Some of the standout tracks here are "Path of Thorns", "Back Door Man", "Shelter" and "Black". However, every song is good, each weaving its own tale ; a love for the sea/Mother Nature, frustration in a relationship, abortion, homeless people with no shelter, a greedy person , finding the way home, the virtues of mercy...and so on. The topics here are surprisingly more varied than in "FTE" or "Surfacing".

I highly recommend this CD. The music is melodic and the lyrics are beautiful. As with other Sarah CDs, "Solace" is best to listen to alone at night. Don't listen to it once and put it aside, listen to it many times and let yourself get a feel of what Sarah is trying to say. You'll be rewarded in the end.
" Touch " was an interesting flirt with the Celtic tradition yet it's with the release of " Solace " back in 1992 when Sarah McLachlan started to display her true wit and talents . On this second offering her melodies are more captivating and her perfomances surely more gutsy .

From a generally interesting tracklist the songs which stand out are the tricky and mysterious " Black " , " Back Door Man " which brings in mind Sinead O'Connor at her best and ofcourse " Into The Fire " , a gentle well-crafted pop song whose video-clip was one of the best of that year .

The only problem with McLachlan is that , considering all that ethereal something which surrounds her releases , she seems to be a rather down-to-earth person . Over the years one can find her singing abstract lyrics about nature and being reborn again ( " mother teach me to walk again / milk and honey so intoxicating " ) and the next moment hear her saying lines which sound like they come straight out of a Scheryl Crow album ( " your love is better than ice-cream / better than anything else that i've tried " ) .

Her work is often not as sharp as desired and that can be sensed on " Solace " as well . " Drawn To The Rythim " and " Wear Your Love Like Heaven " are tender yet harmless , " Lost " starts off beautifully but doesn't actually make it while " I Will Not Forget You " feels long and tirering .

The fact that McLachlan has such a huge fanbase can only be good for the healthy music industry of this world and shows that people with good music taste are still around . Yet before declaring her best female artist ever her fans should check out albums like Tori Amos' Little Earthquackes ( more fierce ) , Tanya Donelly's Beauttysleep ( more haunting ) and Kate Bush's Hounds Of Love ( far more compelling ) . Then they will have a clearer view on what female music scence has to offer .

Surfacing
I have always been a fan of Sarah McLachlan, but a few years ago I learned that she had released albums before she became very popular. I loved Fumbling Towards Ecstasy, Surfacing, and Mirrorball, but I wasn't sure if I wanted to listen to her earlier, less popular work. Last year I finally listened to Solace and although I liked it, it didn't really strike me as anything special. Recently I bought her first album Touch and loved it. Having listened to that album, I decided to give this one another try and this time I was blown away. What struck me was how much everything clicked on this album. Sarah's voice is more mature and developed, and the songwriting is better and more hard-hitting. This was her first album produced by Pierre Marchand, and it's obvious here why he has worked with her ever since: he gets her and brings out the best in her. He knows how to let her shine.

What's all the more surprising is that this is only her second album. It sounds like the work of someone who has been doing this for years, and that is what makes this album such a monumental achievement for Sarah. Her voice is stronger and she uses it to convey so many emotions. She definitely got it right with this album.

I plan on listening to this album more often. Although it wasn't as big a hit as her later albums, it just might be her best. It's definitely one of the best albums I've heard in a long time. This is the album where Sarah came into her own, and should be required listening for fans of her later work. I highly recommend this album. Trust me, you won't regret adding it to your CD collection.
Like many other fans, I first discovered Sarah when "Possession" became a hit. I then stumbled upon "Solace", and it turned out to be a great stroke of luck. A local radio station played a really moving song with the lyrics "I Will Remember You". I couldn't find such a track (it wasn't in US distribution then) and I wasn't sure of the title at the time, so when I found the track "I Will Not Forget You" on "Solace", I thought this must be the song. Of course, it wasn't, but I find that this song is even more moving than "I Will Remember You". In fact, "Solace" contains some of Sarah's most heart-rending lyrics and haunting melodies. Three of the songs ("Drawn to the Rhythm", "Into the Fire", and "The Path of Thorns") have received reasonable exposure. But for listeners in anguish and pain, "I Will Not Forget You", "Back Door Man", and "Shelter" will provide true catharsis. This album shows incredible maturity from her first release "Touch". "Solace" is the Sarah CD I play the most often; it is the only CD I have bought two copies of--I was constantly playing it both at home and at work. It's no wonder that many fans still rave about it.

Canadian queen of aesthetics reveals herself
Some of the songs are alittle too forceful, like she is forcing them out, and not letting them come out. For the most part, however still a good effort from a very talented performer.
Solace, Nova Scotian Sarah McLachlan's second album, is considerably more mature and musically sophisticated than her 1988 debut, the promising if limited Touch. In fact, this disc is a must-have for McLachlan fans whose first encounter with her work was with her extremely popular later releases, Fumbling Towards Ecstasy and Surfacing. The opening track, "Drawn to the Rhythm," is a habit-forming gem of a song that soars on her smooth and heady soprano and Ronald Jones's addictive drums (though the drone of the billatron in the chorus seems incongruous). The rumbling, electric "Into the Fire" grooves with a funky bass line; the lovelorn "Path of Thorns" and "I Will Not Forget You" are straight-ahead and bluesy. Always wise beyond her years, McLachlan displays a new awakening with introspective songs such as the Sinead O'Connor-esque "Lost" and "Shelter." The hymnlike "Mercy" is the least interesting song--spare in comparison to the others--but it is a wondrous showcase of her multifaceted voice. Without a doubt, Solace is a testament to McLachlan's ever-swelling talent. --Rebecca Robinson