Ada Lea – ‘When I Paint My Masterpiece’ album review: A charming journey that defies all odds
There are plenty of bad F-words in the world. We’re told not to say one particular F-word for most of our adolescence, but really, there isn’t much harm in the word fuck. Oops, sorry. But I wish someone had warned me about what I am about to say now. That no matter how desperate the situation may be, the word folk has no place in your vocabulary.
It’s become too simple a word to attach to albums like this. A finger-picked guitar and a delicately performed vocal take act as the two stable pillars for those wishing to hastily brand this music as folk. But as Ada Lea goes to prove on When I Paint My Masterpiece, what lies beneath is so much more.
Ade Lea’s (AKA Alexandra Levy) third album is the first release in four years, after the Canadian took a four-year break from music in a bid to reconnect with her everyday self. Uplifted from her retreat from industry demands, she now returns as creatively fruitful as ever, sporting a record that was eventually whittled down from 200 songs. Lea recorded the album with Here We Go Magic’s Luke Temple (Adrianne Lenker / Hand Habits), in what is a triumphant return to the world of songwriting.
In her pursuit, she proves that what many would consider a laid-back composition is simply a gentle introduction to a far more interesting world. The time spent painting in her hiatus feels present in the arrangement, for individual pockets of melody overlap with one another, begging your attention to hone in on the intricate detail. Individual ideas act like willing chapters in a wider story that requires patience to understand, but should you approach with that, you’re rewarded tenfold.
Sure, you could call it stripped back, and you’d be credited for doing so. But does that mean it’s straight-up folk? Absolutely not. It’s dream pop one minute and shoegaze the next, as the melodies continue to pull out genre references in a bid to keep up with Lea’s never-ending source of ideas. It’s not hard to imagine that behind the final 16 was a 200-strong selection of songs, for Lea has the ability to make what seems utterly simple feel continuously fresh.
All of this arrangement hypnosis feels like a distraction from what is a crucial element of the record’s success: her vocals. Whether it’s the careful whisper of ‘Something in the Wind’, which wilfully follows the lead of the distorted guitar line, or the double-tracked harmonies of ‘Midnight Magic’, it doesn’t take long to realise that Lea’s voice is the common thread of her subtle genre exploration.
Then, all of a sudden, ‘Snowglobe’ hits, and the laser-focused vocal efforts are stripped back, allowing the charm of her fairly understated voice to shine through. But once again, you’re refreshed as the guitar playing of ‘Down Under The Van Horne Overpass’ introduces itself to you, willing you to forget whatever vocal charm came before and instead start desperately pleading for an Ada Lea instrumental album.
I often feel as though I have a negative predisposition to long albums. Ordinarily, they reveal an obvious lack of refinement or an inability to understand a wider arc. And while sure, a couple of tracks in the B-side could have joined the remaining 183 tracks, I’m more than willing to make concessions. Rather than laboured, this album is patient. Rather than repetitive, it’s coherent and rather than unsure, it feels resolutely confident.
Defining track: ‘Somebody is Walking Into The Water’ – I knew full well that when I came to the end of the 16-track album, it would threaten my machismo and make me overly emotional. God damn, Ada, why did you have to prove me right? A stunning conclusion that draws in all elements of this entire album’s beauty.
For fans of: The quiet sense of calm you get walking through a museum, one that you promise will be the central mood to your day-to-day life.
Concluding comment from neighbouring artists: “God help us all when she goes to actually paint her masterpiece.”
Release date: August 8th, 2025 | Producer: Luke Temple | Label: Saddle Creek
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