The Waking Hour is a record of subtle wisdom and distinction, a collection of folk songs that observe life from the eyes of an exceedingly humble everyman. Though he has called Canada home since the age of 12, David Francey writes songs that owe more to the rural folk traditions of his native Scotland than the Canadian provinces. The Waking Hour, an acoustic recording adorned with mandolins, fiddles, and banjos, is one of those blink-and-you'll-miss-it albums. It doesn't so much ask for your patience as it insists that you approach it with all guards down; when it does reward this unbiased attention (not always, but often), its payoffs can be unusually powerful.