Bryan Arcand is a young man with a twinkle in his eye. To say that twinkle is the star of Bob Dylan is more than mere suggestion. To be fair, Folk is Arcand’s first full-length album, and it’s not unusual for a young artist to emulate – consciously or unconsciously – the style of his idol, but this record takes admiration to a higher level. Folk plays like a full-blown tribute to the legendary singer-songwriter.

The context of Folk is a bit displaced in time and mood. Arcand has a good voice, a lot of talent, and apparently the life experience to back up the theme of this record, but his songs about a vagabond life aren’t anything we haven’t heard before. At times, the authenticity in his words gets lost under the effort to be retrospective, weather-beaten, and forcibly poetic. Also, for an album that’s supposed to be about meeting real people, Folk features a few stereotypes. For example:

… A sideways walking beggar/ he stopped and asked me for a dime/ His breath was smelling of Jim Beam/ I swear to God he was out of him mind…

It’s a tired image of the homeless, to say the least. I think he’s trying very hard to sound legitimate and to be an entertaining storyteller (which is understandable), but it comes across as unnatural. On a positive note, “This Time Around” is perhaps the most pure and sincere of all the songs. His vocals flow genuinely and sound quite nice. It’s a relaxed song with great rhythm and emotion. “Wear the Gold Hat” is lyrically the most contemporary song … sort of. He goes from sing about watching MadTV and Madonna to betting on horses and the silver screen. It’s a bit disjointed and overall, a lazy song, but that’s the point, right?

Folk is a fine effort by an emerging artist, but Bryan Arcand’s journeys are far from over. He’s still got to find his own voice and he’s got to find the confidence to use it.

Track Listing:

1. Helena’s Vice
2. Wayside Inn
3. Back In Your Arms
4. Ragpicker’s Wine
5. Cracked Bell
6. Hastings and Main
7. This Time Around
8. So Far from Home
9. Wear the Gold Hat