It’s almost impossible to hear Frazey Ford’s voice and let your thoughts drift to the canon created by the Vancouver folk trio, The Be Good Tanyas. If you liked folk music at all during the early 2000s, chances are you had playlists or cd mixes with at least one TGBT track nestled into the crevices.

 

The thing is, as Frazey lent her vocals to other outlets – the defense introduces Exhibit A your honor; If I Were a Car by The Great Outdoors – you started to see how powerful and malleable her unique instrument could be. She’s more than just another talented folk singer. Frazey’s voice can handle soulful melodies and easily offset twang and back porch sing-alongs with the kind of slow sexy, honey coated vocals that are tailor made for hot nights.

 

And that soul really helps shape Obadiah. Without question, the songs could fit into any set the trio played, but the energy and arrangements have Frazey’s fingerprints all over them. The smoldering heat of “Lay Down With You” and the hand claps, jazzy horns and kalimbas on Joni MItchell-esque “Birds of Paradise” find Ford stretching her legs, but it’s the warmth of the Wurlitzer on “If You Gonna Go” that really shows where her heart lies. Instead of a carefree barefoot frolic in the the fields, Ford and her incredibly tight band showcase a melody that makes you sway, eyes closed. That heat carries over into the inspired “I Like You Better”; a track that is made by the chorus that plays like a stream of consciousness and freedom.

 

The spontaneous feel of the record gives the record an rough edge that ties it altogether. Lots has changed in Frazey’s life and Obadiah is the perfect platform for her to ask questions and embrace what each day brings. Too many soul/folk acts work arrangements until they are stripped of any honesty and heart, but Obadiah flows nicely. Cameos from friends – Caroline Ballhorn and Trish Klein’s appearances really fit perfectly – and the ability to explore new sounds and ideas without overcrowding or hiding the instruments that we all fell in love with (her voice and acoustic) ensure the spotlight stays locked on this vastly underrated singer and keep the 13 tracks sounding fresh.

 

This record will be an easy sell to any fan of The Be Good Tanyas (the lead single “Firecracker” is a banjo-laced bluegrass/folk nugget that will let every fan ease into the pool before the band explodes into pseudo gospel vibe to finish off the track perfectly), but it has the potential to push Frazey to even greater heights. The emotions and vintage oranges, yellows and gold that dominate the canvas take us all back to a better time, one with far fewer concerns. That tumultuous time was the conduit for decades of fantastic music, and as she puts her own stamp on Dylan’s “One More Cup Of Coffee”, Frazey shows us all that those years and what they meant to folk and soul weren’t lost on her.

 

Pick up Obadiah on Jly 20th on Nettwerk records, or get some extra goodies with a great pre-order offer.

 

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MP3:: Frazey Ford – Firecracker
MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/frazeyford