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Review

I've known about Willie Dunn for a time now, he was featured three times on the "Native North America, Vol. 1" comp released by 'Light in the Attic' back in 2014 (all three of those songs also being featured on this comp). So when this comp released, I knew I was in for a treat. Willie Dunn was a Mi'kmaq and Scottish/irish indigenous activist, filmmaker, and even politician. Fun fact before we get into this review, he is commonly cited as the created of the first Canadian music video when he worked with the National Film Board of Canada to make a film to accompany the first song on this album, The Ballad of Crowfoot. While he isn't all that remembered in the United States he is quite an important figure in Canada. He is on the 'Aboriginal Walk of Honour' in Edmonton, and was deeply involved with the native movements in Canada his whole life. This is also were his music performed the best comerially, two songs getting some airplay on the Candian country charts, with 'Pity the Country' reaching number 35. But as we should know by now popularity does not always equal quality. That's a good transition into the review, and the first side of Willie Dunn we see on this album. There's many sides of Willie Dunn in this compilation, part of that is because of the many years that is covers and his changing style over time, but each change is every bit as compelling as the last.

On The Ballad of Crowfoot he is simply singing with a guitar, but it's one of the most compelling stories he could ever told, and the craft showcased here is utterly masterful, each line a wider view into the strife of the indigenous people of at the hands of colonial powers, and still to this day at the hands of social and political hatred. This is the first side of Willie we are exposed to, but he has much more up his sleeve, from the droning beautifully hypnotic and well-crafted "The Pacific", to the poetic "Sonnet 33 and 55 - Friendship Dance", to the impactful protest song "I Pity The Country". It is clear through this compilation that Willie Dunn was more than he appeared at surface level, he was a greatly creative, often poignant, brilliant soul. On the musical side of this record we have the deep, foreboding voice of Dunn overlooking all the songs with an evocative air of authority and a voice that is one of a kind. The guitar here too is incredibly skillful and punchy, and fits perfectly with each song, and when its accompanied by the drawl of other instruments it becomes something especially creative and masterful. If you only listen to one song from this comp I really do suggest "The Pacific" although I think every single one of them are more than worthwhile. The Pacific is just in a different realm in its beauty and prowess. Overall, this record is an incredible portrait of a man who brought a new face to the indigenous movement, and brought a new face of talent to the white-saturated singer-songwriter world.