Cara Luft My Heart Will Always Be
Cara Luft’s new album, My Heart Will Always Be, via Blue Case Tunes/Symphonic, is her first solo album in more than 13 years. Luft previously played with the Wailin’ Jennys and was one of the two members of The Small Glories.
Around her 50th birthday, Luft went through several major changes. She became a homeowner for the first time, dealt with perimenopause, and was diagnosed with ADHD. The Small Glories also came to an end after ten years.
These changes led her to reflect on what she wanted from her life and her music. She decided to make songs with friends who treated others with care and shared their time and talents freely.
That choice shaped My Heart Will Always Be. Her close team, nicknamed “The Quadrangle of Awesomeness,” included session player and producer Scott Poley from Liverpool, UK; musician, singer, and songwriter Clayton Parsons from Cranbrook, BC; and engineer Julia Graff from Vancouver, BC. During 12 days at Vancouver’s Monarch Studios, Luft, Poley, and Parsons handled almost all the singing and instruments. Working this way felt personal and helped Luft release some of what she had been through.
The record brings together folk, bluegrass, and traditional sounds, along with a new take on a Buddy Holly song. Voices blend in three-part harmony, backed by Luft’s familiar clawhammer banjo style.
Grammy-winning engineer D. James Goodwin, whose credits include Anais Mitchell, Craig Finn, and Rhett Miller, mixed the album. Guests include John K. Samson of The Weakerthans, known for his poetry and prairie punk-rock roots, and Grammy-winning banjo player Alison Brown.
Entry points on the album include the title track, which opens the album with low-slung, glittering colors topped by Luft’s delicate, crystalline vocals backed by softly radiant harmonies. This is an especially wistful track, highlighted by a crying steel guitar.
On “Find Love,” Luft’s vocals reveal tasty tangs of drawl, imbuing the lyrics with a delightful quixotic essence. A personal favorite because of its down-to-earth, open flow, “Garbage Hill” sways and glides on luscious filaments of harmonics. There’s a wonderful country feel to the melody.
Twangy and bouncy, “The Banjo is a Gift” rides a thumping rhythm as a delicious banjo and steel guitar join forces overhead, resulting in a bright, appealing tune. If you listen closely, on “Come Undone,” you can hear the enchanting vibrato in Luft’s voice.
Vaguely reminiscent of Judy Collins because of its haunting mood, “Lagan Love” offers hints of Celtic flavors. And the vocal harmonies awaken distant memories in listeners’ hearts.
Luft’s country-laced rendition of Buddy Holly’s “Not Fade Away” is brilliantly concocted and arranged. The only other version that compares to Luft’s is that of the Rolling Stones.
On My Heart Will Always Be, the Canadian singer-songwriter writes with focus and immediacy, her voice and lyrics the icing on the cake.
Discover more about Cara Luft here.