Sandra McCracken

Sometimes the raw spontaneity of emotion that comes out in the writing of a song can be lost in the record making process. When the time comes to record the final vocal tracks, the layers of other musical elements and influences may take away or even change the original feel and concept of that first creation. Sandra McCracken recorded all the vocals and most of the guitar and piano parts on Red Balloon in her home studio immediately after the songs were written, and with no thought that they would end up being the final cuts on an album. The result is a set of organic, emotional, and honest recordings that draw the listener into the heart of the song writer’s creative spirit.

With the help of Cason Cooley, and her husband Derek Webb, McCracken has made an exceptionally fresh and thoughtful Americana, with a strong bent toward folk-rock and pop, album. Inspired by the recent birth of her and Webb’s first child, it draws on the experiences of facing all the things that life brings, and growing through the process toward a deeper place in relationship to the Maker. Her own words reflect the depth of her song writing intentions. “I’ve always considered myself an abstract songwriter of non-fiction. I’ve tended to focus on the sound of words and melodies over the communication of specific ideas. But this time, I wanted to connect more directly with the listener. I wanted all these songs to be about something in particular.”

The first track, “Guardian,” starts out with some spacious piano and organ tracks, but flows into a lovely guitar-driven, lullaby-like melody that draws on the parental role as a metaphor to how God watches over us. Track two, “Storehouse,” gives us a catchy drum- and bass-driven rhythm with a similar lyrical theme. It inventively expounds on the realization that giving every ounce of unconditional love toward a child leaves one with an endless storehouse yet to give.

“Lock and Key” builds into a full band sound, with thoughts on the individuals need for meaningful community and the imperative of intimacy and trust in human relationships. “The Tie That Binds” drops us down to a minimal production approach, with simple acoustic finger picking, electric piano, and cello. This song seems to grieve over broken relationships, but points to the hope of reconciliation and redemption through the work of Christ. The last song on disc one, or “Side One” as it is labeled, “Saturn Fields,” may be the only song one could say stands out among a group of songs that all stand out in their own way. Here is an exceptionally beautiful melody line laid over low key, but intriguing production. McCracken’s double track vocals, with the occasional breaking into harmony and background highlights, combined with the heart touching lyrics is deeply inspiring.

“Side Two” continues with more great songs. Track one, “On the Outside,” is perhaps one of the strongest commercially appealing compositions on the album. Track two, “Halfway,” is also strong in this way, giving us a break from the acoustic sound with some savory electric guitar work. “Lose You” brings in a banjo for a crisp new color scheme, and “Big Blue Sky” uses background noise on the the guitar track for some unique, but effective, filler. Finally, the beautiful and thoughtful ballad “The High Countries,” with its strong redemptive discourse, leaves us wanting more.

There are a lot of talented musicians out there, and this artist is certainly one of those. She shows great strengths as both a vocalist and a guitarist. But few are able to speak so powerfully through the combination of written music and words as McCracken has on this album. We can only hope that for our sake more inspiring children will come her way.

Tagged as: Red Balloon, Sandra McCracken

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