SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: KRISTA HARTMAN – TRANSCEND

Krista Hartman
Transcend
Independent

Transcend is Krista Hartman’s fourth album, and her first since 2015’s Constellations. Her new album is a mixture of Canadiana, pop, and rock with hints of psychedelia. It is a fascinating and interesting journey into the mind of an incredible original artist. Transcend is the album that her fans have been waiting for and may earn her many new listeners.

Hartman kicks it off with “I’m Your Garden” and the opening line “If you could see what I see.” A great line, and although the song is about struggling to maintain a relationship, it also serves as an indication that she is inviting the listener into her world. She writes incredibly melodic melodies that immediately catch and demand the listener’s attention. Once the song starts, it is near impossible to turn it off.

Add to this wonderful lyrics, she writes songs about people, characters and places that are both personal and familiar. In other words, one can identify with her narrative as she sings about people and places. “Flower Child”, and “Psychic Lady From Montreal” are perfect examples of the people you will meet, while others, like “Moonlit Motel” are places that Hartman takes us with her wonderful descriptive storytelling. Other songs, such as “Guardian Angel” and “The Darkest Hours” are more personal songs that allow Hartman to deal with loss. “Even in the darkest hours, I will find a way” she sings in “The Darkest Hours”. This is directed to the listener as much as herself. Either way, it is incredibly beautiful and extremely moving, and a wonderful way to bring the album to a close.

With help from Jordon Zadarozny , Hartman has produced an album that is positive, powerful and catchy. It has a great deal going on from beginning to end, and although it may seem instantly accessible due to those wonderful melodies, it is also one that the listener will want to return to because with each spin, something new is discovered. Transcend is a beautiful listening experience and the perfect title for an album that transcends so many musical genres.

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