Album of the Day

A genre-defining figure in the folk-pop scene of the 1960s and 1970s, Gordon Lightfoot is Canada’s greatest singer-songwriter, and the just-released SOLO is his first album of new music since 2004. “I thought my fans would be interested in hearing what songs sound like when first written,” the performer noted of the 10-track set, which was spurred on when two CDs recently resurfaced of unreleased material penned shortly before he suffered a near-fatal abdominal aortic aneurysm in 2002. After discovering the songs, Lightfoot went into Grant Avenue Studio in downtown Hamilton, ON alone with his guitar to create this beautifully minimal work. Heralded by lead single “Oh So Sweet,” SOLO showcases the Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee at his most pure.