got a serious side that is just as good when they choose to show it.
This album does all the things the later two will, but it doesn't quite do it at the same level. The funny songs aren't quite as funny - and usually lack the satirical insights of later songs as well. The serious songs aren't as strong either.
The one exception to this is the first track, "Pitcairn Island" which is a mostly humorous, slightly serious review of the whole Mutiny on the Bounty story, told through the eyes of the crew. It is principally focused on the crew wanting to marry the native island girls, and say goodbye to England. There are many great lines, but this one sums up the themes:
"Well we're sick of planting breadfruit
For the profit of a King
If we never see Great Britain again
We sure wouldn't miss a thing.
That's why we've met in secret
And quietly we've planned
And as for good old Captain Bligh
From the yardarm he will hang!"
Of course, Bligh isn't hanged in the mutiny - he's set adrift in a smaller boat. The song does get this right later (I guess they only planned to hang him, but relented).
Musically, the song has such a catchy chorus that you can't help but sing along as the crew cheerily revels in gaining their freedom from the English Navy (personally, I'd miss the rum ration, but that's just me). Near the end, it recounts the scuttling of the Bounty. As the ship sinks, the song briefly switches to a reggae beat, which is a clever way to show that they've truly 'gone native'.
Other than this the album doesn't have a lot of standouts. It isn't bad, but it does compare unfavourably to their later work. They have a definite campus rock feel, and the song "Not In This Town" does a passable version of what it's like to move to a new town and not know anyone. It reminds me of what it was like to come from a small town to the 'big city' of Victoria (it was big to me).
While not a good song, I had a few laughs at "Mmmm Donut" which is a song comparing a man and woman to donuts in love featuring more than a few very dirty lines. I can't resist sharing a couple (lines - I don't share my donuts):
"If I were a donut
Of you would I dream
You'd be my bismark
And I'd make you cream.
If we both were donuts
In tender embraces we'd roll
I'd flip on my side
And show you my hole."
This album also features a remake of the McGarrigle Sisters "The Logdriver's Waltz". I think I prefer the original, but Captain Tractor hold their own. By the way, if you haven't seen the National Film Board animated short featuring the original song, it is worth seeking out. It is a classic piece of Canadiana.
This record is only average, but it is a good average, and I enjoyed it. I almost went three stars, but they had to test me by including too many songs (15) many of which really should've been left in the studio. I like extra filling in my donuts, not my records. Less is more, Captain!
Best tracks: Pitcairn Island, Not In This Town, The Road Ahead, Hold Me, Logdriver's Waltz
1 comment:
Logdriver's Waltz is one of those songs that totally gets stuck in my head (technical term: earworm, ew). Even reading the title of it...arg! Curse you!
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