Search - Stephen Fearing :: So Many Miles

A Canadian Treasure

Brian King | Wellington, New Zealand | 02/10/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The first time I saw Stephen Fearing perform I was a victim of a phenomenon which he describes in the opening track to this wonderful live album. "Blind Indifference" was my problem. You see I had never heard of him before and I was waiting impatiently for the entry of my absolute favourite, Ani Difranco.I listened politely and then moved on with my day. It's worth pointing out, however, that I never forgot him. His unique, deep, yet boyish voice never escaped my memory...and I wasn't sure if I liked it or not. Finally, one day I picked up the headphones in a CD shop and listened to this album. I was blown away.I stood and listened to "The Longest Road" and (seriously) a tear rolled down my face. This song about his family's long journey out of Canada when he was a child touched me because I made such a journey several years ago. The lyrics in this song are beautiful. "Expectations" is remarkable for it's self-effacement. "What did you expect of me....the sickly willow kid became a willow tree." I LOVE IT. "So Many Miles Away" is simply wistful. The guitar playing on "Anything You Want" sounds like two guitars...how does he do that? "The Bells of Morning" is a song filled with hope, frustration and prophecy. As a friend of mine remarked, it's "like a big wake-up call for humanity." I reeled with nostalgia when in "The Lark/Robert's Waterloo" I suddenly heard the theme from the classic CBC children's show The Friendly Giant. Only Canadians of the twenty to forty age range will relate, I suppose. Finally, he turns "Thrasher" into his own song, and I LOVE Neil Young....but this version's better.Need I say more? This man is a master guitar player who writes memorable songs with deep lyrics. How could I have overlooked him back in 1993 at that Festival? I was a young fool....WAS!"

Longest road a marvel

Brian King | 07/31/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Stephen Fearing's song-writng skills, his virtuousity on the guitar and his ability to connect with an audience are exceptional. Longest Road is probably my favorite song on the CD - perhaps because I too sailed out on the Empress of Canada (to Scotland in 1964). This song captures for me the loneliness and longing for hoome of the Canadian ex-pat - a loneliness I plan to fix soon by returning to the True North."

SF Live ... a fine album!

sock | 11/28/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Stephen has not been well known outside of Canada. He's another grand gift from True North. Great to see that Red House has picked him up in the US! Stephen's music and voice are edgier and more expansive than the "depressed man with guitar" groove that he might fall easily into. This fine live album showcases Stephen's marvelous guitar playing and great songs. "The Longest Road" live is reason enough to listen to this album. With fine production by Colin Linden, also of Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, the production stays out of the way of Stephen's music."