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Pianist Lorna MacLachlan's fourth album expresses bittersweet aftertaste of life's cycle of change

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"So I'm writing you this letter/Because my heart is on the ground," pianist Lorna MacLachlan sings on “I'm Done," a powerfully sad track from her fourth album, Time 4 Change. The crestfallen lyrics capture the theme of the record, which is about moving on. According to MacLachlan, the words were written right after her father had passed away. That sense of loss is easily—and quite heavily, in fact—felt but it can also be interpreted as the end of a relationship of any kind.

There are different kinds of change, both the good and the bad. Death is change that is inevitable; walking away from a love affair is change that can be a matter of choice. MacLachlan seems to be encompassing them all, change in its various forms. The opening cut, “Slide Slip," introduces the record on a positive note. MacLachlan's energized, jamming piano is locked into vibrant groove with Richard Harding's soaring, soulful saxophone and Robin Tufts' robust drumming. The song feels alive, as if echoing a new direction that is rich with possibilities.

But “I'm Done" explores the dark side of change, the one that we don't want to think about. However, MacLachlan's pensive performance illustrates not only mourning; there are aches of regret that slide slip from her fingers and voice. No doubt about it: it's personal. “It's a very special piece for me," MacLachlan explained. “There was so much emotion when I first started writing it; I couldn't get through the first couple of lines without crying."

MacLachlan is one of the artists with the talent to convey the deepest of feelings even without the benefit of words. The closing track, “Alison," is a piano instrumental that expresses the bittersweet aftertaste of life's never-ending cycle of change.

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