Welcome to the Revolution

Kyp Harness seemed to mature somewhat between his debut CD and this, his second. Yes, the Dylan influence continues to be heard throughout most of the CD, only now it is filtered through John Lennon. Lyrically, however, Harness blossoms on this release. His storytelling abilities, not really demonstrated on his debut album, are in full bloom here. "Jackson Homer" has the listener listening to every word, wanting to here more of the struggles of this character. The same can be said for the brilliant "Ballad of Curtis Merton," and "Captain," which borrows somewhat from Leonard Cohen. But it does not matter so much, as Kyp makes these stories important. And yes, this Canadian folkie is still angry; just listen to the rage in "Chemical Valley." Also, Kyp's singing is noticeably improved on this CD, perhaps due to more confidence on his part. Don Kerr is back producing, but he tends to allow more space with the songs, and in a sense, this album is much more basic than his debut, God's Footstool — a lot of acoustic guitar, augmented with bass and drums (and the odd sound effect). Overall, a much better album than his debut, and an album that most folk fans would find intriguing. Kyp Harness says a great deal with his music, and this album serves as strong evidence of his talents.