Though she resides in New York, the folk and Americana songstress Lara Taubman made her way to Wolfe Island, Canada to record Revelation. This debut album is quite therapeutic as she steers herself through some personal turmoil.
“Sound Of Heartbreak” starts the record with warm strings and a very intimate display of timeless, folk rock beauty; Taubman sings both with emotion and incredible range as a fiddle accompanies her. “Desert Boy” continues the vulnerable landscape with twinkling piano alongside agile melodies that point towards firm country music influences.
On this very poetic listen, deeper into the record “Heartbreak Garden” moves into fuller territory, though still very cautious in its nature with gentle Americana. Meanwhile “Hookup” takes us back to the ’70s with plenty of soul in the soft rock climate. “Cold Side Of Spring,” one of Taubman’s best, then utilizes intricate guitar lines, punchy percussion, and orchestral ideas in the dynamic, layered delivery.
Close to the end, “Snakes In The Snow” recruits Kate Fenner and is vocally expressive and indebted to the ’60s with a protest folk song quality, and the title track finishes the listen with just Taubman’s moving pipes alongside an acoustic guitar in the bare and pretty exit of timeless song craft.
Surprisingly, Taubman has only been performing and recording music for five years now, yet her classic formula draws comparisons to legends like Joni Mitchell, Simon And Garfunkel, and Gillian Welch. Utilizing elements of bluegrass, country, folk, soul, and classic rock, Taubman’s develops emotive landscapes here where the deep lyrical content often borders on catharsis – albeit in a subtle way.
Revelation is a very strong first record, and Taubman is an artist to keep an eye on if you appreciate unconventional folk music that’s eloquent and forthright, highly melodic, and comes with a bit of a bite and some outlaw spirit, too.
