Released 10 years ago
Hard Sail
Chantal Kreviazuk · 2016
35 min · 10 tracks · pop music
Intimate piano melodies intertwine with Kreviazuk’s emotive vocals, creating a reflective atmosphere of vulnerability and strength.
Top tracks — play these first
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Hard Sail — The title track encapsulates the album's themes of resilience and self-discovery, set against a backdrop of rich instrumentation that highlights Kreviazuk's vocal prowess.
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Lost — This track beautifully juxtaposes haunting melodies with poignant lyrics about searching for clarity, making it a standout moment on the record.
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I Love You — A tender exploration of love's complexities, this song showcases Kreviazuk's ability to convey deep emotion through nuanced vocal delivery and lyrical depth.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album showcases intimate songwriting and strong vocal delivery, creating a cohesive and reflective listening experience.
What we noticed
- The album opens with a title track that features a slow build, layering piano and strings to create an atmospheric introduction.
- Each song typically features Kreviazuk's vocals prominently, often accompanied by minimal instrumentation that emphasizes lyrical content.
- Several tracks incorporate dynamic shifts, such as 'Vicious' which contrasts softer verses with a more powerful chorus.
- The final track, 'Smile in Your Sleep', concludes the album with a gentle fade-out, leaving a lingering emotional resonance.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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6/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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7/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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8/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- introspective moments of vulnerability
- poignant reflections on love
- gentle melodies for quiet evenings
- short tracks for focused listening
Maybe skip if you
- seekers of high-energy tracks
- prefer lengthy immersive experiences
Where this album fits
- Career context
- By 2016, Chantal Kreviazuk was in a phase of artistic renewal, having taken a hiatus since her last studio album in 2006. 'Hard Sail' marked her return to music after a decade, showcasing her growth as both a songwriter and performer while re-establishing her presence in the pop landscape.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Sarah McLachlan· Tori Amos· Natalie Merchant
Moments worth listening for
Where the writing does something specific.
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Into Me
The bridge shifts perspective, revealing an internal struggle that contrasts with the earlier verses' confidence.
This moment introduces vulnerability that challenges the song's previously assured tone, enhancing the emotional depth of the narrative.
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Hard Sail 3:49
- 2 All I Got 3:09
- 3 Into Me 3:17
- 4 Vicious 3:49
- 5 Lost 4:15
- 6 Meant for This 3:36
- 7 Snowing in the Desert 3:33
- 8 Ticklish 3:44
- 9 I Love You 4:21
- 10 Smile in Your Sleep 2:03
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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