| In Her Mind is Kingston,
Ontario artist Christine Donovan’s third collection of original, independent,
beautiful and heartfelt songs after 2002’s Rain Down on Me and 2003’s Lucky
Me. Christine primarily composes songs on keyboards which she plays
along with acoustic guitar and harmonica, and sings with mature, sultry
and soulful self-possession. This lovely, kind and spiritual woman
is creative in every sense of the word. She’s an accomplished musician,
singer/songwriter, poet and painter not to mention a devoted wife, mother
and fan of her equally talented children. Christine’s voice is dazzling
and reminiscent of such classic singers as Janis Ian, Bette Midler, Joan
Baez and Billie Holiday - strong, clear and full of worldly weariness with
underlying hope. A fan of Janis Joplin, Christine firmly believes
in staying true to herself, her art and her vision of beauty, life, love
and the pursuit of happiness. She’s a woman with her priorities in
order and calls herself, “a mother, singer/songwriter and artist in that
order…”
In Her Mind tranquilly
and skillfully combines elements of rock, folk, country and blues, dashed
with Joni Mitchell inspiration and opens with the poignant yet jaunty piano
piece, “Just Another Day” - a genuine, harmonious eulogy for her beloved
father. Donovan is accompanied on the album by guitarist Larry Scott,
drummers Christos Smyrnios and Jack Jeffreys and bassists Larry Seward
and Mike Perlin.
Christine’s compassion
is evident in one of my favourite tracks, the astutely observational ballad,
“Love Is What We Need”:
“Went into a church
to pray
A couple temples
too
Now, I don’t
care about religion
I’m just into
the light and the truth
I saw a mother
while I was leavin’
She lived in
her car with all her kids
She saw me standin’
there watchin’ her
Then she told
me this…
Love is what we
need…”
“Venus Rising” is
a melancholic, wistful but passionate piano ballad that looks out for all
the fragile ladies in the world left deserted by their lovers and “Stones
of Kingston” could very well be the best song ever written about the Limestone
City. Donovan has managed to capture the essence of life in our almost
200 year old city, the first capital of Canada, and adds ethereal beauty
to the song with a touch of haunting harmonica. Christine channels
her inner Aimee Mann in the gorgeous, acoustic pop folk song, “Time For
Movin’ On and graces her father’s memory once again in the heartrending,
delicate tribute, “One Of A Kind”. She speaks to her husband in “Something
Mysterious”, letting him know that after 25 years together there are still
mysteries about her to discover:
Chorus:
“I’m a woman
I’m a mother
I’m a goddess
I am alright
I was sleeping
and I was dreaming
That I was naked
in the moonlight
After all that’s
what we’re made of
Stardust, earth
and something mysterious…
Something mysterious…”
“Cry Like A River”,
a song about a man lost in the bottom of a bottle, reminds me of old Bob
Dylan tunes and is a song that Janis Joplin herself would have wanted to
sing given the chance. “Pick Up The Pieces” is a touching ode to
a woman’s broken heart and the kind of country rock song that I imagine
Wynonna Judd or Lucinda Williams would love to sing. In Her Mind
closes with the up tempo, toe-tapping, country rock gem, “Wastin’ Too Much
Time” leaving the listener wanting more.
Every time I listen
to In Her Mind, I fall in love with it a little bit more. It’s perfect
for quiet, reflective moments spent alone but it’s an album I wish I could
give to every single one of my girlfriends. A brilliant recording
chock full of songs for strong women and the goddess waiting to be discovered
within them. This radiant, gifted woman, Christine Donovan, is as
stellar a singer/songwriter as anyone who has made a household name of
themselves and while it may not be her destiny to be rich and famous, she
is blessed by the angels to have everything in this life that really matters…love,
family, friends, a home she can be proud of and talent that no one can
deny. I am so proud that she is from Kingston and that she is my
friend. In a perfect world, this “successful, unsuccessful artist”
would be a superstar and Avril Lavigne would be begging her to write songs
for her.
In Her Mind is available
through CD Baby, Chapters and HMV. If it isn’t in stock, just ask
for it and it can be ordered or contact Christine Donovan at www.christinedonovan.com
or www.myspace.com/christinedonovan
and buy a copy from her directly. I guarantee you that it’s worth
every penny and then some.
Christine Bode
c.bode@partyinkingston.com |
