A sweet voice that won’t lull you to sleep

By D.S. Martin and ChristianWeek | February 15, 2010

Don't let the sweet voice fool you; there's nothing syrupy about Carolyn Arends. Her voice may be lilting, but lyrically she takes us deep into the darkness we've all experienced so that she may better show off the light. Many songs on Love Was Here First start in dark places, such as "Something Out of Us":

"We've got stiff necks, weak knees
And tendencies to wander
We've got empty hands and pockets
All our fortunes have been squandered..."

This song, as you may have figured by the title, is about what God does with such unpromising raw material. Arends' songs fit into the format of lyrical lessons—which eventually create the expectation that the problems will be resolved before the next track begins. Despite this, her honesty steers her clear of preachy, finger-pointing and pat answers. These are songs we can truly live by as we reflect upon harsh realities.

"...even though God's in control of it all
Sometimes the sparrow is going to fall."

She's not trying to be the sage on the stage, but a Christian sister who's reminding us of what we already know.

Many compositions have their origins—or perhaps their resolutions—in comforting Scriptures. In the opening song Arends reminds herself (and us) that the right approach to all of her questions, fears and problems is, "Be still/ And know you are God." Similarly, on the 10th track, without denying the troubles people face, she echoes the promise of Romans 8, that nothing "Can separate us / From the love of Christ."

The one cover tune on the CD is the old spiritual "Standing In The Need Of Prayer." Arends has subtly arranged it with an alternate rhythm structure—beautifully distancing us from it—making it new and making its powerful plea hit home.

Arends' sweet, articulate voice is the perfect vehicle for confident statements and gentle reminders. Consider the reflective nature of "I Am a Soul":

"A sculpture or a canvas
Can speak a private language
Telling secrets hidden in the heart
About a world of spirit
I swear I sometimes hear it
Playing like a piper in the dark..."

When the chorus hits, her voice rises with the confidence of an anthem.

Love Was Here First treats us to many musical gifts: Spencer Capier's violin and mandolin, Kent Wallace's rich brass arrangements, and the production subtleties of Arends and Roy Salmond. It's her 10th album, and a CD well-worth listening attentively to.

Further notes

In this column I seek to highlight the best music that relates to our Christian faith and to frequently focus on Canadian musicians. The hard part, often, is to cover it in a timely manner. One of my favourite labels, Signpost Music, has released so many good projects lately, that I find I'm enjoying more music than I'm reporting on. As 2010 dawns, I still want to draw your attention back to two 2008 Signpost albums.

The Mike Janzen Trio (or Mike Jazzman, as my son calls him) released Mombâcho, a moving jazz album built around a trio of drums, bass and piano or organ. Most tracks are enriched beyond the trio. Guests include Phil Dwyer on sax, Kevin Breit on electric guitar and a string section led by Lenny Solomon. Most tracks are instrumentals, although Mike sings on two songs, including Bruce Cockburn's "All The Diamonds." If you liked his CD Beginnings, you'll like Mombacho.

Alt-country singer Kerri Woelke's first CD Where We Were features strong songwriting and two well-selected covers: "If I Give My Soul" from Billy Joe Shaver, and my favourite Gillian Welch song "By The Mark." Kerri's voice is the centre-piece; she sings country without any artificial twang, letting the pedal steel and the banjitar do the twanging for her. If only more country music sounded like Kerri Woelke!