Posted on: April 21, 2022 Posted by: Kim Muncie Comments: 0

There’s a certain kind of musician and/or songwriter who will play and write even if there’s no immediate hope for their music to ever find an audience. They aren’t doing this for fame or critical acclaim. Composers and musicians like Ontario’s Bonnie Milne are doing this to heed the call of an inner voice she’d likely heard all of her life and give back the gift she’s been given in whatever way she can. Her new single releases “New Beginnings” and “Uncertain” are follow-ups to her 2021 release Anticipation and wonderful ways of paying that gift back in spades.

The first revolves around piano and strings. Milne’s piano takes obvious precedence in the composition, but the presence of strings strengthens the composition rather than diluting its impact. The success or failure of Milne’s material depends on the quality of her melodies above all else and neither single disappoints. “New Beginnings” has more than a single mood as the strings have a much different tenor than the often buoyant piano passages.

It creates a satisfying tension Milne sustains for the full performance. It’s quite a ride. There are a multitude of dips and rises throughout the track and it’s exciting to hear how capably Milne tackles each one. There’s never any sense of the performance veering out of control or becoming overwrought. Instead, there’s a growing intensity, in some ways, that’s never unpleasant but charged with possibility.

Packed within a slightly less than three minute running time is ideal. It condenses Milne’s melodies, sharpening their edge, allowing them to cut deeper into listeners than they might otherwise. It comes from her long experience studying music, I am sure, but likewise, her simple insistence to not waste the listener’s time.

The same guiding principles are in play during the second single “Uncertain”. There seems to be even greater attention paid to melodic precision and her habit of trimming any audible fat from her compositions is a hallmark of greatness to me. Few listeners will mind hearing her use a synthesizer sound as the song’s melodic vehicle. The melodies are every bit as compelling as before, if a bit melancholy and more unsettled, per the song title.

There’s plenty of energy, however. “Uncertain” portrays a mind and emotions never at rest, second guessing, probing its doubts and fears, and attempting to expiate them through song. The effort sounds successful. This abiding mission of Milne’s music, to foster healing through music’s presence in our lives, obviously shadows this song and its effect is noticeable.

Neither single lacks entertainment value and they aren’t the music equivalent of a self-help book. It’s near impossible not to feel elevated, for lack of a better word, by Milne’s talents with melody and she never wearies you repeating herself. Milne’s imagination is just as restless as her heart. I hope life or any other power ever puts fences around either because it’s clear to me after hearing these singles that the music world is better with Bonnie Milne in it.

Kim Muncie

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