By Jay Scott Kanes

There’s something deeply tragic about the newly released album by Lisa Brokop, a Canadian-born, country-music star known across North America. Mainly, it’s the title song and a few others.

The album’s called Beautiful Tragedy, and a copy arrived in the mail at Cairns Media Magazine. But there’s nothing tragic about how good Lisa sounds. Her voice is pleasant. Her delivery’s smooth. The music’s pure and refreshing, like gentle rainfall on a scorching day.

“My new album is out, which is very exciting,” Lisa said. “I popped it into a CD player and somehow it sounded better to me fresh out of the plastic wrap, instead of on my master copy, which is basically the same thing.

“I’ve looked forward to walking into a record store and buying a copy. I know that’s weird -- buying my own record, but I feel like it’s good karma so I’m buying it.”

The best part of Beautiful Tragedy, Lisa’s seventh studio album, is exceptional songwriting. Each of the 12 tracks deserves undivided attention to the carefully crafted lyrics.

Originally from near Vancouver, 35-year-old Lisa spends much of her time in Nashville, Tennessee. As usual, she’s a Female Artist of the Year nominee at the Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) Awards, scheduled this year for Winnipeg on September 8.

To Lisa’s credit, she co-wrote all but one song on Beautiful Tragedy, working with the likes of Fred Wilhelm, Victoria Banks, Jefferson Ross, Kim McLean and Mary Sue Englund.

It’s the good and the bad.
It’s the start and the end.
Even roses have thorns.
And rainbows have rain.
And the bitter’s right next to the sweet.
So I’ll take all the storms,
And I’ll take all the pain,
And I’ll throw in the good times,
And weave them up
Magically into my tapestry.
All my life’s meant to be
In a beautiful tragedy.
From “Beautiful Tragedy”, Written by Lisa Brokop and Victoria Banks, Recorded by Lisa Brokop, 2008

Lisa recorded the album at the Rattle Room in Nashville. Other standout tracks include “Break It” (recently fifth on the Chevy Cross-Canada Countdown), “November Trees”, “Clouds”, “Band in the Window”, “Shackin’ Up” and “Just To Be Here”.

Break it.
Throw it up against the wall.
Take a hammer to my world
And watch the pieces fall.
I need to take down, start again.
I’m so tired of me
That I can’t take anymore.
So I’ll break it.
From “Break It”, Written by Lisa Brokop and Fred Wilhelm, Recorded by Lisa Brokop, 2008

When Lisa sings about “the first cold snap of an angry autumn”, listeners may shiver from a perceived chill. As she “flies into the rain, wading through clouds… up, up and away,” it’s easy to imagine sitting by her on a crowded airplane. When “Mama called from Manitoba, talked about nothing for an hour”, everyone recognizes their own families.

Such realism in music takes fine writing and a seasoned performer. By no coincidence, Reba McEntire, Terri Clark and Pam Tillis have recorded songs that Lisa wrote too.

Family legend has it that as a baby, Lisa sang before she talked. By age seven, she performed on stage. At age 15, she joined a touring band, but soon went solo. She has entertained often, collected CCMA awards and matured musically. Her earlier albums include: Hey, Do You Know Me (2005), Undeniable (2000), When You Get To Be You (1999), Lisa Brokop (1996), Every Little Girl’s Dream (1994) and My Love (1993).

On Beautiful Tragedy, Lisa adjusted to “bring it back to the basics, to great songs and pure music”, not “layers of electronics and instrumentation”. In that sense, the album’s already a big success.

For more information: www.lisabrokop.com

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