Chantal Kreviazuk

Ghost Stories

Columbia/Sony BMG

Shannon Whibbs (CHARTattack)

08/29/2006 8:07pm

One notable feature of Chantal Kreviazuk's fourth album is its total lack of guitars. At the urging of husband (and producer) Raine Maida, Kreviazuk has ditched the six-strings in favour of a sound heavily focused upon her strongest suit — the piano. With rich orchestral strings filling in the spaces, and strong drum work serving as the heartbeat, Ghost Stories has a little more meat on its bones than Kreviazuk's previous efforts. She's always had a unique vocal style, but has a tendency to sing past her range in a strained, shrill register ("You Blame Yourself"). Plus, the lyrics for "All I Can Do" are downright gooey. Despite these aspects, Ghost Stories is probably the most musically interesting album that Kreviazuk has put out in her career. There's still a pop sensibility to her work, but this LP is a step outside the box that should satisfy old fans and win new ones.