Daniel Lanois - "Rockets"

I am not sure how I came across Daniel Lanois' debut release "Acadie", only that I fell in love with the music then and there. The music is at once haunting and sparse (Still Water, Fisherman's Daughter, Ice) and at next, textured and warm with a down-home feel, tracks like Jolie Louise and Under a Stormy Sky reminding me of Sunday afternoons when my dad and brothers would haul out the instruments - guitars, harmonicas, violins and even accordion, for impromptu sessions.



In any event, I have been a fan ever since. And this speaks nothing of his distinguished career producing the likes of U2, Bob Dylan and Peter Gabriel, to mention a few.

Appearing today, without fanfare and in his self-effacing manner, Daniel Lanois' latest release "Rockets": "I always wanted a sort of renegade cd available at the merchandise stand and on the web site. After having accepted the invitation to do a few shows with Dave Matthews, on Jennifer Tipoulow and Adam Samuels encouragement, I decided that the timing was right to put together a CD. It is a combination of live and studio alternative takes. Jennifer did the packaging and Adam did an in house mastering, bypassing the usual complications of mastering. We then went straight to the factory and had them made up. Nice feeling of cottage industry."

I hope you will check it out. I know I will.

Although Acadie remains my personal favourite, go here to download several tracks from what some say is his best album, 2003's "Shine":

+ Falling at your Feet
+ Sometimes
+ Shine