Dance Like Flames

Tanglefoot certainly have a history, and something of a revolving door policy when it comes to membership. Think of them as a Canadian folk-rock band with a good sense of the past and you're hitting close to the mark. There's an ongoing sense of discovery about their homeland in their work, as on "Boot Soup." Fiddler and singer Sandra Swanell brings a light touch to the group that's very welcome and shows herself to be no mean player when she lets fly. However, while they have a number of good qualities, it's difficult to get too worked up about this disc. At times the songwriting seems a little more academic than heartfelt, and even at its best, with "Paddle Like Hell," the music never quite takes off for the stratosphere. Still, they've essentially become an institution, and they do redeem themselves on "When Dad and Uncle Archie Lost the Farm" and the lovely vocal closer "For the Day." It's perhaps more an outing for the converted than those seeking to discover the group.