MUSIC REVIEW: JESSICA RHAYE and the RAMSHACKLE PARADE - SUNSHINE BABY

Backed by the same players (The Ramshackle Parade) who appeared on her popular 2019 Dylan covers album, Just Like A Woman, Rhaye has embraced that hybrid acoustic-electric sound. The rich instrumentation has potent and explosive moments throughout, giving the Saint John singer-songwriter a more powerful sound than on previous albums. That's letting her hit new vocal heights too, giving her songs lots of dynamic range. That's particularly effective, given her expressive voice. We knew she could charm, but on a cut such as "Snakes and Ladders," she shows she can punch too.

The title track might be a little misleading, given its sunny optimism and easy-going feel. It's more of an outlier on an album that features as much darkness as light, and lots of dramatic details. In a song like "Sunshine Baby," she can effortlessly make us feel relaxed and happy, so to hit us right after with "I Won't Break," with its unsettling atmosphere and intense emotions, is effectively jarring. She counters the heaviness with beautiful instrumentation and voices, a potent blend.

There is a series of four very high-quality, effective videos from the album out so far, which add a whole other element, seeing the group deliver these various moody moments. Rhaye, a professional visual designer herself, has an excellent way of presenting images and colours, so that is a big part of her appeal. She's planned a big fall tour for the album, so keep these dates in mind.

Thursday, Sept 28 - Charlottetown, PEI - Trailside Music Hall
Saturday, Sept 30 - Saint John, NB - Imperial Theatre
Thursday, October 19 - Halifax, NS - The Carleton
Friday, October 20 - Shelburne, NS - The Osprey Arts Centre
Saturday, October 21 - Fredericton, NB - Charlotte Street Arts Centre
Monday, October 23 - Montreal, QC - Casa Del Popolo
Tuesday, October 24 - Toronto, ON - The Dakota Tavern Presents: Four Play
Wednesday, October 25 - London, ON - Aeolian Hall
Thursday, October 26 - Hamilton, ON - Mills Hardware
Friday, October 27 - Ottawa, ON - The Redbird Live 

Saturday, October 28 - Smiths Falls, ON - Station Theatre