ESL etc.

Scott Cook, a friend, musician and English teacher from my days in Taiwan, has just released a CD. It’s honest bluesy folk, and Scott is a wonderful storyteller. Imagine if Tom Waits liked hiking and hacky sack. It’s great, but don’t just take my word for it.

Long Way To Wander resonates with a Dylan-esque verve, a Waits-ian post-modernity, Cook baring his soul in public for all to hear. The songs mostly revolve around Cook’s strings - guitar, banjo, ukelele - and his low, booming voice, while a few of his friends appear in secondary roles. –Francois Marchand

In all, it’s deep-thinking, introspective stuff with a definite expat desperation, the special observations that going away and coming home delivers to us, both curse and superpower. –Fish Griwkowsky

You can check out three of the tracks for free here, and you can also find links to buy the album from CD Baby, iTunes, or Bullfrog Music (in Canada). Personally, I recommend the MP3 download from CD Baby - no packaging, no DRM, and the artist gets 91% of the album price.