CREDIT: WAX LABELS
If you want a fresh sound without the influence of synthetic sheen and digital crunch or radio pop production, Alyssa Reid's Phoenix is for you.

I write about random things a lot. I write a lot about random things. The more I think about it, the harder a time I have in pinpointing the time when piano–centric pop fell out of favour. The ’90s were brimming with Sarah McLachlans and Chantal Kreviazuks, yet the style became relegated to the adult contemporary crowd in the years that followed as pop music trended towards disposability.

In such a case, Alyssa Reid’s new album Phoenix may be a contemporary return to form. Due for release Friday, Nov. 27 on Wax Records, Reid’s newest work is at once refreshing in its uncomplicated yet lush arrangement and an undeniable statement from a creator who is willing to challenge the status quo for their art.

“Everything with pop is extremely polished, and has a million people doing touch–ups on it from the second it’s written to the second it’s released,” Reid said. “I wanted to release something more raw than that, and show people the initial process before it’s conformed to radio standards.”

The result is a fresh take on recording, casting aside the synthetic sheen and digital crunch of pop production for a more streamlined, organic sound. Except for the inclusion of fully–realized radio mixes of preview tracks “Dangerous” and “Tomorrow” and the rhythmic bounce of closer “Lonely Heart”. The aforementioned tracks further highlight the contrast between the delicate acoustic nature of these songs and the what–might–have– been if only they had been destined for polished pop production.

Instead, Reid marries her vocals with warm piano and stirring string accompaniment, crafting a sonically beautiful record that shines a light on her strength as a songsmith while taking a stand against convention.

“I’ve stopped writing for radio on this album, and gone back to writing for me,” Reid said. “I’m putting something out there that is real music, with real lyrics and real emotions that people can relate to, and I feel like that is triumphant.”

The emotional weight of Phoenix is apparent from the moment it kicks off with “Suffocating”, a plea for compassion with a powerful vocal hook. Its plaintive message isn’t exactly representative of the underlying theme of empowerment on the album, but it is musically and lyrically nimble and sets the tone of the record well.

Particularly stirring is the title track “Phoenix”, a haunting track that illustrates the real emotional power of the album and the pain that can inspire the strength it takes to start anew, the steadying breath before the first step of a journey of a thousand miles. According to Reid, the song and the album that shares its name represent different things to her, though they may ultimately carry the same message.

“They are about two completely different situations, but both with the same meaning of becoming a stronger person, and being reborn out of the ashes of a negative situation,” Reid said. “Deciding to name the album that is more symbolic of my career, its ups and downs, [of] the things that I’ve learned and the person I’ve become as a result of that entire journey.”

Together with co–writer Jamie Appleby, Reid produced the acoustic majority of Phoenix, recording in a home studio in Toronto so she could feel at home during the process. It’s a long way from her beginnings in the industry as a teenager, and that journey has informed much of the spirit of the album.

“I had to go through all [of] that to come [to a] full circle and realize the importance of what music is to me again,” she explained. “I don’t know if it’s going to be a chart–topper, but [this] is the most personal and honest album that I’ve made, and that is a success to me.”

For more on Alyssa Reid or her new album Phoenix, visit alyssareid.com or follow her on Twitter or Instagram. The album release show at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts on Nov. 27 will mark the debut of Reid’s new intimate sound onstage, stay tuned for tour dates to catch this concert experience on tour soon.

And for more of the latest music news, album streams and gigs coming to London, add @fsu_bobbyisms to your Twitter timeline. If you can only listen to a couple of songs on Phoenix, check out “Suffocating” and “Beautiful” along with the title track. I’m out of words.