Monday, November 8, 2010

Nancy Elizabeth: Wrought Iron (4.5/5)



Year: 2009
Genre: Acoustic, Folk
Label: Leaf
TRT: 41:15

So, I came across this cd just a week or so ago. And really, I’m not sure why it has taken me so long to listen to it since I’m such a huge fan of her 2007 debut cd, Battle and Victory. After listening to Wrought Iron for the first time, I wanted to kick myself for not listening to it sooner. To give myself some credit, I began to play it at the perfect time- for me anyways. I happened to be driving down this windy country road, admiring the trees (all a different shade of autumn,) and becoming slightly sad because as I watched each leaf fall, the trees themselves looked closer to death than they did the previous day. But, inside my car was this beautiful melody coming across the speakers which seemed to give a sense of closure to the life of each leaf I saw fall. And as time progressed, I was able to hear a muted elegance that made my drive worthwhile.

In her sophomore album, Nancy Elizabeth has taken a more simplistic stance than compared to her first album. She uses instruments such as the piano, guitar, glockenspiel, and vibraphone (among others) to create a rich yet gentle composition. However, none of these compare to her tender and clear voice, which at times is just mesmerizing. Wrought Iron draws the listener in, often evoking a sense of melancholy and peace- from the mostly instrumental opening track, to the overall warmth the album seems to radiate. All too much alike the scenery from the country road I happened to turn onto, Wrought Iron is a natural beauty.

01 Cairns
02 Bring On The Hurricane
03 Tow The Line
04 Feet Of Courage
05 Diving
06 Cat Bells
07 Canopy
08 Lay Low
09 The Act
10 Ruins
11 Winter, Baby

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