Toronto-born singer/songwriter offers songs from the heart and the heat of life with her third release, Perfekt World (Come True Records/BMI).

Produced by Mark Turrigiano (who produced Ingrid Michaelson’s chart-topping album Girls and Boys), the album is a smart, pop-savvy expression of both strength and vulnerability from one of Canada’s most underplayed talents. Educated at Boston’s famed Berklee College of Music, Lofaro first started playing and composing at the age of 12. Her thorough knowledge of the pop idiom, combined with solid songwriting abilities, shine through in intelligent, creative lyrical and musical construction.

The bittersweet lyrics of ‘Birds of a Feather’, the album’s opening track, alternate between hope and despair, cynicism and acceptance, while melodically, the song recalls the sprightly pop of Scottish singer KT Tunstall. By contrast, the bouncy, quixotic beats of ‘Bitch Go Off’ sounds closer to fellow Canadian crooner Nelly Furtado. With its eclectic arrangement, using both electronic and organic instrumentation, the song moves between jazz and dance sounds, injecting a bit of world influence with a solid baseline, and pseudo-Spanish handclaps.

On her Myspace page, Lofaro lists Sting, Bob Dylan, Annie Lennox, Ani DiFranco, KT Tunstall, John Legend and Tracey Chapman as influences; this mix of roots, soul, rock and pop are seamlessly, creatively blended, with producer Turrigiano subtlety allowing the emotional highpoints to balance with the music it’s coached in.

‘No Way Home’ has a frantic, cabaret-meets-bluegrass feel –It could be taken as a defiant snub written from the standpoint of an underprivileged streetwalker, or an artistic call to the independent life – either way, it’s a push away from the sort of commitment the storyteller fears might be creatively constricting: “”You don’t wanna marry me / I’m not the kind of girl / To give birth to a family… I live my life too fast to be your mother and your friend…”. Lofano’s lyrics are clever but not isolating in their universal specificity that holds particular understanding for a generation of women whose lives feel strangely, anachronistically limited. She manages to tap into the sort of angst and frustration DiFranco has so effectively captured in her own considerable body of work.

‘Blue’ is a lovely, simple piano/voice tune, essentially a love song musing on the state of inner and outer relationships. It’s a great showcase for Lofaro’s honey-infused soulful soprano and vocal improvising, while the title track, ‘Perfekt World’, is a swinging piece of pop mastery, with a Pips-esque backing and a hummable melody, with thoughtful lyrics to boot: “What don’t love you will make you stronger” she croons, and somehow, we believe her.

More folk-oriented is ‘Fall’, with a simple instrumental combination that turns into a sweeping piece of pop heaven, punctuated by a simple repeated piano ditty reminiscent of ‘Run’ by Nelly Furtado. ‘Fever’ is a simple piano-driven tune likening love to illness; while not a new concept, the beautiful simplicity of the lyrics, combined with the driving poetry of the music makes for a powerful memorable piece of songwriting.

“54” is simply 54 seconds of Clara banging away at the piano with her band before a live audience; though all too brief, it gives a scintillating glimpse as to the range and depth of Lofaro’s talent and breadth as an artist.

And those talents are considerable. Lofaro’s vocal delivery is both plaintive and soulful, her songwriting masterful and mature. For anyone who is craving intelligent, creative pop-rock, step into Clara Lofaro’s Perfekt World. You won’t be disappointed.

Clara Lofaro plays The Rivoli on June 5th at 8pm.
For more information, go to www.myspace.com/claralofaro.