Slowburn CD that gets better with repeated listens

I've listened to the CD before reading any of the reviews here and elsewhere. I have to say I'm quite baffled by some of the negative comments made about Afterglow. This album is unquestionally beautiful containing very well-crafted songs and it's very Sarah. All the songs are very good and there's no filler. My favorite tracks here are World on Fire, Stupid, Trainwreck, Push, Answer, Time, Perfect Girl and Dirty Little Secret.... mmm that's almost all of them. It's definitely better than Surfacing, which was a slow draggy sleep-inducing CD. There are varied moments in Afterglow but overall it's easygoing and low-key.

One problem with Afterglow is that it doesn't immediately grab you on the first couple of listens. It doesn't have any 'stop-you-in-the-tracks' kind of songs like Possession. People will likely mistake this low-key effect as meaning that it's not good when it's actually just the opposite. Also, what Sarah McLachlan album is digestible on the first listen? When I first listened to Solace and Fumbling Towards Ecstacy, I actually put them away because most of the songs didn't grab me. What a mistake that was! Now both albums sit in my Top 10 collection of "must-have CDs".

Don't judge by the surface of things. Dig deeper into Afterglow and maybe you'll find some gems there that you never believed were there before. Just be warned that it's a slowburn CD that doesn't make an impression on the first listen, but it definitely gets better when you put it on repeat and let the lyrics and music sink into your senses. If there is one aspect of Sarah McLachlan's music that's constant, it is that it has the tendency to creep into your life one way or another and you may end up relating to her music and feel comforted by her, like I am.

So don't give up on Afterglow, give it a chance!

So Much For The Afterglow

Sarah's return from hiatus has produced her most understated work yet. Afterglow feels significantly less produced than her previous efforts, but her style has amazingly stayed unchanged in the world of hip hop fashion and stunts. From 1993's Fumbling Towards Ecstasy to 1997's Surfacing and Afterglow in 2003, Sarah has largely pursued her music in the same low-key direction but never sounding dated at any instance.

The first single Fallen follows most in the vein of her past songs, like Building A Mystery. A nice slow-rock song that echoes of a crestfallen soul. My favorites on this album will have to be Answer, Train Wreck and Dirty Little Secret. Answer, in itself, is a song about being there for someone you hold dear and thes sentimentality and raw emotions conveyed through Sarah's soothing voice is worth the price of the CD itself. Train Wreck features some of the best lyrics on this album and Dirty Little Secret makes for a perfect closer to the album.

This album may come across as being more subdued but it has successfully conveyed Sarah's happiness in the afterglow of her mum's death and her daughter's birth through Sarah's good delivery. I hope we won't have to wait another 6 years for more. Along with Annie Lennox's Bare, this is one of my favorite albums of the year.

Give it a try, maybe¿.

Sarah's new album is somewhat bland. Her voice is beautiful and musicianship near perfect. So what's missing? I've played Afterglow many times for myself at home and also for Mclachlan fans/non-fans. I've compared Afterglow to Sarah's previous releases (over and over) by myself and with guests. So, what's the consensus? Well, Afterglow isn't atmospheric or insightful. The music feels like mainstream "radio friendly" pop and the lyrics are very boring. I think she plagiarized my 14-year-old daughter's diary at times!!! Here's a passage - you decide (everything NOT in brackets below were quoted directly from the CD):

[Dear Diary]:
I've messed up. Love has made me a fool, [diary]. [My boyfriend Justin dumped me]. From [his] mouth it's all that I wish, the mercy of [his] lips. [Justin,] just one [more] kiss. No matter what I say or do, I'm a train wreck waiting to happen. I can't stand to feel myself losing control [because he left.] Nothing else can cure me - [his] love is the antidote. I can only tell you what I know, [Justin]- that I need you in my life. I don't remember [why] we're fighting. [Let's get back together]. Don't tell me it's too late.
[Samantha]

Final Thought: Afterglow isn't her best work, but it's a lot better than 98% of the music on MTV/VH1 and radio. I recommend buying this album if you're a fan / semi-fan / just like her voice / curious. Letter grade: C- ( for teenage lyrics - at times - and radio friendly rhythm/chord progression).