Christa Couture - Long Time Leaving (2016)

"Some reviewers hear Jane Siberry, Joni Mitchell; Tori Amos might also come to mind at points. But that's merely a way of saying Couture's work has the combination of accessibility and emotional depth such thoughtful writers have in common." Roots Music Canada For most musicians, the break-up album is the quintessential songwriter cliché - bringing with it the burden to eek out some kind of originality from an oversubscribed muse. But for award-winning indie artist Christa Couture - whose first three albums reflected on her teenage battle with cancer, the loss of her left leg to the disease, and the deaths of both of her young children under separate circumstances - the opportunity to write songs about such ordinary heartache seemed like a welcome reprieve. On the Steve Dawson-produced Long Time Leaving, Christa offers a truly unique take on the topic thanks in part to a long and complex relationship with grief that's given her rare insight into its nuances. It's a mostly upbeat album filled with sweet soaring hooks, whimsical melodies, clever word-play and Christa's trademark sweet, quirky vocals. Juno-winner Dawson not only produced the album but also contributes as a musician, adding pedal steel Weissenborn, ukulele and electric guitar. The top-notch band is rounded out by Blackie and the Rodeo Kings' rhythm section: John Dymond (K.D. Lang, Bruce Cockburn) on bass and Gary Craig (Jann Arden, Anne Murray) on drums. Famed Nashville-based fiddler Fats Kaplin also makes an appearance.