After a dozen years of writing and recording four albums, Canadian singer/songwriter Chantal Kreviazuk now divides her time between Toronto and California with husband Raine Maida (of the band Our Lady Peace) and their three children. The difference of being a twice double platinum established "star" up north and a relatively obscure performer in the States (her '97 debut album topped out at 100k copies) fuels the title of her independently-released September 22 album Plain Jane. "I abhor
entitlement," Kreviazuk reflects, "the belief that one actually deserves the privileges they find themselves basking in, and I have come to appreciate the truth that comes from being immersed in a life of typicality and unpretentiousness."

Unlike her earlier albums, Plain Jane was recorded in bits and pieces over an extended period, a process that has yielded an album of stylistic diversity and moods. Self-described as both "riskier" and "jazzier" in some ways and "simpler' and "poppier" in others, songs such as Lily Allen-ish lead single "Invincible" and "Ordinary People" confirm why Kreviazuk is a sought-after writer and collaborator. Working within Plain Jane's more modest production budget, the piano-based melodies combined with observant and articulate lyricism remain the impressive core of her music. Recommended.

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Chantal Kreviazuk - "Ordinary People" (from the album Plain Jane)

Chantal Kreviazuk - "Invincible" (from the album Plain Jane)