"Toronto-based singer-songwriter Brian Gladstone is an early Bob Dylan, a guitar wizard on par with Jesse Cook, a lyricist who can evoke a plethora of emotions with a single song." D. Brosha, Canehdian.com

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Toronto singer /guitarist Brian Gladstone is a finger-picking guitar master, a prophetic lyricist, a philosophical story-teller and a colorful performer. The natural evolution beyond Brian Gladstone’s first CD ‘Back to the Dirt’ – debut effort released in 1999 which gained world wide attention and remained in the top 100 World Wide Mainstream Charts for several weeks - is yet another all acoustic offering appropriately titled ‘Psychedelic Pholk Psongs’.

As with Brian’s first CD ‘Back to the Dirt’ - the sound throughout 'Psychedelic Pholk Psongs' is entirely acoustic; no electrical instruments used. In fact, so committed was he to this ethic, when co-producer/engineer Robert Digioia plugged in the bass for a track, Brian went so far as to yank out the chord. It was just a natural reflex action, he says. "I didn’t really have a lot of predefined ideas of how the album should sound. I just wanted a very natural sound. I listen to a lot of folk music, and even when there’s electric bass as opposed to acoustic bass, to me, it doesn’t sound quite right. I just wanted a very pure unamplified sound."

You'll find yourself admiring Brian's confident finger-picking, a tip-off to his debt to all the masters. You'll hear him on both guitar and banjo. (there are four instrumental standouts on this collection). Some spicy, tasty, on-the-money solos were added by one of Canada's foremost acoustic guitar aces, Tony Quarrington. Other performers include legendary Daisy DeBolt, Ron Korb, and Maureen Brown.

Brian's song writing approach is freewheeling, so learning that the unexpected is to become the expected, while the predictable becomes the unpredictable, lies at the heart of his beguiling charms. Gladstone is a fastidious and humorous chronicler of all his experiences, whether they’re based on fact or dreams.

‘Psychedelic Pholk Psongs’ is the ‘Only CD Which Guarantees to Restore Brain Cells Lost to Cheap 60’s Drugs’. Essentially Brian plays music because it’s something that must be given expression to, a means of self-fulfilment, an artistic enterprise to gain meaning about society and one’s own existence.

There's absolutely no requirement to be a fan of the psychedelic era to appreciate 'Psychedelic Pholk Psongs'. This journey is guaranteed to take you on a thrilling ride on its own terms, with enough natural pleasure-giving endorphins to provide all the highs that are ever needed. We hope you join us for Brian's live renditions of this great recording!

"featuring the Smoking Guitars of Brian Gladstone and Tony Quarrington - vocal harmonies by Bonnie Gladstone - the incredible Maureen Brown on Washboards and Percussion."

Maureen Brown has been awarded the MapleBlues Drummer of the Year award for 1997, 1998, 1999 and has been nominated in 2000. She was also nominated for MapleBlues Female vocalist of the year for 1997, 1999, and 2000. BEST CANADIAN BLUES DRUMMER 1997 (Real Blues Awards). Real Blues Awards cd "Be Close" was #8 on the top 10 list for BEST NEW CANADIAN BLUES RELEASES for 1997