All In Time Fan Reviews
Fan Reviews for All In Time
Cuddy Kept the Best for Himself
by Shael
It's about time. Jim Cuddy, half of Blue Rodeo's prolific singing and songwriting duo Cuddy/Keelor, takes a sabbatical from the responsibilities of Canada's premiere roots rock band to offer up his long-awaited solo album, aptly titled All In Time. This is not always good news. You know as well as I do that when a successful band member opts to go solo, it's often to explore new possibilities and styles - and unfortunately this frequently ends with a big, stinky, self-indulgent load, leaving fans and critics dry-heaving their disappointment while the artist runs crawling back to where they came from with tail between legs. Happily, this is not the case here. It seems what Cuddy wanted and what his fans wanted lined up beautifully. All In Time is filled with Cuddy at his best - a combination of achingly lonely ballads and rootsy rockers built solidly around the veteran songster's trademark soaring melodies.
As far as the band he used, let's just say that he obviously pulled in some high profile favours. Players include fellow singer/songwriter Melanie Doane, veteran session player/producer Colin Cripps and Rodeo alumni James Gray and Basil Donovan. Doane's always top-notch violin work decorates the entire record (especially the opener "Second Son"), while Wilco's Jeff Tweedy facilitates an alt.country marriage made in heaven as he duets memorably with Cuddy on "I'll Make Believe It's You." BR ballad lovers will cherish "New Year's Eve" and "Too Many Hands," but upbeat rockers like "Trouble" and the hooky title track are what great pop songs should aspire to and should be inserted physically into every top 40 PD's brain. Won't happen. Sigh. BR co-conspirator Greg Keelor has been quoted as playfully saying that Cuddy held back from Blue Rodeo sessions and kept his best stuff for this record. After a few listens to All In Time, you may be inclined to agree.
