Sarah McLachlan Surfacing CD

SURFACING is an Enhanced CD containing both a full audio program as well as multimedia computer files.
Personnel: Sarah McLachlan (vocals, acoustic & electric guitars, piano); Brian Minato (electric guitar, bass); Michel Pepin (electric guitar); Yves Desrosiers (guitar, lap steel, bass); Ash Sood (piano, drums, percussion); Pierre Marchand (keyboards, bass, percussion, drum programming, background vocals); Jim Creeggan (acoustic bass).
SURFACING was nominated for a 1998 Grammy Award for Best Pop album. "Building A Mystery" won the 1998 Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. "Last Dance" won the 1998 Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental Performance.
"Adia" was nominated for the 1999 Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.
Personnel: Sarah McLachlan (vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano); Yves Desrosiers (guitar, lap steel guitar, musical saw); Michel Pepin, Brian Minato (electric guitar); Pierre Marchand (keyboards, drum machine, background vocals); Jim Creeggan (upright bass); Ashwin Sood (drums, percussion, background vocals).
Audio Mixer: Pierre Marchand.
Surfacing was released as the first Lilith Fair tour hit the road, and Sarah McLachlan benefited enormously from the timing. As the organizer of Lilith Fair, McLachlan was on the cover of magazines across America and Canada, which helped Surfacing debut at number two on the U.S. charts -- a particularly remarkable feat since its predecessor, Fumbling Towards Ecstasy, peaked at number 50. Although Surfacing didn't offer anything new from McLachlan and wasn't a particularly strong consolidation of her talents, it certainly wasn't a bad record and featured several fine songs, including the single "Building a Mystery." ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Surfacing was released as the first Lilith Fair tour hit the road, and Sarah McLachlan benefited enormously from the timing. As the organizer of Lilith Fair, McLachlan was on the cover of magazines across America and Canada, which helped Surfacing debut at number two on the U.S. charts -- a particularly remarkable feat since its predecessor, Fumbling Towards Ecstasy, peaked at number 50. All the commercial success and media hype disguised the fact that Surfacing not only didn't offer anything new from McLachlan, but it wasn't a particularly strong consolidation of her talents. That it isn't to say it's a bad record, because it certainly isn't -- there are several fine songs on the album, including the single "Building a Mystery" -- but it doesn't offer anything new, and the songs aren't as consistently captivating as they were on Fumbling Towards Ecstasy. And that suggests that even though McLachlan was at the height of her popularity, she may have begun to run out of ideas. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
On her fifth album, Vancouver-based singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan returns with a simpler collection of songs which quietly explore the darker aspects of human nature. SURFACING is a group of straightforward songs which get right to the point, both musically and lyrically, dealing with such heavy topics as faith, life and death in an appealingly accessible way.
McLachlan's unmistakable soaring voice displays its usual angelic tones and amazing versatility, abetted by the familiar, assured stamp of longtime producer and collaborator Pierre Marchand, making SURFACING McLachlan's most mature album yet. Right from the start, with the anthem-like pop tune "Building a Mystery," McLachlan sets the tone, simultaneously shadowy and calm. SURFACING is an introspective musical landscape, a tight collection of thought-provoking songs from one of today's most talented artists.

Enhanced CD

Rolling Stone (12/25/97, p.164) - "...McLachlan favors maternal patience over bombshells, whipsered intimacy over a quick payoff. Her songs are cast in deep-blue tints and gray-day moods; she soaks her voice in warm echo..."
Entertainment Weekly (7/25/97, p.70) - "...Her best tunes recall the sinewy clarity of early Joni Mitchell....Never have McLachlan's recordings sounded so dense and alive. Yet the album's centerpiece remains the star's voice--an instrument rich and knowing enough to redeem even the poor souls her lyrics embrace." - Rating: B