Whilst listening to any album by Laura Veirs, I’m always reminded of the opening sequences of Christopher Nolan’s film, Insomnia. The great white expanses of the upper reaches of North America and Canada, the remote and almost inaccesible areas of ice and thick forests. Her music seems to be the perfect soundtrack to these great environmental amazements. Each song always sounds intricately arranged and produced to feel at one turn open and expansive and the other, dark and claustraphobic. Her latest album, Saltbreakers, carries on these themes and develops them further, the music and songwriting seem more focused and, at times, more ambitious.

Opening track, Pink Light, bursts out of the ether and sparkles in the light, the guitars twist and turn, driving the song along whilst the minimal percussion clips and claps it’s way through the song. It feels as though there’s more substance to back up her songs when compared, certainly, to her earlier albums. However, Ocean Night Song wouldn’t have sounded out of place on her debut, all delicately picked acoustic guitars with a gentle tinkle of percussion and twisted strings. This then segues into Don’t Lose Yourself which could, quite possibly, be her first “pop” song with it’s shifting processed drums and a piano, forceful and driving, guitars seemingly a secondary instrument hidden in the mix. With this record it does feel as though Veirs is challenging herself, trying to stretch her artistic muscle and writing something a little different. It doesn’t always work, sometimes it feels a little forced. The title track feels like something that would appear on a children’s TV program with it’s bubblegum harmonies and rhythm by-numbers, it’s a real disappointment.

Whilst this change of direction is admirable and impressive, it feels as though she’s lost her innocence and left-field nature which brought her to the fore originally. That’s not to say that we all want to hear another Carbon Glacier, it’s just that this movement to the middle of the road takes away some of the originality that she possessed. However, she still has one of the most crystal clear voices I’ve ever heard and the highlights of this album definitely outweigh the more wayward choices. Listen to this on a chilly and foggy spring morning and tell me you’re not moved. Veirs hasn’t lost that.

Links:
Laura Veirs [official site] [myspace]