Homemaker
Outside, 2023
8/10
The Canadian songstress Jill Barber returns to her roots in folk music with these songs that revolve around motherhood, marriage, and the push and pull that come with finding one’s own identity.
“Instant Cash For Gold” starts the listen and makes an immediate impression with Barber’s distinct voice alongside very warm guitar and glowing pedal steel, and “Beautiful Life” follows with a quicker pace that’s still quite intimate, where Barber’s poetic wordplay is much appreciated.
Halfway through, “Woman Of My Own Dreams” welcomes graceful piano to the storytelling about raising children and navigating a family, while “My Mother’s Hand” is particularly pretty, where Barber’s meticulous guitar playing and eloquent singing really does draw us in to her imagery.
“Helium” and “Still In Love” exit the listen, where the former is a bit fuller, with agile drumming and firm keys to complement the pop influences, and the latter places playful rootsy nods into the flowing, melodic finish.
A much more stripped back affair than her recent works, Homemaker is no less impactful, and her multiple Juno Award nominations certainly are warranted as Barber again proves just why she’s one of Canada’s most loved songwriters.
Travels well with: Martha Wainwright- Come Home To Mama; Catherine Russell- Send For Me