Clara Engel is an experienced singer-songwriter from
Toronto, Canada. She has independently released a number of albums on small
labels all around the globe. It's a proper D.I.Y. love story. Her album and EP covers tell
stories of a pain, sadness, and depression. It's the style Engel has persisted
with since her first release in 2004. Engel's sound is atmospheric, with a
focus on apocalyptic folk in the style of Cat Power's Moon Pix.
Condensing Engel's sound in to a short Discovery feature is considerably insignificant. The Toronto singer-songwriter has been doing this for years to a dedicated underground audience; you could say Engel has a cult following. Faint-hearted souls should definitely stay away, and those that enjoy the works of Nick Drake, Cat Power, and Elliot Smith should stay put and explore the bizarre world that presents itself on Engel's recordings. "Lovebirds" has been highlighted as one of her dearest songs - she sings: "To collapse in the fire isn't worth the pain, she'll come and put me together again." Like most of her discography, "Lovebirds" opens with a spacious electric guitar riff, then builds with simplistic instrumentation such as a light piano, synthesizer, and a banjo. It's the banjo that takes "Lovebirds" from its most sincere point to its final note - great work from an inspiring Canadian songwriter that should be playing to thousands in the near future.
~Eddie
