See below for a review of "In Between The Now And Then":
Amanda Falk
In Between The Now And Then
Thank God for Steve Bell.
Not only has the veteran musician forged one of the most enduring and distinguished careers in Canadian Christian music, but he’s serving as a mentor and inspiration to a growing number of artists.
The latest beneficiary is fellow Winnipegger Amanda Falk. Falk had been the poster girl for Avante Records and their Beautiful Unique Girl program. As such, she extensively toured the country headlining musical pajama parties aimed at enabling young women to discover their inner beauty and unique value in the eyes of God.
But Falk had simply become BUgirled out. It’s a mantle she no longer wanted to carry. Tired and discouraged, Falk had contemplated leaving music entirely.
That was until she got together with Bell. Beyond just extending his encouragement, Bell offered to take Falk under his wing and gave her the opportunity to record her next album on his Signpost Music label.
The result is stunning. For an artist that scored a Juno Award with her debut project and secured a second Juno nomination with her sophomore release, Falk’s latest effort raises the bar by an extra few notches.
In Between The Now And Then is Falk’s coming out party. Previously, most of the songs sung by Falk were co-writes or tunes entirely composed by others. On the first two CDs, Falk is listed as the sole songwriter on only three compositions. But this disc has her exclusively pen all 14 tracks.
To be brutally honest, I’ve never been much of an Amanda Falk fan. Sure, I recognized her talent. But for the most part, her music never seemed to engage me. So when I first cracked open the shrink wrap on her latest disc, my expectations were small. It was bedtime and I hoped to catch a few tunes before falling asleep. Yet with each song, I became less tired. Enraptured by the music, I ended up awaiting each upcoming selection with eager anticipation. And more than just a temporary tickling of the ears, I find the songs have the ability to grow in appeal with subsequent listenings.
Other than Falk asserting her identity as a singer/songwriter, much of the success for In Between The Now And Then is owing to the exquisite production of Adrian Bradford. His arrangements are richly orchestrated, offering a full sound that is at the same time very intricate with painstaking attention to detail.
Overall, this is a pop record that runs the gamut from soaring rock riffs to quieter, piano-driven numbers and quasi-symphonic orchestrations that are downright ethereal.
One element that Falk and Bradford truly get is the importance of “progression” in the music. The songs are replete with movement, ebbs and flows, varying tempos, instrumentation and musical nuances. The lead radio single, Paper Planes, even breaks standard songwriting structure, employing a secondary or “faux” chorus. All of these serve to keep the listener engaged with the music.
Completing the package are Falk’s obvious vocal skills which earned her four straight Covenant Awards as Canadian Christian music’s Female Vocalist of the Year from 2005-2008.
In Your Child, Falk writes of being “worn and weary” with a heavy heart. But in between then and now, something’s changed. Certainly, putting out an album of this quality is bound to alter anyone’s countenance.
Available for $16.99 wherever Christian music is sold.