SARAH McLACHLAN : Laws Of Illusion

Jun 27 2010 by Paul Cole, Sunday Mercury

SARAH McLACHLAN

Laws Of Illusion (Arista)

wIT’S all of seven years since sweet-voiced songbird Sarah McLachlan last released a studio set of new material.

In that time much has happened in the Grammy-strewn singer’s life. She’s revived the all-woman Lilith Fair she founded, and her 11-year marriage to former dummer Ashwin Sood has hit the rocks.

Little wonder, then, that many of the songs on the comeback album express frustration and regret.

One of the album’s highlights, simply titled Forgiveness, is a bitter explanation of her refusal to grant it.

But, hey, she still has that breathy catch in her mezzo-soprano voice, the same one that seduced us with the likes of Angel, Adia and Building A Mystery.

While few of the new songs quite match such sublime stuff – piano ballad Bring On The Wonder comes close right at the close – it is an album to fall in love with.

She does happy, too, from time to time and Loving You Is Easy would be an obvious radio hit with its almost Beatley bounce.

If there’s a gripe, it’s that the production is comfier than an old armchair. Let’s hope for more edge next time out. PC