I have to admit to not being familiar or ever hearing of Sofia Talvik up until I received the assignment to review her latest album, which is actually her 6th! But of course, I did my research and found that, not only is Sofia Talvik an excellent artist, but she also has a very thorough website setup (which I appreciated immensely!). Sofia Talvik, a Swedish native, plays a unique blend of folk-pop. Her debut album Blue Moon was released in 2005 to much critical acclaim. Sofia has toured the US numerous times, her first success being at the Lollapalooza festival in 2008. Sofia released her 6th album, Big Sky Country, in April of this year. The album explores adventures, hardships, doubting yourself, and finding the strength within. 10 of the 11 songs are original songs that were written on the road , the other non-original track being a cover of “Starwalker” by Buffy Sainte-Marie. From the opening strums of Big Sky Country, you know instantly that you’re in for an experience.The record opens with a track that straps you in for the ride down the dusty, musical highway that is Big Sky Country. “Aha Aha” has an ethereal vibe to it, it draws you in immediately and holds your mind and ears hostage through the whole song. The title track is a melodic and melancholic song that has an Irish-folk feel to it. “Big Sky Country” is a beautiful ode to the big sky country of Idaho, listing all the places she’s traveled through and comparing it to the big sky country of Idaho. I adore the Irish feel to it. “Dusty Heart, Empty Hand” has a more earthy country sound with its pedal steel runs and banjo. Sofia sings, “Put my heart in shallow ground/ ‘Til the right one can be found/Let the sun dry my tears/ Soften grief throughout the years/ Here I stand on solid ground/ Dusty heart and empty hand”, in a melancholic tone. “Lullaby” is a piano based track, that features rather contradictory lyrics such as, “Everything’s beautiful/Still you wish you were dead”. It’s a soft, gentle song.
“A Matter Of The Hearts” is definitely a track meant to showcase Sofia’s vocals and show off her natural skill. It’s a soft, slow number, which again has a melancholic feel to it. She sums up the theme of the song with verses like, “It’s not a matter of the hearts/ It’s what you choose to do/ And you chose to let me go”. “Bonfire” is an up-tempo, acoustic piece that builds with dramatic flair as the song plays out. This track has an interesting vibe to it, almost haunting. “Give Me A Home” is haunting and melancholic, with a dramatic play on the old folk song that goes “oh give me a home, where the Buffalo roam”. This track builds the dramatic reaching its climax when the once soft piano becomes a driving force towards the end of the song. It’s a beautiful song, definitely a standout on the album. “Fairground” is an acoustic shuffle featuring beautiful background harmonies.
The greatest standout on this album is definitely Sofia’s cover of “Starwalker”; you’re immediately drawn in and taken captive from the first vocal note. It’s an intriguing song, made even more intriguing by Sofia’s vocal performance on the track. The song was originally recorded by Bonnie Sainte-Marie, a Canadian born singer-songwriter of Cree decent. Sofia closes out the record in a subdued yet emotional manner with “So”.
Big Sky Country is a beautiful, textured album. I’d recommend this record to anyone looking for great roots/folk music. It definitely has a place in my music catalog.
Originally posted here.
