Melissa McClelland

Stranded In Suburbia is as beautiful and sardonic as Melissa McClelland herself.

It’s an honest and skilfully realized collection of tracks about growing up in suburbia. Anyone who has lived in the ‘burbs can tell you it’s a very different existence than living in the city, even a small city is somewhat livelier.

McClelland’s vocals give a needed airiness to these melancholy tracks about alcohol and drugs, basements and rooftops, curfews, runaways, violence, sex, love and futile dreams. Some tracks can be downright depressing; but her voice flies you in safely into her lyrics and stories. You can relate to what she’s saying, even if you’re from the city. Everyone has been a teenager, so most of the songs ring true.

She took violin lessons for ten years, employing the Suzuki method that focuses on training the ear. This allowed McClelland to move on to piano and later guitar, her instrument of choice these days. She knows her stuff: You can hear how noises, distortions and dissonance work so perfectly with here beautifully clear voice and solid instrumentation.

Some of that sound can be accredited to a crew of very talented musicians, and two Canadian indie mainstays behind the scenes: producer Like Doucet with mixes by Michael Phillip Wojewoda.

Although comparisons can be made to many social-minded Canadian female alt-pop/country/rock/etc. etc. etc. it’s never fair to do so. McClelland is no longer stranded in suburbia, she has ventured into areas where everyone can appreciate what she has to say.