Besides Americana, there is Canadiana, and I have an artist to prove it. Meet Sarah Jane Scouten, a girl who was attatched to musis since she was five years old and later on went to explore country, folk and bluegrass. Her idols ar Hank Williams, Willie P.Bennett and Stan Rogers, so it comes as no surprise that she paved her music path woth country bricks. She already has two albums in her discography, Magpie Waltz from 2011 and The Cape from 2014.
Although Sarah Jane Scouten is a country artist with stong bluegrass and honky-ronk influences, she stands out from the rest of Americana musicians. Her music is more mature and more substantial, rooted in its influences, with aim to sound as authentic as possible while still being loyal to tradition. There is not a single trace of pop or experimentation here. It is pur simplicity embelished with plethora of notes that never get lost in confusion, rather levitate in beautifully articulated collision.
When The Bloom Falls From The Rose is her most coherent album yet. It is clear what Sarah wants to be. She is neither Neko Case, nor Feist. Her echo resembles Joni Mitchell and Emylou Harris, meaning, she is completely absorbed in the past from which she pulls her inspiration. Modernity is spurred by her soft vocal, but all the other elements are traditional. It is not a retro shtick, because Sarah does not try to copy anyone. Yes, you can hear that she grew up with country and folk, and that she could not and would not want to sing any other genre, but she finds her way to remain unique, vibrand and fresh. Naturality of her choices provides her with authenticity.
After easy introduction with Acre Of The Shells, honky-tonk number Bang Bang unfolds pure talent in front of the listener's ears. Sarah Jane Scouten sounds like an amalgam of rockabilly, bluegrass and country and she completely seduces you with her luring vocal. Bang Bang proves that Sarah knows how to have fun with her creativity. Every Song I Sing is a classic country ballade on the trace of Lucinda Williams, with lyrics covering the country archetype. In the middle of th album, you will find the core - title track. It is a harmonious song where guitar dominates and string instuments hit the right spot. The power of Sarah's vocal and her poetic skill are proved in Brittania Mine.
Until the end of the album, I had a chance to enjoy in beautiful country jams. It feels good to see that there are still artists who can create something great for the present while relying on the past. In my humble opinion, Sarah Jane Scouten is the future of country and that is a more legitimate statement than the one David Bowie threw regarding Lorde.
