Sonya Kitchell - This Storm (2008)

This Storm is an immediate and visceral album, dealing with serious issues with a newfound boldness. Kitchell, whose lyrics have been favorably compared to the poetry of e.e. cummings (Harp Magazine), touches on war, loss, and solitude in tracks like Soldier s Lament, Robin in the Snow, and Walk Away. There is also plenty of drive and backbeat to This Storm, from the sultry, roots-inspired rock of Borderline, to the indie-leaning Every Drop, and Fire, to the shimmering acoustic-alt-pop of Effortless and the first single, Here to There. Kitchell and Burn even leaven some electronic flourishes into the album s closer, the title track This Storm. Strikingly confident, and at times more aggressive and rock-focused, This Storm builds on the promise that marked her acclaimed debut. Recorded with Grammy Award-winning producer Malcolm Burn (Daniel Lanois, Peter Gabriel, Emmylou Harris) at Burn s home studio in upstate New York, the new album is a showcase for Kitchell s prodigious talent and stunning voice.