MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: ANNE JANELLE - I DIDN'T WANT TO BREAK IT

Wait a second here, isn't this the classically trained cellist from Nova Scotia who makes folk music as well, often with partner James Hill? She's gone from dabbling in songwriting to making it her full-on business, even bringing in a bunch of pop sounds for this latest. Not too much pop, lead track The End of the World is the biggest surprise, a very modern sounding tune, but there's still lots of lovely folk, but this time all from her pen, with some help from Hill on three cuts.

That's not the only stretch for Janelle, as making the album took all of her, and Hill's, talents. The pair played all the instruments, aside from some guest sax and bass, including fiddle, keyboards, percussion, electric guitar and of course cello. I'm not sure what the breakdown is, but this is quite the family combo, with Hill even producing and mixing.


Elsewhere, you get a piano singer-songwriter ballad, I Didn't Want To Break It, and a funky, dark guitar-drum number, with some sizzling cello behind on Knocking At My Door. Nicely, the album is split into three parts, with short instrumentals letting us pause and collect, Janelle's classical side coming forward a small bit. It's quite fascinating watching her development, as she moves into this unique hybrid sound.