Jill Barber — Chances

I thought Patsy Cline was dead. Not entirely, since Barber has tried to revive her on Chances. While Barber's sophomore album still highlights her signature sultry voice, she's traded in her singer/songwriter roots for a completely different sound mimicking the likes of Cline and Edith Piaf. The follow-up to her Juno Award-nominated For All Time was produced by Les Cooper at Toronto's Glenn Gould Studio and features Barber backed by a band and a 10-piece string orchestra. Ron Sexsmith adds vocals to "Old Flame," one of three songs that he co-wrote with her. It's a strange collection of songs that sound like they're from yesteryear, be it the undeniably Cline-esque title track, "Take It Off Your Mind" and "Never Quit Loving You," or the old time jazz/blues feel of "Oh My My," complete with clarinet and flute solos. I feel like I should be waltzing in a black and white movie to "All My Dreams." It's such an awkward departure, and the album's 10 songs do little to add any kind of interesting contemporary twist. What happened to the Barber of 2002's excellent A Note To Follow So EP? Sigh. My mom is going to love this album.