Ambitious and proud of it, Carson McHone reveals where she’s coming from in the opening moments of her dazzling new album. Pentimento begins with a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson, standard-bearer of the 19th-century Transcendalist movement, which believed divine truths could be drawn from everyday experience. “Heaven walks among us…and no one suspects the days to be gods,” he wrote. If at first that seems like artsy folderol, think again. Mixing the dreamy and the visceral with masterful ease, McHone crafts vivid scenes that resonate beyond their literal dimensions.
No longer the Austin alt-country artist who seemed to be headed down a familiar creative path, McHone (who’s now based in Ontario) is charting her own course on this exhilarating work. While the elliptical lyrics, which encircle their subjects rather than pinning them down, can be daunting, she sweetens her pitch with breathtaking melodies and rousing performances. Despite mild echoes of such groundbreaking bands as The Byrds and Fairport Convention, McHone’s eclectic version of folk-rock avoids nostalgia, employing a bracing array of instruments. Along with sparkly guitars, Pentimento features Mellotron, glockenspiel, ukelin, fiddle, accordion, and violin, many played by longtime collaborator (and spouse) Daniel Romano, who also supplies bass and drums.
