9 July 2018
Album review – If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous. “If I had to try to summarize in a few lines the strongest feeling that emerges from listening to this beautiful record, I would say that it is the serene acceptance of human nature and the fact that sometimes we only have a minor role before the regular and imperturbable cycle of life.”
Best New Music: IF WE DIG ANY DEEPER IT COULD GET DANGEROUS by Sarah McQuaid
Madrid-born, Chicago-raised and UK-based singer and songwriter Sarah McQuaid has explored in her valuable career many shades of folk and alt rock, and listening to her most recent works we can realize how profound and rich this journey has been. Sarah’s last and fifth release, If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous, is for sure her most mature album so far, and the songs of the LP capture the artist in a phase of full confidence in her capacity to meditate over challenging themes and also to evoke intimate and sometimes desolate atmospheres.
To be truly honest, the first time I listened to the album I remained a little perplexed because of the persistent dark tones of the songs and also the rarefied melodies that accompany most of the tracks. I needed however only a short time to understand that I was in front of an album which requires a certain level of dedication and also the willingness to go through a few listens before it may release all of its value, which is clear and indisputable. Make no mistake, however, don’t expect to find crystal-clear melodies and danceable songs, rather get ready for a melancholic journey where the happy ending is not always guaranteed. The emotions you will experience, though, will be intense and able to make you travel in far away and charming places.
If I had to try to summarize in a few lines the strongest feeling that emerges from listening to this beautiful record, I would say that it is the serene acceptance of human nature and the fact that sometimes we only have a minor role before the regular and imperturbable cycle of life. This cosmic message is partly evoked by the artist’s voice and lyrics, but if it manages to get so deep in your soul is only becasue of the haunting, minimal and evocative music, which is the real added value of the album. And it is no coincidence, in fact, that the pieces that impressed me the most are the most delicate and introspective songs of the album. We have a few ballads in the classic style of folk, with violins and acoustic guitars, but the peak of the emotions, in my opinion, is reached when the artist is accompanied by only the reverberation of her electric guitar, which sounds like an echo of distant worlds, memories from the past that appear in a corner of our thoughts leaving a feeling of conscious abandonment.
If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous is available on Bandcamp and it can be also streamed on Spotify.
The album was released on February 2018 and it was produced by legendary English singer-songwriter and guitarist Michael Chapman. The minimal and simple cover artwork was designed by Sarah McQuaid.