This was originally written for DayBowBow.
Advertising works. Last year, thanks to some product I don’t remember, I was introduced to Canadian singer-songwriter, Basia Bulat. She recently released her second full-length album, Heart of My Own, and I have gladly chosen this folk-pop sophomoric effort to kick off this new track-by-track series.
1. “Go On” – I love the snare buildup before the song takes off around the minute mark. As the song progresses, you get a sense that you are traveling somewhere and appropriately so, as Bulat wrote a majority of this album while on the road. I can usually tell if I will enjoy an entire album by its first song, and this one does not disappoint. Go on, indeed.
2. “Run” – The pace slows a bit but the violins in this waltz keep the album running. Yes, pun intended. But seriously. The arpeggios cause you to sway in dance as she calls for a love to “run, keep running back to me.”
3. “Sugar and Spice” – Bulat comfortably eases the album into this stripped down rue. An acoustic guitar with a touch of strings is all she needs alongside her simple, lamenting chorus. Oh my, that chorus.
4. “Gold Rush” – The journey picks up with this galloping folk song. Spirited and with a sense of nostalgia, she strums her autoharp with confidence as she builds this climactic tune.
5. “Heart of My Own” – I don’t know why I didn’t think this sound could come from anywhere else other than the South. I’m at fault for not expanding my horizons earlier. Basia Bulat proves that Canadians know exactly how and when to use a banjo, a gospel-like backing, and string solos in this title track. Whoever designed the cover art for this album seemed to keep this track in mind as the photo of Bulat against a cloudy rolling landscape was chosen. Both the song and the photograph give me a sense of something bigger, much grander than myself.
6. “Sparrow” – A delicate song for your delicate hearts. “Let your bird go lost / I will bring her back to you in spring / She won’t change at all / Let your sparrow fall / To what might be”
7.” If Only You” – I barely had enough time to soak in the beauty of “Sparrow” before this song burst through the doors. However, “If Only You” is a fun song with full instrumentation and happy trumpets as she seems to cheerfully exclaim, “If only you would have the heart to take me back!” Begging has never sounded so full of pep until now.
8. “I’m Forgetting Everyone” – This ballad is probably my least favorite track of this album. The previous slower tracks either had a driving backdrop or let you focus mostly on Bulat’s vocals. I couldn’t focus on either here.
9. “The Shore” – Bulat lets the dulcimer do a lot of the talking here. I love the way its sound reverberates, reminding me of that grand, rolling landscape that was painted earlier. Beautiful choral addition, sparingly and smartly used.
10. “Once More, For the Dollhouse” – Another slow track that doesn’t go anywhere for me. The strums are steady throughout, leading neither to a climax or resolution.
11. “Walk You Down” – As if someone sensed we would lose interest due to the previous track, “Walk You Down” gives you only a drum lead-in before Bulat hits the road again. She shows off her flexibility from her folk roots as brings a little rock into the mix. However, this style is not her strongest suit by any means although it is a welcome change of pace.
12. “If It Rains” – An appropriate end to this journey as she does what she has done best on this album with one last graceful waltz. With a hint of a gospel feel, her travels come to a close and are best summed up by these lines: “I don’t mind if it rains / You can leave your friends where you found where you found them / For your is still a mountain / You can tell them not to worry if it rains.”
Heart of My Own will remain in my music library, perfect for these cold, winter days. Thank you, commercial industry, for leading me toward something good and beautiful for a change.
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