Scott Cook: One More Time Around

Canadian Scott Cook is not one to hide his views. How many singer-songwriters have a section of their website dedicated to politics that contains the following: "Some historical context on the 50-year old American project of quashing democracy whenever it threatens our economic or strategic interests." Left-wing ideologue Noam Chomsky is enlisted to provide illumination. But if Cook's site and the voluble album sleeve notes point in one direction, his light-touch folk utilises a broader canvass. There are 10 tracks, nine of his own plus a reasonable cover of Greg Brown's classic The Poet Game. The themes shift but materialism gets a kicking in Pass It Along, while New Grist seeks solace in renewal. Elsewhere Mama Always Said and One More Time Around speak to Cook's past and his peripatetic inclinations in an engaging way typical of the album. scottcook.net
Download: Pass It Along, One More Time Around