Chantal Kreviazuk — Ghost Stories

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.

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