At the beginning of the fall, one of Canada’s, and one of Toronto’s most diverse and greatly talented muses, Basia Bulat, released her third studio album, Tall Tall Shadow. Now that spring has finally arrived, it seems fitting to dust off this gem of folk-americana to accompany walks in the sunshine and warmer breezes.

Basia’s trademark vocal range and vibrato are on full display throughout this collection of songs.  The lyrics are very heartfelt and sad, related to a death of someone very close to her while writing this album.  The lyrics and vocal melodies are reminiscent of Joni Mitchell (“It Can’t Be You”) and the instrumentation accompanies Basia exquisitely.

There is definitely more contemporary indie-folk songs (“Promise Not To Think About Love”, “Wires”, “Someone”), and some sounding right out of the 1800’s (“The City With No Rivers”, “Paris or Amsterdam”), with the feeling of being in the rural areas of Canada with loved ones playing music together.  Basia’s Acadian roots shine through, with the use of the fiddle, acoustic guitar and tambourine, bringing to mind family gatherings.

Tall Tall Shadow is a very strong album, definitely worthy of having been up for Junos this past weekend.  Now, get outside and enjoy this weather! Make sure to choose a strong mix of music to pair with your adventures; Basia Bulat is an obvious choice.