Anna McClellan : Electric Bouquet
On its face, the idea of a singer/songwriter writing about their childhood in the early ‘00s, watching Dawson’s Creek and Friends reruns on basic cable, sounds tedious and saccharine. Anna McClellan, however, is neither of those things. She’s a forthright folk artist who pens charming songs about everyday life with a clear-eyed realism. On Electric Bouquet, her fourth album and first for Father/Daughter, she delivers 11 excellent songs about life, love, loss, and moving forward from hurtful experiences without any soppy nostalgia.
It all starts with her unadorned production. Instead of the treacly affect typically associated with television soundtracks, she uses clean channels and airy arrangements that allow for plenty of room between the instruments. This frank approach creates a lived-in feel where slight mistakes remain, but the execution is never sloppy. It provides a bare-bones, yet sturdy template that welcomes tension and allows for tough conversations.
McClellan’s approach to instrumentation seems minimalist, but it all makes sense in the album’s wider context. Each track features either piano or guitar as the lead, and she frequently uses accompaniment that pulls from both chamber folk and indie rock worlds. Even more, her voice—a slightly cracked high alto with a stirring range—truly commands the listener’s attention, and she’s unafraid to let it stand alone in key moments. Such a combination only enhances her penchant for realism over artifice.
True to its premise, Electric Bouquet embraces the sort of wide-eyed emotionalism and storytelling conventions displayed in the best sort of television dramas. Anna McClellan recounts various triumphs, traumas, and tribulations with honesty and clarity. Such a warm slice-of-life perspective allows stellar songs such as “Jam the Phones,” “I’m Lyin’,” and “Endlessly” to stand firmly in the Saddle Creek meets Laurel Canyon pantheon.
Label: Father/Daughter
Year: 2024
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