SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JOHN BORRA – LAST DANCE AT THE E ROOM

JOHN BORRA
LAST DANCE AT THE E ROOM
COUSIN JEB RECORDS

Being that I’m not of Canadian shores, this being my first listen to the four-decade legend that is John Borra was something of great happenstance. Last Dance At The E Room is a love letter both to the E Room recording studio and long-time collaborator Peter Moore, and as goodbyes and tributes go, this is a strong one.

The twin openers of “Did What I Could” and “Here In My Heart” evoke the folksy singalongs of early Springsteen, or better yet, Dylan, but the whole album is a tribute to Borra’s excellent musicality, bouncing from melancholy to drunken singalong with nary a breath in between. There’s something for everyone to like here, and it sounds fantastically well put-together, with very little sagging over the course of its runtime. Late-album track “Stir In Me” is a particular highlight, while the album closes on a beautifully plaintive and reflective note with Borra’s cover of “I Think The World Is Coming True”.

By the end, my knowledge of this man’s skills has gone up ten-fold. He’s an incredible musician, but I feel this album has also taught me something about Borra the man – he’s both a raconteur and a troubadour, with a lot of pathos to boot. This is a fun, repeatable listen that will disappoint no one, and might even open him up to a new set of fans.

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