- Folk
- 2008
- Buy the CD
Reviewed by Lee Zimmerman
It’s a trajectory that’s served her well, and yet, it’s a credit to her sense of accomplishment that she’s never made an album as ambitious – or for that matter, as exquisite – as her latest opus, aptly dubbed Watch the Sky. Bound together by a series of shimmering, sensual soundscapes, it finds Larkin exploring her muse in solo mode, accompanying herself on a variety of stringed instruments, both of traditional origin and her own invention. It creates a remarkable synthesis of execution and elocution; while the songs are melodic and hypnotic in and of themselves, it’s Larkin’s ability to render them with such an effective blend of subtlety and sensuality that sends them soaring.
Larkin’s willingness to defy expectation when it comes to melding her arrangements with obtuse imagery – as reflected in the exotic, meditative raga that colors “Phone Message,” the bottleneck blues delivery of “Beautiful,” or the atmospheric drift that steers “Dear Heart” and “Cover Me” – affirms her skill in applying ambiance to songs plied with quiet contemplation. Ultimately, she purveys a unique type of mood music, not the unobtrusive background sound that fills office lobbies or cinematic scores, but rather a type that boasts a definitive emotional core. She creates a sonic embrace that’s serene and yet surreal, one that treads softly while whispering seductively. “Traveling alone is a wonderful thing,” Larkin muses, and indeed, it’s a joy to hear Larkin navigating such a remarkable solitary trail. As her fans have learned so well, hers is an artistic route that’s always well worth tracking.
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