Track Listing

1. McKeon's Coming
2. Western Boat
3. Mrs. MacDonald's Lament
4. Liverpool Handy/"I'se the By"
5. Mr. Eneos
6. Saven, the Woodfitter
7. Cape Ann
8. Frankie on the Sheepscot
9. Mister, I Don't Mind
10. Clear Away in the Morning
11. Threeboot Philbrick's Lament
12. Gulls in the Morning
13. Bay of Fundy
14. Old Fat Boat
15. Peter Kagan and the Wind

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #22074 in Music
• Released on: 1995-08-15
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .25 pounds

Customer Reviews

Great sea songs
Bok's rich, deep voice takes you onto the swells of the ocean. On this album he mixes traditional songs ("Western Boat," "I's the B'y") with his own pseudo-traditional tunes (e.g., "Mr. Eneos," "Clear Away in the Morning") and his thoroughly modern folk songs (e.g., "Mister, I Don't Mind," "Old Fat Boat").

In the extreme, he weaves a spell of words and sound in a 15-minute storytelling piece, "Peter Kagan and the Wind." Liam Clancy did a fine cover of this on one of his albums, but Bok's original has a quiet intensity that highlights the nautical tension.

The arrangements are simple, leaving the way clear for Bok's voice to carry the impetus. That's the way I like 'em, when it's a voice like his. I can't imagine the dirge-like "Bay of Fundy" with any better orchestration than the simple guitar.

This is vintage Bok at his best.

Simply brilliant from beginning to end
If I had to recommend one Bok CD, I would not hesitate to choose this one. All of the songs have previously appeared elsewhere, but many of Bok's old albums have not yet been rereleased on compact disc; with the exceptions of 'McKeon's Coming' and 'Old Fat Boat,' none of the songs here are otherwise available on CD as of this writing. And in any case, the thematic unity makes for a more immersive listening experience.

The level of quality here is staggering; amost all of the songs--most of them originals--are classics. Bok's oeuvre does not consist exclusively of nautical songs, but I think they're what he does best. Most of them are very exciting and dramatic, and Bok's acoustic guitar and distinctive baritone brilliantly evoke the savagery and desolate beauty of the ocean. He's also a gifted storyteller, as demonstrated on 'Saben the Woodfitter' and the epic 'Peter Kagan and the Wind' (if you like those--and you will--you should also check out Seal Djiril's Hymn).

I envy you if you have yet to hear this music for the first time. Even if you normally shy away from folk music, I'm almost certain that you will enjoy this, and indeed, that it will become an integral part of the soundtrack of your life.

A very good CD
I bought this CD after hearing "Old Fat Boat" and "McKeon's Coming." I found these weren't the best songs on the CD. "Mrs. Macdonald's Lament," about the death of the fishing industry and how some men refuse to accept it, is thought-provoking. "Frankie On The Sheepscot" makes me want to put on a sweater even in the middle of summer since the image of fishermen working in a blowing Maine snowstorm is so vivid. Bok's singing of "Western Boat" while not as good as Stan Rogers' version (called "Cape St. Mary" on the CD "For the Family"), is a better than average folksong. The only song that I don't like is "Peter Kagan And The Wind," a telling of the silkie legend. It just goes on and on and on (it's over 15 minutes long).

"North Wind's Clearing" is a CD that I listen to more than most others that I own.