Maddie Storvold

Freedom, Books, Flowers and the Moon // Big Blanket

Folk is the easiest style of music to play but the hardest to play well. This is because the songwriter behind the words must have adequately lived to be able to offer deep and thought provoking musings. Most great folk singers have ample years under their belts or, in the case of Maddie Storvold, an over-abundance of life experiences. (Although a degree in Literature and Philosophy also doesn’t hurt) 

For the better part of Storvold’s life, she has been a nomad. Born in Cold Lake and raised in Dubai, she’s busked on the streets of Banff and played in bars from Thailand to South Africa. It’s this wealth of world experience that opens the door for her profound observations on friendship, heartache, travelling, suicide and the seemingly insignificant details in life. Her new album captures those themes in a way one would expect from somebody twice her age. As potent and cleaver as her lyrics can be, they are brought to life with her impeccable voice and gentle guitar work. Added instrumentation of piano, fiddle, banjo, upright bass and percussion are used at different times to add depth to these ten songs. Freedom, Books, Flowers and the Moon is a huge leap forward for Storvold, one that has the folk world buzzing.

- Jeff MacCallum