RSSSarah McLachlan Stifles Illusion
Jun 15
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It’s hard for me to connect with Laws of Illusion, the new album from Sarah McLachlan. The tracks blend seamlessly together, but that’s exactly the problem. There’s very little that standouts from the rest. I previewed the disc while working on another project and only realized later that I hadn’t actually heard the songs at all. They served as mostly background noise during that hour.
McLachlan is a fantastic songwriter, and she knows how to create whole tapestries of harmony in ways few other artists do (Annie Lennox is probably the best contemporary example). So while all of Illusions is beautiful, there doesn’t seem to be enough to differentiate the tracks from one another. The album starts with one of its best tracks Awakenings which is also probably closest to early McLachlan style. U Want Me 2, which appeared on the greatest hits collection, emerges again. It’s a fantastic track, despite its origins in her divorce. (Don’t Give Up on Us also appeared on the greatest hits collection as well as Laws of Illusion). And One Dream, some of her best work in ages, isn’t even included on the album. It’s available as a single or as part of the Lilith Fair compilation. So in the way of new music, well, it’s pretty slim pickings.
If you like McLachlan’s ethereal imagery and soaring melodies, this album will sound like a familiar friend coming back to visit. But, if you’re like most people that were introduced to McLachlan thanks to the vibrant and dynamic tracks on Surfacing (a flawless album from start to finish). Something about that album boiled where this one simmers. After waiting seven years for new music, it’s just a little disappointing.
