If you're wondering why it didn't take another seven years for Sarah McLachlan to follow-up her 2010 record "Laws of Illusion", the answer lies within the context to which "Shine On" is given. McLachlan was very clear in promotional interviews leading up to this album's release that it was inspired by the death of her father. Oddly enough, this isn't the first time she resorted to releasing new music to coincide a major life event: "Surfacing" appeared when Lillith Fair began, "Afterglow" was released after the birth of McLachlan's first child, and "Laws of Illusion" was dedicated to her split from her husband, Ashwin Sood. So "Shine On" follows suit with her previous albums in this respect, but that is perhaps the only similarity between this record and her previous work. It seems that the loss of her father was so great, McLachlan turns her emotions into something quite extraordinary: a soulful, polished, and immensely expressive album that packs an emotional punch that's marginally heavier than any of her previous albums. That's not the same as saying there are songs as mystical as "Bring On the Wonder" or "Time", because the atmosphere here is pretty concrete, and McLachlan wastes no time penning introspective lyrics that carry with them her signature sadness, but are interlaced with glimmers of hope and light. Even the most depressing tracks, "Surrender and Certainty" and "Beautiful Girl" to name two, aren't completely within the realm of giving up as their predecessors were. It seems that McLachlan took a page from Dido's "Safe Trip Home" and focuses on love and life just as much as loss. Her approach to the music is similar to "Safe Trip Home" as well: gently pushing singer-songwriter pop that is slightly augmented with electronics but also heavily relies on guitars and standard drum-kits. What makes "Shine On" a lesser record than that masterpiece is the opening set of songs from the effervescent "In Your Shoes" to the pretty good "Monsters". All of those songs, including this record's title itself, hint at a sunny, cheery experience, but the reality is that "Shine On" is kind of a bait-and-switch. McLachlan still can't seem to lift the oppressive veil of shadows over her music completely, which isn't necessarily a bad thing considering it's what made her name in adult mainstream music, but when giving the impression that she might have turned a corner, she's still the same artist she was when her career began.
Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. In Your Shoes 2. Flesh and Blood 3. Monsters
4. Broken
Heart 5.
Surrender and Certainty 6. Song for My
Father
7. Turn The
Lights Down Low 8. Love Beside Me 9. Brink of Destruction
10. Beautiful Girl 11. The Sound That Love Makes
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