Michaela Foster Marsh
Country of origin:
Canada
Type of music generally:
Contemporary folk/pop
Status:
Most recent release, Seriously Red (2008)
See also:
Michaela Foster Marsh's site
Comparisons:
Lily Holbrook, Susan Court, Louisa John-Krol, Rebecca Timmons
Covers/own material:
Own
General comments:
Dramatic folky pop music with some progressive music overtones, mixed with some prettier, often ethereal songs. Michaela Foster Marsh has a strong, very slightly raspy/smoky voice. In spirit somewhat like Lily Holbrook, Susan Court and Louisa John-Krol. (sophiagurley@hotmail.com)
Recommended first album:
Fairy Tales & the Death of Innocence is the only one we've heard
Recordings:
- Fairy Tales & the Death of Innocence (1998)
- I Undid Orion's Belt (2006)
- Seriously Red (2008)
Fairy Tales & the Death of Innocence
Release info:
1998—self-released—HD3078
Availability:
See Michaela Foster Marsh's site
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended
Group members:
Michaela Foster Marsh—vocals, piano
Guest artists:
Steve Lucas—bass
Greg Critchley—toms, percussion, drums
Richard Evans—organ
Hugh Marsh—violin
Hugh Reid—Church organ
Thomas Leander—oboe
Leah Wyber—cello
Murielle Bruneau—concert bass
Lenny Solomon—violin
Kent Teeple—viola
Jayne Maddison—violin
Wendy Tummon—cello
Margaret Gay—cello
Ravi Naipali—tablas
Greg Kavanagh—nylon string guitar
Produced by:
Greg Kavanagh
Comments:
This is an odd mixture of Michaela Foster Marsh's smoky-strong vocals, emotive singing style, electronic background noises, and pop (sometimes better than others) lyrics. Sometimes it works brilliantly, as in the cabaret-ish "Time Bomb" and the anthem-like "Naked in the Water" but sometimes it just feels overwrought. The first track, "Right Here", is a dramatic song that draws the listener in immediately. The next, "Time Bomb", is the song that has really stuck with me the most from this album—it's just so much fun, moody, and campy. "Naked in the Water" is the single, and it's a catchy song that makes good use of Michaela Foster Marsh's expressive voice. "Obvious" has a wonderfully hauntingly simple line that I keep hearing in my head—just the way she sings "Well I thought you knew". Wow. A few of the songs are just a little too didactic, but they always have pretty tunes and Michaela Foster Marsh's lovely vocals, so I think others may find this less of a problem than i did, and there are other songs that make up for it, like by playing "Time Bomb" three more times in a row. She reminds me of a slightly more conventional Rebecca Timmons who misses a little more often (there are a couple of songs I hit the forward button on) than Timmons does. Still, interesting, and some of these songs really stick in my head. (sophiagurley@hotmail.com)
Thanks to Sophia Gurley for work on this entry.
