Handsome Ned - The Name Is Ned (2000)

A two-disc anthology may seem a little extreme for an artist who never released a full album during his lifetime. However, in the case of the Handsome Ned set The Name Is Ned, it is a welcome introduction to a nearly forgotten Canadian singer/songwriter.

When Handsome Ned died in 1987 at the age of 29, he left behind a wealth of recordings, from studio tracks to live recordings and radio appearances. Understandably, the sound quality varies wildly (one live track, "Bad Bad Boy," is even credited to Handsome Ned's mother, who recorded it from her table near the stage), but care was taken in the remastering process, and none of the tracks are completely unlistenable. In fact, for listeners looking for a taste of the kind of raw and earnest performance Handsome Ned was capable of, the live recordings hold an edge over the more polished studio tracks.

The Name Is Ned consists of a fairly even mix of originals and covers and an impressive array of guests. Murray McLauchlan shows up on a version of Johnny Cash's "I Still Miss Someone," Lydia Lunch can be heard hyping Handsome Ned's radio show before a live, acoustic version of "Sea of Heartbreak," and for the finale, Blue Rodeo invites Handsome Ned onstage at the Horseshoe Tavern to sing the Merle Haggard classic "Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down."

However, while the cover songs have a charm of their own and help to shed light on Handsome Ned's influences, it's the original songs that display the depth of Handsome Ned's talent. Standout tracks include "Put the Blame on Me," "That'll Be the Love," "One Hundred Miles of Open Road," and "You'll Never See Midnight."

The Name Is Ned, clearly a labor of love for those involved (Handsome Ned's brother contributed the liner notes), is a worthy reminder of a talented Canadian artist.