Sarah McLachlan
Closer: The Best of Sarah McLachlan
Arista
By David Chiu
While we wait for a new studio album, Closer is a great look back at McLachlan’s exquisite, ethereal pop music. You can’t fault the16-track selection here, although a die-hard fan will probably have a few additions of his or own to suggest. (There’s also a deluxe edition that has more songs). Since the very poppy “Vox,” from her 1988 debut album Touch, McLachlan has matured musically towards moving and lush work with producer Pierre Marchand. Their collaboration culminated with the 1993 breakthrough album Fumbling Towards Ecstasy (whose songs “Possession,” “Good Enough,” and “Hold On” are represented here). Tracks from that album’s follow-up, Surfacing, elevated McLachlan to the mainstream with “Building a Mystery,” “Sweet Surrender” and the gorgeous “Angel.” The two new tracks that appear on Closer, “U Want Me 2” and “Don’t Give Up On Us,” are wonderful. Given the circumstances regarding McLachlan’s personal life—the recent end of her marriage—they’re particularly poignant, and alone are worth getting this compilation.
Watch the video for “U Want Me 2” on YouTube:
NewBeats 