Kate Maki

Artists often describe albums as snapshots of a specific moment in their lives, and Kate Maki's fourth release reflects that statement. Like her previous effort, '08s On High, the Sudbury, ON singer-songwriter recorded most of Two Song Wedding at WaveLab in Tucson, AZ, with luminary Howe Gelb (of Giant Sand) adding significant contributions. Unfortunately, those involved in this latest two-day session seemed more intent on capturing just the right spooky vibe, with the songs suffering as a result. Maki has proven up until now that she's not your average folkie, but too much of Two Song Wedding sounds like it's straining for some kind of revelation through its deliberately ramshackle arrangements. Two tracks recorded later with Dave MacKinnon of FemBots ― "Rip Out The Moon" and "Crossfire" ― possess more conviction, and make a strong case that Maki should have shelved the Tucson sessions. Gelb fans will surely argue this assessment, but in spite of some good material, Maki simply sounds uninspired.