I first learned of Chantal Kreviazuk through the soaring ballad "In This Life," from the album What If It All Means Something? [buy]. Earlier this month, her latest full-length album--Ghosts of You [buy]--saw its US release, almost a full year after it hit stores in her home country of Canada. Based on my limited exposure to her earlier music, I can't say the album is exactly what I expected. But when I read more about Chantal, I discovered she's written songs for the likes of Avril Lavigne, Kelly Clarkson, and other more mainstream pop-rock artists. The nuances of her songwriting that make it appropriate for such top 40-esque success are apparent on Ghosts of You. In the end, whether or not you like this album will depend on how receptive you are to such influence.

The album begins with the slinky, almost trip-hop introduction of the title track, "Ghosts of You." It's followed by the single "All I Can Do," which has received positive reviews from critics. "All I can do is love you to pieces / Give you a shoulder to cry when you need it / When the day long / And the night is coming down on you / All I can do," the chorus repeats, delivered by Kreviazuk's powerful, but unforced voice. It's a voice that has very few faults. It's perfect for this brand of pop, delivering the necessary full-bodied, almost angsty notes when necessary. (Not to the extent of being nasal, as is the problem with many of today's popular artists.) Her ability to adjust her voice for each song is impressive--on more downtempo songs such as "So Cold" and "Wendy House," Kreviazuk evokes appropriate vulnerability. On the latter, her gutteral delivery of "A child is born / A life begins" contrasts with the delivery of "When I'm alone / It all hits home / Don't it all just seem a little much?" and contrasts even moreso with "And the night gets further from the day / Take me the Wendy House to play." The vocal transition from longing to contemplative to timid is a great illustration of the versatility of Kreviazuk's delivery.

The songs themselves adhere nicely to one another and the album has generally good flow. There's a nice mix of straightforward, summery pop numbers and more insightful, emotive numbers. The former are crafted to be beyond catchy; you'll find yourself humming them silently, or not-so-silently, throughout the day. This isn't really a problem, aside from the fact most of our voices will never match Kreviazuk's. If there is any weakness with this album, minus the obvious limitations of genre appeal, it's the presence of occasionally trite lyrics. The tinkering metre of "Spoke In Tongues" is undermined by the chorus: "You can never erase that you were not popular in school / You can't erase you were poor and a no one / You can never erase who you were, no matter what you become." The idea itself is nice enough--reminding someone of their humble beginning--but the lyrics just don't work for me. I have the same problem with "Grow Up So Fast," where Kreviazuk sings, "It's mother's birthday, she's 40 years." I'm not used to such straightforward lyrical delivery, and I think this is where Ghosts of You, and Chantal Kreviazuk in general, diverges from the typical indie sound with which we've become so well acquainted. (Kreviazuk herself is on the major label Nettwerk, home to Sarah McLachlan.) Her songs contain no irony, their meaning is generally not ambiguous... In short, they perpetuate the stereotypes that exist about mainstream and submainstream, indie and major label. If you want a clear example of what I mean, listen to the track "I Do Believe," which is sort of reminiscent of late '90s pop music.

I'm not suggesting you accept or disregard Kreviazuk based on her label, artist, or genre affiliations. I'm mainly trying to point out that there is somewhat of a difference between mainstream and indie in terms of sound, not because one is necessarily better than the other, but because mainstream tastes prevent certain sounds from gaining mass popularity. I don't know if Chantal Kreviazuk fits cleanly into either categorization--she's clearly different than the likes of most indie bands, but she's not stringent in her adherence to the trite boundaries of radio-friendly pop. (Maybe this is why she hasn't gained a lot of airplay in the US.) Regardless, it's worth listening to if you're looking for something new. The occasional lyrical missteps take a backseat to the voice, and their straightforward nature is almost required for music of this tone and mood.

Summarized: I have mixed feelings, but based on my limited earlier exposure to the artist and her ability as a singer and songwriter in general, I suggest giving at least a few songs a good listen. It leans a little further into mainstream pop territory than what I usually like, but not to the extent of being annoying. (We're not talking "Fergalicious" here.)

♫	All I Can Do
♫	Wendy House
♫	I Do Believe