Music Review & Giveaway: Sarah McLachlan

When One2One Network asked if I wanted to review Sarah McLachlan’s new album Laws of Illusion, I giggled with glee. I have been a long time Sarah fan, owning all of her officially released albums, including her Christmas album Wintersong. Some of her songs are so intertwined with my memories from high school and college that when one comes on the radio, I am instantly transported. She ranks up there with my All-Time Favorites.

Which is why I was also nervous about reviewing her album.

I love Sarah’s voice and the sound of her music. As it’s been awhile since she’s released a full album of new music, her last release being Closer-The Best of Sarah McLachlan which was a best of album with a new song (or two?), I was afraid that her sound had changed. Or that she was going to try something drastically new and different. I gave my first listen with a bit of trepidation.

I relaxed a bit for my second and third listen-throughs. Finally, I let myself fall in love with the album.

The truth is that the album is new and fresh while simultaneously familiar. It is Sarah McLachlan. I unabashedly adore this album as much as Fumbling Towards Ecstasy or Surfacing. I imagine I’ll make some new memories to tie into these songs. This is the first all new album, minus her Christmas album, in which I’ve been a mom to these two boys.

I have my favorites, of course, as I do with every album. “Loving You is Easy,” which is also her first single off this album, has a different kind of sound from the start of the song. But, as I said, Sarah’s voice carries the feel of who and what her music is and stands for; it’s also amazingly fun to sing along with in the car with the windows down. “Forgiveness” has a line that is reminiscent of “Full of Grace,” one of my all-time favorite songs. The song itself is emotional and heavy and perfect for those days when I have things to say that I can’t say on my own. Another good sing-along song on a sadder note.

The tracklist offers song after song of good tunes that you will likely fall in love with as well.

1. AWAKENINGS
2. ILLUSIONS OF BLISS
3. LOVING YOU IS EASY
4. CHANGES
5. FORGIVENESS
6. RIVERS OF LOVE
7. LOVE COME
8. OUT OF TUNE
9. HEARTBREAK
10. DON’T GIVE UP ON US
11. U WANT ME 2
12. BRING ON THE WONDER

Of course, I’m also in the love with the fact that Sarah McLachlan is touring with the return of Lilith Fair this summer. I’m bummed that she’s not coming particularly close to me but I will survive. The fact that the all-women tour is back is really enough for me. Here are the tour dates. I strongly suggest catching a show if she comes to a venue near you.

Jun 27 Calgary, AB McMahon Stadium
Jun 28 Edmonton, AB Northlands Spectrum
Jul 1 Vancouver, BC, Canada Pitt Meadows Airport
Jul 2 Portland, OR Sleep Country Amphitheatre
Jul 3 Seattle/George, WA The Gorge Amphitheatre
Jul 5 San Francisco, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre at Mountain View
Jul 7 San Diego, CA Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre
Jul 8 Phoenix, AZ Cricket Wireless Pavilion
Jul 9 Las Vegas, NV Mandalay Bay Events Center
Jul 10 Los Angeles, CA Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
Jul 12 Salt Lake City, UT USANA Amphitheatre
Jul 13 Denver, CO Comfort Dental Amphitheatre
Jul 15 Kansas City, MO Capitol Federal Park @ Sandstone
Jul 16 St. Louis, MO Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
Jul 17 Chicago, IL First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
Jul 18 Minneapolis, MN Canterbury Park
Jul 20 Indianapolis, IN Verizon Wireless Music Center Indianapolis
Jul 21 Detroit, MI DTE Energy Music Theatre
Jul 23 Montreal, QC Parc Jean Drapaeu
Jul 24 Toronto, ON Molson Canadian Amphitheatre
Jul 27 Cleveland, OH Blossom Music Center
Jul 28 Philadelphia, PA Susquehanna Bank Center
Jul 30 Boston, MA Comcast Center
Jul 31 New York, NY PNC Bank Arts Center
Aug 1 Hartford, CT Comcast Theatre
Aug 3 Washington, DC TBA
Aug 4 Raleigh, NC Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek
Aug 6 Charlotte, NC Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Charlotte
Aug 7 Nashville, TN Bridgestone Arena
Aug 8 Atlanta, GA Aarons Amphitheatre at Lakewood
Aug 10 West Palm Beach, FL Cruzan Amphitheatre
Aug 11 Tampa, FL Ford Amphitheatre
Aug 12 Birmingham, AL Verizon Wireless Music Center
Aug 14 Austin, TX TBA
Aug 15 Houston, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Aug 16 Dallas, TX Superpages.com Center

Okay, now that I’ve given you a lot of information, it’s time to give you a chance to win! I’m giving away a copy of Sarah’s new album, Laws of Illusion! Want to win it? Here’s how.

Leave a comment with your all-time favorite Sarah McLachlan song. It’s hard to pick just one, of course, so feel free to list them all!

It’s that easy. Comments will be open through July 1, 2010. A winner will be chosen at random from all eligible entries via random.org. I will contact the winner around noon that day for their shipping info. It needs to be back to me ASAP or I’ll have to choose someone else! The album will be shipped directly from my contact, not from me. If you have any questions, please ask.

And if you want to learn more about Sarah McLachlan or her new album, visit her site, like her on Facebook or follow her on twitter! Happy listening!

_
[Disclosure: I received a free copy of the album to help me ear-research my review. Links to other Sarah McLachlan albums in this post are through Amazon Associates.]