This came out in 2003 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
Millions of people can write songs. But true songwriters — the ones who turn it into an art form — are fewer and farther between.
Sarnia singer-guitarist Kyp Harness — one of the most underappreciated talents in Canada — is a true songwriter. In fact, he’s what you call a songwriter’s songwriter — the sort of fella who seems to have memorable melodies and thoughtful lyrics flowing effortlessly and endlessly from his pen. Rocking songs. Quiet songs. Sad songs. Happy songs. Pretty songs. Dark songs. Silly songs. Serious songs. You name it, Harness delivers it in spades on his sixth album, the double-CD The Floating Gem. Even better, he plays them all with a straightforward, down-to-earth style (not to mention the frequent help of indie-poppers The Dinner is Ruined). And the nasal bleat he uses to sing ’em invites comparison to Bob Dylan (on the rootsy ones), Robyn Hitchcock (on the quirky ones), Townes Van Zandt (on the sad ones), Lou Reed (the bleak ones) and even Marc Bolan (on the rocking ones). Simply put, he’s one in a million.
