It’s a cozy fall night up here in the Twin Cities. It’s nice and chilly out and, if I had the guts to do it, it would be the perfect night to start up my fireplace. Sadly, I just don’t have the guts to do the fireplace alone since I’ve never had a wood burning fireplace before and I really don’t want my house to go up in flames so until I can recruit a friend to come over and help, some blankets, candles and cozy album to listen to will just have to do. I thumbed through my stack of albums to review looking for something that looked cozy and came across Lacey Guck’s ‘Over Again’. The whimsical and calming cover told me that this could be the perfect soundtrack to my night so I popped it into my stereo and hit play.
The opening track is titled “October” and if that isn’t fate what with October just a couple of days away, I don’t know what is. “October” kicks off with a beautiful piano part and, within just seconds, Lacey’s beautiful voice takes over and I was instantly captivated. It’s sweet and soft but commands your attention with ease. The unspoken power behind each word is clear but so is the stunning beauty with every note played and sung.
“Hammock” continues with the beauty but brings in a shade of warmth in Lacey’s voice. There’s almost a jazzy influence heard in this song just showcasing the talent in Lacey’s vocals that are sure to be a highlight throughout this twelve song album. The lyrics in this track add to the warmness and, as soon as I started really listening, I realized that this is a track that will not soon be forgotten. It became a favorite of mine instantly and after a few listens before moving onto “Cinderella”.
The jaziness heard in “Hammock” is amplified for “Cinderella”. The first comparison to come to mind for me was Norah Jones but I feel like that’s a cop out because she’s really the only jazzy pianist/ vocalist I know but Lacey catapults herself into a status that I feel comfortable comparing to a great like Norah Jones. This was a favorite track of mine by default because some of the lyrics are “Do what you love and love what you do”. This is a mantra that is hung on my wall and also close to lyrics I have tattooed on my arm.
“Trying Or Not” slows things down and brings back the pure beauty of Lacey’s voice and songwriting ability. Not that any of the previous songs weren’t beautiful but this one brings back a slow and somber mood in a way without creeping into the overly emotional side of things. That emotional side of things is heard loud and clear in “Hope’s Song (I Carry Your Heart)” that instantly had me feeling all of the feels. The jazziness in Lacey’s voice is replaced by a heaviness that just can’t be described with words and must be heard.
Halfway through the album is “Lighting The Candle” which slows the tempo way down and continues to showcase Lacey’s stunning voice. Although this one was a bit too slow for me, there’s no denying the pure beauty behind it and this is definitely going to be a song that I will play multiple times this winter when sitting in front of my fire with a cup of coffee.
“Over Again” brings back the jazzy vibe that Lacey does so well in the perfect way. Again, I can not stress the beauty and the amount of warmth that this track (along with all of the other tracks) brings to the table. This song is the perfect background music that demands your attention. Yes, I’m aware that makes no sense but, if you heard it, you would understand. The same can be said for “Diary”. Although it feels a little soft spoken, it commands your ears to it while allowing your mind to wander to the most beautiful of places.
“Do Ya?” amps things up a bit and brings a little musical vibe to the album that I absolutely love. It’s upbeat and a little theatrical in all of the right ways while still being clearly Lacey Guck. It’s the type of song that makes you want to get up and dance around with the person closest to you. “Never trip over what you left behind”. Just let those lyrics sink in a little bit. This was another favorite of mine for reasons that will be clear when you hear the track.
“Blanket” brings back the slow and cozy vibe in the perfect way without losing any moment. With just soft instrumentation in the background, Lacey’s voice soars over the instrumentation in such a graceful way. It’s silky, smooth and just absolutely perfect. That mood continues with “Owl Lane West” but, instead of understated instrumentation, you are given a beautiful piano under Lacey’s voice. It’s insane to me how you can not only feel the emotion in every word that Lacey sings, but also in every note she plays on the piano. Just stunning. No other words for it.
“Owl Lane East” closes out this twelve track album with a purr. A clear response to “Owl Lane West”, I love that the album just kind of fades out but leaves you with an undeniable sense of beauty and warmth. What a beautiful ending to an absolutely stunning album.
I’m not typically one for slow piano music but the way that Lacey pulls it off is a thing of true beauty that I can’t even deny. This will definitely be an album that gets a lot of play throughout this fall and winter on those nights spent on the couch in front of my fire (whenever I finally get the guts to start up said fire).
My Favorite Track(s): “Hammock”; “Cinderella” “Do Ya?”
For Fans Of: Beautiful Piano Parts; Stunning Vocals; All Around Coziness and Warmth
Daydream-ability: 9.2 out of 10
What My Cats Thought Of It: Autumn laid right by my computer; Artie slept on the couch probably wishing the fire was going
How Badly I Want To See This Performed Live: 6.1 out of 10
My Overall Rating: 7.4 out of 10
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