Sarah McLachlan "Shine On" Album Review

Prime Cuts: Song for My Father, In Your Shoes, The Sound that Love Makes

Sarah McLachlan took the music industry by storm in throughout the 90s with her ethereal pop balladry in the form of hit songs such as "I Will Remember You, "Adia" and "Angels."  In fact, her 1997 "Surfacing" album was such a monster runaway that it went on to sell over 8 million copies, a fleet almost unheard of in today's market.  Ever since, McLachlan has been on the trail of trying to replicate such juggernaut successes to dwindling effects.  At the end of the day, she and her imprint Arista Records have become exhausted of the chase and they have parted ways.  Four years of hiatus later, McLachlan is back as with her debut record for the jazz-titled Verve Music Group (chaired by David Foster and the recording home of Diana Krall and Dave Grusin).  But rest assured this isn't a jazz record.  Perhaps the only song that comes closest to the cocktail-after hours-lounge jazz style of say Diana Krall is "Surrender and Certainty." 

The rest of "Shine On" finds a rejuvenated McLachlan holding in tension her signature adult contemporary sound with the modern bleats of today's pop music.  Rather, than trying to chase after that elusive follow-up to her 90s hits, McLachlan lets loose allowing her own experiences and emotions to be the driver of these songs.  She has even partnered with today's scorching hot scribes Blair Daly (Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts) and Hillary Lindsey (Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift) in penning the guitar busy "Flesh and Blood."  Though "Flesh and Blood" is by no means the best track on the record, one wouldn't be surprised if it made into the country charts.   

Much better is the lead single "In Your Shoes." Written after hearing about how a girl by the name of Malala was nearly killed by the Taliban after espousing her belief that girls in Pakistan are entitled to an education, "In Your Shoes" speaks of the courage to be able to rise up again for justice despite the hatred of men.  This song is such a tug to the heart and such a booster for the soul that you will find yourself returning to it again and again.  More expositions of the heart can be found in the touching "Turn the Lights Down Low."  Though poised as a children's song about fairy tales and dragons, the social commentary of the evilness of humanity somehow runs deep on "Monsters." 

With her recent divorce and the death of her father causing an emotional dent on her life, some of the songs here address her plangent soul.  Towards such ends, "Song for My Father" is most blatant.  Never as melodramatic as Luther Vandross' "Dance with My Father," "Song for My Father" has a folky pseudo-country feel with lots of poignant observations.  Fans who adore McLachlan's patented piano chops will find great affinity with "Beautiful Girl" and "The Sound that Love Makes."  The songs on "Shine On," in many ways, live up to its titular: this is a collection of carefully crafted songs that inspires us again and again to buckle up to face our tomorrows with hope despite yesterday's darkness.

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