I’m sometimes amazed by the extent to which a youthful interest can lay the foundation for a lifetime of passionate involvement in something. Such is the case with Los Angeles artist Paula Fong. Her fascination with music began with summertime explorations of Brittany as a child being exposed to Celtic songs, and Breton folk in particular. That led to further genres as divergent as Chinese opera and gospel. After working with a variety of LA songsters, Fong released a critically-acclaimed debut EP a couple of years ago and is on the cusp of releasing her full length debut, A Bird on the Wing. Delving into many of the styles grouped under the Americana heading, the record showcases the range and breadth of her vocal talent.
CD opener River Run is a bluegrass ballad composed on the banks of Oregon’s Mackenzie river. It channels the notion that one’s troubles can be carried away on the current leaving one the chance to forgive and move on. At the other end of the album is Goodbyes. The rich vocals and finger snapping rhythm belie the tasty fiddle and banjo parts. Marianne starts as more of a folk song before launching into a full-on bluegrass treatment. More Celtic in its arrangement is Sans Dire Je T’iaime with a solid nod to Fong’s time in France.
Leaning more to the country side of things is Peace of Mind. With a solid pedal steel line and Fong’s voice it’s sort of like a torch singer performing deep in the ‘holler. What Are We Running From is a tune about how something as simple as a road trip can give you the freedom to find your inner self. The title track is an absolutely beautiful piano ballad about the range of emotion that goes into releasing a song you’ve written into the wider world. Like many of the cuts it features multi-instrumentalist Phil Glenn, this time on those keys with a powerful part owing much to its simplicity. The one cover on the record is of The Byrd’s Turn! Turn! Turn! featuring a variety of co-vocalists including Sean Watkins and Abby Posner and lends a little gospel air to the jangly original.
An album containing styles from French folk to a cappella parts to jazz-influenced honky-tonk can sometimes be a recipe for musical whiplash. Paula Fong’s lush, expressive vocals are the ties that bind, though. Leading you through the variety of influences she embraces, A Bird on the Wing serves as a travelogue through Americana style.
About the author: I've actually driven from Tehatchapee to Tonopah. And I've seen Dallas from a DC-9 at night.