Band : Sarah Blackwood
Album title : Way Back Home
Label : Wolverine
Distributor : Sonic Rendezvous
Release date : 26/11/2008
Release : CD

Growing up with the Rock ‘n’ Roll collection of her father (who gave Sarah her first guitar at age 12), Miss Blackwood (better known under her pseudonym of Sarah Sin in Canadian Psychobilly-Pop-Punk act The Creepshow, whose recently released – issued only 3 days later than this solo outing – People Like You sophomore album Run For Your Life was Sarah’s recorded debut with the band) soon began writing her own songs and playing plenty of solo shows in her home city Toronto.

Occasional shows outside Toronto grew to small and then bigger tours in the rest of Canada, and eventually Sarah even did a European tour. In contrast to the rambaucous The Creepshow, Sarah’s shows are typified through a lack of frivolities: it’s just Sarah Blackwood with her acoustic guitar…and amazing voice…playing material influenced by Country, Rockabilly, Americana, and Roots Rock! On her debut solo album (which has been four years in the making), she doesn’t mid some guest appearances, though! For starters, there is of course her father, Mike Blackwood, playing harmonica on album opening songs “Lonely Parade” and “Dyin’ Day”,as well as on “Dealing Aces” (Sarah herself playing the instrument the track “Sweet Thing”). Brother Ian Blackwood then, is responsible for some drum parts and the lead guitar parts (Sarah herself playing rhythm guitar on the album, as well as some accordion on “Bad Job Jesus”, a Heartbreak Engines cover– for her tours, Sarah can apparently lean on the help of several lead guitar players around the globe to join her on stage during her solo tours). Also playing assorted guitars (lead guitar, banjo, mandolin, and lap steel – which is the only electric instrument on the album) on 3 songs (again “Dyin’ Days and “Dealing Aces”, but also on “Mama (Open Your Eyes)”) is one Hooch Parkins (Sarah’s lead guitarist for local Toronto shows). The Creepshow bassist Sean McNab contributes some slap bass (sometimes also on Sarah’s local solo shows) on two tracks (“Dyin’ Day” and “Dealing Aces”), and one Owen Carrier does a guest vocal on the album title song (which he co-wrote – the only other co-writing credit comes from Sarah’s sister Jen for “I’m Sorry”).

Meaning that what you get here, is overall acoustic music, with Sarah singing her most angelic vocals compared to what she does with The Creepshow! Listen to a couple of songs (the two album openers plus “Dealing Aces”…what a coincidence, eh?) at myspace.com/sarahblackwood (30-second samples of each of the 12 songs on the album can be found in the “mp3 Shop” section of the label’s website wolverine-records.de). I know, it may not be the kind of music your regular Concrete Web reader will feel comfortable with listening to, but personally I wish I could find some more time (usually my job as music journalist will keep me too busy with new and to be reviewed albums) during hot summer evenings to go sit out on the porch and listen to this kind of albums some more! Miss Blackwood sure has a very nice voice, as European concert goers have been able to witness during the tour she recently (October/ November) did over here with The Creepshow (I ain’t sure whether that tour included additional Sarah Blackwood solo shows though).

85/100

Tony.