CD Review
Artist: Christa Couture
Album: The Wedding Singer & The Undertaker
Label: One foot tapping records
Release Date: May 20, 2008

Reviewed by: Katie Clancy (Calgary Correspondent - Canada) 

The recent release of The Wedding Singer & The Undertaker is yet another reason to laud the Vancouver music scene. Christa Couture has released a smooth folk album, her second, and the first recorded in the studio. She succeeds where so many people fail, using her girly charms to weave a pretty fabulous story. Produced by Futcher (Be Good Tanyas, Girl Nobody), they have produced this little gem right under our here-to-for unknowing noses.

Musically, it is very good. The girl's voice is definitely pretty! Couture is very talented at using her voice to depict a lot of emotion, and with the stories she tells on the album, is a necessary aspect. She seems to embody the characters that she sings about. Her strumming guitar is often matched with horn and string arrangements, and sometimes the piano. The variety of arrangements from song to song livens up what might have otherwise been a staid and typical folk album. "Waterfall" is a soothing little ditty about falling in love with some excellent acoustic guitar work backing it up. "Sad Story Over" is a joyful tune that begins with some orchestral backing that feels vaguely vintage, like watching a quartet in the park on a sunny afternoon while "Oh yes Oh yes" has a very country feel.  The album was very well planned, as the tracks follow a musical and emotional journey. Listening from end to end gives a good idea of Couture's artful sense of music and arrangement, and it definitely plays on the strength of key songs. Another pleasant surprise of the album was the well-designed insert, lyrics and photos of Couture inside. Who said the art of the insert was dead? 

Couture recently went through the tragedy of losing her child, and the album seems to be a release from that. Some of the songs have a dark undertone such as "A Grief as This". The wide variety of emotion depicted throughout the album makes sense given the title: The Wedding Singer & The Undertaker. "They're not opposites," Couture has said of the title characters "It's not happy or sad; it's that you can't have one without the other." While I don't necessarily feel that is the case, Couture's juxtaposition of emotions does keep the album from being overbearing either way. While at times I wished the song would just pick up the beat, overall it provides some of catchy tunes.

The Wedding Singer & The Undertaker succeeds due to the wide variety of musical influences and also due to the raw truth that Christa Couture brings to it. She hides nothing in her lyrics, and it is easy to delve deep into the emotions she brings to the plate. The talented back up and interesting arrangement of songs also serves to make it a little folk jewel you will be glad to pick up.  

1. Sad Story Over 3:24
2. Nothing's Changed 3:51
3. Further from the Point 4:16
4. Map Unfolded 4:30
5. A Grief as This 4:05
6. The Declaration of Spring 3:50
7. I Don't Play Piano 4:07
8. Cry Baby Cry 3:27
9. In His Name 4:01
10. Waterfall 5:49
11. Oh Yes Oh Yes 3:10
12. Intro 0:55
13. Sweetheart 1:57