Sarah McLachlan: Fumbling Toward Greatness

Author's Rating:

Pros: Songs, lyrics, voice, instruments, emotion...this is a PERFECT album.

Cons: ...

The Bottom Line: 
Highly recommended. Fumbling Toward Ecstasy is as close to a universally appealing album as it gets.

Author's Review
There was a time when I found little solace in female voices. I found myself constantly leaning toward heavier, more aggressive rock. One of the few exceptions was later granted to Canadian singer/songwriter Sarah McLachlan.

McLachlan first appeared on the scene in 1988 with Touch. As the years have progressed, her music has become increasingly popular until I stumbled upon what I at that time judged to be sentimental crap…the 1993 Arista release Fumbling Towards Ecsatsy. I suppose that in the early to mid 1990’s I wasn’t ready as a grunge/heavy metal listener to be exposed to her cool, calm, and ultimately lovely style of music and lyrics.

These few years later I’ve taken it upon myself to reexamine my disdain of Sarah McLachlan. At the time, I was completely against soothing tones and bleeding heart emotion. I wanted raw, loud, and pointed riffs and equally brutal lyrics. Anything lacking those elements was boring and cliché. Upon reexamination, I realize that McLachlan is in fact a fine artist…one so lovely and emotive that people not in the least bit interested in her kind of song should experience. She is a talented and not in the least bit underrated artist who is much deserving of any and all past and future honors.

Fumbling Toward Ecstasy took a long while to catch on at all in the US. It never went over the 50th position on Billboard Charts, yet after spending an impressive 62 weeks toward the lower end of the chart it managed to reach platinum status. Part of the slow success of the album can be attributed to two singles that broke the top twenty in 1994…Possession and Good Enough. But, any further examination of the album proves that McLachlan is a talent to be reckoned with and the album proved to be her breakthough release….not to mention also her finest to date in my humble opinion.

McLachlan was not alone in the creation of Fumbling Toward Ecstasy. She did provide guitars, piano, and vocals along with lyrics. Producer and multi-instrumental talent Pierre Marchand helped to make the album great. Not just slightly good…but classic. The album contains twelve official songs along with a hidden acoustic version of Possession. Aside from those I’ve already mentioned as hits, other tracks of note include Ice Cream, Hold On and Fear. But don’t think that my mentioning just a few tracks means that the others aren’t as worthwhile, honest or exquisite. This is, in fact, a complete album that should be listened to from beginning to end.

Of these twelve amazing songs, it’s difficult to choose a favorite. Though, I must say that I most appreciate Hold On. It’s delicate, freely flowing, and emotional. Years ago, these qualities would have been termed “crap” by me. I now must apologize for my behavior. Hold On is perfect. Nothing should or could be changed in a vain attempt to better the song. McLachlan has a distinctive vocal style and falsetto. She is very different than other singers even in her own genre. To make comparisons, I could only say that she sounds a bit like Annie Lennox, whom I also appreciate.

My love
You know that you're my best friend
You know that I'd do anything for you and my love
Let nothing come between us
My love for you is strong and true
Am I in heaven here or am I...
At the crossroads I am standing

McLachlan’s songs are emotion. Not emotional…just emotion. The divine combination of soulful vocals, piano, and gently flowing percussion mark Ice Cream as another of my favorites from the singer…ever. What helps to make the track distinctive is how understated and deconstructed it is without seeming underproduced. I can envision her sitting on stage with just a piano singing about it being a long way down and about your love being better than ice cream. Wow. The only word that appropriately encompasses the feelings I have for the song.

The first single, first track, and most recognizable song is definitely Possession. The church organ manages to be a driving instrument and when paired with McLachlan’s inherently reflective vocals it’s easy to see why people were impressed by this song even before they were aware that the Canadian had an actual back catalog. The addition of a synthesizer and electric guitar jazz the song up a bit and make it sound a bit different than other offerings. This version is amazing, but the acoustic hidden version tacked onto the end of the twelfth track is even more impressive. McLachlan shines with a sad tear in her eye. She’s never sounded better than she does here…this is the way that Possession should have sounded the entire time.

There is no reason whatsoever to speak about each track. The album is utterly, ridiculously, amazingly flawless. McLachlan’s voice is timeless; her songs are classic. Fumbling Toward Ecstasy is a member a very small grouping of albums that will be remembered from the 1990’s as definitive. Just a few years ago, I wouldn’t have ever admitted such a thing. Today, I can look at it with an open and more educated mind and heart and appreciate it for it’s ornately, exquisitely, entertaining beauty. Don’t limit yourself to those songs you recognize. This 1993 release has so much more to offer. I highly recommend this album to most listeners. If you don’t like McLachlan to start with, you won’t be able to stomach her third album either. Give it a few years…it worked for me.

Rating: 5/5 stars

Track Listing:
1. Possession
2. Wait
3. Plenty
4. Good Enough
5. Mary
6. Elsewhere
7. Circle
8. Ice
9. Hold On
10. Ice Cream
11. Fear
12. Fumbling Towards Ecstasy

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Since the critical and commercial success of this album, McLachlan has found herself increasingly popular. Her albums Surfacing (1997) and Mirrorball (1999) in addition to the many EP’s and special collections have all been well received by all interested parties. McLachlan has also been a mainstay on the Lilith Fair stage as the original organizer.