Philip John Lewin ran for mayor of Georgetown, Ontario, a few years back. He lost, but tells me he’ll try again. In 1976 he made a similar idealistic bid for ascension, and self-produced his second album Diamond Love, a follow up to his home-baked existential debut Am I Really Here All Alone. This time around, PJ Lewin was recovering from a broken heart, and this is his breakup album. He could only afford one day in the studio, and remarkably all the songs were done live off-the-floor in a single take. This is particularly poignant given how long and sinuous the songs are.  Brian Gauci’s lifted guitar is spectacular throughout, playfully weaving quicksilver tapestries around PJ’s rhodes when the band stretches out. Toni Hoyland’s angelic voice is a perfect counterpoint to PJ’s charmingly plain-spoken singing style. It sounds something like the Dead backing Mayo Thompson with a sore throat, in the best possible way. Essential Canadiana.

EX - sealed stock copies, may have a slight warp, dnap