Basia Bulat - The Garden
'The Garden' is a collection that has been laid out with love and affection. It emerges as a truly original and fascinating retrospective of this talented artist. Thoroughly recommended.
Canadian singer-songwriter Basia Bulat provides a groundbreaking variation on the usual 'best of'/ retrospective' collections with this ambitious, yet hugely enjoyable project, re-working and rearranging a selection of songs from her five previous album releases. Described in the press release as a 're-imagining', Bulat's smoky, slightly tremulous, vocals (and often compared to Natalie Marchant) blossom and bloom amidst lush string quartet arrangements. The result is a new hybrid variety of North American melodic folk, cross-pollinated with East European influences, and enhanced with classical chamber accompaniment.
Within the track listing there seems a certain symmetry in the way 'The Garden' is laid out. Book-ended by songs from her 2016 album 'Good Advice', early bloomers in the first half include numbers from 'Oh My Darling' and 'Heart On My Own', whilst 'Tall Tree Shadow', title track from her third album, displays contemporary colour ahead of 'The Pilgriming Vine'. Later-flowering songs from 2020's 'Are You In Love' are planted in the second half, along with freshly written lullaby 'Fables', and two short instrumental pieces. .
There is a definite sense of time passing in how this album has been conceived and presented – rather like a garden growing and maturing with each passing year. Songs like 'In The Name Of' and 'Are You In Love' become stronger and more powerful. Others, like 'Already Forgiven' and 'Good Advice' remain reassuringly calm and wistful. 'The Garden' is a collection that has been laid out with love and affection. It emerges as a truly original and fascinating retrospective of this talented artist. Thoroughly recommended.
8/10
