By Emily Senger
Sarah Slean is a 34-year-old recording artist and a singer, songwriter, pianist and an occasional actress who recorded her first album, Universe, at the age of 19. You can feel her enthusiasm and commitment to what she does based on her lyrical themes that are clearly inspired by her studies in philosophy. All the songs on her sixth studio album, Land & Sea, are written by her, and most of them are produced by Joel Plaskett.
Land & Sea is a two-disc set, and each CD contains a different style of music — one being classical while the other is pop. The first disc, Land, is cheery and upbeat. It is also inspiring, philosophical and spiritual, however, and its themes focus on issues like life on Earth, pain, pride, society and the strangeness of our world. Sea, her second disc, is a classical masterpiece that is recorded with 21 orchestral pieces.
This album is oriented more toward a mature audience — those who would focus on the subtle lyrics and the art of her music. For those who like her style and especially enjoy relaxing music, I would recommend Sea. If you are in a more energetic mood, go ahead and listen to Land. After adventuring across the land and wandering into the sea, it will be interesting to see where Slean is planning to take us next.