NORTHERN FANTASIES

BUSKER are a two man Canadian band who put out five albums between 1976 and 1984. I'll relate some of the information from the liner notes. The idea for this album was conceived in the early seventies and they actually recorded it in the form of a four track demo and performed it live as a multi-media show complete with quadraphonic sound system and two projection screens for slides for film. "Northern Fantasies" fermented while BUSKER took to the road for more than a decade. This of course took them coast to coast across Canada and this album is really the band sharing their impressions of this vast country. Even the cd itself has the Canadian flag on it. I'm a proud Canadian as well, and while I wouldn't want to live anywhere else, this feeling is alway tested this time of year when Winter descends upon us (haha).

As much as I applaud the idea behind this album i'm having a really hard time with the music. We get 20 tracks over 46 minutes and a lot of variety too.Too much variety for my tastes.The vocals are good, it's just songs like "Inverness", "Mid-Western Farming Man" and "Lumberjack's Song" that turns me completely off. There are good songs too but as a whole I can't even offer up 3 stars.

The two reviewers above me obviously feel differently, so take my opinion with a grain of salt if you will.