| Last updated at 12:33 AM on 14/03/09 |
MacLellan crafts third gem 
Water In The Ground shows versatility as songwriter
DOUG GALLANT 
The Guardian
The release of Catherine MacLellan’s debut CD Dark Dream Midnight in 2006 heralded the arrival of a singer-songwriter of immense promise.
Her sophomore release, Church Bell Blues, confirmed that initial assessment of her talents.
That record, released late in 2007, reached the number one spot on the iTunes Canada roots chart and earned kudos for MacLellan from critics in Canada, the U.S. and the U.K.
She was voted Critics Favourite New Discovery by Penguin Eggs Magazine in 2008.
That kind of ink creates high expectations for any record that follows, expectations which can sometimes be difficult for an artist to meet.
I’m happy to report that’s not the case with Water In The Ground, MacLellan’s much anticipated third record.
This endearing 12-song set, recorded at Reg Ballagh’s studio in Crapaud, surpasses any expectations I might have had, and based on her two earlier records I had set the bar relatively high.
MacLellan has developed into an extraordinarily fine songwriter.
Her grasp of the songwriter’s craft suggests one who has logged far more years in the trenches than she has.
She pens lyrics which speak simply but most eloquently to matters of heart and mind and sets those lyrics to melody lines that are often hauntingly beautiful, but which can, when she’s in a lighter mood, literally dance across the senses.
The songs MacLellan wrote for this record strike a fine emotional balance.
Songs like All Those Years and Flowers On Your Grave — the latter written in loving memory of her father, acclaimed songwriter Gene MacLellan — will tear at your heart.
But there are also songs that will put a big smile on your face like the opening track, Take A Break, which reminds me just a little of early Rikki Lee Jones, and Set This Heart On Fire.
Regardless of what she’s doing, MacLellan the songwriter is served well by MacLellan the singer.
She possesses one of those voices that you just never tire of. There is an ethereal quality to her voice that takes you to a place of peace and reflection.
And no matter how much she gives you, you always want more.
That was certainly the case at her CD launch last weekend at The Guild. She played virtually every song on the record and I could easily have listened to her do it all over again.
And I don’t think I was alone in that regard.
For Water In The Ground, MacLellan used a basic four-piece set-up with herself on guitar, Kyle Cunjak on upright bass, Nick Cobham on electric and nylon string guitar and Rich Knox on drums.
Cunjak and Cobham also provided vocals.
Good friend James Phillips guested on the record, providing some mandolin.
Others making guest appearances on the record included Justin Rutledge, David Baxter, Treasa Levasseur, Phil Sedore, Amelia Curran, Rose Cousins, Erin Costello and Brian Kobayakawa.
This record is a gem, one of the best new offerings to date this year.
Choice cuts include Flowers On Your Grave, All Those Years, Take A Break, Sorrows Drown, Set This Heart On Fire and the title track, Water In The Ground.
If you need any further incentive to pick up this CD, there is one. If you buy Water In The Ground in-store as opposed to purchasing a digital download from iTunes or some other online merchant site, you get a second disc, a copy of MacLellan’s first CD, Dark Dream Midnight.
Talk about a bonus.
(Rating: 4 stars out of 5).
Doug Gallant, a Guardian reporter, writes his music review column for The Guardian every week. He welcomes comments at dgallant@theguardian.pe.ca.
|
