I met Jim Payne a time or two in Cape Breton in the early days of the 21st century, when he was touring with A Crowd of Bold Sharemen. (See my 2003 interview with Jim here.) I was impressed then by his knowledge and love of Newfoundland's musical traditions, and glory be I was quite sure I had reviewed one or two of his albums long ago. Alas, I had not, so I'm glad to rectify that now with a look at Empty Nets.

On this recording, Payne sings and plays guitar, accordion, mandolin and whistle. He's joined by Christina Smith on fiddle, cello, harmonica, synthesizer and vocals, Fergus O'Byrne on banjo, bodhran, vocals and, um, auditorium chair, Lorne Taylor on bass, Howie Southwood on drums and percussion, and Anita Best and Glenn Downey on vocals. The music is all arranged, wholly or in part, by Payne, and several of the songs are his own compositions.

As is often the case with Newfoundland music, the songs tell stories, and the stories are often sentimental. Payne's "Empty Nets," for instance, describes an ongoing crisis for local fishermen, while "Two Fishermen Missing" pulls its lyrics from the headlines of an event in 1984. "Always the Best Man" mourns a time when Payne apparently was always holding the ring for other men, never for himself, while "The West Side of Notre Dame Bay" explores his fondness for the land where he was raised.

Newfoundland has proven to be a great source of new and traditional music that's rich in meaning, and Empty Nets provides nine tracks in that vein. Check out Jim Payne's work for a taste of the island's enduring culture.