''Shadows on a Dime'' is a folk-rock album by the Canadian singer-songwriter

Ferron Ferron Foisy (born Deborah Foisy on 1 June 1952; known professionally as Ferron) is a Canadian singer-songwriter and poet. In addition to gaining fame as one of Canada's most respected songwriters, Ferron, who is openly lesbian, became one of t ...

. It was originally released in 1984 on the independent label Lucy Records; subsequently it has been re-released on LP, CD and cassette by Redwood Records and Cherrywood Station.

Critical reception

Don Shewey in ''Rolling Stone'' called the album "a feast of excellent musicianship and fine songwriting" and "a thing of beauty" and says of the production, "The album's many moods are superbly reflected in Terry Garthwaite's production, and ideal instrumental touches keep the more contemplative songs from sounding drab". ''The Washington Post'' published a good review which compares the album favourably with other albums released by other artists associated with the "

Women's music Women's music is a type of music based on the ideas of feminist separatism and lesbian separatism, designed to inspire feminist consciousness chiefly in Western popular music, to promote music "by women, for women, and about women." Women's mu ...

" genre at the time, including

Barbara Higbie Barbara Higbie (born 1958) is an American Grammy nominated, Bammy award winning pianist, composer, violinist, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. She has played on over 100 CDs including songs with Carlos Santana and Bonnie Raitt. The f ...

and

Teresa Trull Teresa Trull (born June 20, 1954) is an American female singer, musician, songwriter, and record producer from Durham, North Carolina. She is recognized as a pioneer in Women's music, with her debut album ''The Ways a Woman Can Be'' released on ...

who appear on this album: "With her haunting folk drone, her jabbing gypsy guitars and fiddles, her torrents of metaphors (and her descriptions of lesbian relationships), she challenges the field as it's never been challenged before. She is the first major artist to emerge from its ranks," wrote Geoffrey Himes. The album "fulfills the potential hinted at on 1980's '

Testimony Testimony is a solemn attestation as to the truth of a matter. Etymology The words "testimony" and "testify" both derive from the Latin word ''testis'', referring to the notion of a disinterested third-party witness. Law In the law, testimon ...

'", he writes. Regarding how her songs address friends facing difficulties in relationships he writes, "With a courage too rare in pop music, Ferron doesn't offer her friends easy solutions for their problems, but forces them to face up to difficult reality".

Track listing

All songs written by Ferron. The tracks on the CD are in the same order as on the LP.

Side one: Dreaming Back

# "Knot 53" # "Snowin' in Brooklyn" # "As Soon as I Find My Shoes I'm Gone" # "Proud Crowd / Pride Cried" # "I Never Was to Africa"

Side two: The Return

# "Shadows on a Dime" # "Circle Round" (instrumental) # "The Return" # "It Won't Take Long"

Personnel

Musicians

* Ferron – vocals (all except B2), acoustic guitar (all except A3, B4) * Barbara Borden – drums (B3) * Jeanne Bradshaw – support vocals (B4) * John Clavin – support vocals (B4) * Linda Domingo – support vocals (B4) * Mary Fettig – tenor saxophone (A1), alto flute (A5) * Roy "Bim" Forbes – harmony vocals (A4) * Terry Garthwaite – support vocals (B4) *

Nina Gerber Nina Gerber is an American guitarist who first came to attention when she accompanied singer-songwriter Kate Wolf from 1979 until Wolf's death in 1986. Gerber was born and raised in Sebastopol, California Sebastopol ( ) is a city in Sonoma ...

– harmonica (A2), mandolin (B3) * Joe Goldmark – pedal steel (B3) * Glen Hendrickson – drums (A1-4, B1) *

– fiddle (B1, B3), Support vocal (B3) * Michael Lent – bass (A1), fretless bass (A2, A5, B1) * Diane Lindsay – electric bass (B3) * Dawne Milligan – lute and second viola parts arrangement (B2) * Brian Newcombe – bass (A3, A4) * Novi Novog – electric viola (B2, B4), synthesiser (B4) * Dave Pickell – piano, synthesiser (A4) *

Vicki Randle Vicki Randle (born December 11, 1954)Hillgirlz, the les ...

– congas (B4) * Brent Shindell – acoustic guitar (A2, B1) * Tony Simmonds – lute (B2) * Lucinda Smith – support vocals (B4) * Adrienne Torf – synthesiser (A1), electric piano (A2, B3) *

– support vocal (B3) * Marc vanWageningen – bass (B4) * Paul vanWageningen – drums (B4) * Brett Wade – electric guitar (A1-5) * Willow Wray – support vocals (B4)

Others

* Terry Garthwaite – production * Leslie Ann Jones – engineering, mixing * Gayle Scott – executive producer, art direction, photography * Barbara Hodgson – album design * John Clavin – assistant engineer * Ray Pyle – assistant engineer * Paul Stubblebine (at The Automat) – mastering

References

{{authority control 1984 albums Ferron albums