Rolling Stone reviews : Endless Wire

[RM]

Light your torches......

Endless Wire
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As a rock star. Gordon Lightfoot has always been a cross between an Ambassador Scotch ad and Martin Mull without humor. Even on his interesting early albums, you feel he doesn't really know why he's singing because his music has no urgency. At his best. Lightfoot's a stodgy romantic, and his perfectly modulated baritone, while invariably pleasant, isn't exactly the most expressive vocal tool in the world. The man is just too tasteful ever to be passionate.

Endless Wire. Lightfoot's latest LP, lacks even the minor virtues that used to make him bearable. If there's nothing here as portentous as the interminable "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," there's also not a single song as catchy as "Sundown" or as inventive as "Canadian Railroad Trilogy." The title cut does build up some tension, but most of the other songs sound curiously lackluster and perfunctory. The melodies recycle old Lightfoot tunes that were never very interesting to begin with, and Lightfoot himself has never sung with less conviction.

It's as if he realized he didn't have a single worthwhile idea, but went ahead and cranked out an album anyway. The playing is dull, as only impeccable session playing can be dull, and when the musicians try to get raunchy ("Hangdog Hotel Room"), they just seem anemic. Lightfoot, stuck with lyrics like "But the kinda gig I can really dig," sounds like nothing more than an accountant on a binge.

Gordon Lightfoot's central problem remains an inability to dramatize emotions convincingly on record. He's got sensibilities but can't express them. That doesn't matter so much when he manages to be entertaining. This time he doesn't. (RS 260)

TOM CARSON

[Affair on Touhy Ave.]

As a rock star?

[JohninCt.]

As I said before, some people have no taste and probably taste bad too. Mr. Carson sure fits. I guess he just doesn't like any of Gordys music. Period.

[geodeticman.5]

Gimme 5 minutes in a closed room with the bastard.

- I mean it. Right here, right now Mr. Carson. The only thing inventive about your writing is it used to be interminable and portentous, but dull....at best it was tolerated because it was mildly entertaining. But this time, you seem as if you could care less if you were looking at the Sistine Chapel ceiling. You'd point out, "it used to be.... more red. Now its not..." OK Lamer - you take the first shot 'cause I need to call it self-defense.
LOL all in good fun. ~geo steve *deeeep breath*

[Scott Mac]

The guy who wrote this, had entirely too much time on his hands. As others have said: he doesn't get it.

[Tim]

If I'm not mistaken, I think this review came out shortly after EW Album was released in early 1978. I was in my first year of college and I clearly remember by buddy, knowing what a Gord fan I was, handing me a copy of "The Rolling Stone" and saying "You are not going to believe this."

I don't even know if this guy, Carson, is still around but I think he was probably one of those writers who feels everything a reviewer has to say must be negative.

[Auburn Annie]

He (wisely) moved from music to politics. See http://rockcriticsarchives.com/inter...tomcarson.html

[Borderstone]

"Does not "dramatize" emotions convincingly??

Apparently he doesn't understand that emotions aren't born of "drama" but are "emoted" by who and what we are inside.

"Drama" is for people who have an overwhelming need to be noticed 24/7!

I suppose being early 1978 he proobably thought "real emotion" was what? .... "You Light Up My Life" ???

Not a single song is "catchy" ??

Right.... and , "Rainbow Trout" & "If children Had Wings" , just regularly play in my head for no real reason I suppose?

Nitwit!

[DawnsMinstrel]

Well said Borderstone. I about had a heart attack when I read this.

[GJA]

TOM CARSON. What a sad little man.