Canadian songstress Miss Emily Brown takes the past and puts it In Technicolor

When I think about folk music, I think about a rustic, genuine tune that is coupled with the telling of someone's story. Never before had I heard a folk song that sounded like the person singing it actually lived that life. Enter Miss Emily Brown. Born in the seaway valley town of Iroquois, Ontario, "an airstrip, a beach, one diner, and my parents' house" as she describes it, Brown spread her wings at 19 and took her soft, small-town spirit and delicate vocals to Vancouver Island, where she studied poetry, and then into mainland British Colombia where she continued her education at the Selkirk School of Music.

Hot on the heels of her successful debut album, Part of You Pours Out of Me, which was named one of the top twelve albums of 2008 by CBC's Alan Neal, Miss Brown's sophomore album In Technicolor takes wartime realities and female independence and gives it a haunting, present-day feel. With her grandmother's World War II journal in tow, each song spins a tale of a world that is foreign to many of us today.

Even with only 33 minutes of running time, this is one of the few collections where I can happily listen to the entire disc without skipping over any songs. Brown's sweet, prominent voice and unique use of organ and drum machine sets the tone to her tales in her opener, "Septuagesima" (which to this day I cannot pronounce), and carefully eases the listener into the first of many wartime ballads. "The Diary of Amy Briggs" comes second, and, although this is about a nurse in Leeds, UK in 1941 and not Brown's grandmother, it is my favorite song on the CD. The tune is a blustery combination of autoharp, guitar and fiddle that leaves a chill deep in your heart, and if I didn't know any better, I would have believed that she was singing about her life. The emotional depth of her voice is bottomless.

The second song that really stood out for me was "To Make Love Stay. Set to the delicate notes of a wind-up music box, this song had a very soothing, lullaby sound to it that immediately settles the nerves. Being" one who enjoys the occasional nostalgic getaway, this unique use of a simple everyday keepsake and the perfect harmony of Brown's voice sends you on a trip into the softer days of your past. And I don't know about you, but some of my fonder memories always involve the distinct tinker of a music box.

Although no other songs really jumped out at me, I would consider the entire CD a delightful addition to my repertoire. Even more interestingly, not only did I find the lyrics to Brown's songs in the insert, but also brief snippets from her grandmother's journal. It was very compelling to actually attach a real person to her songs, and it made my listening experience that much more engaging.

Although Miss Emily Brown is not stopping in Ottawa on her Cross-Canada tour, this collection of endearing, old-worldly tunes is a great accompaniment for perusing through old photographs, or just lounging in the warm, springtime sun.

For more of Miss Emily Brown, and to view her tour schedule visit: www.emilybrownmusic.com.

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