L.A. Beat

Cara Luft is back with a fantastic new solo Cd called “Darlingford.”
 The Juno Award winning Calgary born, Winnipeg based performer is best known  as the Wailin’ Jennies’ banjo player. She pulls out all the stops and her banjo on her second solo CD, adding not only a string quartet, but some of Winnipeg ’s favourite musicians to add extra instruments and voices including Nathan’s Keri Latimer, Keith MacPherson, violinist Jesse Zubot and even JP Hoe, who was just in Lethbridge recently.

Andrew Dawson  adds stand-up bass, Mark Mariash plays subtle drums, Andrew Collins adds mandolin, Andrew McCrorie-Shand adds some accordion and hurdy gurdy. Scott Poley and Damon Mitchell provide extra electric guitar.

 There is also  pedal steel from Poley  and producer Lloyd Peterson who also adds snare drum and a Hammond organ. There is extra banjo from Chris Coole on  “My Darling One,” and  from Barry Luft on  “It’s Gonna Be All Right.”

 But all of these instruments work together in a gently woven tapestry of enjoyable folk music featuring fantastic vocal harmonies

 As expected, there is a lot of banjo as Luft is known for her banjo playing.
 Her songs are slices of her life, particularly the catchy and whimsical bonus  track “Charged,” about Luft getting stopped at the border and guards finding  someone else's marijuana under the seat of her car.

 The vocal harmonies stand out, though she carries  enjoyable Natalie Merchant style melodies all on her own.
 There is a touch of gospel on “Idaho,” as she chants “hallelujah,” in the chorus.

 She shows a strong spiritual side on “Idaho,” and on “Dallaire” about  Lieutenant -General Romeo Dallaire
 There are plenty of heartfelt songs about breaking up and broken hearts one about war widows and mothers, another about nature and a spooky traditional numbers.

 It is what you’d expect from a good folk and roots CD — solid stories, gentle guitar and a lot of instruments in the background and a traditional sound.

 “Charged,” a witty and thinly veiled shot at over zealous border guards is by far the best track on the CD.