Surfing

Overall Album Score: 8.0 out of 10

Sarah McHottie's fourth album, unfortunately, hints that she is backing off just a little bit. The studio arranging and the general "feel" of these songs can hardly manage to even rival the near-brilliance of Fumbling Towards Ecstasy. Oh well. That was a GOOD album ... this one is good, too, but I just don't feel the need to type that word in all caps and then italicizing it.

This album is just like her last one, except it's not quite as "spiritual" or "impressive." In general, it "rather lacks the good old Sarah McLachlan sense of things." I don't get the same old "I'm reading a good, dusty old book with old book smell" thing that I said I got in my review of Fumbling Towards Ecstasy. Nevertheless, this is still McLachlan, and this album is still good.

Maybe the overall problem (or un-problem) is this album is just a little bit too non-daring! That might make it more accessible, but it doesn't make it more rewarding. Oh well. This is still a rather good album ... and there are quite a few stellar tunes in here! So, this is recommended if you really liked Fumbling. The rest of you can go listen to something else. (I'm going to go do that, too ... after I finish reviewing the album, that is!)

Overall Album Score: 8.0 out of 10 (This is a good album! I didn't get nearly the same breathtakingly gorgeous aura of Fumbling Towards Ecstasy ... but this is a very nice album, and I enjoyed it!)

Average Song Score: 8.0 (There are a bunch of gorgeous songs on here with one near pop masterpiece! Unfortunately, it's all marred a bit by the presence of a few dull tracks on here ... well, more dull than necessary, that is.)

Album Tilt: 8.0 (It put me to sleep a few times, but this is yet another solid album from Sarah McLachlan.)

Artist Rating: 8.0 (This is a weaker, less daring version of her previous album. But this music does sound nice ... like she cared about it one way or another. She's definitely not like Madonna ... That's good!)

Track Reviews

Building a Mystery 8.5/10

This is a decent song ... it's nice and accessible ... The melody is alright. It's not particularly engaging, though. But it's listenable! And it's enjoyable, too ... I suppose. Overall, this album-opener was rather well done! It's not remarkable, but the 8.5 track score here is entirely deserved.

I Love You 7.5/10

Slow ... boring ... unexciting ... ... such has been the quality of good Sarah McLachlan from the very beginning! What makes her songs enjoyable in the long run, if you've been following her thus far, is the mystical, magical quality of her songs! "I Love You" has a lot of that quality ... but there's really not enough of it. And I am left to do little but snooze. Good night.

Sweet Surrender 9.5/10

Hey!!!! If all 90s pop sounded like this, then I would probably be very much at peace with the world. This is a very nice, catchy song with great instrumentation ... yeah ... this song just has a very nice feel to it, and ... COOL! I hereby forgive thee, Sarah McLachlan, for putting me to sleep with "I Love You." (Although, if that song-title was directed toward me, then ... then ... ...) BRILL! ... iant.

Adia 8.5/10

Aw!!!! This is so prettttty! Don't you think this song is pretttty??? I really like the melody here, and this song is really quite excellent in many respects. It just doesn't quite give me that UUURRMPPPHHHH it needed in order for it to become an utter masterpiece. But it's good enough for ME! Go Adia!

Do What You Have to Do 8/10

Booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooring! But at least it has that Sarah McLachlan touch that keeps me more interested on the song than not. The tune is really nice at any rate. Yeah ... I like this song. I suppose. It's really quite lovely.

Witness 6.5/10

Ooooggggg! Now this is just going a bit too far for me! The melody here isn't particularly good ... so it doesn't have that aspect going for it. Ummmm ... and this song is just boring. BORING. But it does have the McLachlan touch ... for whatever that's worth. This one puts me to sleepsessss ... Zzzzzzzz ...

Angel 7/10

This is slower ... the melody still isn't that great ... there's no reason to wake up. Go back to sleep.

Black & White 8/10

Oh! Hey! It's a rhythm section! And ... OH!!!!!! The clever arranging has returned! That's not to say that the GREAT melodies have returned. But it's certainly passable. And with all those other elements intact (not to mention that gentle McLachlan touch), that means "Black & White" is a solid tune. Yay!

Full of Grace 8.5/10

The rhythm section might have left us like dust in the wind, but ... this song is pretttttty! I like it! The melody is nice ... (the chorus is the best) ... and it's just a very nice, gentle song. It's the coolest, man!!!! I LOVE THIS WOMAN!!!!! (Really, I have quite a crush on Sarah McLachlan. Maybe she'd like to go to a movie with me one day.)

Last Dance 8/10

Boring old light piano music is COMPLETELY AND ONE-HUNDRED-PERCENT--ly SAVED BY A MOOG SYNTH!!!!! Okay ... this isn't the world's most wonderful piece of piano music. (And, really, if McLachlan isn't singing on one of her songs, then what's the point?) But there's a moog synth. At least she wasn't taking herself totally seriously. That's all I need.

Surface from beneath that place you're sitting and send me a few comments about your thoughts of this album here!