Kaisa MacDonald is kind of a blend of Joni Mitchell and Edie Brickell. She has that kind of Bohemian/folk vibe embodied in both of those artists. That being said, Kaisa is a pretty unique singer who requires a unique term. And so dear reader, I will venture to classify kaisa MacDonald's style and sound as soulfolk. Musically, not unlike Marley's Ghost, especially in "Unsquare Dance." This song is part folk, part bluegrass, but doesn't fall entirely into either category. That's kind of a bellwether for the entire album. There are definite shades of Bakersfield, country, folk, soul. There's even a kind of groovy (I'm not sure I would label it funky, but it leans that way) sound in both "Train Song" and "Dry Land."
The band also shows a bit of humor on "Cowgirl." Not that it's necessarily a funny song, mind you. What's funny is that the guitar part seems to borrow heavily from "Blue Shadows on the Highway." Yes, that song from Three Amigos.
This is a hard band to classify, and I always have a place in my heart for bands about whom I can honestly say that. The songs are at once simple and complex. Now what do I mean by that? What I mean is that the folk leanings give the songs a certain simple familiarity, while the arrangements of largely string instruments are pretty complex. This is a talented group of musicians and songwriters, and I expect good things from this band on future albums.
