Joe Stanton
"Passenger Stanton"
(Self-Released, www.joestanton.com)

Joe Stanton   -  "Passenger Stanton"     (Self-Released, www.joestanton.com) ----- In all my years as a DJ and music critic, I've heard songs about many, many subjects. One never came up before: a sleeping bag! "I was thinking I should have told ya, on the phone the other night, just how much I'd love to hold ya, in my sleeping bag tonight." According to Joe Stanton, folksinger and superb guitarplayer from Sechelt, BC (Canada). Also known as "Passenger Stanton", very inventive songtitle: "Passenger Stanton pick up any white telephone". During the same song ("Sharon's Back Door") the sleeping bag even reappears again! In other words, the man writes witty lyrics, one more quote: "So now I sit alone and howl, I'm just her dog in the rain" from "She Gone And Went", which also stands out because of the catchy arrangement with drums and percussion. Yes, the music (semi-acoustic folk with a somewhat bluesy feel) including production is flawless and fascinating too! There are four instrumentals, great compositions, between the eleven tracks. "Susan In The Garden" is featured in quite different versions with and without lyrics, while "Banks o'Loch Lomond" turns out to be a traditional. Besides the guitars, we can feast on the sound of instruments like bass (5-string and acoustic), bodhran, pedal steel, mandolin, hammond organ, e-bow, violin and cello. Joe, looking like the typical folksinger with beard and ponytail, wearing jeans and t-shirt, plays already since the late 70's, developing his own distinct style on the acoustic guitar: lots of fingerpicking in alternate tunings. He made an album as half of the bluegrass-duo Stanton/Jensen and his first solo-CD "There You Go" was released in 1997. Joe's voice, sounding like a warm, just slightly ragged James Taylor is very pleasant to listen to. After the last melodic summery sounds disappear, you will push that repeat-button once again and then once more! ----- Written by Johanna J. Bodde