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Heidi Talbot, In Love & Light, 2008 (Compass Records, Indie)
Heidi Talbot's 2008 release In Love and Light on the Nashville-based indie label Compass Records is an acoustic record that showcases Talbot's impressive vocal abilities. Organic in production, the instrumentation serves to showcase Talbot's soft yet powerful voice. Although Talbot is Irish, In Love and Light is not entirely an Irish sounding record. Drawing from a range of musical inspiration from Scottish traditional ballads to Nashville singer/songwriters (Darrell Scott and Tim O'Brien) to Tom Waits, Talbot seamlessly weaves together several music genres. The result is a voice that sounds beautifully familiar (Alison Krauss, Patty Griffin, Sinead O'Connor) while also elusive and, ultimately, completely original. The opening track, "If You Stay," is a nostalgic Sunday morning coffee-shop gem reminiscent of early Patty Griffin. Track 2 is a surprising, yet impressive, acoustic version of "Cathedrals," the radio-hit for the band Jump, Little Children—if you like the song, you'll love this version. On this and other songs, Talbot's Irish accent pushes through in a way not unlike Sinead O'Connor's. Talbot's voice is irresistibly appealing—perhaps angelic is more accurate. Lest we forget Talbot's roots, there are a few songs on the record that could fit easily into The Thistle and Shamrock's playlist. But again, the overall vibe of In Love and Light is a successful blend of several genres that amounts to a brilliant contemporary folk record with a Celtic influence. With 12 songs, there is nearly 50 minutes of outstanding music here. There are a few standouts but the final track, "When They Ring the Golden Bells," is a shining example of Heidi Talbot's outstanding vocal ability. In Love and Light is a must-have for fans of Patty Griffin, Alison Krauss, Sinead O'Connor, Delores O'Riordan, and Shawn Colvin. — Vincent Wynne, February 24, 2008
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