Published on Jul 9, 1998
Imagine the emotion of Delores O’Riordan, the softness of Sarah
McLaughlin and the bluntness of Alanis Morrisette all rolled into
one package. Sounds like we just created the A&R people’s wet
dream, eh?
It’s no dream, though; that package exists in a
singer/songwriter named Heather Nova, who has been creating quite a
buzz over the last few years. Her latest effort,
Siren, contains some very exciting material, but it also
paints a portrait of a performer who is still growing into her own
skin.
Nova proves right off the bat she is a talented musician and
vocalist. “London Rain (Nothing Heals Me Like You Do)” is the prime
example of what pop music sounds like when it’s done right. The
layered harmony vocals on this track sound almost angelic, and the
work of Nova’s backing band fits the mood just right.
Nova occasionally throws in some shocking moments (“I don’t
believe you when you fuck me” off “Blood Of Me”, “Your hands were
covered in paint / The pillow smothered my cry” on “I’m Alive”),
but one wonders if she really had to resort to some of the more
blatant moments on
Siren; her work is strong enough to stand on its own. Other
times, however, the bleak portraits that Nova paints demonstrate
the truth of relationships, showing that not everything is peaches
and cream in life. “Widescreen” is a prime example of Nova’s
ability to create such images.
Nova’s greatest strength seems to be that she knows – and
accepts – who she is. (“I’m the mother and the daughter / Of the
mother and the daughter before” on “I’m The Girl” could well be the
strongest portrait of femininity since Meredith Brooks’s song
“Bitch”.)
However,
Siren doesn’t have much diversity on it; the fourteen tracks
on the disc tend to blend together, even after repeated listens. (I
tried listening to this disc four times before I wrote this review
today, and the tracks are
still blurring.) Time and experience are the best cures for
this problem, and Nova is still a very young performer. Once she
learns how to clear hurdles like this, there will be no stopping
her.
Siren is still a disc that is very much worth your time,
even if some songs almost become background music compared to the
rest of the album. You just might be hearing the next big star,
once she tightens up her act a little bit more.