Rating: 9/10

Track Amount: 10

Running Time: 36 minutes and 3 seconds

Genre: Folk Music

Personnel: Gordon Lightfoot (vocals, 6 and 12 string acoustic guitars, percussion) plus other session musicians

Producer: Lenny Waronker

Recording Location: Eastern Sound Studios, Toronto, Canada

Record Label: Reprise Records

Art Direction: John Reeves

Best Tracks: Somewhere U.S.A., Sundown, Carefree Highway

Quick Verdict: One of the most underrated Folk albums of the 20th century

Not all Rock Music follows the Punk-based ethos of loud electric guitars and noisy, powerful music with drums. There have also been some great acoustic guitar-based musicians at hand. Enter Canadian talent Gordon Lightfoot, who passed on in 2023. His music mainly centred on his Folk Music based on baritone vocals and 12-string acoustic guitar playing. This is a stripped-down and unique take on guitar based Rock Music that is impressive in its appeal, without even hearing a note of music from the get-go. This is Gordon Lightfoot’s breakthrough album release, which reached #1 on the USA Pop Music charts back in the day and was considered a solidly impressive album by all listeners out there. Although this album was mostly just vocals and 12-string acoustic guitar playing, there were elements of electric guitars and other instrumentation included. Nonetheless, this album sounds like a deeply interesting and necessary listen ahead, so let’s jump right in.

1. Somewhere U.S.A. begins the album with some sweet guitars, singing and piano to match it all. This is a smooth and enjoyable tune that leans towards Country Music in its sound. Even so, this sounds really dynamic and blissful at hand. Gordon Lightfoot proves himself to be an underrated talent musically. The simple and fine music here has lyrical references that seem like a real-life story, which is absolutely gorgeous throughout. There is some neat acoustic guitar soloing in the second half of the song, and this is a very impressive tune at hand. All in all, seriously good music to listen to. This sounds ethereal and tranquil in its sound and playing. This sounds very much like a Folk-Rock version of Eric Clapton’s solo career material from around this time, but still sounds original and great. Good tune.

2. High and Dry begins with upbeat 12-string acoustic guitar strumming and some upbeat and tuneful vocals throughout. A glorious and pretty-sounding music ballad that is very rewarding to listen to. This music is fantastic to play at a family picnic or at home, with you lying on your bed with headphones on. The midsection has pleasant singing, passionate 12-string acoustic guitars and some soft percussion leading into the second half of the song. An extremely wonderful song at hand, which is intelligent, articulate and fine-sounding. Neat little tune present here.

3. Seven Island Suite begins with a more downtempo approach with more acoustic guitars, bass guitar and singing along with the tune. This is a longer piece of music, running about six minutes in length, with a keyboard in the background thrown in for good measure as well. String sections emerge on this tune, and the music comes nicely alive at hand. A really fine and simple song that will appeal to those of you looking for simple acoustic guitar based Folk Rock Music that has an emotional and dramatic edge. All in all, this works very well upon listening to it. The music and performances throughout are stunning. Hummed harmonies emerge near the midsection, which sound really cool. Nonetheless, a totally upbeat and enjoyable song that folks in the South of the USA, in particular, will understand and dig. This also has a laser-sounding keyboard part in the background, proving that Gordon Lightfoot was not just limited to acoustic guitars and singing in his songs. The second half has some nicely crafted music and lyrics about living in paradise. Nonetheless, a great and lovely tune at hand which sounds mature, interesting and unique musically. No doubt that this is one of the better Folk Music releases of the 1970s. A joyous and detailed song at hand, which has some good and pleasantly enjoyable sounds throughout. There is a solo section of 12-string acoustic guitar strumming, followed by more song-based vocals that have some artistically impressionist lyrics that are picturesque and detailed. Good work. It fades out slowly at the end.

4. Circle Of Steel begins with some sweet acoustic guitar playing and what sounds like a recorder wind instrument playing along. Gordon Lightfoot sings nicely on this tune, and he sings an absolutely gorgeous song about the weather and other ongoings in his life. A very nice and pretty tune that has some impressive music and references to the time of Christmas at hand. The music, singing and performances are extremely interesting and professional throughout. This tune has some gorgeous and interesting music about a lady who has a sad and upsetting time at Christmas, in a bad twist of fate. A gorgeous tune and a bit of a moral story throughout as well. Lovely music, all the same. Very pretty.

5. Is There Anyone Home begins with some audible bass guitar and some neat and pretty 12-string acoustic guitar playing, along with other tasty instrumentation to boot. Gordon Lightfoot sings very nicely on this song, and he sings about an intruder with a gun in a house. A gorgeously melodic and sweet piece of music that sounds very professionally delivered. A good story lyrically, matched with some more string sections and tasty sounds that are real ear candy at hand. All in all, a very serious, simply beautiful song overall. This further cements the impressive nature of singer/songwriter storytelling at hand. Beautiful and magical throughout. An absolutely wonderful song that has some interesting twists and turns throughout it all. Fantastic music.

6. The Watchman’s Gone enters into a dual acoustic guitar tracked song, and quickly launches into a downtempo yet interesting song at hand that is really well sung and pretty musically. This is another key cut from this album about the passing of a friend at hand. This sounds very much, again, a lot like Eric Clapton musically. No matter. This does follow its own path musically, and Gordon Lightfoot plays and sings marvellously here. Bongos are thrown into the background as well, along with a sweet string section at hand. This is a pretty and melodic tune that is so underrated that most music listeners need to sit up and pay attention to this album. It sounds pretty, lovely and perfectly enjoyable for its Folk Music basis with extra arrangements thrown in for good measure. Another solidly good tune to listen to and enjoy to the full. This is a good change musically if you are over overdriven/distorted electric guitars and stereotypical Hard Rock sounds. Nonetheless, a pretty, intelligent and awesome song that delivers. Good job, man. The acoustic guitar solo in the fadeout is super cool.

7. Sundown is the title track, and it sounds pretty and fantastic with some neat 12-string acoustic guitar. This was a hit at the time. A pleasant and pretty tune that paints a story about a lady of one’s fancy throughout. This is a really cool and extraordinary song that has some solidly direct music appeal, that is, if you like simple and easy listening music to enjoy. There is some slide guitar in the background as well. This sounds extraordinarily good and Poppy at hand, with a tasty and melodic song structure about it all. This progresses nicely with a gloriously cool slide guitar solo in the second half of the song. This is fine Folk Music that you do not wish to miss, and Gordon Lightfoot sings better than Bob Dylan’s limited nasal whine by far. An awesome and timeless tune which sounds absolutely sweet and simply impressive. This song deserves more listens as such, so make sure you listen to this one.

8. Carefree Highway launches into it with 12 string acoustic guitar, and quickly launches into a small town, rural song at hand with a great and pretty song at hand. This music is very simple, impressive and sweet audibly. This is a song about love and life at hand, with a gorgeous 12-string acoustic guitar solo present. This sounds emotional and magical throughout. This unique and clean, clear music should be an inspiration for generations of young men and women to pick up the guitar and learn it. There are neither loads of overdubbed layers nor over-the-top shredding, just simple and impressive Folk Music to blow your mind with its simple music. This is a great song, which has many interesting sections and pleasant storytelling by Gordon Lightfoot. A pretty and well-played song at hand. Simply great, it will definitely put a smile on your face. Excellent song.

9. The List is another short song with 12 string acoustic guitar and bongos, launching into a simple and fabulous tune that has some fantastic musicianship throughout it all. The singing and guitar playing by Gordon Lightfoot really shine through on this album. Sure, there are many other artists much more popular than him, but plenty of such musicians are far less talented than Gordon Lightfoot. This simple and driven Acoustic Folk Music does sound very impressive overall. The chiming 12-string acoustic guitars literally sound fantastic on this album. This music can and should be heard by many more who have an interest in music from years gone by. A seriously enjoyable song. If you can sing fairly well at least, go buy a 12-string acoustic guitar and learn these songs to begin with. They are great for that sort of musical inspiration.

10. Too Late For Prayin’ begins with some soft six-string acoustic guitar playing and deep vocals from Gordon Lightfoot at hand. This is an awesome, Christian-based song about praying and its uses. This is a tragic story of too little, too late in a certain scenario of losses. All in all, this music does leave a good and emotional presence upon the listener. It is a good listen, even for those of you out there who neither believe in nor follow Jesus. This music is certainly heartbreaking and emotional at hand. A really awesome and emotionally hitting tune with excellent music and melodic sensibility that sounds great. An acoustic guitar solo drives this song further in the second half, alongside a sad and moving string section that flows in and out of the song. This tune is a good but emotional listen at hand. A seriously good and stirring finale to this album that makes one want to change things for the better in their life before things go wrong. Nonetheless, a smooth finish to a great album that many more need to hear today. Good tune.

This is an extremely underrated album that takes the basis of Folk Rock based Music and turns it into something nicely layered with sound and with emotional depth. This album is also great for those of you who love simple Folk Music who despise Bob Dylan’s nasal vocals. Gordon Lightfoot may no longer be with us, but his music legacy does shine bright on this album. A very much winner of a listen. Should you hear this album? Go ahead and give it a listen if you dig simple music, but those of you into EDM or similar genres will not dig this album, however.

If you like this article, please like, share, comment and follow me on The Ultimate Music Library. Thank you, Chris Airey.