Edwards, Cliff - Carpenter of Wood

Tracks

Side 1

		Track Name	Length
	1	Carry On	03:40
	2	Carpenter Of Wood	02:50
	3	I Know I Can	03:34
	4	Everybody's Going His Own Way	03:10
	5	My Songs Are Sleeping	03:17

Side 2

		Track Name	Length
	1	Say Goodbye To Anne	03:01
	2	Uncle Dad And Auntie Mom	03:32
	3	I Wish I Was Going Back Home	03:02
	4	Follow Me	02:36
	5	Faces	03:55

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Information/Write-up

Released in 1973, Carpenter of Wood is a quietly introspective folk-rock album from Cliff Edwards, following his first solo release after the success of The Bells. Stepping away from polished soft-rock hits like “Stay Awhile,” Edwards uses this second solo LP to explore deeper lyrical territory, weaving themes of home, faith, family, and emotional resilience into a warm, earthy soundscape.

The album opens with “Carry On,” a hopeful duet featuring Edwards’ young son Sean Edwards, setting a reflective, generational tone. The title track, “Carpenter of Wood” (written by Barry Brown), stands as the album’s emotional centrepiece—a spiritual allegory rendered in plainspoken lyrics and acoustic textures, aligning Edwards with the early-1970s singer-songwriter tradition.

What elevates Carpenter of Wood beyond typical singer-songwriter fare is the accomplished lineup Edwards assembled. Rayburn Blake (Mashmakhan, Riverson) brings fluid, understated guitar work, while Brian Edwards, Cliff’s brother and longtime collaborator from The Bells, anchors the album with melodic bass lines. Leon Aronson, appearing courtesy of Columbia Records of Canada, contributes piano and arrangements that shape the album’s restrained, gospel-tinged atmosphere, and Wayne Stone (Grant Smith & The Power, Motherlode, Dr. Music) supplies subtle, confident drumming drawn from his deep roots in Canada’s soul and jazz-rock scenes.

Side Two expands the album’s emotional scope with songs such as “Say Goodbye To Anne” and “Uncle Dad And Auntie Mom,” balancing warmth, nostalgia, and quiet reflection. Edwards also revisits earlier material, including new recordings of “Follow Me” and “Faces,” presented here with more mature arrangements and a softened, acoustic emphasis.

Produced by Edwards and engineered by Peter Houston at Toronto Sound Studios, the album is intimate without being lo-fi, capturing a lived-in, unforced quality. The cover illustration by Linda Loucks complements the album’s handmade, homegrown aesthetic.

While Carpenter of Wood did not achieve the commercial reach of Edwards’ work with The Bells, it remains a deeply personal and carefully crafted album, reflecting his evolution toward a more grounded, roots-oriented songwriting approach during the early 1970s.
-Robert Williston

Musicians
Cliff Edwards: vocals, guitar
Rayburn Blake: guitar
Brian Edwards: bass
Leon Aronson: piano
Wayne Stone: drums

Leon Aronson appears courtesy of Columbia Records of Canada Ltd.

Production
Produced by Cliff Edwards
Arranged by Leon Aronson and Cliff Edwards
Engineered by Peter Houston
Remix engineering by Matthew Mitchell
Recorded at Toronto Sound Studios, Toronto, Ontario

Artwork
Cover illustration by Linda Loucks

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