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The Great Outdoors: Eat, Drink and Be Merry

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By: Lee H | in: Music |

The Great Outdoors

Like many singer/songwriters, Vancouver’s Adam Nation plays in a number of different bands. He has the Counterrevolutionaries whom he has recorded two albums with and then there’s Kingsway which is mainly one person by the name of R C Joseph that features a rotating cast of talented Vancouver players. But sometimes a guy needs his own space to allow his creative juice to really flow. What better way to do that than to sit in your living room and record songs yourself? But of course that can be a little lonely. So why not invite some friends over to play a few songs with you? Such is the make up of Adam Nations’ “solo” album under the moniker The Great Outdoors. Among the guests are R C Joseph (naturally), Shaun Brodie, Frazey Ford (Be Good Tanyas) and quite a few more.

The Great Outdoors

The title of the album “Food, Booze and Entertainment” is quite fitting for the most part. Though there is a song called “Chicken Soup” there isn’t much talk of food but hardly a song goes by without the mentioning of some alcoholic substance. As far as entertainment goes he has that covered on all ends. Most of the songs are about loves lost , travelling and living a humble blue collar life. While Adams voice might take some getting used to it’s his way with words that will eventually win you over. In the song “A Short Dissertation On the Post Travelling Blues” he describes the reason for his wanderlust by singing “When I return from my other life where the road treats me lovingly night after night and the new town are a tincture, the miles a salve for my itchy feet longings and numbing stagnation, my dissatisfaction and the general unrest that I feel” His lyrics are sometimes dark, sometimes silly but always unique and entertaining. He also somehow finds time to play the banjo, ukulele, tenor, flamenco and steel string guitars on a number of the tracks.

The Great Outdoors: Chekov and I

It must also be said that “Food, Booze and Entertainment” is the second in a series of 3 CD books by The Great Outdoors. That’s right, the CD was released as a beautifully bound limited-edition hard cover book, complete with lyrics, pictures and art by Dan Brodie. It even has a “library card” stamped by all the musicians who contributed to the disc. In a world of digital downloads it’s refreshing to see an artist still care as much about presentation as much as the present.

And what a gift it is.

The Great Outdoors: Lynn Shalla

The Great Outdoors Official Site
The Great Outdoors on MySpace


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Posted on August 10, 2007

Comments

2 Responses to “The Great Outdoors: Eat, Drink and Be Merry”

  1. Kendall on August 10th, 2007 5:05 pm

    Lee, the music here is very cool. I have to admit that I’m most curious about the booklet. Where did you find it?


  2. Lee H on August 10th, 2007 8:08 pm

    The booklet was actually mailed to me from Killbeat music. I was actually looking for a place that sold it but I haven’t had any luck. I actually e-mailed killbeat to see if they can help me out. If I find out anything I”ll let you know.


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