Earlier this year, after weeks of self-imposed solitude up at her grandparents’ cabin near Christopher Lake, Sask., Winnipeg-based singer/songwriter Ingrid Gatin emerged with a little prairie gem. A splendid melting pot of French, gypsy and folk, Gatin’s cultural heritage flows through the veins of this EP, making it really come to life. The five accordion- and piano-driven tracks, written by Gatin and beautifully recorded in Marietta, Ga., at WonderDog Studios, are peppered with strings, glass bottles, tambourines and hand claps. They recall the early days of Cat Power, with deep-cutting lyrics and stirring vocals to match. “How did I get so hard?” she inquires on the opening track, as if looking in a mirror hoping for a response. Tin Heart’s display of Gatin’s songwriting and musical potential is more than enough evidence to support full-length treatment. So Ingrid, if you’re reading this, please feel free to oblige.

Published in Volume 64, Number 4 of The Uniter (September 24, 2009)