David Kronke on “Absence of Blame”

This is a beautiful recording with moments that sent chills through me. “The One” may be the single most wrenching song I’ve ever heard, and it was recorded perfectly – no frills, naked emotion, an anguished search for meaning that probably isn’t there.

And that just comes halfway through the album. I hadn’t heard the song “Love is There” before, but I thought [this] version was gorgeous, and was thinking the first time I listened to the CD, well, if there are a couple of more songs on this that are on that level, then this is a job well done. But they just kept on coming – “Blown Away,” “Broken,” “Juliet and Juliet,” “State of Emergency” and “Edentown” are all powerful, “99%” and “Size 6 Dress” are very clever, “Last Man in the Water” and “I’m So Glad You Came Along” are lovely grace notes with which to end the album that keep you from reaching for the razor blades, and anything I haven’t mentioned are strong, solid songs. [Sara’s] voice is in amazing shape, making the whole set simply soar. A baseball pitcher threw a no-hitter today, saved by an amazing play by an outfielder diving for a ball tailing away from him; they cut back to the pitcher and you could see him mouth the word “Wow.” And that’s my response: wow.

David Kronke
Freelance Writer/Los Angeles Daily News/Huffington Post

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