Shane Philip - Live at Baker Studios

Consider him Canada’s answer to Xavier Rudd, or just a hippie from B.C., Shane Philip is a one-man-band, playing guitars, percussion and didgeridoo all while whooping and singing about peace, the environment (“Plastic Bags”) and social issues (“Stranded”). While the sound may at times be a bit edgier than Rudd, the similarities are myriad. That’s not to say that it’s terrible. The songs on Live at Baker Studios, Philip’s fourth release, are sometimes dance-worthy, often optimistic and always sincere. The product of just nine hours of recording and 12 hours of mixing, the album has a raw, organic sound consistent with Philip’s apparent ideologies. Live at Baker Studios isn’t necessarily bad, it’s just too bad that it’s been done before, and better.

Published in Volume 63, Number 18 of The Uniter (January 29, 2009)

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