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Amelia Curran

Canadian singer-songwriter offers one from the hear

The Hot Press Newsdesk, 01 Feb 2013

Acclaimed in her native Canada (she won a Juno Folk Roots Award for her last album, Hunter, Hunter) Curran grew up in Newfoundland and is still based in St. John’s. With a voice falling somewhere between that of Suzanne Vega and Emmylou Harris and a highly personal, observational songwriting approach, Curran’s songs are well turned out both melodically and lyrically.

More mainstream Americana sounding than the pared-down acoustic folk of her two previous albums, Spectators is also much lusher and more polished. Recorded in Toronto with producer John Critchley (formerly of Canadian alt. rock outfit 13 Engine), it includes a cast of musicians such as Toronto and Nova Scotia notables The Once, Todor Kobakov, Bryden Baird, Selina Martin, Oh Susanna and Martin Tielli. The instrumental and textural backdrop is immediately impressive – from the sumptuous brass arrangements on the nostalgic sounding ‘In A Town’ and the Band-like ‘What Will You Be Building’ to the solemn strings on the plaintive, ‘The Great ‘Escape and the simple but effective country rock stylings and backporch harmonies on ‘Strangers’.

Elsewhere, ‘Face On The News’ is the quietest, most stripped-down and most haunting track (‘“I know that time passes, trespasses and grows up…”) while ‘Blackbird On Fire’ recalls her compatriot, Alanis Morrissette’s mega hit, ‘Ironic’. Well worth hearing...



The Hot Press Newsdesk

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