WALKING IN THE WILD LAND

Having a mid septuagenarian Jim McCarty still around and recording is so much better than no Jim McCarty at all that every new release is a bonus gift in itself. His solo works are sparse even as he remains involved in collaborative projects. "Walk in the Wild Land" is the first in 9 years, since "Sitting on the Top of Time".

This time around the arrangements are a bit sparser, mostly acoustic guitar and his expressive voice. A few tracks are more upbeat, and appearances by Alex Lifeson and John Hawken do not disappoint. Overall this is the least traditionally progressive of the three records in his name, even allowing for the new age forays of its predecessor.

Lyrically, the themes of connection to nature juxtaposed with detachment from materialism remain, with an appreciation for healthy life into later years. He is expressing more concern over the tendency of elders to live in the past, now that the generation of free love has hit its twilight years in full force. "I don't want to talk about 69" barely conceals a double entendre that is perhaps innocent perhaps wholly intended. He seems to have breached the fuzzy border between the necessity for centering oneself in an increasingly dysfunctional world and baby boomer egotism. While "Charmed" is the quintessential statement of this subtle shift, it's also one of the most enjoyable numbers, so there you go!

While a simpler and at times more simplistic McCarty is presented here, he remains a genial and reassuring companion for an occasional real or virtual walk in the woods.