One of Canada’s most genre-defying musicians, Hille’s latest collection takes its lead from the scriptures and other religious writings, weaving an intense and constantly surprising tapestry of songs and stories. Much of the album hints at her past in musical theatre and cabaret, although parts recall the equally esoteric work of another “quirky” Canuck, Mary Margaret O’Hara.
The instrumental experimentation of songs such as Ace Of The Nazarene and Rose Of Sharon brings an atonal elegance to some very Sondheim-like passages, with Hille never afraid to throw whatever springs to mind into the pot. Soapland Serenade is a beguiling multi-character tale set in a Japanese brothel, while The Moon blends a 40s Paul Hindemith melody with the poetry of Shelley.
Using Biblical text as a musical springboard isn’t an entirely original concept – it also inspired the 2006 Rickie Lee Jones album The Sermon On Exposition Boulevard. In common with that earlier record, Hille’s work is never preachy or full of fire and brimstone. If anything, it’s a catalogue of questions about her own faith which she’s still struggling to answer.
