Light & Matter - Gold

On ""Light and Matter"", Caroline Marie Brooks finds herself in good company. The Ontario-based songwriter's second solo record spills over with visions of nature rendered in earthy folk-pop, locating wonder and comfort in the nourishing tendencies of the wider world's green and blue swaths of abundance while also coming to terms with the complexity of being in fellowship with other living things. Sweet, bright melodies wrap like vines around the connections in sisterhood, motherhood, friendship, and romance that she writes thoughtfully about, buoyed by intricate, percussive arrangements filled out by trusted musical good company-producer, Josh Van Tassel, and instrumentalist Dean Drouillard, with guests Christine Bougie and Colin Carbonera. Aptly, Caroline keeps the good company of good ideas, too-like encountering a special bird, walking in dense woods, considering the body of someone you love, and swimming in a pond-makes one wonder how or why anyone tries to do all the things one is apparently supposed to do as an artist in the 21st century. ""It's a lot to keep up with, but I just want to make music, make a living, be with my family, and love people, and have people love me,"" Brooks says. ""And not just for the music, either,"" she adds with a laugh.On ""Light and Matter"" Caroline extends an invitation wide and with an open heart. In ""the solitude of twilight"" or among loved ones, ""Light and Matter"" offers the balm of that simple phenomenon to be cherished: good company.Caroline Marie Brooks is a founding member of acclaimed folk trio Good Lovelies, who are celebrating their 20th anniversary as a band later this year. As a member of Good Lovelies, Caroline has won multiple JUNO and Canadian Folk Music Awards. She has toured Canada, the US, and the UK extensively.