Nova Scotia-born singer-songwriter SHEAL, the stage name for Sheilagh McNab, makes sure to cherish pieces of her youth in her newest EP, home-going, released last month.
Recorded mainly in the artist’s Toronto home and revolving around her voice and upright piano, the EP is a stripped-back continuation of preceding records, which have garnered her airplay on CBC Radio and SiriusXM. On four brief but effective tracks, SHEAL takes the listener on an emotional journey through the past that defines an individual and a future that asks: what will you carry forward from it?
The lead single, “Falling Asleep,” is a gentle, tiptoeing lullaby that balances the grief and hope of parenthood. Her delivery is breathy but clear, and is complimented by both the piano’s timbre and resonant backing tracks. Hoping to “slow these hands of time,” as the singer describes it in the chorus, it feels like looking back on a memory wishing it did not have to be left behind.
“Press Rewind” offers a simple, jazz-influenced melody with the addition of shuffling percussion and bass guitar that captures the aesthetic of her native Canadian coast. SHEAL’s lyricism analyzes the connection between setting and nostalgia in a place that welcomes you across different stages of life. The elusive minor chords in the progression bring out the mystery in this melancholy piece.
The third track, “Grow,” introduces an alternating pattern of dark, muted verses and full, optimistic choruses. SHEAL navigates the indie-piano and atmospheric pop genres exemplified in each section artfully, mirroring relatable periods of doubt and self-possession that cycle through. The listener is reminded that sometimes the best things take their time in making themselves known, if one is patient enough to wait for it.
By far the simplest arrangement on the record, “Back Where I Started” borrows the chord progression from the closing track of her last EP, golden hours. Intimate vocals and piano bring new ideas on the formative processes of home-going and leaving, culminating in a gentle outro repeating the word “unraveling.”
A calm, sonic escape into the world of memory and possibility, SHEAL’s home-going brings about an unraveling of who home shapes you to be and if that person is a true reflection. Her emotional and evocative musicianship is touchingly genuine, and invites listeners to ask themselves the same questions she wrestles with.
