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Surfacing is the latest CD from Canadian singer Sarah McLachlan.
Over the past four years there has been a
strong trend towards female singers, both as solo artists and in groups.
McLachlan, however, whose career has spanned ten years, has evolved in a
different manner to other popular singers of the moment, an evolution
present in her latest effort. While the melancholic overtones are clear,
Surfacing avoids falling into any brooding or angst-ridden traps,
instead showing, in McLachlan's own words, a certain "beauty in sadness".
Songs such as "Building a Mystery", "Witness", and "Adia", which have
achieved both critical and chart success in the U.S., clearly show
McLachlan as a mature singer/songwriter and musician. McLachlan's
involvement with every song on a number of levels is in fact
one of the most impressive features of the CD. McLachlan's music
makes expert use of acoustic sounds, with memorable piano melodies that
coalesce perfectly with her own vocal ability. Surfacing maintains a
steady pace, which, by the end, will leave you with a very distinct
impression about the dimensions of human emotions.
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McLachlan can be seen as representing a new breed of singer, one who
takes the artistic process beyond the songs themselves and into the
packaging, from CD artwork to music videos, akin to other performers
such as Smashing Pumpkins and Neil Finn. McLachlan's CD also presents an
emerging trend by containing an interactive element. She presents her
music not only as an artistic but also interactive experience. With the
increasing use of drum and loop machines in the music industry,
Surfacing can be seen as part of a natural progression that sees the
increasing fusion between art and technology.
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With the development and mass availability of CD-ROMs singers now have
the opportunity to reach a much wider audience. McLachlan's CD is no
different: it provides a complete discography of her career, allowing
listeners to sample previous songs, see some of her artwork, and hear her
describe some of the process that went into the songs on this CD. While
reinforcing an already existing fan base, elements such as these allow
her to tap into a potential new audience, one that may have previously
been unaware of her music.
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Details
Surfacing, by Sarah McLachlan.
Producer: Pierre Marchand.
Arista 1997, cat. no. 07822-18970-2.
42 mins.
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Citation reference for this article
MLA style:
Joseph Crawfoot. "Beauty in Sadness: Sarah McLachlan's 'Surfacing'." M/C Reviews 21 Sep. 1998.
[your date of access] <http://www.uq.edu.au/mc/reviews/music/sarah.html>.
Chicago style:
Joseph Crawfoot, "Beauty in Sadness: Sarah McLachlan's 'Surfacing'," M/C Reviews 21 Sep. 1998,
<http://www.uq.edu.au/mc/reviews/music/sarah.html> ([your date of access]).
APA style:
Joseph Crawfoot. (1998) Beauty in sadness: Sarah McLachlan's 'Surfacing'. M/C Reviews 21 Sep. 1998.
<http://www.uq.edu.au/mc/reviews/music/sarah.html> ([your date of access]).
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![[image]](http://www.sarahmclachlan.com/disco/SarMc.Sur.jpg)