At a cursory listen, the songs on this album may seem very eclectic, ranging from bluesy rock to Caribbean rhythms and even a touch of gospel. Those of you with sensitivity to nuance and a spirit of adventure may be able to detect the subtle narrative that conjoins these pieces. The opening song and most recent composition, "First In Love", celebrates the present and begins a long and personal journey back to Anna's earliest days of songwriting. "Glimmer In The Dark" invokes the muse that inspired this song over 25 years ago. Like "The Rain", written while she was still a teenager, it speaks of a quest of inspiration, of meaning in a world of loss, and of the search for self-identity that all fuse in "I Am Who I Am", the anthemic bonus track. While "Hello Again" romanticizes the absent friend, songs such as "When I Get Out Of Bed" and "Middle Of The Line" confront the unpopular realities of middle age, of family pressures, of utter exhaustion. These songs reflect her days of social-worker burnout, compassion fatigue, and the unsentimental side of motherhood: being caught in the middle of working overnight shifts, raising teenagers, and watching her own mother slowly vanish in long-term care. It is a legacy of Alzheimer's and other incomprehensible estrangements. But she shares realism, not pessimism. "This Love Is Real To Me" revels in the joys of anti-cosmetic honesty. Longstanding love, intimacy, creativity, and even idealism dare to thrive, despite the ordinary torments and commonplace disapprovals of conformist culture. The harmonies and rhythms of social justice songs, including "People (Got To Get It Together)" and "Another Way Out" may inspire an activist voice in all of us who remain unfulfilled by the status quo and troubled by the oppressions of others. At the same time, we all need to relax and allow time for pleasure: the promise of a new relationship in "You Won't Be Sorry" anticipates the vibe of "In The Sun", a tune that brings us the beach vacation -- perhaps even a hot honeymoon! There are surprises along the way. If you listen carefully, you will hear the little black cat tiptoeing along with the muse in "Glimmer" before his a cappella solo, "The Voice Of Bliss". The journey is not always linear, and these are songs to return to not only in the cold of a Canadian winter, but at times when our spirits need warmth and comfort. I hope that you enjoy this journey with us.
- Georgia Wilder