Tin Foil Hat - Scott Dunbar

Smashing out a beat with a rusty chain on a dirty old broiler pan and a suitcase kick drum, this one man show can upstage a full band, without a microphone. A busker on the street-corners and markets of Montréal, you’ll hear him blocks before you see him – whether acoustic guitar or accordion, the intensity and emotion of the voice and songs are as authentic as they come: earned and undeniably strong. Call it folk, blues, soul – it’s even sometimes catchy-as-pop — there’s something for everyone in this music – and it gets better the more times you hear it. There’s an idea behind this guy’s music, an old idea: a social purposefulness underlies Dunbar’s mission in music. Some stories need to be told, beauties need to be protected, social issues need discussing – exuberant joy and righteous anger must be released, and Dunbar is not afraid or ashamed to bring it to our attention. His performances are all about creating a bridge between people to have a good time while gathering around important issues. Since hitting the road hitchhiking three years ago holding a sign reading “A FOLKSINGER’S GOTTA SEE THE COUNTRY,” Dunbar has fast earned a fearsome reputation as a fan favorite at festivals and gigs all over. He himself recorded and produced two full length albums (2008′s An Awful Racket, 2009′s GET ANGRY ABOUT IT) of which he’s sold into the thousands of copies at gigs and on the street. It’s an ethical AND a family operation – the CD sleeves are handmade from recycled cloth by his mom. Youtube clips of his streetcorner performances, uploaded by passers-by (most notably a cover of Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” and his own “Tinfoil Hat”) have topped over a million hits since they first appeared in spring ’09. This, his third album – TWO YEARS TO LIVE, an appropriately ambitious 24-track, double CD odyssey was recorded in one week with BC luminary, Corwin Fox. The songs range from the intimate and personal “Tuning Fork” and “My Feathers” to enraged and political (“Ain’t Mama,” “Bullet Fee”) to bitingly ironic (“I’m Dick Cheney”). From the whimsical sweet romance of a bicycle ride (“Bicycles”) to the somber contemplative depths of “Fine,” Dunbar covers a lot of ground, and deserves a spot in any true chronicle of modern music. This album was designed as Dunbar’s proper big introduction to the world, and it seems he knows a thing or two about making a grand entrance. Just go ahead and try to dismiss it; this songwriter-performer is still just getting started…
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