Resilience

元ガールズ・フォーク・グループWAILIN' JENNYSのメンバーであり、ギター、マンドリン、アコーディオン、ピアノなどなどを操るマルチ・インストゥルメンタリストとしても才能を発揮するAnnabelle Chvostekのソロ・アルバム。今作では、優しさと透明感が同居するタイトル・トラックを筆頭に、彼女のそのクリアでとげとげしさのない声が存分に生かされたオーガニックな作品で、「DRIVING AWAY」ではカナダの至宝ブルース・コックバーンと共作し、彼はヴォーカルでもゲスト参加している。「Wait For It」のような爽やかなポップ・ロック、ケルティックな「The Sioux」、そしてアルバムを締めくくるの物憂げなカントリー・チューン、その名も「NASHVILLE」とヴァラエティに富んでいるが、共通するのはハート・ウォーミングであること。エイミー・マン、ジョニ・ミッチェル、エミルー・ハリス、ラウドン・ウェインライトIIIらのように、柔らかな歌声が、凝り固まった心を溶かしてくれる。

For an artist on a label dedicated to traditional Canadian folk music, Annabelle Chvostek makes music that often sounds shockingly modern, and not simply in the way that she draws on obvious forebears from her country such as Sarah McLachlan. With the opening title track, her voice working in the textures and pacing of Autotuning without actually being treated that way, Chvostek serves notice she knows what time it is, even as most of Resilience deftly steps forward and retrospectively in equal measure. Thus the low-key blues/cabaret sass of "Racing with the Sun," with some sparkling guitar solos and backing call and response vocals suggesting a World War II coffee bar/juke joint, directly follows the near-confessional "Piece of You," which feels of a piece with any number of 21st century ballads thematically while not overtly sounding like it's going to appear in a Zach Braff film (thank goodness). Chvostek's singular talent might in the end be her flexibility with styles while maintaining her own strong voice, and the arrangements course from solo autoharp introduction to restrained electric guitar and electronics with an easy grace. Perhaps the most affecting track, though, is "The Sioux," with what sounds like a sweetly jaunty folk/country ramble -- the accordion and fiddle in combination are breathtaking -- backing a portrait of desperate lives riven by drug abuse and the weight of history. Some wounds still cut deep and Chvostek knows to regard them with the appropriate depth. ~ Ned Raggett|