Beating Time
JILL PAQUETTE By Jill Paquette Reunion Records
The summer holidays have had me starting the day in a state of lie-in lethargy, leaving me prone to catching a daily dose of that stalwart of teen drama, 'Dawson's Creek'. Dawson's Creek, where everyone has 'stuff to deal with', everyone 'needs to talk', everyone has 'got to find out who they really are'.
The healthy-looking, handsome cast have been keeping me company as I eat my breakfast this past month, which of course I appreciate. Yet all this introspection and having issues often leaves me feeling emotionally churned, for no reason. I'm sure it isn't good for people. However, I do like the songs on 'Dawson's Creek'. And, to get to the point, Jill Paquette sounds a bit like that: rasping, sad-toned, acoustic rock; a halo of female backing vocals, a staring out of a rain-soaked coach window ambience; girls with guitars in coffee houses where everyone incorporates corduroy and retro T-shirts into their outfits. Jill Paquette not only has a perfect voice for this kind of thing; she is also very good on the old acoustic guitar. It's a good album.
And, even better, it's not emotionally unsettling. Jill Paquette's outlook on life is different from the me-centred world of the 'Creek'. These songs could well be written in a context of heartbreak, inner turmoil and future uncertainty, but they have the hope of someone who knows their heavenly father and Saviour. They aren't songs about wallowing in self-pity but about living by faith. 'Lift My Eyes' is an uplifting song about trusting in God's promises and living in the light of them in dark times. 'So Close' is about the challenges of being changed into the likeness of Christ. I could go track by track, but that would be boring. I have thoroughly enjoyed listening to this CD. I've been recommending it to people all summer. Unlike the watching of Dawson's Creek, which I had been keeping quiet about.
