The name Tara MacLean might give cause to wonder if she is some sort of Sarah McLachlan parody. The truth is not too far off. They are both singer-songwriters-pianists from eastern Canada and MacLean enjoyed some left-of-the-limelight attention during the Lilith Fair. But beyond these immediate factoids, the comparisons to McLachlan end. Musically, Passenger has more in common with Jewel's albums. While Jewel turned her street-musician urchin experience into lyrical source material, MacLean turns to her survival of a rather unusual and not entirely pleasant upbringing by her Wiccan-turned-born-again-Christian parents for inspiration. Just as Jewel's lyrical triteness alienates the pragmatic, the New Age undercurrents in MacLean's album, charged with velvety-soft synths and the obligatory trip-hop rhythms, runs the same risk of leaving a syrupy taste. However, some people like their music with a cherry on top, even when the subject matter is bitter; for those, this album will satisfy. For a truly impressive collection in this arena, Kendall Payne's debut cannot be recommended enough. --Beth Massa
