By: Joel Chico

Soft, sweet melodies ring through my ears as Megan Hamilton’s sophomore album How We Think About Light flows through my speakers. Hamilton’s soothing rhythms create a cozy environment that you don’t want to leave. With a strong influence of country and folk, her music brings out the simplicity of life. Recorded in the prairies of Saskatchewan, every note that flows from this album makes you wish you were there. Its atmosphere embodies that of a small town but belongs on stage in front of a big crowd.
Fuelling that same vibe that set apart other female artists such as Feist, Emily Haines and Jenny Lewis, Hamilton finds a voice in her music and makes it her own. She doesn’t strive to be anything more than what she is. Her lyrics are humble and paced in a way that you can appreciate each word. The first lines of the song “Are the Birds Caught in the Trees” open the album with lines like, “He waits by the lamplight, his face is the colour of glow/ through the window, the moon flickers, sticky yellow,” setting the tone of what’s to come in the album. Her acoustic tones are distinguished in songs like “Beautiful Girl,” and “No Reason to Stay,” while the upbeat accompaniment of her band The Volunteer Canola is shown through “Detroit.” The stand out song off this album is “Saint Francis,” whose folk roots and melodic contrast of acoustic rhythm and electric leads make it perfect for venues like Massey Hall or the Molson Amphitheatre.

Overall this album proves to be a winner. The fact that How We Think About Light contains only six songs, they are nothing short of spectacular. Megan Hamilton is full of heart and soul, as well as voice to take her places. With experience of playing shows around: Ontario, Quebec, the Maritimes and NXNE in 2007, Hamilton is set for the future. Take an interest into this girl because her sound is excellent and she’ll be going far with it.

This entry was posted on Monday, August 18th, 2008 at 1:09 pm.