Daniel Lanois "Acadie" 1989****

No-one expected an album by Daniel Lanois in 1989. Artists often graduate from performing to producing, but it very rarely happens the other way round. And Lanois' career as producer had really taken off for good - he produced 6 albums in 1989 alone, including late-career highs for veterans like The Neville Brothers (Yellow Moon) and Bob Dylan (Oh Mercy). Nevertheless, in the midst of all that, he found time to record his own debut. That the production is superb should come as no surprise, but the quality of the original compositions and musicianship is also beyond reproach. It helps, of course, to be able to count on friends like U2 (Lanois had co-produced their iconic Joshua Tree album), Brian Eno (another of Lanois' clients) and The Neville Brothers (ditto), all of whom play here. Lanois' singing is quite good, warm and expressive even though he lacks an especially powerful voice or range. As reviewers invariably comment, the album is a mix of New Age atmospherics and traditional Americana - the music is rooted in the New Orleans tradition, enough for me to mistake Lanois for a Louisiana cajun rather than the French Canadian he is. The first two tracks ("Still Water", "The Maker") are atmospheric ballads highly reminiscent of U2's Joshua Tree (not surprisingly, as they feature the same producer and rhythm section). The slow "O Marie" and mid-paced "Jolie Louise" are folkier Cajun material with French and English lyrics, and "Fisherman's Daughter" is a part-spoken word track with moody musical accompaniment segueing to the jazzy sax instrumental "White Mustang II", co-written with Brian Eno. "Under A Stormy Sky" is the most upbeat here, a bilingual zydeco-style tune that's sure to make you smile. "Where The Hawkwind Kills" is another atmospheric song, this time featuring slow, quasi-military, drumming and an Oriental melody. "Silium's Hill" is a melancholic acoustic piece, followed by the ambient synth sounds of "Ice" and another smooth laid-back song, "St. Ann's Gold". The album closes with a cover of traditional hymn "Amazing Grace", combining Art Neville's gospel singing with a prog-electronic, Mike Oldfield-like, backing. It makes for a relatively novel approach to an over-familiar song everybody must by now be tired of. All in all, this is an excellent atmospheric album with beautiful melodies and masterful -not too busy, not too sparse- arrangements. The only objection one may rise is the too-clean production, where -the folkier material at least- would benefit from a more earthly approach. On the other hand, this was the 80's and clean was the golden standard of the period. It makes in any case for smooth and relaxed listening - an (unsurprisingly) accomplished debut, for sure.

***** for The Maker

**** for Still Water, O Marie, Jolie Louise, Under A Stormy Sky, Where The Hawkwind Kills, St. Ann's Gold

*** for Fisherman's Daughter, White Mustang II, Silium's Hill, Ice, Amazing Grace