Smoke Lake
By Kaleigh Watts
Distributed independently
I had the pleasure of interviewing Kaleigh Watts a week prior to the release of her first experimental folk album at the National Arts Centre on Sept. 13. I enjoyed our chat together immensely and learned a great deal about her journey as an artist and the recording process.
Smoke Lake is indeed the organic and emotional album she had promised it would be. Full of sultry tunes and an eclectic mix of sounds, Watts’ emotion is unfailingly conveyed in every single piece.
“Savour,” as the first track of the album, introduces the listener to a soothing and relaxing beat, something that will become prominent as a trademark for Watts as the album goes on. Her vocals have an air of power to them which contrasts the strength and mellowness as the tracks bounce off one another.
If “Savour” was your brisk walk in the park on a cool autumn day, then the next track, “In The Attic,” would be your classic spring morning. The tone of the song is light and more upbeat than the previous, and the background vocalisations add to the flavour of the song.
In “Weeds Never Die,” the song quietly leaps out at you in a beautiful, haunting grace, whereas in “The Hunt,” the strong piano highlights upon the climaxes and pitfalls of the emotions felt during it, making one believe they are in fact participating in a hunt themselves.
The title track, “Smoke Lake” is indeed the most heavy in terms of feeling. It is dripping with love and emotion and it is truly touching to listen to.
This album is meant for the brisker nights surrounded by family and friends around a campfire, because even if the world is a cold and bitter place to live, there is always warmth and love to be felt. The themes of home and comfort are embedded in Smoke Lake.
Overall, Watts’ sound is organic and it is a splendid job for a first album. The incorporation of everyday sounds creates an interesting and unique edge that makes each song distinct from one another. The sounds also blend very naturally into each track, so much so that you don’t realize they aren’t sounds made by instruments.
Watts’ music isn’t meant for the coffee shop backdrop. The emphasis on rawness and honesty is too prevalent in the album. Every breath she takes and every pause she makes feels like there was a purpose behind it. Her music simply commands too much attention, and there is too much emotion in the album for it to go unnoticed.
