Shine On (Deluxe Edition)

Her father passed. She divorced her husband, split with her longtime manager and her longtime record label, and while she addresses things on “Song For My Father,” “Surrender and Certainty” and “Broken Heart,” Sarah McLachlan also offers up her most directly upbeat album to date. Producer Pierre Marchand is her one constant and he teams yet again to create the gentle shimmer that’s been a trademark of McLachlan’s sound since the beginning. Yet, McLachlan found time to work with hard rock producer Bob Rock (Metallica, Motley Crue) on two tracks, “Flesh and Blood” and “Love Beside Me” and the result isn’t heavy metal but a definite grandiosity that climaxes with a vocal choir and a melodramatic dynamic. A gentle piano moment such as “Beautiful Girl” reminds everyone of the young kid they first discovered. The Deluxe Version adds the piano tracks “What’s It Gonna Take” and “Little B” that continue this simple, straightforward vibe.