SURFACING is an Enhanced CD containing both a full audio program as well as multimedia computer files.
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.
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.
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).
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.
Enhanced CDRolling 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
A Mystery having been a huge Sarah fan since "Solace", this album was a bit of a letdown compared to her previous works, and it's a huge letdown compared to the brilliance of her "Fumbling Towards Ecstacy" album. That album was, to me, the masterpiece she was set on earth to make. so textures and beautiful. "Surfacing" has a great batch of top 40 radio hits on it, but the heart of Sarah's talent is missing, it's a mystery as to why she took such a huge step back. her voice is as good as ever, and some songs shine through as being worth the wait ("black and blue", "building a mystery"), but the rest sort of fall left of center. Sadly, after a 7 year wait, her new album "Afterglow" follows much of the same top 40 pattern, one can only hope the follow up to that will be quick in it's coming, and brilliant in it's sound. Submitted by a reviewer (Virginia) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo 3 of 3 found this helpful.
Pure Heaven My goodness. McLachlan's voice captures and plays with each note and makes you hear the value of them. Her soulful voice is genuine, tender, fragile, and strong--all at the same time. You will play this album over and over again, finding new elements of yourself each time you listen to a song. Submitted by brianfos (Castro Valley, CA) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo 2 of 2 found this helpful.
Powerful By Far Sarah McLachlan has the power to yet sooth a raging anger, to a silent whim. This Album for me, I can never get tired of, and yet is part of my teenage years. Each, and everytime I hear a song from this cd is pure time travel, back to those days. That is Sarah McLachlan, an unbelievably powerful, but yet soft voice. Submitted by Azrael43 (Edmonton, Ab, Canada) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo 1 of 1 found this helpful.
2.7 stars perhaps not the best album of her oeuvre, but the tracks of this album on mirrorball are done amazingly, bringing them to a more enlightened context. Otherwise, the album Surfacing in of itself, seems empty, vague and rather hackneyed.
Submitted by first love (charleston, uk) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
Surfaced Talent Building a Mystery is definitely the standout here. I always spin this all the time on the CD, but other tracks are just equally soothing and satisfying such as Adia and Angel. This album made Sarah Mclachlan where she is now - a surfacing talent! Submitted by maverickmusic (Manila, Philippines) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
A Mystery
Pure Heaven
Surfaced Talent
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