Artist:  Margaret Becker
Title:  Air
Label:  Independent

It is ridiculously easy to like Margaret Becker’s 13th album, especially if you thought that time might have caused her to lose her edge. If anything, she has only gotten better. The ten tracks of Air cover some friendly, familiar ground (the wonderfully bluesy rocker “All I Need Is Love” and the glimmering guitars of “You’re Still God”) and moves into some magical note-bending newness (the richly nuanced “Just Isaac”).  

I was fired up immediately by the Sheryl Crow-like opener “Coming Up for Air,” its country-flaired rock nothing short of a good time, plain and simple, especially with Becker’s glimmering guitar pumping out high energy right outta the gate. “Fly” is soulful pop, intricately arranged, featuring her beautifully raw vocals.

A must mention track is the quietly powerful “Said and Done.” Edgy string embellishments add texture to this encouraging call to life, and Becker really stretches out on the in-your-face lyrics. Bouncy pop-rocker “Beautiful” is notable for its bluesy undertones, and the strong background vocals add a richness to the worshipful lyrics. Gleaming guitar riffs highlight “You’re Still God” over her pure vocals, and the quietly humming “To Be an Indian,” thick with throbbing instrumentation, closes out the project on a stellar, haunting note. 

I wish I had more information on the players and the credits, but it wasn’t easy to come by. Suffice it to say, the creative, lustrous Maggie is baaaaaaaack, and in a big way.

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