Clara Hill's Folkwaves

Sideways

(Sonar Kollektiv)

US release date: Available as import

UK release date: 10 September 2007

by Quentin B. Huff

Did you know there was more than one Clara Hill? I had a feeling about this from listening to her previous outing, 2006’s All I Can Provide, but the evidence is abundant on Sideways. With All I Can Provide, a mostly high-energy set of thumping tunes, the German vocalist kept the dance floors in motion. As it turns out, the slower, more serene moments on All I Can Provide were foreshadowing the warmth she exudes on Sideways, although the latter depicts a decidedly sadder tone. Her brand of melancholy, however, translates into more melodies and harmonies. Here, the beauty of having stronger melodies is that they are accompanied by enchanting vocal arrangements. While the Clara Hill who thumps and pops is groovy, this slow-grinding folk version of Ms. Hill could be on the verge of something special. The first track, the Sade-styled “Be Like That”, is the undisputed heavyweight of the pack (download that one for sure!), but other solid punches are the jazz-influenced “Everything”, “Sad Girl”, “Ocean Queen”, and “Once I Know”.

Clara Hill - Everything (live)
— 25 March 2008
Related articles
Clara Hill: All I Can Provide

Review: Clara Hill: All I Can Provide

Quentin B. Huff

24.Jan.07

The album wants to move you. But first, it's gotta connect.

 

TODAY ON POPMATTERS
Columns | recent
Marginal Utility: Brand Evangelists
Field Studies: Vinyl: Got to Get You Into My Life
Events | recent | archive
:. Sonic Youth - River to River Festival — 4.July.08: Manhattan, NY
Books | recent | archive
:. Federico Fellini The Book of Dreams by Federico Fellini
:. When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris
Multimedia | recent | archive
:. Wii Fit
RECENT MUSIC

In bold are PopMatters Picks, the best in new music.