Meg Hutchinson "The Crossing"
Produced by Crit Harmon

Meg Hutchinson has come a long way from working at a vegetable stand and living above a chicken coop in upstate New York to the sophisticated folk-pop shine of The Crossing. Produced by Crit Harmon (Martin Sexton, Susan Werner), this collection finds her expanding beyond the candlelit ambiance of her previous recordings with more outwardly rocking arrangements and a notable polish that stops just shy of going over the top. For those accustomed to hearing her in a sparser setting, these busier arrangements might seem overpowering at first listen. But Hutchinson holds her own in the mix, especially on the opening "Coming Up," which heralds the arrival of spring, with a driving rhythm section and multi-instrumental contributions from Harmon. The tastefully programmed "Leonids" lends itself well to her offbeat singing (a reedy-sounding Natalie Merchant mixed with a dash of something all her own); the passive chanting that’s woven through "San Andreas" is mesmerizing, built around a metaphor about earthquakes and fault lines. And the carefree abandon of "More" is contagious, further evidence that at The Crossing, Hutchinson is headed in the right direction."
BOSTON PHOENIX Christopher John Treacy

"Hutchinson's fourth album in eight years [The Crossing] shows no sign of a musician wearing thin on motivation or inspiration. This album mixes the introspective with the unexpected. Using the unique (but undeniable) beauty of her voice to its fullest, Hutchinson has created an album of delicate songs that will last well beyond the album's copyright" - Mary Hamilton Somerville News