Ian North / EarRational Music c & p 2006.  All rights reserved.  Use of images & content is prohibited without written permission.    Contact:

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Look for the title track "Skates" from "Theory of Your Life" in the October 2006 Paste Magazine CD Sampler #25.

"Theory of Your Life’ is an outstanding album, intelligently written and full of strong melodies and playing; anyone interested in singer/songwriters will find 11 songs of the highest order. Very highly recommended."

Fish Records

“The songs are superb & the performances first class.”

Country Music Round Up

“North’s clear clean vocals stay with you, as do his songs.  He’s touring the UK in October & on the evidence here he’ll be worth catching”.

Jeremy Searle -Americana UK

“A little bit country, a little bit pop, singersongwriter – subtlety increases with each new spin”.

Blackpool Gazette

"lnteresting, varied & well performed songs."

Burton Daily Mail

"the tongue-twisting savvy in the lyrics of "Mighty Fall" would make Dylan proud, and decent backup and unfussy production help deliver the goods throughout."

Guitarist Magazine

“Theory Or Your Life” is a comforting reassurance that the true songwriter still flourishes – A rare pleasure”. 

Michael Mee

“Great collection of tunes from a very fine songwriter – a very strong CD that demands to be listened to”.

Maverick

Hi Fi + Magazine, UK, Issue 50

Songsmith and rhythm guitarist Ian North names fellow Canadians Neil Young and Joni Mitchell among influences as diverse as Miles Davis and J.S. Bach. Unsurprisingly, he specializes in poetic and confessional narratives, more observational than redemptive, and these songs supplement their memorable images and personal recollections with catchy melodies and smartly handled lyrical trysts. The deliberate vocal style of their delivery is reminiscent of Young, but North is less mournful. On five of the eleven tracks found on Theory of Your Life, Ian is joined by Jennifer Claveau, and her silky soft harmonies further sweeten his light yet full-bodied voice. All of the songs, through their intimacy and mellow instrumental arrangements for mandolin, accordion and bass, lean toward the folk side of the contemporary Americana scene. Beneath each story there’s an insight or simple message offered. In the case of ‘Leaving Buffalo’, when you move beyond the gentle humour, there is a serious side to a line like, “So I went awol from Fort Bragg in 1972, just after all the hippies died and just before the war was through”, as North speculates on the many false promises of freedom. 8.5/10