Atsiaktonkie creates a mental picture with his carefully crafted lyrics
Shomari Smith and Tim Van Camp
Issue date: 3/27/09 Section: Lifestyle
Singer-songwriter Atsiaktonkie, has been making music for over 10 years, notably with the Native Alternative Folk Rock Band December Wind. Since his departure from the band in 2006 he has been working on his solo project, Four Wolves Prophecy.
The new CD is a 14-track representation of his longevity in the music industry. With the use of different musical elements such as folk, rock, country and Americana as well as carefully crafted lyrics, Atsiaktonkie paints a picture of his experience of being Native American in this country. His vocal styling is one that has the capability to hit the listeners in the heart. He has been compared to Neil Young and Michael Stipe of REM for his musical ability to touch people.
The album starts out with songs like "NDN Man," which is about the various songs that Indian people would have to sing to get by and survive, and "Born On a Rezervation," which talks about what it is like to live on an Indian reservation. In these tracks the songwriting is simple, but complex in visual integrity as the lyrics make it easy to see what it is like to be a Native American. Another song on the album that speaks to the struggles of life is "I Don't Know How Far I Can Go?," where he talks about being tired of being depressed and doing the same things day to day (symbolized by a long walk on the same road), but when he doesn't feel like he can go on there is another day that comes. The song "Hey Yo!" sounds like a cry for listeners' attention at first, but then he describes his encounter with a great spirit he saw in the sunlight by the name of Wanka Tanka. Other standout tracks include "Inside This Broken Heart" and "Last Tribal Nation," which can be found toward the end of the album.
Four Wolves Prophecy is a well put together record. The production is fitting for the lyrics and the songwriting is good, but at times it is too simple. Still, the songs help to produce a mental picture of the ways of life of not just Atsiaktonkie, but of his people. This album is a good mix of different genres of music that make a sound all his own.
The new CD is a 14-track representation of his longevity in the music industry. With the use of different musical elements such as folk, rock, country and Americana as well as carefully crafted lyrics, Atsiaktonkie paints a picture of his experience of being Native American in this country. His vocal styling is one that has the capability to hit the listeners in the heart. He has been compared to Neil Young and Michael Stipe of REM for his musical ability to touch people.
The album starts out with songs like "NDN Man," which is about the various songs that Indian people would have to sing to get by and survive, and "Born On a Rezervation," which talks about what it is like to live on an Indian reservation. In these tracks the songwriting is simple, but complex in visual integrity as the lyrics make it easy to see what it is like to be a Native American. Another song on the album that speaks to the struggles of life is "I Don't Know How Far I Can Go?," where he talks about being tired of being depressed and doing the same things day to day (symbolized by a long walk on the same road), but when he doesn't feel like he can go on there is another day that comes. The song "Hey Yo!" sounds like a cry for listeners' attention at first, but then he describes his encounter with a great spirit he saw in the sunlight by the name of Wanka Tanka. Other standout tracks include "Inside This Broken Heart" and "Last Tribal Nation," which can be found toward the end of the album.
Four Wolves Prophecy is a well put together record. The production is fitting for the lyrics and the songwriting is good, but at times it is too simple. Still, the songs help to produce a mental picture of the ways of life of not just Atsiaktonkie, but of his people. This album is a good mix of different genres of music that make a sound all his own.