aaamusic | On 25, Jan 2011

There’s a lot going on in The Deep Field: jazz, pop, blues, rock – it’s a record overflowing with inspiration, yet one well-crafted enough not to seem overcrowded. No doubt this is due to extensive musical experience (she’s worked for years with countless musicians, though listing them all here would be rather pointless), despite thus far only having three solo albums to her name.

Unlike its predecessor To Survive, The Deep Field is a much, well, happier record. If Joan Wasser’s music reflects her mentality at all, then it appears this time round it’s coming from a different place than perhaps it was a few years ago. Happiness does not equal loss of maturity however, and you can rest assured knowing Wasser hasn’t sacrificed any of her own for this record. Each track is as complex and finely tuned as anything you could hope for, both lyrically and musically.

The album isn’t all rainbows and sunshine though (not even close), with relatively upbeat tracks like single The Magic juxtaposed with the excellent, pensive Forever and a Year and Flash. Wasser’s strength is getting the balance just right; life is never completely one way or another, and her ability to convey this in music is what makes this album stand out. It’s admirable when any artist chooses to develop and build upon the sound that made them popular rather than fall back on it again and again – The Deep Field is a great example of what can come from this.

Author: Katharine Sparks