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 Norma MacDonald’s second solo album, the forest for the trees, has a different approach compared with her first record. This one has a more stripped down sound and appears as though it was constructed as the recording process went along. The result is a very personal sounding album with Norma’s voice surrounded by laid back instrumental and vocal accompaniments. Most of the instrumental work is acoustic with a bit of electric guitar and a haunting steel guitar appearing several times. The songs are relationship oriented in subject matter and a bit on the dark side with a fair bit of heartache and not much optimism. Life can deal a bad hand from time to time and bad love, bad luck and bad choices can be fodder for good songwriting. Norma is honing her craft well. Norma is joined by a host of Halifax area musicians and singer-songwriters as session players. They have built a solid recording that grows on you with repeated listening. The subtleties of instruments like mandolin and accordion really lend to the “feel” of the album. After about ten years with the band Highland Heights, Norma has evolved into a fine songwriter with something to say about life’s twists and turns. Produced by Norma and Charles Austin, the forest for the trees should give her a strong place in Canada’s ever-burgeoning singer/ songwriter scene.
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