NEW ALBUM NEXT YEAR??

[sarahfan4life]

this is a recent interview from The Province

For Sarah McLachlan, “It’s all about moving forward.

“I’m 43,” the singer says. “I’m not interested in being complacent. I just feel I’ve got to try something new. That’s exciting.”

Excitement and moving forward pop up a lot during a phone conversation, she calling from the Calgary airport as her luggage is being collected. McLachlan has wrapped up a brief Canadian tour that features Butterfly Boucher as an opening act and as members of her band.

“This has been the funnest tour I’ve ever done,” McLachlan says. She likes being able to stand back and let Butterfly Boucher fill in the blanks and has an opportunity to interact with her audience.

“I like to think that, regardless of how many people are in the building, I try to connect with everyone. It’s really freeing.

“I’ve been reminded about how much I love playing music for people,” she continues. “And when you’re making music with people, it’s a powerful family.”

Her excitement could easily be apprehension. Moving forward could be difficult.

At 43 and now a single mother of two daughters, McLachlan increasingly has been particular about her concert appearances, her last album, Laws of Illusion, tanked, the once-popular Lilith Fair was a disaster last summer and she broke with her manager of more than 20 years, Terry McBride. Divorcing, approaching middle age, jump-starting a career, the Lilith setback. Not good signs.

Then again, her excitement could be rewarded. Moving forward signifies having a clean slate.

McLachlan’s children are old enough to have a sense of independence, she is single again, is back on tour, aims to write for an album that will be released next year that won’t be a collaboration with her producer of 20 years, Pierre Marchand, and has a new manager, Michael McDonald, whom she praises for his ethics.“On a gut level, Michael seemed the right guy to go with.”

But McLachlan doesn’t want to talk about that, though she holds out the prospect of opening up some time in the future. Right now, her eye is on this moving forward.

“I feel like I’ve had some pretty intense experiences,” McLachlan says. “I think I’ve come out the other side. I’m wiser, I hope, and happier.

“More than anything, I needed to change. I needed to change everything. I turned 40 and needed to make everything new.

“Changing my dynamic in all my relationships was important to me,” she concludes. “It’s exciting and scary, too.

tharrison@theprovince.com



Read more: http://www.theprovince.com/entertainmen ... z1L2sLeNf1

[Magellan]

This is good news. But I hate that they said Laws Of Illusion tanked. Does anyone have actual sales figures?

[Kaleysuncle]

Yes! I've always wondered if Sarah would ever try for a new producer on an album. I hope this is true. I honestly think she'll do better without Pierre.

[TheSquirrel]

Yes! I've always wondered if Sarah would ever try for a new producer on an album. I hope this is true. I honestly think she'll do better without Pierre.

I sadly have to agree. I think Marchand has been a truly sympathetic and empathic porducer bringing out the best of the McLachlan songs. He has been a musical soul mate. Unfortunately he was dragged down by the quality of the songs on the last album, and takes responsibility for some of the writing too. The production sounded cliched and uninspired making LOI sound like outtakes from Afterglow.

A new inspired McLachlan looking for a challenge can only be good news for fans. I'd settle for just one more great album. I'm like an addict - give me one more, just one more, just one more great album, just one more, then I'll quit.

[Kaleysuncle]

Yes! I've always wondered if Sarah would ever try for a new producer on an album. I hope this is true. I honestly think she'll do better without Pierre.

I sadly have to agree. I think Marchand has been a truly sympathetic and empathic porducer bringing out the best of the McLachlan songs. He has been a musical soul mate. Unfortunately he was dragged down by the quality of the songs on the last album, and takes responsibility for some of the writing too. The production sounded cliched and uninspired making LOI sound like outtakes from Afterglow.

A new inspired McLachlan looking for a challenge can only be good news for fans. I'd settle for just one more great album. I'm like an addict - give me one more, just one more, just one more great album, just one more, then I'll quit.

The only thing that bothers me is the production has been the same since Fumbling/Surfacing. LoI was a little different since the album was recorded live. I liked the chances they took on some of the songs on LoI, like Awakenings and Forgiveness. I'm hoping this new producer can coax her into something like the drastic change between Solace and FTE. It gives me hope for a FTE II.

[TheSquirrel]

[quote="Kaleysuncle
The only thing that bothers me is the production has been the same since Fumbling/Surfacing. LoI was a little different since the album was recorded live. I liked the chances they took on some of the songs on LoI, like Awakenings and Forgiveness. I'm hoping this new producer can coax her into something like the drastic change between Solace and FTE. It gives me hope for a FTE II. [/quote]

I have to agree again. It's like she's stuck in this pit of tar soundwise and can't get out. It is so hard for an artist to break away and try something different, but look how good Awakenings is. She can do it, but we will have to wait and see if she succeeds. She's said in the past she wants to get away from that ethereal delicate fairy sort of image, but that's what her music has been of late. She needs some oomph. It's good that she appears to be taking more control. Now she needs to find some objective people who she can listen to. People in control sometimes like yes men. Hopefully she will be in control, but at the same time be able to listen to advice from those who are willing to take chances.

I might be wrong, but she is so comfortable because of not only musical sucess, but also because she is some sort of heroine mouthpiece for the politically correct, psychologically damaged, higly sensitive, and wimpish liberals. She needs a good kick up the arse, but from the sound of it she may be kicking herself up the arse. Sounds good to me. You have more chance of getting out of a rut, if you already realise you're in one.

[Kaleysuncle]

[quote="Kaleysuncle]
The only thing that bothers me is the production has been the same since Fumbling/Surfacing. LoI was a little different since the album was recorded live. I liked the chances they took on some of the songs on LoI, like Awakenings and Forgiveness. I'm hoping this new producer can coax her into something like the drastic change between Solace and FTE. It gives me hope for a FTE II.

I have to agree again. It's like she's stuck in this pit of tar soundwise and can't get out. It is so hard for an artist to break away and try something different, but look how good Awakenings is. She can do it, but we will have to wait and see if she succeeds. She's said in the past she wants to get away from that ethereal delicate fairy sort of image, but that's what her music has been of late. She needs some oomph. It's good that she appears to be taking more control. Now she needs to find some objective people who she can listen to. People in control sometimes like yes men. Hopefully she will be in control, but at the same time be able to listen to advice from those who are willing to take chances.

I might be wrong, but she is so comfortable because of not only musical sucess, but also because she is some sort of heroine mouthpiece for the politically correct, psychologically damaged, higly sensitive, and wimpish liberals. She needs a good kick up the arse, but from the sound of it she may be kicking herslef up the arse. Sounds good to me.

[/quote][/quote]

Stevie Nicks' new album In Your Dreams was produced by Dave Stewart and Glen Ballard. It's phenomenal. Glen also produced a number of Alanis Morrisette's albums as well. I think Sarah needs someone like him. He'd still have the old Sarah that we all love (the art) and also be able to include a mainstream aspect as well.

If she doesn't go that route I see her producing an album with Butterfly, Melissa and Luke. I absolutely love the idea of that. Just make the whole album a huge collaboration. Sarah sounded great on Melissa's songs. I think it would work well.

[Crazylitstudent]

As much as I have adored Sarah's work with Pierre in the past I do think its time for a change. Even the best musical partnerships get stale after a while and I don't think they have the same spark they did in the 1990s. The experimention and mystery of Solace and FTE has been replaced with something less exciting. Sarah should move on and maybe that will give her a creative shot in the arm! :-)

[Stormhaven]

I think the problem with many of the LOI songs were that on the album they were over-produced. I love the renditions they did of the LOI songs during the concert compared to the ones on the CD. I think that the Sarah and Friends band has a great sound too, I sort of hope she utilizes them all for her studio sessions. I know Curt is a studio musician so it should be pretty easy to convince the rest of the group to go along with it.

[Karine]

This is good news! I think Pierre did a great job with Sarah, but with him, she is always in her comfort zone. He knows her well and he makes the kind of music that she likes to hear. Working with someone else would surely be refreshing!