Somewhere in the Meadow is a gentle and intimate introduction to the Vancouver musician Tian (天).
Released Feb. 14 through Bandcamp, this three-song project establishes the artist as one who balances the natural world and the intricacies of human experience.
The recording is an elegant combination of acoustic guitar, piano and a few subtle special effects.
Opening Somewhere in the Meadow, “Solitude” offers a grounding vision for this collection of songs and introduces the listener to its subjects of self-reflection and deep appreciation of the untouched natural spaces.
Set in what seems to be an imagined picturesque retreat, the song offers a pensive reflection on the subject of change in company with the duality of hope and anxiety that it brings to life.
Despite that hope, the song is also rather melancholic, offering no indication that the change is on the horizon as it ends with a peaceful embrace of the act of sequestration.
Rooted deeply in the folk guitar music of generations passed, the piece offers a platform to reveal the artist’s unique vocal performance, blending country twang with a sense of metropolitan sophistication.
“February” continues the traditional combination of acoustic guitar and voice.
With observations set within the blooming spring landscape and ever lengthening days, the song is also centered on a coming change and a need to move forward.
Closing this collection of performances, “Tapestry” exhibits the singer’s impressive vocal range, expert delivery and presence. A dynamic piece centered on the artist’s voice and piano offers the deepest valleys and tallest peaks of the collection.
The piece shifts focus from natural environments to the domesticity of a lived-in home.
As the song comes to its conclusion and the song’s narrator gets to work on their own metaphorical tapestry of hopes and dreams, it becomes clear that these three works, when presented as a single experience, tenderly document the difficult process of overcoming despondency.
Presented with the gentle care and compassion of the artist, Somewhere in the Meadow offers a warm, dappled light on our darkest thoughts and reminds the listener that there is always a place where we will find peace.
