In the grand tradition of folk music, Stephen Fearing is a storyteller. And, like all great storytellers, Fearing tells stories about life and lives, love and death, hope and fear. For someone not yet 30 years old, he has insights and observations many never realize in their whole lives.
Born in British Columbia some 27 years ago, Fearing moved to Ireland with his mother and stayed for 11 years. He then moved on to Minneapolis, where he lived for a couple of years before returning to Vancouver, where he resides now.
His first full collection of songs, Out to Sea, was released in 1988 to great critical acclaim. The songs reflected his time spent in Ireland (where he attended school with members of U2) as well as playing in taverns and coffee houses across Canada. Subtle traditional Celtic influences blended with the hints of artists as diverse as Hank Williams, Bob Dylan, and Tom Waits.
His latest release, Blue Line, carries with it his unique voice and superb acoustic guitar work that made the first album so memorable. However, this time out, Fearing's skills are highlighted with stronger arrangements thanks to a full band and Britain's Clive Gregson taking credit for production. The result is 10 very good songs that scrutinize human emotions with an unforgiving eye.
Fearing takes some real risks with the songs he writes, dealing with topics from a perspective that the pop music form is not accustomed to, much less comfortable with. For example, the album opens with "The Bells of Morning." Written in response to the massacre of 14 women in Montreal in 1989, Fearing takes the shock and horror of the moment and turns it into a clarion call for greater understanding of both male and female sexuality. He writes: "I met a man once, he held himself tighter than a fist/He was hard and fast in his inflexibility/He was threatened by the future/A product of the past/He was terrified of his own femininity."
Fearing's rich tenor reaches an aching point on a personal recounting of sexual abuse as a child. "Turn Out the Lights" is a haunting, powerful song relating his own abuse by his father. The song chronicles how he came to realize what the darkness was that had been haunting him all the years of his life. As he comes to realize that he has "kept this secret far too long" and "denied my youth away," he knows he has to "forgive myself of the shame/forgive myself for being small/and helpless in my pain/for forgiveness is the only road." And it is an unfortunate fact that wherever he performs the song, someone will have the same story to tell and is sure to have a very emotional reaction.
In addition to the personal nature of "The Bells of Morning" and "Turn Out the Lights," Fearing's use of stirring images and strong metaphors is perfected in "Blind Horses." The song recounts the story of outlaws Frank and Jesse James escaping a bank robbery and stealing two horses. Unfortunately, the horses were blind. Unable to resist such a powerful metaphor, Fearing equates the riders and horses with us and the leaders we choose.
Throughout the album, Fearing's voice and acoustic guitar are augmented with backing vocals by Christine Collister, who works with Gregson on several projects. In addition, light touches of pedal steel guitar and organ rise to the top but never overpower the main attraction. Blue Line expands the definition of folk music by incorporating a variety of influences while maintaining a strong tradition of storytelling.
Stephen Fearing's talents as a true singer/songwriter have only begun. The only hope is that more people can hear what he has to say because there are not many in the music industry saying it as well.
Ron Wall was a freelance writer living in Calgary, Alberta, Canada at the time this review appeared.
Blue Line. By Stephen Fearing. True North Records (distributed by Sony Music Canada Inc., 1113 Leslie St., Don Mills, Ontario, M3C 2J9). 1991.
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