Israel Cannan – Walk

If Israel Cannan wasn’t such a competent songsmith, I would have ripped him a new one in the coming paragraphs.  The Australian native presents a lot of clichés about solo artists in the imagery, story, and packing of his latest full length, Walk.  Just check out that front cover – his shoeless soles resting lazily on the gravel road, a commoner’s hat shading his untamed blond frills, and his wispy, relaxed posture present an image of a modern day nomad, untroubled by earthy commitments, setting upon the road to experience life at its most vulnerable.  Open the jewel case reveals the image of Cannan strolling through a vacant wooded grove, packing nothing more than a satchel and hunger for life’s secrets.  If you rolled your eyes at that passage, then you’re sitting in my seat before I sat down for a little research on this young musician.

However, the more I dug, the more I listened, and the more I tried to find the dirt exposing Cannan as a fabrication of imagery manipulating teenage girls in an effort to be the next big thing, the more I realized how refreshingly genuine this Aussie really was.  The events leading up to Walk are very humbling, and showcase a rare dedication and patience despite today’s overly commercial race to the top.  Before sitting down to record, Cannan set out for a trek around the continent with the intent of reaching as many people as possible in the most common venues of all: public streets.  He conducted himself with respect and humbleness for those he encountered, and walks in his own footsteps, rather than over those before him.  So when Cannan goes and does something as self indulgent as quoting himself in his own liner notes, you just know his message is one of humility, and born from the heart rather than the ego of the mind.

For Walk, Cannan assumed writing, producing, and full recording duties without outside help.  If that’s truly the case, then Cannan has a very clear vision of his songwriting path.  Cannan is a young spirit with a wise depth of life experience – and one that can channel that spirit and bring a catchy melody to life.  For his rather passive exterior, he commands a surprisingly husky voice, and one that when taken full advantage of, can move mountains.

I haven’t run across a collection of songs that have really resonated with me and lingered in memory to the point of singing them aloud in their absence, but Walk is full of such incidents.  The strongest offender can be found in “The Revolution Fight,” a full band sounding acoustic piece featuring penetrating percussion beats, steady strumming, and strong message of individuality.  Cannan sings calmly, as at a pivotal realization: “I’m not gonna wait this time/its time to come an take my place/feel it as the morning comes now/free the gravity/fight the revolution fight/flying on the wings of change/and I’m not gonna lose my life/fighting for the enemy.”  It’s an old message, but one Israel makes no issue assuming ownership over.  “To The Left” echoes a similar sentiment but on a plugged-in level, and one that focuses on departure more than uniting.  Furthermore, the addition of the lonesome harmonica really helps shift that emotional focus.

Now, Walk isn’t a perfect album, and as any traveler will tell you, every road has a few bumps.  Specifically, I found myself losing focus when Cannan strips himself down to pure acoustics and tries the Dylan thing.  Songs like “Forever This Time” and “Where The Story Unfolds” leave something to be desired when contrasted along side such inspirational pieces as “One Fine Day.”  Truthfully, the album tends to lose some steam in the later half, and some stale chords disrupt the otherwise impeccable flow.  Sometimes Cannan actually ends up sounding like Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder – an odd comparison to say the least.  But still, there’s enough smart prose to forgive such questionable divergence.

Now, I’ve run across a few comments about Cannan on the internet as having that rugged, dreamy look that record labels hunt for to make the girls giggle and scream.  You know, that “mystical” quality that only a drifter commands.  However, in this case, it’s just a consequence of who Cannan is, and comes across as an extension of his character rather than his “raison d’etre.”  Or put otherwise, phonies likeJesse Labelle have nothing on this guy.  So while he has the potential to be a teen heartthrob, it’s quite easy to look past that image and simply take his words for what they are: thoughtful, personal passages based on true worldly experience.