For two decades now, Canada’s Tony Dekker has been making beautiful alt-folk under the “Great Lake Swimmers” moniker. The name implies his natural ways, but also his larger ambition, such as on Uncertain Country.
While many other folk singers strip down to simple sounds, and risk becoming repetitive, Dekker is skilled enough to do other things with his folk on Country. The standout is probably the lead-off titular track, which brings his natural air to indie-fuzz. Those glowing natural elements meet echoing synth-pop on “Riverine”, while “Respect For All Living Things” is like a power-pop version of folk. There are also more traditional sweet & sad intimate pieces, such as “Since January” and “I Tried To Reach You”, and even the choral “Moonlight, Stay Above”.
Naturalistic Canadian folk has a long history, going back to the likes of the late Gordon Lightfoot and further, perhaps drawing from all the nature around them (and lacking some of the ‘conquer nature’ aspect of American Manifest Destiny). But whatever side of the Great Lakes that you are on, enjoy Uncertain Country.
