Fumbling Towards Ecstasy by Sarah McLachlan

Hempstead, N.Y., March, 17, 1995—Sarah McLachlan recently performed at a local radio station's studio. Following her performance, the disc jockey on whose show she was appearing asked her out on a date. While this may initially seem comical, after listening to McLachlan's latest effort, Fumbling Towards Ecstasy, it's easy to understand how one could fall in love with her music.

The unique sound McLachlan offers immediately grabs the listener's attention. A mellow blend of distant guitars, persistent percussion and a veritable cornucopia of supporting instruments (including saxophones, basses, cellos, keyboards and a guitorgan) lay the foundation for McLachlan's true gift: her voice.

It is that voice which is the most dominant instrument on Fumbling Towards Ecstasy, and deservedly so. It enthralls the listener with its passion; it encaptures him with its depth and range. But the real power of McLachlan's voice is not in its ability, but its employment.

Throughout the entire album, McLachlan seems to know exactly how loud or soft to sing. Indeed, at times it appears she is speaking almost conversationally to the listener, while at others she senses it is time to take off and send her voice careening into sonic whirlwinds that take the listener along for the ride.

For example, in the track "Mary," McLachlan murmurs and mumbles through the verses of the song. However, during two of the choruses, she passionately explodes, and consequently, her voice lifts off like a rocket into an upper register whose existence, much less the fact that McLachlan can reach it, is simply amazing.

The album's lyrics are also masterful. McLachlan's songs touch tender spots and provoke memories and feelings which the listener would not be able to discover alone. Yet McLachlan's album is not all serious; indeed, a number of tracks are both sensitive and lighthearted.

"Ice Cream" is an excellent example of McLachlan's employment of this contrasting style. The verses are simple and humorous: "Your love is better than ice cream." However, McLachlan uses this simple inference to lead up to the more serious chorus involving the emotions present at the end of a relationship.

Fumbling Towards Ecstasy is a delightful cameo of McLachlan's talent. From her songwriting ability to her guitar work to the passion of her phenomenal voice, McLachlan is a gifted artist, and her album is solid from start to finish.