As a rule, Kelly Sloan keeps her hand held close to her chest. This rising Dartmouth, Nova Scotia-based musician is known for deflecting emotional landmines with an easy wit. On stage and in life, Kelly’s clever banter often serves to soften the edges of loss. But once this rising singer-songwriter grasps a guitar and microphone, or sidles up to a piano, all bets are off. “You’ll be amazed,” one Halifax-based journalist promises, “by the intimacy of [Sloan's] songs and the timelessness of her voice.” By her own admission, Sloan steps into a more serious skin while performing music: “It seems that music is my opportunity to be serious and honest,” she offers. Her painstakingly crafted songs reveal a rich inner world we might not otherwise be invited to see.

Kelly Sloan’s confident eponymous follow-up to her debut Always Changes promises to reward us even further for our trouble. This sophisticated album of soul-infused folk benefits from seasoned performers Brian Murray (the Guthries), Mike Farrington (Garret Mason), and Tim Baker (Matt Mays). The songs, perhaps best described as country folk infused with soul, lay bare a concern for the particular, while leaving enough interpretive room for listeners to find their own points of connection. “I don’t necessarily want my music to be an informative booklet of my life; it’s more of an opportunity for others to use the songs to dissect an emotion and then make it relevant to their own experiences,” Sloan explains.

She must be on to something. Kelly is a sought-after performer in the Maritimes and beyond, being asked to launch Anne Murray’s 2009 autobiography, and is featured in the compilation Atlantic Voices – A Collection of Women Singer-Songwriters with other acclaimed East Coast performers such as Amelia Curran, Catherine MacLellan, and Jenn Grant. She also had the honour of performing with Irish singing legends Tommy Makem & the Clancy Brothers, who have influenced none other than Bob Dylan.

Armed with a clear voice and honest word, Kelly’s music resonates with diverse audiences. “Come around the corner,” she first tempts us (“You Got Me”,) but in a later moment of vulnerability, asks, “Will you be gone again when the wind begins to blow?” (“A Long Time Ago”). And when she finally, gently, affirms that “I will overcome” (in the beautiful “Alberta”), we are right there with her. And we will be. As long as Kelly Sloan continues to share her winning hand, we will be there, looking over her shoulder.