Canadian songwriter Fred Eaglesmith is a national treasure. He always has and always will play by his own rules. He’s made his reputation as an honest, and authentic story-telling country songwriter, who modern ‘country ’ artists are just starting to discover. Allan Jackson just recorded a version of ‘Freight Train,’ Miranda Lambert recorded a version of ‘Time To Get A Gun’ and Toby Keith recorded ‘White Rose.’ In the past, he has had songs recorded by the Cowboy Junkies, Kasey Chambers and Todd Snider among others. He even had a top charting bluegrass hit a few years ago.

Basically Fred can do whatever he wants, so if he wants to go onto the David Letterman show dressed like a medieval duke then he will. If he wants to record a bluegrass album or two, a comedy album, a religious album like his last one ‘Tinderbox’, he can and in the case of his latest and eighteenth  CD — Cha Cha Cha, he goes Bossa-Nova — sort of.

He knows his way around a catchy  guitar and lyrical hook  including the Bossa Nova favoured banjo riff opening the first track ‘Careless,’ and the organ riff of  the very haunting ‘Tricks’ which just sticks in the brain. That’s the great thing about Fred, you never know what to expect from him, but it will almost always be different and almost always really good. So bless him for daring to be different.

 The Fabulous Ginn Sisters also sing beautifully ethereal harmony vocals  on most of the tracks, adding a Supremes style R and B feel to songs like ‘Gone Too Long.’.
Organ and keyboards  are prominently featured on ‘Cha Cha Cha,’ especially on the ‘Dynamite and Whiskey’  which is the closest in theme to classic Eaglesmith, though the vibe has a weirder 54-40 meets Pink Floyd feel to it.
The whole thing, though really unusual is also really addictive and bears repeated listens.

CD: Cha Cha Cha
Artist: Fred Eaglesmith
Genre: country
Record Label: A Major Label/ Lonesome Day Records