Basia Bulat
Oh, My Darling
Hardwood Records
This is a musical tour with stops at the sounds of diverse forebears and peers, from Joan Baez (vocal vibrato) to Amelia Curran and Jill Barber (moods and motifs of both) and Royal Wood (arrangements). Hailing from London, Ontario, Basia Bulat has talents and skills without question, but stands a bit too long in the shadows of other artists who’ve already proved and evolved themselves. So the more exciting album from Bulat will be the next one. You get the sense she’s got a killer voice—it must sound awesome live—but she’s working hard to keep it near the surface. The music’s beautifully arranged but is a little too often awash over the singer.
Sean Flinn
categories: Canadian artist
This article appears in Dec 6-12, 2007.