With singer-songwriters that go the quiet, acoustic, pastoral route there is always a fine line between doing it right and oversimplifying things. That line is so thin, that quite a few such artists end up on the wrong side of that line.
To do it right, singer-songwriters have to have the right sensibility, along with almost impeccable songwriting, vocal and instrumental skills.
Now, one such artist comes from Norway, and her name is Juni Habel, who has recorded an almost impeccable album in Carvings.
Yes, Habel operates with sparse arrangements, her (excellent) acoustic guitar pickings, great vocals, and lyrics that never end up in being either simplistic or over-sentimental.
The reason Habel is able to do this is that it seems her heart and mind are in the right place to come up with complex emotions and music using the seemingly simple elements placed and presented exactly in a manner that makes them work.
Habel explains, “With this album I wanted to lean deeper into the process. The title Carvings illustrates thoroughness. It was a vulnerable project, to strive for creating something truly beautiful, to pour my soul into it.”
And she achieves all of that with flying colors.
