Co-founder of the Juno-award winning group The Wailin' Jennys, Cara Luft has returned to her solo roots. Assembling a cast of characters from some of Canada's top folk and rock groups - including producer Neil Osborne (5... more »4-40), multi-instrumentalist Hugh McMillan (Spirit of the West, James Keelaghan), violist/fiddler Richard Moody (The Bills), Winnipeg session drummer/percussionist Christian Dugas (Madrigaia, Alana Levandoski), and mix engineer Warne Livesey (Matthew Good, Midnight Oil, The The). Cara's new album is a cornucopia of sonic delight. A bit of Carole King meets early Zeppelin with a dash of Sigur Ros, and songs ranging from country (There's a Train) to folk (Wilcox), roots rock (Falling Away) and traditional (Black Water Side), with a modern spiritual (Jerusalem), The Light Fantastic is a crossover album with excellent airplay potential. Her original songs are underpinned and anchored by finely honed evocative lyrics, the entire album replete with deft musicianship and sensitive, effective arrangements.« less
Co-founder of the Juno-award winning group The Wailin' Jennys, Cara Luft has returned to her solo roots. Assembling a cast of characters from some of Canada's top folk and rock groups - including producer Neil Osborne (54-40), multi-instrumentalist Hugh McMillan (Spirit of the West, James Keelaghan), violist/fiddler Richard Moody (The Bills), Winnipeg session drummer/percussionist Christian Dugas (Madrigaia, Alana Levandoski), and mix engineer Warne Livesey (Matthew Good, Midnight Oil, The The). Cara's new album is a cornucopia of sonic delight. A bit of Carole King meets early Zeppelin with a dash of Sigur Ros, and songs ranging from country (There's a Train) to folk (Wilcox), roots rock (Falling Away) and traditional (Black Water Side), with a modern spiritual (Jerusalem), The Light Fantastic is a crossover album with excellent airplay potential. Her original songs are underpinned and anchored by finely honed evocative lyrics, the entire album replete with deft musicianship and sensitive, effective arrangements.
Lee Armstrong | Winterville, NC United States | 10/12/2008
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Cara Luft's solo disc has stellar musicianship. Luft's voice has a cowgirl twang as on the opener "There's a Train." "No Friend of Mine" has a nice fiddle part, "You're no friend of mine; you tore up my heart & robbed me blind." The traditional "Lord Roslyn's Daughter" boasts some of Luft's excellent guitar work and puts a country stamp on this folk tune. My favorite track is the catchy "Give It Up" about dating a narcissistic skirt chaser, "You're still hanging around my door, so I think that maybe I'll let you in, but if you keep talkin' about yourself baby, I'll just have to push you right out again." "Falling Away" throbs with a tensive energy, "It's not that I can't see, It's not that I don't know what's meant to be, but you've got a hold on me & I'm afraid to let you go." Luft's voice doesn't connect with me enough to carry an entire CD. I think she'd be more successful in a band format. There are some nice moments on this CD & none of it is bad; however it seems like a standard outing & doesn't rivet me. Enjoy!"