Feel the Earth Spin

Kate MacLeod started Feel the Earth Spin as a simple project: just a girl and a guitar, recording a few of her favorite compositions. But life is seldom so simple. "You can't catch music, you can't trap it, you can't lock it up in a studio," MacLeod writes. "It's too wild and mysterious." How true. But while small embellishments were made here and there, Feel the Earth Spin remains honest and down-to-earth. The lovely "Potter's Wheel" sets the album in motion. This quiet meditation, brought full by rural images and a pleasant melody, brings to mind Mary McCaslin's early '70s work. It's appropriate then that the next song is "Way Out West," the title cut from McCaslin's singer/songwriter classic. The remainder of the album continues in this vein, but none of the material is as strong as the first two tracks. The difference has less to do with the lyrics, which are fine, than the lack of distinctive melodies. MacLeod's voice, however, is always a pleasure to listen too, and fans will enjoy hearing these new songs in a stripped-down setting. The simple approach and honesty of the recording also make Feel the Earth Spin a perfect album for a quite Sunday afternoon filled with reflection.