Melissa McClelland
Album: Victoria Day
Label: Six Shooter/Universal
Rating: *** 1/2
Now’s the time to stock up on summer albums for those long drives to the cottage, and Melissa McClelland’s latest deserves a top spot on the iPod. The Hamilton-based songstress delivers a lush collection of layered country tunes and orchestral jazz-tinged numbers, all delivered in her spectacularly honeyed voice. While it’s not Earth-shattering stuff — she plays it fairly safe on most tunes — it’s still a comprehensive and moving listen. This album is a bonus for fans of Luke Doucet, who produced the disc and is married to McClelland, as his twangy sheen is all over the record.
