October 05, 2008
Publication title: The Province, vol. -, Iss. -, pg. –
Place: Unknown
Writer: Stuart Derdeyn
A Closer Look At Sarah McLachlan
Greatest-hits compilations serve a number of purposes. For an artist coming to a certain career point, it presents an overview of past labours. For a label, it’s a way of getting new product out and, hopefully, finding new fans for the music, as well as reminding old fans that their star still shines. It’s also a great way to put a few new tracks out there to sample the waters of public taste for coming albums.
Closer: The Best of Sarah McLachlan is out on Tuesday.
The disc includes 14 of her past hits, dating back to her first single, “Vox,” right up to two new tunes — “Don’t Give Up On Us” and “U Want Me 2.” These last two speak to her separation from husband and drummer Ash Sood and have been getting a thorough going over by fans on websites eager to know more about a topic she considers private.
“The only reason that I discussed it in an interview was because the guy asked a direct question that I would’ve had to lie about,” says McLachlan. “It needed to come from me, so it did. That’s it — private matter and nobody’s business.
“I am also aware that my songs are all about it, but I have never been comfortable talking about where my songs come from. I am elusive and choose not to reveal much about my songs as others are often involved.”
Listening to the collected history on Closer, you can hear this, too. In those warm, rich ballads such as “Hold On” or “Fallen,” there is that obscure character who listeners can become, or live through. The only one who really knows what it took to get to the point is longtime cohort, producer Pierre Marchand. He co-wrote both of the new songs with McLachlan. It was the first time that they’ve worked in quite that way.
“His impact has been huge. I worked with him from my second record on and he is my musical partner, inspiration and sounding board. We balance each other out so well. We have great radar for what feels right to our comfort levels.”
The Sarah of today is in a comfort zone far different from the Second Cup server who used to strum “Into the Fire” and “The Path of Thorns” on local open-mic nights.
She’s 40 years old, a mother of two children, India and Taja, and totally established as a voice for women in music. In a recent Billboard piece, the Lilith Fair founder decried the state of women in music — sort of.
“I was paraphrased a bit wrongly, but the year that Lilith ended, the doors slammed shut for women making serious music. Britney [Spears] soared to the top and manufactured fluff took over.
“But I believe that there will always be a place for music that matters and art that endures. Of course, I admit that I love Miley Cyrus, too.”
Don’t hold your breath for any duets with Miley or her ilk or any chart-grabbing attempts produced by Timbaland of the Neptunes to come from her however. She insists that her goal is to continue doing things her way, taking the time to produce music that meets or exceeds the meticulous standards she sets for herself. It’s not easy and never was; harder still today.
“I used to go off to some cabin in the woods and live by myself for six months and write constantly. These days, I’m lucky to get an hour a day when the kids are in bed.
“In the past, I was traumatized when it didn’t come. Parenting has calmed me down to the point that now I just shrug and say, ‘It’ll come.’”
When it does come, will it be in the vein of great breakup albums such as Richard and Linda Thompson’s “Shoot Out the Lights” or Rumours by Fleetwood Mac? She says wait and see. Given her ability to quote Bobs & Lolo’s song about poo, could kids’ songs be coming?
“I started to write a song for my baby Taja. We’ll see.”
With that, she’s back to her home in Tofino to grab her board and catch the night’s last waves.
