Savannah Jo Lack is a San Francisco transplant via Australia It was not hard for the artist to fit into the rich culture and music scene in a city know for embracing any artist willing to explore. So explore she did on her first solo album Knitting Songs. The role Savannah is accustomed to filling is in support for everyone from Alanis Morrisette to Rod Stewart.
This time she is the leader providing compositions, arrangements, programming, vocals, violin and guitar. Right from the opening track “Blank Page Day” Savannah sets the table for the listener with her enthralling vocal style. She takes thought provoking lyrics that are sometimes dark and biting and softens them up with her beautiful intonations. Although some of the tracks have a more serious real story behind it like “Bitch” you can get a lot of sunshine in tracks like “Little Girl” where she says “Searching for beauty…its right behind our heels”. This is very appropriate for that one song and it does apply to this entire recording because there is a lot of beauty in her music.
I can actually picture someone sitting there knitting while pondering all the words and music this CD has to offer. It does make one rather introspective and it seems with each listen that aspect becomes more intense. At least it worked that way for this listener. A common storyline flows along with “Papa Don’t Go So Fast” which is about a man unable to handle the pressures of being a man so he goes out drinking all night while his little girl pleads with him not go out tonight.
All of this emotion that comes flowing forth through the words and music are brilliantly executed by Savannah and her band by using a very authentic blend of alternative rock featuring an engaging style that holds her effective vocals with an assortment of strings, guitar, percussion, and everything else you would anticipate hearing on a track with the exception of absolute uniqueness in overall sound. This is a strong debut for an artist that was more than ready to deliver the goods.
Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck
October 30, 2009
