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 You'll find yourself drowning in "Surfacing"... Sep 11, 2009
Canadian artist Sarah McLachlan's work was fairly under the radar until her mainstream release in 1997, "Surfacing", which became her bestselling album to date.
"Surfacing" was released just as McLachlan was preparing for the first of her famous "Lilith Fair" concert tours. This album features the two songs that any non-avid fan of hers would call to mind upon hearing her name, "Angel" and "Adia". The former is a very powerful song that has been used in everything from ASPCA television advertisements, to numerous television sitcoms and shows, to a comfort device for the victims of 9/11. "Adia" achieved steady radio airplay and, along with "Angel" and "Building a Mystery", secured plenty of record sales for McLachlan.
In terms of awards, "Surfacing" received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Album but actually secured a Grammy win for the final track, "Last Dance", for Best Pop Instrumental Performance.
Below is a brief description of each track on the album, with a numerical rating. Despite being a shorter album, every track on here is simply alluring, an expressive outpouring of emotion and with something in each song to which all of us can relate.
Track 1: Building a Mystery--(7)--you can tell just by the first verse on this album that McLachlan is a lyrical wordsmith. If you were unsure of whether to buy this CD in a store and you gave it a quick listen, you might be tempted to buy it just from the quality of this song alone. The subject of this song is a man who is so damaged, he crafts lies about himself so you can't get to know the true person inside, thereby sparing him of further hurt and anguish.
Track 2: I Love You--(8)--a strong song about loving someone so much, you can't find the words to tell them so. And they keep leaving in the cold with your unrequited feelings because they don't know any better.
Track 3: Sweet Surrender--(7)--a song about trusting someone when you've been wronged so many times before. Every time you took a step forward, it led you to betrayal. All you have left to give to the person is your sweet surrender.
Track 4: Adia--(8)--this song was allegedly written as an apology from McLachlan to her best friend. Apparently, McLachlan had fallen in love with, and eventually married, her best friend's ex-boyfriend. If the friend was still sour with her, it is easy to imagine that she would become even more bitter, considering the success of this song. It is a lovely song, nonetheless, with McLachlan's vocals soaring melodically over the notes of the piano.
Track 5: Do What You Have to Do--(8)--this song actually became newsworthy in 1998 when it was featured in the Kenneth Starr report of Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky's affair. Apparently, Lewinsky had titled a letter to Clinton with this song as the subject line.
Track 6: Witness--(8)--is all the pain and suffering ever truly worth it? Or "will we burn in heaven like we do down here"? A slow tempo song questioning the everyday misery we all go through and asking if there will ever be a reprieve or will it only get worse?
Track 7: Angel--(8)--This song was written as a tribute to the Smashing Pumpkins' touring keyboard player, Jonathan Melvoin, who overdosed on heroin and died in 1996. This has been used to highlight emotional scenes in television shows such as Alias, Dawson's Creek, and General Hospital, to name a few. You can read an article on this song on [...].
Track 8: Black & White--(7)--Have you ever felt the need to please everyone? McLachlan sings here about how she is just trying to survive without unraveling while still keeping up the facade for everyone else. She can get by as long as she wears her mask, as long as she only feels things in black and white and doesn't allow the gray to seep in.
Track 9: Full of Grace--(9)--this song has also been used in television shows, most notably "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer". A truly beautiful song, McLachlan wants to be in a better place emotionally. She knows she can give so much more than she is giving now but she is trapped in her wintry place. She is hoping the wings of grace can come and free her love that she is so willing to offer.
Track 10: Last Dance--(8)--a pretty instrumental piece to play out the album.
Overall album rating: 8
 Very Good Service Jul 09, 2009
I received my CD in excellent condition. This was the first time I had ordered anything though Amazon that was not brand new. I am very pleased. Will purchase again other items.
my opinion Jun 13, 2009
i feel this is the best cd she has done.This is not a cd that has a few of her best songs with some okay ones added the whole cd is great.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
A decade old and still fantastic Jan 18, 2009
Sarah McLachlan broke into my world years ago when I first heard the radio hit "Building a Mystery." There are few artists I would say impacted my life in any real way, and Sarah is among them. With a voice that should make anyone's top 5 female vocalists in the last ten years, McLachlan produces music that is deep, rich, and frankly moving. Her lyrics are well written and provocative. SURFACING is simply fantastic and should be in any serious music fan's library.
Stand out tracks on this album:
1. Building a Mystery
2. I Love You
3. Sweet Surrender
4. Aida
7. Angel
9. Full of Grace
It's rare when any album gets 4 songs on the radio like Sarah did with the first 4 tacks of Surfacing. Well deserved for an artist this good.
If you don't own this album, don't hesitate. It is worth every penny.
5/5 Stars.
0 of 2 found the following review helpful:
 SARH Mclachlan cd Dec 18, 2008
This was advertised with no box but when the print work and CD cames there was no try card. Price was right however.
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