Meaghan Smith - The Cricket's Orchestra

As the adage goes, "everything old is new again" for The Cricket's Orchestra, a sparkling debut from Halifax, Nova Scotia singer/songwriter Meaghan Smith finally arriving February 9 via Sire. Deftly taking her songs and reimagining them in the sepia-shaded tones of the 20's, 30's and 40's musical styles, Smith and producer Les Cooper reach into a veritable grab bag of quirky, campy sounds and vintage instruments. Mellotrons bump up against clarinets and dixieland rhythms. Sweeping orchestrations summon chic Broadway musicals while string quartets, jitterbug rhythms and scratchy needles on vinyl add to the snug retro fit.

"I wanted the album to be an inspiring musical experience that makes you feel like you're leaving one world and entering another," she reflects, "a colorful, whimsical and imaginative place where you can reflect on your past and look forward to your future. I am greatly moved by...the times when things were pure and simple so I wanted the music to recall those eras, but I wanted to put a my own spin on it." She sums up: "The result is an ideal blend of old and new."

Thanks to Smith's polished songwriting, what might have come off as simply a heady, esoteric experiment instead becomes a delightful and unpredictable excursion. Songs like the purely precocious "I Know" with whistling melody, lazy piano and brushed ballroom rhythms never dip into overly precious territory. Smith's unaffected, straightforward singing gives the songs a casual, almost hip atmosphere. The nimble and sly "Drifted Apart" practically aches for a moonlight waltz, all summer breezes and starched dresses, as Smith sings softly of a friendship lost. Recommended. (A new holiday-themed EP Wish Upon A Star is at digital outlets December 8...preview after the jump).

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Meaghan Smith - "Soft Touch" (from the album The Cricket's Orchestra)

Meaghan Smith - "Drifted Apart" (from the album The Cricket's Orchestra)