I first discovered Alanna-Marie Boudreau's music more than a year ago. Sadly, I've been increasingly disappointed with her more recent performances. "I'll Be Your Woman" from her Hints & Guesses album was a track I could overlook--given the fresh originality of her first album, Hands in the Land. Two more recent performances, though, are also bringing a return of this sappy and sentimental crooning.
In "O Come Let Us Adore Him" from a collection: O Come Let Us Adore: A Christmas Collective, she turns a Christmas classic into something slow and about as celebratory as April 15th tax day. Again, in her most recent release entitled "Simon (Petros)," she takes a soft approach to otherwise thought-provoking lyrics. The sentimental--almost easy-listening--direction of her music is indeed a disappointment. She could be a force to be reckoned with, if only each new song didn't come across as an echo of a past one. Sadly, there's a problem with Catholic music. Usually, the content of present-day Catholic music is not articulated well, and the music is hardly worth mentioning. In Alanna's case, the lyrics are most often very good, but it feels like she's having difficulty finding her unique voice this year. Here's hoping she does better in 2016!
If you're anything like me, it's always great to discover a good Catholic singer. So many Catholic performers seem to be content staying in the musical style of the 1970s, which sounds like fingernails on chalkboard to me.
Today, I'd like to introduce you to a young singer from upstate New York named Alanna-Marie Boudreau. Her music is infused with mystery and beauty. It's uplifting and embracing of truth while still holding fast to a sense of mystery. On the surface there's a certain fresh simplicity to her music, but it's a simplicity that often conceals a real depth of meaning. For example, her second album's title refers to T.S. Eliot's poem entitled "The Dry Salvages." And, of course, it's clear what English author inspired her track "Weight of Glory." You may also enjoy visiting the singer's blog concerning her laudable goal of building bridges.
Here's another interesting insight from the performer's Facebook page.
It's nice to listen to a young woman who has something truly meaningful and positive to bring to her art. It's people like Alanna who make our world a little better place. I strongly recommend both of her albums: Hands in the Land and Hints and Guesses.
Fair disclosure... I really don't care for "I'll Be Your Woman" on the second album. Personally, I think the simple beauty of the first album may be preferable to the second, but they are both excellent. "Be Glad" even is reminiscent of Paul Simon's classic Graceland album.
New and related post HERE.
