by FAITH BENNETT
Canadian, indie songbird Lauren Mann may have been long captivated by music herself, but it was only in 2010 that she was first able to release recorded music with her collaborators, whom she lovingly refers to as “fairly odd folk.” 2013 has been a whole new year for her band, as they just released Mann’s latest work, Over Land and Sea, a whimsical and sweet album about her travels with her husband.
Mann has been restlessly touring for the past year to promote her new album. The touring life, which she admits is tiring, is still motivational. She says she feeds on the energy of interacting with new people and going new places, whether on a tour or not. The aptly dubbed Over Land and Sea draws from her recent trip across Canada with her husband. She says, “it inspires the idea of a journey and the things you can experience, different people you meet.”
Musically however, she is more inspired by people like Brooke Fraiser, Copeland, and Eisley, despite often getting compared to Aimee Mann and more Canadian singer-songwriters like herself. Vocally, Mann’s range is impressive. On ‘Fragile’ her voice is clear and ethereal as she reaches the higher notes. On her more upbeat songs she is highly listenable. ‘I Lost Myself,’ complete with whistling and ukelele parts, is the epitome of twee indie-pop. ‘I Lost Myself’ and the glockenspiel-driven ‘Weight of the World’ establish her as undeniably cute, meanwhile, she crafts songs with an easy-listening vibe akin to Jack Johnson.
As may be expected given her fascination with travel, her lyrics are mostly concerned with letting go and experiencing new things. “I’ve been as far as the highway goes, but through all this I’m sure, these earthly things, they can’t endure” is the opening track’s declaration. Her album is available online, but her upcoming show at Jack Rabbits is a must-see for anyone who is a fan of sugary, ukelele-laden indie-pop. Find Lauren Mann and the Fairly Odd Folk at laurenmannmusic.com and at Jack Rabbits on May 15.
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