× West Eats Meet (2004)

Track Listing:

1. Help Me 3:09

2. Make Way for the Living 4:25

3. Shadow of the Whip 3:35

4. The Great Unknown 4:05

5. Forgive & Remember 3:36

6. Sittin’ on Top of the World 3:27

7. That Knowing Look of Fate 3:36

8. Stir a Little Breeze 3:28

9. Tough & Tender 4:01

10. The Ways of Love 4:32

11. Something of your Grace 3:33

12. Hector’s Song 2:16

Story and Reviews

2005 Canadian Folk Music Award winner for Best Solo Artist & Producer of the Year

2005 Juno Award nomination

Top CDs of 2004 – Acoustic Guitar Magazine

“… Listening to this record is sure to stir the romanticist and dreamer in everyone who has the pleasure of hearing it, as Manx’s exceptional song writing is bested only by his rich smooth baritone vocals and his use of diverse instruments such as the mohan veena (20 stringed sitar) and tamboura alongside lap steel, banjo and harmonica. The accompaniment is sparse throughout this album, with only occasional tabla drums and keyboards added to the above mentioned instrumentation. In places you will hear some absolutely lovely background vocals, as well as harmonies, provided by newcomer Emily Braden and Australian trio The Heavenly Lights. Listen closely for Ms. Braden though, as her voice is remarkable.

To choose highlights is a difficult task, as every track on this tasty record deserves a mention. You surely can’t go wrong with the opening cover of Sonny Boy Williamson’s “Help Me,” which features some slick harp and picking by Manx, giving it a down home yet big city feel all at once. Harry’s vocals capture center stage on ”Make Way For The Living,” a soft spoken number whose beautiful background harmonies led by the sweet warbling of Emily Braden lighten and brighten a number that could easily be mistaken for having dark and dismal overtones. The following tune,”The Great Unknown,” is equally lush in harmony and lyrical content while pondering the unforeseen future.

Manx gives the Mohan veena a proper workout on the instrumental “Forgive and Remember,” accompanied only by Niel Golden on tabla drums. Golden’s work will blow your doors off on the following cover of ”Sittin’ On Top Of The World.” This familiar standard has new life breathed into it as never before; it’s presented as an Indian/bluegrass banjo raga complete with silky three part harmony by The Heavenly Lights … If you thought Harry was a good songwriter before, wait until you wrap your ears around this one.

What makes Harry Manx’s music so appealing is his ability to tell you an entire story in the space of about four minutes … West Eats Meet is about as close to flawless as an album as they come. It’s one of those rare jewels that surprises you upon the first listen and grows on you with every subsequent spin. On a scale of 1-10, this one is a 20.”

– Steve Hinrichsen, Blues Bytes

Produced by Jordy Sharp

Engineered by Wynn Gogol

Harry Manx: Vocals, lap slide guitars, Mohan Veena, 6-string banjo, harmonica & tamboura

Additional vocals by Emily Braden, Sara Marreiros, Christine Best & the Heavenly Lights

Niel Golden on tablas / percussion

Wynn Gogol on keyboards

