McLachlan’s ‘Solace’ masterpiece of tranquility

Spencer Patterson

Friday, Jan. 2, 2004 | 9:35 a.m.

The first time I heard Sarah McLachlan's angelic voice, my brain did an involuntary double-take.

I was headed out the door late one night when I detected an otherworldly sound coming from a nearby television.

Mesmerized, I was drawn back inside and sat down to watch the rest of the video for McLachlan's "Into the Fire." By song's end I was smitten, and determined to find out more about this singer/songwriter I'd never heard of previously.

Several years later McLachlan created her all-female Lilith Fair and became a major player in the music industry.

She has released six full-length albums, along with several collections of live and rare tracks. But for me, the first album I heard -- 1991's sophomore effort, "Solace" -- will forever remain her defining moment.

I return to it from time to time, not simply for nostalgia's sake, but for some of the most tranquil music in my CD collection.

A couple of the 11 cuts on "Solace" are catchy and upbeat. "Into the Fire," for example, sounds airy and poppy, qualities that helped the song reach No. 4 on the Modern Rock chart.

Most of the album is subdued and serene, however, leaving ample room for McLachlan's unique vocal instrument to soar.

The Canadian-born singer possesses a distinct north-of-the-border accent, but that isn't what makes her voice so majestic. Rather, it's her warm tone, her emotional delivery and her ability to slide nimbly from one octave to the next that makes McLachlan's vocals so unmistakable.

Her songwriting skills were also quite impressive at such an early stage in her career. Song constructions on "Solace" are mostly relatively simple, but McLachlan's lyrics are anything but, conjuring up vivid images.

"If I cried me a river of all my confessions / Would I drown in my shallow regret," McLachlan sings in "Black," one of the disc's standout tracks.

If you're only familiar with McLachlan as the creative force behind Lilith, give "Solace" a spin and discover why she also merits recognition as one of the world's foremost female voices.

Artist: Sarah McLachlan.

Title: "Solace."

Year of release: 1991 (Arista Records).

Tracklisting: "Drawn to the Rhythm," "Into the Fire," "The Path of Thorns (Terms)," "I Will Not Forget You," "Lost," "Back Door Man," "Shelter," "Black," "Home," "Mercy," "Wear Your Love Like Heaven."