Maps- Songs Of David Francey
Laker, 2025
9/10
The Canadian folk artist, David Francey, pulls from 5 decades of songwriting for these 37 tracks that showcase his powerful and poignant vision.
“Red-Winged Blackbird” starts the listen with the mesmerizing acoustic guitar and Francey’s eloquent voice that immediately draws us in, and it isn’t long until “The Waking Hour” emits a soft mood of expressive singing and melodic guitar.
Closer to the middle, Chris Coole’s flowing banjo populates the rootsy “Satellite”, while the poetic “Nearly Midnight” makes for a heartfelt moment of gentle harmonies via a timeless spirit.
Deeper still, “Empty Train” recruits mandolin amid the rich appeal and rootsy flavor, and “Corpus Christi” exits with intricate guitar and Francey’s vivid wordplay front and center.
Francey asked fans to share their favorite songs of his for this project, and he also tossed in some of his own. It’s pretty easy to see why he’s picked up 4 JUNO Awards and had his work covered by names like The Del McCoury Band, The Rankin Family, James Keelaghan and Tracy Grammer, as his Scottish heritage makes for a distinct and inviting form of folk that’s instantly enjoyable, relatable and memorable.
Travels well with: Lennie Gallant- Shelter From The Storms; Ryan Wayne- Functioning Dysfunctionals