“LIVE AT 65” Mendelson Joe (Old Bold Records) ***
This isn’t a ‘concert’ album, more an expression of surprise at still being alive. Just a man, his voice & guitar- very up close and personal.
A multi-media artist from Toronto, Joe taught himself to play guitar at age 11 and picked up painting in 1975. In the liners he says “the songs embodied herein are a tiny snippet of my story from the early 1970’s to the present.” If you need a genre tag for this album, call it “folk/ blues”. The dark truths lurking within these songs are colored by Mendelson’s sense of humor. He rails against showbiz on “They Will Take Your Pants”, then lightens up on “Dance With Joe”. He’s more storyteller than singer, the guitar a part of his vocabulary. “Live At 65” is cool company.
KEY CUTS: “They Will Take Your Pants”, “I’m A Folkie”, “The Canada Song”