Have you met someone who just has the knack? Not the “My Sharona” kind, rather, the natural ability to learn a skill, create art, or solve problems. After listening Sky Too Wide, the latest from Tracy Bonham, I’m convinced she’s got it. The classically trained multi-instrumentalist and singer can change up musical styles with grace and ease. Those familiar with her work will no doubt recall her hard-edged vocals and alt-rock sensibilities from hits “The One” and “Mother Mother”. Sky Too Wide builds on Bonham’s work in other genres like modern blues and pop, and features jazz musicians Rene Hart on bass and Alvester Garnett on drums. Partially funded through a Kickstarter campaign, the lush production shows the funds were put to good use.
I’ll take you through a few of the tracks of Sky Too Wide that I think best illustrate Tracy Bonham’s musical abilities.
Leading off the album is the reworked “Give Us Something To Feel (Sky Wide Version)”. Comparing this version with the 2000 single, I got a clear picture of the direction Bonham is taking her music. While the original has a desert rock vibe and Bonham’s violin accompaniment, the Sky Wide Version fades the strings in favor of jazz piano and bass. Her voice has a bit of smoke to it and is less forward in the mix. There’s a depth to this recording, and an inky-black background lets you hear each instrument in detail. As an audiophile myself, it’s something late-night listeners will deeply enjoy. The lyrics fit the original desert vibes; however, they still express a story of lamentable isolation and a thirst to feel something real.
Reminiscent of Tracy Bonham’s MTV Buzz Clip days, “Jumping Bean” feels more like the alternative throw-back missing in today’s indie rock scene. In addition to the edginess in her voice, there are matching driven guitars and thumping drums. It’s a fun listen, and the type of song that would be on heavy VH1 in the late 90s. That in itself is a plus for me.
I dig a lot of bands from that area and yearn for guitar-driven rock to be mainstream again. Tracy Bonham definitely scratches that itch for me.
“Don’t Dick Around With My Heart” feels like the pinnacle of the album. At 5 minutes long, you are treated to tempo shifts and key changes that keep you guessing where the track will go next. The woodwind interludes are easily my favorite part. It gives a lullaby-like quality, further enhanced by crystalline hits on a xylophone or similar instrument. Bonham’s vocal talents are also on display as she climbs up to what is likely the upper end of her range by the end. It’s all just very entrancing and moving and wouldn’t feel out of place in an old romance movie.
Continuing the upper-register vocals and strings combo is “Naked”, another reworking of a previously released track. As the title suggests, the recording is pretty bare. With the simple and reserved beat, the piano and violin give Bonham’s voice a lot of space. Lyrically, it is a confession to her ex-lover that she regrets being so vulnerable and open. The closing line has a nice bite to it “You’re naked. Pretty as a heartache. Going out exactly the way you came in,” punctuated by the crescendo of the song. Closing the album is “Safe With Me.” There are some lovely backing vocals that draw you in to listen closer. As one of my favorite elements of the record, the moving strings demonstrate Bonham’s classical talents.
It is a fitting conclusion to Sky Too Wide as it feels designed to showcase Tracy Bonham’s many talents and influences.
For me, Sky Wide Open proves Tracy Bonham is an artist’s artist. The album brings to mind the likes of Norah Jones’ Feels Like Home or Sara Watkins‘ Under the Pepper Tree. You can get a real feel for the capabilities of Tracy Bonham and the type of music she likes to create. She incorporates classical, jazz, blues, rock, and pop into a 9-track album that flies by and isn’t chock-full of filler tracks. Obviously, there’s no denying her gifts are on full display here. The lyrics are catchy, the production is clear and rich, and the instrumentation is world-class. Turn it on and let yourself get lost in it. I think you’ll be delighted by what you hear.
Sky Too Wide is available to stream everywhere and at tracybonham.com