Tara Holloway – Sins To Confess(Waystation Records)
With a title like this you expect a raunchy, bluesy expedition into grown woman territory. You get the expedition, you get the raunch, and you get the blues (plus a cutting edge in tunes and variety in tempo), but I am not sure that Tara is all that old. It is not the voice, which has a command of the material and sounds, at times, totally careworn yet compelling; it is the freshness that is present in every breath, every note. So, whatever her age (and she has been around making music in Canada now since the early 2000’s), this first album, although on the short side – or maybe because of it – is chock full of bittersweet songs that are put over with a very credible verve and passion.
Her delivery of them is enhanced by producer / songwriting-partner Dave Way, and together, over a number of years, they have come up with a pretty fine debut that harnesses her voice to near perfection.
The very least you can say about her is that she can really carry a tune. The most you might be able to say about her is that here is a new star on the horizon, and her name is Tara Holloway. www.myspace.com/tarahollowaymusic
Kev A.
