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Rising Canadian star Catherine McLellan leaps forward with her country-folk-pop template. Good move.
To my ears, some of MacLellan’s sound owes much to Scottish band Fairground Attraction, though she’s not in the same league, as a singer, as their ex-vocalist, the brilliant Eddi Reader. She has a very sweet voice, however, which is very versatile.
Third album Water In The Ground is a very good listen indeed, (nice dare I say it, too) full of warm and engaging songs which melt into each other, and some might even melt you, if you’re a true romantic. Unfortunately, in pure commercial terms, there isn’t a Perfect or Find My Love to rush in a serious pop element and give the album a radio-friendly leg-up, though much of the material is easy listening to the extent she hasn’t sold out, retaining a clever rootsy-fusion-crossover feel at almost every level.
There are only three songs of notable pace, opener – jazzed-up country shuffle (a la Fairground Attraction) Take a Break, about slogging in the field next to a lover, track 2 Water In The Ground a gorgeous song about a wander lusting young girl hoping her ‘mate’ will be waiting for her return, and country-twister Not Much To Do, all of which are very catchy, guaranteed to get yer feet a tappin’.
But, it’s the others, steeped in deeper Americana tradition like jolly Hotel Stairs (something compatriot KD Lang might have tackled in the her early days) driven by sublime basslines by Kyle Cunjak and country-styled guitar solos courtesy one Nick Cobham, that hit the bulls-eye.
Another, which allows her dulcet tones to feature prominently, is the stunning ballad Isabel’s Song, one of the sweetest and simplest love songs you’ll ever find, with lines like, ”there’s no going back after you, love,” slipping beautifully from her country lilt.
Acoustic ballad All Those Years deals with a wandering couple who romanticise (but don’t regret leaving) previous homes, while Set This Heart On Fire does exactly what is says on the tin, in an understated way, to a subdued shuffle.
Plucking banjo and acoustic guitar carry Again From The Heart, enveloped by lightweight bass and percussion, making it one of the best tracks here, purely for its simplicity and stripped back quality.
If you want to hear one of the most heartbreaking songs ever, then its here as the final song, Flowers On Your Grave, lump in throat no doubt.
Water In The Ground is accompanied by her debut album Dark Dream Midnight, previously only available by mail order.
1. Take A Break
2. Water In The Ground
3. Hotel Stairs
4. Isabel’s Song
5. Something Gold
6. All Those Years
7. Set This Heart On Fire
8. Sorrows Drown
9. Not Much To Do (Not Much To Say)
10. Again From The Start
11. Everything’ll Be Alright
12. Flowers On Your Grave
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Review & concert pics copyright © Elly Roberts, 2004-2010.