The Reviews of the Niagara album
by Lewis Melville

Robert Reid. The Kitchener-Waterloo Record. Kitchener, Ontario.

Simply stated, Niagara defies musical categories. [Lewis Melville's] work as a much sought after sideman in bands ranging from country, bluegrass, through folk and jazz, to rock and R and B, ensures that no popular musical genre is absent. A sense of fun pervades the album, which brims with improvisation- complete with Dadaist surprises and surrealistic impromptu.

MP. Chart Magazine

Melville's a multi-instrumentalist kind guy who's been touching the lives of many Ontario bands of small, medium and large size (Cowboy Junkies, Barenaked Ladies, and Skydiggers on down) for many a year. His sincere, strident, somewhat cerebral folk sound recalls a raw version of midyears Bruce Cockburn: solid, fresh, natural songs, with an endearing yet up tempo feel, albeit a bit under produced for the largesse attempted. Ontario references are everywhere (the guy doubles as a lab geek for the University of Guelph), but Niagara's 73 minutes gobbles 'em up with a smile, as Melville's shaky vocals project through a wide variety of traditional constructs. Melville calls this homemade, and really, the man manages to conjure all the positive connotations of the term: brewing an ambitious collection of porch and firefly songs for breezy dusk-deep contemplation.

John Sakamoto's Anti-hit list. Toronto Sun

Instantly memorable progressive pop, right up the alley of fans of the Rheostatics.

Lynn Saxberg. Ottawa Citizen.

"Album Shines Light on Mysterious Melville"

Lewis Melville is practically a cult figure in the Canadian music world, ever since the Rheostatics named their album Melville after him. The multi-instrumentalist has also recorded with Cowboy Junkies, Bird Sisters, Barenaked Ladies and 13 Engines, and performed with the likes of Skydiggers and Grievous Angels.

By day, this unassuming character works as a botany researcher for the University of Guelph; by night he weaves an eclectic potpourri of folk, jazz, country, rock, and world beat music, as you can hear on his new 21-track disc, Niagara. Surrounding himself with talented friends such as Rheostatics' Dave Clark and singer Tannis Slimmon, Melville creates a disc with the warm, friendly feel of a musical gathering in somebody's kitchen.

The down-to-earth flavour is reflected in Melville's lyrics - while not exactly poetic, they capture slices of everyday life in the worlds of ordinary people. Listen to the three songs about an underemployed man who works in a hardware store, about driving to Toronto, and about being invisible in a midsize town. Wonderfully textured with interesting instruments and lots of harmonies, the music brings to mind the work of off-the-beaten-track singer/songwriters like Jane Siberry, Tom Waits, and Michelle Shocked. Though Niagara overflows with tracks, it offers a fascinating insight into the life of a mysterious, hugely respected musician.

Katherine Monk. The Vancouver Sun

Anyone who's ever purchased a Rheostatics record (and really enjoyed it) will understand. Those who haven't, well, pity. Lewis Melville, in conjunction with former Rheostatic drummer Dave Clark, has come up with a CD that's hard to describe as anything other than "cute".

Sure, it's got some pithy content and darn fine song writing, but the overwhelming feel - from swooping falsetto harmonies that barely make it on-key, to a chorus chanting "Grendel, Grendel" - is all warm and fuzzy.

To his credit, that seemed to be what Melville (who's also worked alongside acts like the Cowboy Junkies and the Inbreds) was shooting for if the hand lettering is any clue - a guy version of cuddle core.

In his heart of hearts, however, he's a singer-songwriter. The wacky flare on some of the tracks may detract from some of his earnestness, but really, he's a Canadian brand of Dylan - She's Going To Toronto. "It's not such a long way, it's only 60 miles..."
How can you deny him? Melville seems to have the self-deprecating stance and lyrical ability to be the next Stompin' Tom or our very first Lyle Lovett.