COMFORT IN SOUND: Sarah McLachlan's Surfacing

Photograph by Bob Jacques

Comfort in Sound pays homage to some of my favourite albums of all time; albums that I return to again and again for both their greatness and their ability to make me draw on memories of times gone by...

I first became fixated on Sarah McLachlan because of my firiend Steve Burridge, a slightly hyper yet lovely superfan whom I had the pleasure of meeting when I was around 16.

I was working in what was then referred to as Fibbers, a restaurant and pub in Bunratty Castle Hotel in Co Clare. Canadian Steve joined our staff for the year he was spending in Ireland and I remember having one incredibly fun summer in his presence. Back then, although I had been a fan for a few years previous, I remember hearing McLachlan's song 'Angel' on the soundtrack to the film City of Angels and had come into work on one particular day humming it. When Steve overheard me, he went on to tell all about his Sarah McLachlan obsession and urged me to check out all of her earlier releases, i.e. those that came before 1997's Surfacing. He rated the album's prequel, Fumbling Towards Ecstasy as his ultimate Sarah release but, although I loved that too, Surfacing has always remained my favourite.

Steve and I used to finish work at around 11pm on those summer nights, "borrow" a packet of sliced mild cheddar and a loaf of homemade brown soda bread from the kitchen and some Bulmers from the bar, and retire to a seated monument that stands in the heart of the village of Bunratty (some nights, depending on what kind of groups were in the restaurant, we'd get some fancy leftovers or even a nice hearty scoop of Brown Bread Ice-Cream- yum...) While there, we would chat for hours about our favourite music, our most-loved singers and bands and our most memorable gigs. Steve's love for all things Sarah definitely had a huge impact on how I feel about her now. If it wasn't for him I probably wouldn't have been so adamant on making the stop in New Jersey last summer to catch her on one of her Lilith Fair stop-offs. But boy, am I glad that I did.

Surfacing is a superb album. It's songs are raw, emotive and deeply introspective, touching on human existence and experiences and on themes such as loneliness, loss, love and hope. It is the album that most effectively showcases Sarah growth as a musician and singer-songwriter, masterfully incorporating sincere and throught-provoking lyrics, beautiful piano and guitar riffs and swooning strings, all executed to absolute perfection. Famous for having one of the most beautiful voices in music, Sarah showcases her vocals at their very best on Surfacing, exhibiting lush tones, great control and the perfect movement between her lower register and her spine-tingling falsettos.

From 'Building a Mystery', with its flawless acoustic and electric guitar chord progressions, to the electronic-tinged 'Sweet Surrender' and the sombre ballads 'Do What You Have to Do', 'I Will Remember You' and the heartbreaking and infamous 'Angel', Surfacing is a stunning listen from start to finish. This lady, with her haunting voice and heartbreaking words, has the ability to teach cold people how to feel. While you have to be in a certain mood to listen to Sarah's material (it certainly doesn't make you want to get down and party like it's 1999), there is no better singer-songwriter out there who provides the perfect soundtrack for moody, melancholy wallowing and musical transcendence.

Whether you're a new fan or a die-hard Sarah fanatic, Surfacing makes for a fantastic and captivating listen; a musical imperative. Truly powerful.

This is for Steve, wherever you are: