Tina Lie - Free Enough to Fall

  by Lisa Torem

published: 11 / 8 / 2010

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“I was standing on the prairie when the winds of change carried your voice back to me,” intones Norwegian artist Tina Lie, in the intricately composed anthemic ‘Black Swan.’ The energy and grainy texture of Lie’s unique voice continues to extract depth during this song and the additional eleven compelling tracks. Produced by Nashville producer Byron House (Sam Bush, Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton), ‘Free Enough to Fall’ embraces this Lillehammer-bred performer’s vitality and distinctiveness. A frequent guest at Norway’s Oktoberfest, Storm Festival and the Aamaal Blues Fest, Lie seems capable of adapting herself to any performance challenge. Though I was immediately drawn to Lie’s unusual timbre, I was also impressed with the quality of her songwriting partnership with colleague Anne L, Spencer, who co-writes two thirds of the collection. Their collaboration serves up a distinctive structural, narrative style. Lie has a flexible talent. She carries the sound of an old soul, like a singer from an earlier era such as Eartha Kitt. Yet, she can comfortably sing Americana, rock and blues with equal commitment. In the song, ‘Twilight Hour’ penned by Ashley Cleveland, which also boasts generous backing vocals, she exhales, “Blinking like a firefly that’s bound for flight/Filling up the fading sky with tiny lights.” This song is just one example of how Lie’s voice aches with anguish and tears apart any illusions of pretentiousness. The bittersweet ‘Consumed’ contains choppy guitar shreds as the lyrics swirl around the theme of emptiness and abandonment. ‘Gambling with the Stars’ surprises us with touching piano and a gospel-peppered sincerity. “If I see an angel/I’ll tell him where you are/Out climbing with the mad men/Still gambling with the stars.” A non sequitor is a Dylan tribute ‘Do Right to Me Baby.’ Lie acts as a preacher, confecting her sermon with swirling redemption. ‘Pirate’s Heart’ is a treasure, too. “I come to you on black seas/From cities made of gold,” it begins. The “Lie/Spencer mix is joined by writer Brede Vestby, and the narrative is glossy and compelling. ‘Freedom Child’ which states, “Hush, old lover/I know you’re my friend” breathes in country air and is reminiscent of Don Henley. ‘Home Ground’ by P. Barrrere, makes one believe that Lie is a modern-day Bonnie Raitt. ‘Get it Right’ explodes with gutsy conviction. Against the fragility of keys, ‘Winter Moon’ provides closure. Native American flautist Bill Miller adds a plaintive coating to what ends a fantastic collection of forceful compositions. A wildly ambitious album, ‘Free Enough to Fall’ can not fail.

Track Listing:-

1 Black Swan
2 Twilight Hour
3 Consumed
4 Gambling With The Stars
5 Do Right To Me Baby
6 Pirate's Heart
7 White Moth
8 Solid Ground
9 Freedom Child
10 Home Ground
11 Get It Right
12 Winter Moon

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