Kitchener, On. - Feb. 7, 2007 - Centre in the Square

Rankins Haven't Missed a Beat - By Robert Reid - Kitchener-Waterloo Record

It's billed as a Reunion Tour, but seeing the Rankin Family at the Centre in the Square on Monday seemed to defy the passage of time.

Although they disbanded in 1999, Jimmy and sisters Raylene, Cookie and Heather didn't appear much different from when they last performed at the centre in 1998, a few months before brother John Morris died in an auto accident.

If anything, they sound better than ever. Despite Jimmy nailing down the male lead vocals, the sound of the Rankin Family is largely defined by the three sisters.

Raylene, Cookie and Heather still harmonize like Celtic angels, but maturity has softened the strident shrill that could sometimes be heard in their younger voices.

Their vocals now are warmer, fuller, without sacrificing the piercing high notes that still send shivers down spines.

The quartet of Cape Breton musical siblings were backed by an energetic quintet including the abundantly talented Howie MacDonald on fiddle and mandolin and Mac Morin on piano.

They drew material from their whole catalogue, spanning their 1989 self-titled album to their recently released Reunion.

Most of the 20 songs, plus three encores, delivered over two hours enjoyed high audience recognition value.

The Rankins had the large, multi-generational crowd eating out of their hands for Orangedale Whistle, Fisherman's Son, Tell My Ma, Gillis Mountain, North Country, Borders & Time, Bells, You Feel the Same Way Too and Movin' On, among others.

From Reunion they introduced the poignant Departing Song and Gone, in addition to David Francey's Sunday Morning, which they transformed and made their own.

Jimmy also offered the first single, Slipping Away, from his upcoming solo album Edge of Day.

It's difficult to pick highlights. However, Jimmy's Fare Thee Well Love, one of the loveliest songs ever written in this country, produced goosebumps when he was joined by Cookie.

Cookie's (sic) rendition of Leon Dubinsky's Rise Again was similarly effective.

Ditto for Morin, one of Cape Breton's most accomplished pianists, who paid tribute by performing one of John Morris' instrumentals from the debut album.

It's clear that songs of love, loss and hope strike deep chords with the Rankin Family, who lost another sister, Geraldine, days before the tour began.

The Mull River Shuffle was a musically invigorating closer that forced the audience to its collective feet.

A couple of times during the concert they were joined by Molly, John Morris' daughter, who performed her song, Sunset, from Reunion. She also teamed up with MacDonald on a couple of sets of ferocious Celtic fiddle tunes.

Toronto singer-songwriter Dawn Langstroth opened with seven songs over 25 minutes. Most of the material was drawn from her self-titled EP, in addition to her spirited version of Bob Dylan's Don't Think Twice.

Langstroth is an impressive songwriter who has a soulful voice as fresh and as crisp as a mountain brook.