Memories

Kate Greenwood

Local Thunder Bay musician Kate Greenwood’s collection of songs, memories, makes the difficult look easy. By now, the whole folky, acoustic, solo singer-songwriter thing has been done, and it’s been done by so many artists over the decades to such varying degrees of quality that a gentle acoustic line and wavering, tender vocals shouldn’t be able to move me. And yet, here’s Greenwood’s soft picking and absolutely tender vocals sneaking their way into my listening rotation, as needed and safe as the comfort of my dark house just before sunrise. The five songs here are heartfelt and subdued. It’s easy listening, but memories is also a lowercase offering with quiet moments of triumph and bravery. There’s nowhere for the musician to hide when it’s just guitar and voice, and the lyrics better stand up as well. No concerns here: Greenwood’s singing lifts these songs up to the necessary heights. During “sunburns,” for example, the chorus of “we thought we found a heaven we could trust” ramps up during each repetition until there’s no ignoring the ugly betrayal at the heart of the song, even if it is wrapped up in a beautiful package. Full of small moments that play big, memories is another worthy contribution to the genre and a reason to keep an eye on Greenwood.