Say It Louder

Sarah Siskind's songwriting skills are difficult to refute, given her track record for furnishing artists like Alison Krauss with strong, Grammy-nominated singles. On Say It Louder, she proves to be a competent performer as well, dressing up her compositions with the sort of glossy, expansive production previously enjoyed by the major-label artists who cover her songs. Say It Louder is certainly a studio affair, far more elaborate and polished than any of Siskind's past releases, but its mix of genres helps shine a spotlight on the eclectic songcraft rather than the production. Raised by bluegrass musicians and steeped in the country traditions of her adopted Nashville, Siskind merges a number of southern genres into these 13 songs, sampling everything from Appalachian balladry to gospel-inspired folk in the process. One can hear the mountains in the way she corners her melodies, which jump from note to note with the sharp, lilting inflection of Blue Ridge bluegrass, while the presence of layered guitars and crisply brushed percussion steers some songs closer to the contemporary country camp. Throughout it all, Siskind remains the focus of attention, wielding a voice that isn't conventionally beautiful as much as it is slyly arresting. Say It Louder occasionally veers into mood music, substituting the melodic drive "Falling Stars" and "Keep Me Alive" with something more indebted to atmosphere than hooks, but there are few missteps here. ~ Andrew Leahey|