Dreamy post-rock from London, Ontario.

Basia has a breathy voice like a reed instrument, and she plays it beautifully over her autoharp.

That's right, an autoharp.

There are strings as well as a ukulele.

That's right, a ukulele.

Track Listing

1. Before I Knew
2. I Was A Daughter
3. Little Waltz
4. December
5. Snakes And Ladders
6. Oh, My Darling
7. In The Night
8. Little One
9. Why Can't It Be Mine
10. The Pilgriming Vine
11. La-Da-Da
12. Birds Of Paradise
13. A Secret

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #16629 in Music
• Released on: 2008-02-05
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.com
"Timeless" is an overused word, but when listening to London, Ontario, singer Basia Bulat's debut CD, Oh My Darling, her voice, choice of musical styles, and orchestral propensities come from another generation, evoking comparisons to '60s and '70s musicians like Nico and Maddy Prior. Combining a warmth and sadness perhaps best described as caramelancholy, Bulat's music is part traditional folk ("December"), part symphonic ("Little Waltz"), part samba ("Why Can't It Be Mine") and--if you can imagine--alternative drumline, where Bulat's madly uptempo, rhythm-fronted numbers feature rapid beats center stage with her voice quietly singing in the background ("In The Night," "Snakes and Ladders," and standout track, "I Was a Daughter"). Try as you might to compare or classify her, Bulat truly is an original, moving musically about in whatever direction suits her. Amidst the constant change-ups, some of the CD's greatest charms are found in the pared-down moments of quiet, specifically "Birds of Paradise," "Little One," and disc closer, "A Secret." As unclassifiable as she is, the singer-songwriter is receiving heaps of praise from the UK, and one constant is clear: fans of both traditional folk and contemporary indie rock can coexist in their collective love of Bulat's warm melodies. --Denise Sheppard

Album Description
2007 debut album from the Canadian singer/songwriter. Based out of Toronto, Basia was heavily influenced by Folk, Jazz and acoustic music,, releasing a demo CD in 2004. Basia's unique vocal style and varied range has led to comparisons ranging from Feist to Natalie Merchant to Elyse Weinberg. Rough Trade.

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Customer Reviews

Amazing album
We saw Basia open for Devotchka in St. Louis, and she stole the show. Unbelievable show... I've been to literally hundreds of shows and an opener rarely gets the crowd by the ears and hearts so effectively.
While the live vibe was incredible (strings made a huge difference), the CD has a more subtle feel to it, with a piano they lacked on stage. I recommend this both for lovers of great singers and stellar songwriting. She's got a voice that edges between the modern female folk-rock ideal and classic Southern soul. Beautiful, both inspiring and heart-wrenching.

Nice debut album from this Canadian singer/songwriter
Basia Bulat came out of nowhere (for me anyway) with this album, bringing a nice mix of mostly folksy, pensive songs. "Oh, My Darling" (13 tracks, 38 min.) starts off with a short "Before I Knew" before crashing in with an upbeat "I Was a Daughter" which sounds great. After that "Little Waltz" showcases Basia's vocals (augmented only by acoustic guitar), just beautiful. Other highlights for me include "Snakes and Ladders", reminiscent of Natalie Merchant; "Why Can't It Be Mine", reminicent of fellow Canadian Joni Mitchell from the "Blue" era, just outstanding; and "Birds of Paradise", again just Basia just on acoustic guitar.

I probably would have never found out about Basia Bulat but for the fact that I saw her in concert last month, opening for DevotchKa. And what a set she brought. She opened (before a talkative crowd) with an a-capella song, and brought to house to a complete silence, you could've heard a pin drop, wow. Basia had an excellent backing band, and they brought many of the songs from "Oh, My Darling" in their 45 min. set, and absolutely won over the audience. Talk about captivating a stage. Meanwhile, "Oh, My Darling" is a very nice debut album, and I can't wait to see where Basia will go from here.

Basia has a cold
I listened to this cd at a local music store in Toronto. (Basia I believe is from this neck of the woods) It sounded ok nothing ground breaking but I like to pick up new albums when I can, especially female singers as that is really lacking from my collection.
The more I listen to this cd the more it resonates with me. Basia has a beautiful voice, the compositions are while poppy not at all generic like a lot of signed female singer songwriters. She is clearly very talented and will go on to record much better work.
One of the better albums of the last year, also beautifully produced which is just the icing on the cake.