Deafened by Sarah Vann

Impressive songs that really scream out qualityDEAFENED is Sarah Vann’s first full length album. Based in Calgary Sarah has already made quite a name for herself in the world of music. Sarah’s vocals are unique, her songs are thought provoking and full of interesting lyrics and overall her music makes you feel like you are on an adventure. It is hard to categorise Sarah’s music because it stands alone, that said there are some elements of folk and pop mixed into the songs on this classy new album. Walk Beside Me gets the album off to a flying start. Sarah’s vocals are captivating and really bring the song to life. This song could easily be played on country radio stations as it has a strong alt-country feel. The Library Song is a quirky song with interesting instrumentation. Sarah’s vocals have a quaint old-fashioned sound on this rather charming fanciful song. In Flight has a slight jazz feel about it. Catchy and once again quirky, this song has instant appeal. Demon Love is more of a country/pop song. Sarah’s vocals are the star of the show here. They most definitely have the wow factor. What I Believe is a slower song that again has a slight jazz vibe running through it. There are touches of Nora Jones on this song. The backing instrumentation is gentle and moody giving the song plenty of atmosphere. An enjoyable highlight! Deafened is not only the title song it is perhaps the best song on the whole album. This song mixes together folk, roots, alt-country and a small touch of jazz. The end result is a great song that deserves more than one listen. Take Hold is another stunning song with a melancholy feel about it. This is definitely a song for the long summer months. You Take Me Away is a slow classy track with some luscious velvety vocals. Listeners to this song could easily be reminded of Shelby Lynne; they have the same soulful sound. Every Side is a more up-beat song. All too soon the album comes to a conclusion with the simple song Stars. I was hoping for something a little more breath taking to end on but Stars is in keeping with the mood of the rest of the album. I think Sarah Vann’s vocal style is one you are either going to love or hate. This album is impressive and worth the wait.