singer-songwriter

Any Way I Can

barbara — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:00:00 +0000

Adam Rader is a solo pop musician who reminds me of John Mayer and Dave Matthews. Though his vocals are similar to Mayer’s and Matthews', I consider Rader's singing to be much smoother.

Two things surprised me about this "teaser" album. First, there are only two songs on it, and second, one of these songs is a cover of "In The Ghetto.” For some reason, this song will never be put out of its misery. It has been covered numerous times by various artists ever since Mac Davis originally spewed it forth in the 1960s. Once Elvis covered it, the song became immortal and forever doomed to keep popping up like a game of Whack-A-Mole. The last time I heard a cover of this song, it was being used on South Park, and that was only as a joke. The show's notoriously bigoted character Cartman was singing it while walking through his friend Kenny's repressed neighborhood. "In The Ghetto" is a tired, corny, offensive song that only belongs in a cartoon.

This brings us back to Adam Rader’s two-song EP. I'm surprised that a man who seemingly wants to convey John Mayer-esque sexuality would perform a song equivalent to a cold shower. Listening to his cover of "In The Ghetto" makes me cringe and laugh nervously. The song is musically solid and mellow, if you can manage to ignore the lyrics. However, ignoring the words is about as easy as sleeping with the lights on while your six-year-old nieces jump up and down on your bed, loudly demanding cookies and stuffed animals.

Rader's other song "Any Way I Can" is a light pop song. Again, John Mayer's face kept floating into my mind as I listened. I can easily see it being used on a television show or commercial, as well as an adult contemporary radio station. I look forward to seeing what Adam Rader puts forth in the future. Let's hope he picks better songs to cover next time.

Written by: Jacquie Piasta, March 17th 2011

Through the Night

payal — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 20:00:00 +0000

By Jesse Harris

Mercer Street Records

I worked for four years in an independent record store. For those unfamiliar with what said environment might be like day in and day out, I would seriously suggest taking in High Fidelity. Read the novel by Nick Hornby or watch the film starring John Cusack; either way, you’ll get the idea. Like the characters, my co-workers and I did really stand around all day grousing about music—that is, of course, when we weren’t bemoaning our romantic fates and/or scanning the teeming crowd of shoppers for possible thieves.

It was during one such conversation with a highly opinionated co-worker and lifelong musician that the subject of the Shins’ debut album, Oh, Inverted World came up. Said co-worker obstinately resisted the pervasive cultural tide that was singing its praises, instead saying he thought the album was like cotton candy—something light and fluffy that requires a special sleight of hand to make it turn out just right, but entirely without substance. Sadly, this is also an apt description for singer, songwriter, and producer Jesse Harris’ latest release, Through the Night.

Harris’ Achilles heel is revealed right out of the gate: it’s in his delivery. Best known for being the award-winning songwriter behind Norah Jones’ debut album, the runaway success Come Away with Me, Harris has worked with an eclectic assortment of other artists, including Bright Eyes, Lisa Loeb, Madeleine Peyroux, Joshua Radin, and Solomon Burke. He’s a gifted intelligent lyricist and producer with a warm, gently nasal voice, both of which are used to perfectly serviceable effect on this album. Honestly, he seems like the pop musician Rivers Cuomo (Weezer) has always dreamed of being, and might have been, had Cuomo not listened to all that metal in the garage.

Unfortunately, Harris seems to favor high production value over singing with sincerity. He sounds emotionally disconnected from songs that, by their very nature, command some sort of emotional resonance. His is a concentrated polish that, in a perverse twist of musical logic, manages to strip that sought-after emotional connection away with layer upon layer of sound. The end result is schmaltz in favor of soul.

There are exceptions, of course. The lead-in rhythm on “Till You Drop” has a jaunty gallop to it, and the squeaky ape-like noises on the fadeout at the end make this otherwise Beatles-esque pop song sound odd in a good way. “It’s a Long Way Just to Say Hello” and “Dream of the Past” gently skirt poignancy yet still resonates with me. “All Day All Night” has a nice palate-cleansing bossa nova sound.

Overall, though, this is Starbucks music. Through The Night might have been interesting had it been released several decades ago. As it stands now, though, it just sounds like something a baby boomer would put on in the background during brunch, or while dusting the tchotchkes in the living room on cleaning day.

Written by: M. Brianna Stallings, March 16th 2011

Two

mandy — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 20:00:00 +0000

By The Chapin Sisters

Lake Bottom Records

I would not be the least bit surprised to learn that the ability to write a catchy pop song is a hereditary trait, in addition to being a skill developed over time. That definitely seems to be the case with Los Angeles sister duo Chapin Sisters. Their lineage is chock full of singer-songwriters, including their father, Tom Chapin, and their more well-known uncle, the late Harry Chapin, who wrote and performed “Cat’s In the Cradle.” With their self-produced second full-length release, fittingly titled Two, the Chapin Sisters prove themselves to be worthy predecessors, albeit ones in need of a bit more practice.

The pair has keen ears and seem to know something about what can make pop music truly transcendent. Remember a couple of years back, when it seemed like every indie artist and her mother was covering the Gnarls Barkley hit “Crazy?” That’s because the song had a great beat with familiar yet poignant lyrics—a winning combination for any pop classic. Similarly, the Chapin Sisters were one of many groups in the mid-aughts to cover a song made famous by Britney Spears. They first garnered a bit of buzz in 2006, with their heavenly slowcore folk version of Spears’ “Toxic.”

Abigail and Lily share duties on songwriting, as well as vocals, guitars, keyboards, and percussion; separately, Lily is on banjo and Abigail plays the flute. The album also features performances from Louis Stephens of Rooney (with whom The Chapin Sisters have recently toured), and Jesse Lee and Josh Diamond of New York experimental band Gang Gang Dance. The lyrics are chock full of sweet deceptively simple language, and often skirt that very fine line between effortlessly crafted enduring pop and too-familiar schmaltz. Every song seems to start out basic, with either just voices or sparse instrumentation, then starts to build up, taller and bigger with more sound – more horns, more percussion, more harmonies. It works well, so long as you choose to block out the fact that almost every song is following that formula.

Despite Two having been recorded in the New Jersey woods, there is a very Fleetwood Mac quality to The Chapin Sisters. Let me explain: Fleetwood Mac started as a British blues/folk band then, with the addition of Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks, became known as the quintessential California band. As with The Mac, The Chapin Sisters combine tight harmonies, traditional British folk sounds, a vaguely haunted aesthetic and a gentle airiness. Excellent examples include “Sweet Light,” “Paradise,” and “Palm Tree.” Meanwhile, “Digging a Hole” sounds less Nicks-style “Gypsy” and more genuine world-music-style gypsy. The flute is put to good use on this track, which sounds like it should be sung around a campfire.

Overall, the songs on Two are the sort that make you want to stand in a the middle of a field or dark concert hall while wearing a long skirt that you grab at the corners as you swish and sway in place, set adrift on the ocean of sound.

Written by: M. Brianna Stallings, March 4th 2011

Tiger Suit

tina — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 16:00:00 +0000

By KT Tunstall

Virgin Records

Let me just say that I love KT Tunstall. Love her. I can't help it, she's just so cool: She plays the guitar, writes her own songs, and has an amazing singing voice. She's attractive, but not so pretty that you hate her for it, and her clothes are hip without being ridiculous or over the top. Also, she's Scottish, which in my eyes makes her even cooler for some reason.

Fandom aside, Tunstall's latest album Tiger Suit is excellent and definitely worth buying. With its catchy rhythms and generous use of the synthesizer, it's probably the closest Tunstall will ever get to a dance album. It’s a fun album, but thanks to Tunstall's lyrics and resonating voice, not a shallow one.

The album kicks off with “Uummannaq,” which has so much energy pulsing through it that it's practically alive. Try listening to the whole song without dancing. Go on, I dare you. It's impossible. The beat is infectious and it's a great introduction to the rest of the album. The next few tracks on the album are all pleasant, if not entirely memorable songs.

“Fade Like a Shadow” follows and it’s Tunstall's first single off of the album, but I've got to say, I find it an odd choice. There's nothing wrong with the song per say, it's got a peppy beat and it's enjoyable enough, but there are stronger songs on this album that would have been better suited for radio play. “Lost”, for example, is one of my personal favorites from Tiger Suit. It's an emotional ballad that you find yourself getting, well, lost in. Tunstall sings, “I got lost following you. What did I do that for? Am I an idiot?” The sheer sense of confusion and sadness heard in Tunstall's voice makes the song poignant and very relatable.

Two tracks on the album feature a very country blues feel. Tunstall's raspy voice is used to perfection in “Golden Frames”, giving the song a wonderfully smoky, Southern Gothic vibe, while “Come On, Get In” is more upbeat and reminiscent of gospel music. “(Still A) Weirdo” and “Madame Trudeaux” weren't my favorite tracks on the album, but both feature impressive musical arrangements. The former with interesting synthesized effects and the latter with a solid, classic rock sound. The last track on Tiger Suit is “The Entertainer.” Tunstall's voice, soulful and raw, is accompanied by the strongest guitar playing featured on the album and the effect is very powerful. It's a reminder of how talented an artist Tunstall truly is.

Written by: Victoria Granado, November 22nd 2010

Marnie Stern

brittany — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 08:00:00 +0000

By Marnie Stern

Kill Rock Stars

The buzzword on Marnie Stern's self-titled third album seems to be "introspective." Frankly, this descriptor hardly seems indicative of a sea change if we've been paying attention to her lyrics.

Sure, In Advance of the Broken Arm and her breakthrough sophomore effort, This Is It And I Am It and You Are It and So Is That and He Is It and She Is It and It Is It and That Is That, pack a mean sonic wallop. But her second album could have been retitled The Tao of Marnie. It was especially festooned with at-times profound statements and affirmations about the creative process and the human condition. Just because she pitched her nasal voice in a giddy upper register and her fingers were flying across the frets of her electric guitar didn't mean she wasn't doing some soul searching. Even if she didn't announce what the songs were about didn't mean she wasn't in them.

What I think the main difference is between her prior work and the new album is less reliance on creating a sense of immediacy. Previously, her music foregrounded indelible guitar riffs played loud and often executed with superhuman speed. The sound here is more meditative, with less emphasis placed on hooks instead of hypnotic passages that build as they repeat or are broken up by unexpected melody lines. The lyrics, though still introspective, are more clearly applicable to Stern's personal experiences. Much of this is attributed to the opening track. "For Ash" is a song dedicated to an ex-boyfriend who committed suicide and the process of writing it helped Stern out of a creative dead end.

This sense of loss, remembrance, and reflection informs much of the album's content, shifting Stern's ability to channel musical catharsis through her guitar playing. This is evident on songs like "Transparency is the New Mystery," "Risky Biz," "Gimme," "Cinco de Mayo," and especially the haunting closer "The Things You Notice." While Stern and drummer Zach Hill's playing is no less muscular, it possesses the control to vary tempo or decelerate while maintaining buoyancy and ramping up suspense.

But Stern's characteristic playfulness and prowess over a face-melting riff equally defines the album which bears her name. Songs like "Nothing Left," "Building a Body," "Her Confidence," and the pointedly titled "Female Guitar Players are the New Black" could easily slide in to the tracklists of her earlier releases.

However, that they weave seamlessly into this album suggests Stern's steady artistic progression. It also suggests that inward thought can yield some mighty external results. This album may not capture your full attention on first listen, but I'm confident it contains enough interesting ideas to invite many returns. As Stern continues to hone in and balance introspection with formidable instrumental performance, we may get the pleasure of discovering that they aren't disparate concepts. Here, they seem to be in service of one another.

Written by: Alyx Vesey, October 5th 2010

Heartwood

mandy — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 17:26:07 +0000

By Sora

Canada Music

Canadian artist Sora lists Loreena McKennitt as one of her greatest musical influences, a fact that is apparent on her latest musical effort, Heartwood. A beautifully put together collection of songs that conjure up druid celebrations and ancient royal courts, the album is reminiscent of McKennitt's modern Celtic style. Inspiration aside, Sora is very much her own artist and Heartwood showcases her talents as both a singer and songwriter.

The title track is a great beginning to the album, and a wonderful introduction to Sora's artistic abilities. She has a classically beautiful voice that can be strong, airy, or sorrowful. For the most part, Heartwood's tracks are pretty, soothing songs that remind one of laughter, love, and sun-filled days. The album offers some variety with Sora delving into her dark side for a few songs.

The best of these darker tunes is “Eurydice,” a haunting song that possesses a hypnotic beat and seductive lyrics. The instrumentals on the album are also well done, blending perfectly with Sora's vocals. The violin and piano work is especially impressive on “Drift” and “Winter.” On both tracks, the music perfectly sets the tone for the listener before seamlessly weaving itself in with Sora's voice, making for wonderful pieces of audio art.

The cover art on Heartwood is a simple photo of Sora, tinted in warm shades of brown and gold with some etchings behind her. Heartwood also features an insert booklet with the lyrics for each song—something I personally find extremely helpful—as well as photographs of whimsical items such as feathers, leaves, stones, and bits of ribbon. The earthy yet enchanting look reflects the tone of the album and gives the listener a good indication of the mood Sora is trying to set.

With its powerful vocals and mesmerizing instrumentals, Heartwood is an album that will not disappoint. Long-time Celtic fans and those new to the genre should find it a satisfying listening experience.

Written by: Victoria Kroeger, September 4th 2010

Paperdoll

admin — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 08:00:00 +0000

By Elyse Miller

Blink and you might miss one of the twelve short, sparsely instrumented songs on Elyse Miller’s new disc, as most last two minutes or less. But Miller packs a lot of punch into these brief, slow-paced numbers, usually accompanied only by acoustic guitar. It’s a fair bet that several songs will get stuck in your head after just one listen.

Miller’s sweet, drawn-out vocal on the lullaby-like “New Love,” captures the obsessive need to spend every moment with a new crush and the intense physical lust that accompanies it: “can’t keep the bedclothes up/can’t keep your clothes on.” The simple, lilting “I Want to Love You” is so pure musically that you may miss its mischievous tone at first: “I want to love you on a hilltop meadow/it may be breaking the law/but baby it’s dark/no one has to know.” The potentially creepy lyrics are rendered playful through Miller’s plaintive delivery.

Guitar and vocal are more strident on “What We Teach,” in which Miller bemoans children’s desensitization to violence. The disturbing “Kinderwhore,” which sounds like a schoolyard chant sung by a pedophile, is essentially a long, leering description of a young girl, from her pig tails and nail polish to her bubble gum. The sense of menace implied is unsettling. The lyrics are all the more jarring for Miller’s singsong delivery. Miller shows the most emotion on “Paperdoll,” detailing the lengths women go to in order to fit into the dominant cult of beauty. She decries the constant societal pressure and “the driving mania/to be as thin and as smooth/and as shallow as paper.” It’s a valid but depressing song, as it ends with the narrator being torn in two.

Miller has a way with both words and music, and her interest in social issues and playful sense of humor shine through on Paperdoll.

Written by: Karen Duda, August 27th 2010

Splash

admin — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 08:00:00 +0000

By Jeremy Jay

K Records

I spent a few years as a DJ for the college radio station during graduate school, and quickly learned that the fastest, most accurate way to asses if you’ll like an album is to pay attention to the label. If you really dig a band, it’s worth your time to research the label that produces their albums–chances are it will be home to other artists you’ll enjoy. Such is the case for K Records, distributed by Secretly Canadian, and home to some of my favorites like anti-folk heroine Kimya Dawson, dance-pop loveliness The Blow, and low-fi folk rocker Jason Anderson.

It is easy to hear how pop-folk artist Jeremy Jay found a home at K, but if the aforementioned artists are seniors at the top of their class, Jay is a freshman with plenty of room for improvement jotted in his report card. Though Splash is Jay’s third release on K, at just over twenty-five minutes, it plays more like a debut EP. One song is no more diverse or interesting than the last; I was in the middle of track three before I realized the album had played all the way through and was on its second rotation. The album’s title conjures images of excitement and disruption that would be more fitting for an artist poised to make waves. But Jeremy Jay is not that artist.

Every song reflected the influence of another musician, but never did I get a feel for Jay’s own unique voice or style. “Just Dial My Number” is an upbeat, summer ditty but the use of piano is so similar to Peter Bjorn and John’s “Young Ones,” that every time it played I thought I was hearing the latter. There are moments when he channels Morrissey; I even heard a little Tracy Chapman on “Someday Somewhere.” But the most notable comparison is to Magnetic Fields front man, Stephin Merritt. But whereas Merritt’s distinctive bass subtly demands you to pay attention to his lyrics, Jay’s more delicate timbre only adds to the ambiguity of his songwriting.

While he certainly evokes the mood of agenda-free days of exploring the city, the lack of imagery and individuality leaves Splash too malleable to make an impression. It would serve well as a soundtrack to a film where visual images and plot might add some heft and dimension to his sound.

Written by: Alicia Sowisdral, August 25th 2010

Game Night

admin — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 08:00:00 +0000

By Corrin Campbell

Corrin Campbell is a Wisconsin native who enlisted in the US Army shortly after graduating high school. A combat-vet and former member of the 1st Calvary Division, Campbell trained at the Armed Forces School of Music in Norfolk, Virginia, before beginning her career with the Army Materiel Command Band. As a US Army trained bassist, Campbell has performed for troops around the world before joining forces with her current band, The Election, to create and perform original music. Unfortunately, Campbell’s biography is more interesting than her music.

Game Night is fourteen tracks of high energy, rock complete with grating guitar, wrenching vocals and the occasional pop-infused number. Campbell has drawn comparisons to Heart, a band she is said to idolize, and while the similarity is apparent, so is the irrelevance. Pioneers of female fronted bands, backed by aggressive, guitar driven rock, Heart was at the height of their career in the late seventies and into the eighties. Their last commercially successful album was 1987’s Bad Animals and the current generation is likely more familiar with Fergie’s cover of “Barracuda” than Heart’s original recording.

The Wilson sisters also feature as inspirations, but Campbell’s efforts are way more imitation than influence. Though some might view this as nostalgic, it is more aptly described as dated. Game Night would be more accessible if Campbell had succeeded in breathing new life into a sound she finds inspiring, rather than attempting to re-create it.

Laden with pastiche notwithstanding, Campbell is clearly invested in her craft, utilizing her songwriting to explore her experiences over the years. As she states on her website, “These songs are my attempts to be true through the trials of life and find a healthier way to get through these personal complications.” In a world full of man-made pop idols, Campbell deserves recognition for creating music she loves, with people she respects and on her own terms.

Written by: Alicia Sowisdral, August 23rd 2010

The Road Home

admin — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 17:51:00 +0000

By Eliza Blue

When I opened my package containing Eliza Blue’s album The Road Home, I was greeted with a little bit of Southern hospitality; the CD was wrapped in a piece of twine and included a hand-written note saying, “Thanks for listening, hope you enjoy!” I felt comforted by that note. It was a little wave “hello” from home, and more than that, a connection between artist and audience. When I popped in the CD, I was immediately drawn in and stopped whatever inconsequential thing I was doing at the moment. The soothing meandering of a folksy style met with the bluegrass accoutrements of banjo, fiddle, and guitar, but it was Blue’s voice that made me pause.

Blue’s voice is smooth, with something deeper, thicker and something nostalgic—an old yellowed book sitting in afternoon sunlight, a glass of sweet iced tea, and for me, the sound of home. Her intonation and velvety middle range are reminiscent of Allison Kraus, but her tone is darker and earthier than Kraus’ ethereal sounds. I found myself playing this album on loop for days on end, getting lost in her voice. “Oceans & Fields” and “Mending Fences” were lovely in their acoustic melancholy, in the pizzicato ostinato and weeping duets of violins. “Gospel Song” pays tribute to the religious origins of old time, bluegrass, and country. I could spend more time describing the pieces, which are finely crafted, but I, for once, had difficulty capturing the aural experience in words without sounding contrived and thus doing the album injustice.

Eliza Blue is a versatile and pioneering artist; many of the instrumentals are played by Blue, and all songs are original compositions. It is a self-produced, self-promoted album to boot; this is actually her third album to date, having already garnered much attention in the Minneapolis area. This bluegrass/folk amalgamation is a beautiful accomplishment, an album of thoughtful, layered pieces where the lyrics and instrumentals are equally captivating.

Written by: Cristin Colvin, August 3rd 2010

The Essential Carole King

admin — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 08:00:00 +0000

By Carole King

Legacy Recordings

Were you to take a random sampling of the average music listener and say to them: “Quick, hum a few bars of "One Fine Day." Now, "(You Make Me Feel) Like A Natural Woman." Great. Now who wrote them? Chances are most people could belt out the entire tune for you right on the spot, but few would be able to identify Carole King as the songwriter.

Partially, this phenomenon has to do with how we view musicians. We love the sparkly, charismatic lead singer, but care less about the bass player keeping the beat, and even less about the person who created the music in the first place. Celebrity culture loves performers, not writers. But this also has to do with what we think of songwriters when we do give them a few moments consideration. The average Joe you asked about the songwriter might take a stab at it: Bernie Taupin? Neil Diamond? Not many of us can pinpoint who wrote the pop songs we love, but we often assume it’s a man behind the curtain.

This collection will blow you away. The Essential Carole King is divided into The Singer and The Songwriter giving us a huge sampling of King’s catalogue. The first CD is perfect reflective, comforting music to turn on after a long day at work. Admittedly, songs like "The Reason" (yes, a duet with Celine Dion) and "Sweet Seasons" cross the line into “easy listening” and make you wonder if King was just sort of churning out radio-friendly tunes. But hey, we’ve all got to make a pay check. Not to worry, classics like "I Feel the Earth Move" and "You’ve Got A Friend" are the bread and butter of this collection, a perfect compilation of unpretentious well-crafted lyrics and unique but catchy piano riffs.

If anything, the problem with this album is that The Songwriter CD can’t quite match the genius of the songs Carole performs herself. The dated, high-pitched Monkees singing "Pleasant Valley Sunday" seem sort of silly after listening to "It’s Too Late," and The Everly Brothers crying in the rain isn’t anywhere as authentic as King singing "So Far Away." None the less, there are a lot of good quality songs here that most of us have heard on the radio a million times. Dusty Springfield’s "No Easy Way Down" is a welcome rediscovery.

Any serious music lover should own this collection. Next time you attend a wedding and "The Loco-Motion" inevitably comes on, you can shimmy up to your fellow dancers and remind them this song was written by a female songwriting legend.

Written by: Jennifer Burgess, July 8th 2010

Delancey Street

admin — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0000

By Rachael Sage

MPress Records

On her ninth record, Delancey Street, Rachael Sage once again embraces and pushes the boundaries of her signature sound: lush piano-based pop with plenty of passion and insightful lyrics. Each song tells a distinct story, capturing a moment in time (even if the meanings are sometimes ambiguous).

The enigmatic “Everything Was Red” is one of my favorite tracks, although I’d be hard pressed to tell you what it’s about. “I was just a girl / who fell in love with Judy / Everything was red / It was never just her shoes,” Sage sings. Okay, red shoes and Judy: is she alluding to Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz? However, the rest of the song is about a deep and possibly codependent relationship, with the narrator selflessly trying to be everything her friend needs. “I’m willing to begin anew / I’m willing to be a sister to you/ I’m willing to be the wiser one.” The virtue of a great Rachael Sage song, though, is that you can enjoy the melody and wordplay without knowing the exact meaning of the words.

Sage has a tongue-in-cheek song on most of her albums, and this disc’s entry, “Big Star,” doesn’t disappoint. “Do you wanna be a big star? / It’s okay to say yes, yes, yes, yes, yes,” she chant/sings, then goes on to list what is expected of a pop star in terms of appearance and behavior: “You gotta stay skinny / You gotta grow tall / You gotta fight your enemies / You gotta fight friends / You gotta fight depression when the whole shit ends.” The song boasts strong syncopation, guitar with reverb (rather unusual for Sage as her music is usually centered around the piano), drawn-out vocals, and a touch of organ, making it a musical standout in this collection.

The slow, twangy guitar that opens “Meet Me in Vegas” lends it a country feel, and Sage employs breathy, high, and languorous vocals on a song about yearning to save a relationship that appears to be nearing its end. Strings augment the feeling. “Back to Earth” is the troubling tale of a friend who has metaphorically disappeared. The source of the friend’s remoteness is unclear (depression? a cult or new group of friends?), but the helpless frustration of the friend left behind is clear.

“Arrow” starts with Sage’s trademark scatting and features prominent horns and soaring strings. It’s a rebuke to those who would prescribe the requirements for an artist’s life. Despite her anger at those who try to dictate the way she should live, the song is upbeat and has joyous lyrics with vocals alternating between soft on the refrain and loud and almost strident on verses.

The album features two covers, the Hall & Oates hit “Rich Girl” and Irene Cara's film theme “Fame.” It’s a revelation to see how another artist’s interpretation can change the implied meaning of a song, and Sage makes both tracks her own. The difference is most apparent on “Fame,” which she transforms into a slow, torchy ballad that barely resembles the original.

For fans, Delancey Street delivers the great musicianship and creative lyrics we’ve come to expect from Sage along with a couple surprises. For those new to her music, it’s a great place to jump in and start exploring.

Written by: Karen Duda, June 8th 2010

Never a Long Way Home

admin — Mon, 31 May 2010 00:00:00 +0000

By Steff Mahan

MPress Records

Confession: I don’t know much about country music, and I don’t listen to much country music. But I know what I like, and Steff Mahan’s Never a Long Way Home is damn good music.

The opening track, “If I Let You Go,” starts things off rockin’. Mahan bangs away on a distorted guitar while belting out the lyrics. The song is upbeat, but the story isn’t; the narrator can’t let go of a past relationship even though her former lover is with someone new. Now, “sitting in the ashes of what we used to be” she laments her lost relationship but cannot move on because “I still believe you’ll be coming back for me.” Despite the unrealistic sentiment, the fabulous hooks and passionate vocals pulled me into the song.

“Can’t Hurt Me Anymore” is a toe-tapper about strength and recovery; an understated violin mixes seamlessly with the strumming guitar. Besides being a great song musically, it’s a welcome change to hear a country song about a woman standing up for herself rather than the waiting for her one true love or wallowing in pity. “I survived you because I finally found my truth / you can’t hurt me any more,” Mahan sings with pride.

The title track has an honest to goodness country feel and allows Mahan to demonstrate her talent for storytelling. She tells three vignettes about runaways seeking to return home: a teenage girl who runs away to the city; a husband who leaves a troubled marriage; and a woman on her deathbed. In each instance, the prodigal is welcomed home (to heaven, in the last case). The touching “Carnival Ride” centers on a shy girl’s childhood memories of her father, particularly the piggyback rides he gave her. “He’d spin me around and the world would go by / I swear, man, you could see me fly / we’d fall gently and laugh until we cried.” The slow and reflective, nostalgia-tinged tune aches with sincerity.

“Thought We Were Dancing” is another beautiful song about falling in love and how it can sneak up on us and cause confusion. Mahan succeeds in crafting a song that is romantic but not sappy. The slow and introspective “Save Yourself” is another highlight, full of wonderful imagery that illustrates the rush of infatuation and intimacy at the start of a new romantic relationship. The details are lovely, such as the description of a shared shower: “You draw some hearts on the glass / reach for a towel / and I pull you back.”

The slow-paced “When I Need It Most” is reminiscent of Sheryl Crow’s “Strong Enough” not in musical terms but lyrical content: it’s a plea to be understood and loved despite one’s glaring faults and insecurities. “So I pick fights / and then I shove /… do you love me when I’m scared and when I’m broken? / When words need to be spoken? / Just pull me into you and hold me close / and love me when I need it most.” The prominent violin adds to the ambiance.

Recorded live, the album includes charming snippets of Mahan and her band, as when she exclaims “I just broke a string!” These interjections give us a sense of closeness and gives the album more of a human touch. If you like a no-holds-barred song or a beautiful ballad, chances are you’ll enjoy this album.

Written by: Karen Duda, May 30th 2010

The Magic of Think

admin — Sat, 29 May 2010 08:00:00 +0000

By Janyse

Magical Voice Productions

Imagine, as a parent, helping your child form a robust and resilient identity and allowing your child to define his or her own values based on his or her own upbringing. Perhaps the gift that follows such acts is an individual with the ability to resist both the conditioning of modern marketing and majoritarian societies and the pressure of some peer groups that may not have his or her own best interests at heart. The Magic Of Think presents a host of artistic lessons designed to encourage our children to take solace and confidence from a remembrance of the uniqueness of their individuality. Singer/songwriter Janyse was inspired by her participation with the Make a Wish Foundation as a part of her role with the hit children’s show Ed, Edd and Eddy.

While listening to the CD, I was able to experience a rare aspect of personal nostalgia in the form of remembering the dreams of my youth, which seem to slip with every passing year. To become UN Secretary-General, write a world-renowned collection of poems, or simply “farm” alternative energy, you name it, the limits of my dreams were only confined by the breadth of my imagination. And I suspect the same is true of my nieces and nephews and of the millions of youngsters across the planet who are more familiar with being united with their peers than any other generation in human history.

Janyse seems to want to remind those adults charged with shaping and nurturing our inheritors that it is not simply the possibility of youth but the revitalized dreams of us who are farther down the path of life that must be cherished and continually maintained. The peppy and upbeat songs on The Magic Of Think deal with courage, friendship, and happiness. These are values and concepts that we, particularly in the Western world a la “the pursuit of happiness” or “the courage to be,” are invoked to cherish early on in our lives.

I will conclude with my personal favorite from the CD, it’s the fourth track entitled “Hero” and its most touching words are: “If I could be somebody, I know who I would be exactly... I would be the hero... find the hero inside.” True, noble wishes and a challenge to us all to ensure that youth strive to do good while remaining faithful to what is most true to them.

Written by: Brandon Copeland, May 29th 2010

Hadestown

admin — Fri, 28 May 2010 16:01:00 +0000

By Anaïs Mitchell

Righteous Babe Records

Before reviewing the album, I have to admit, Ani Difranco and Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, who are both major contributors to the project, definitely rake up the most counts on my iTunes top played lists. Bias.

That said however, Anaïs Mitchell’s folk opera Hadestown is a masterful album in its own right, originally beginning in 2006 as a live show that toured New England with a cast of twenty-two performers. The show, and now complete album, is an impressive Americana retelling of the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice that evokes a feel of Depression-era America and a doomed future in which all desperately seek to preserve their power, freedom, and riches.

Researching the mythical story a bit so I could understand the compelling narration of the album, I found that it is a love story about Orpheus, a poet who swayed Hades with his beautiful music to bring back his beloved Eurydice from the underworld. As I already alluded to, Mitchell’s ambitious, bold, fourth album is a collaborative project, with the lead singer of Bon Iver as Orpheus (my all-time favorite), Ani DiFranco as Persephone (the strong-willed wife of Hades), Greg Brown as Hades ("king of the kingdom of dirt") and Mitchell as Eurydice, the beautiful young woman seduced into Hades' underworld.

"I recognized in the Orpheus character something a lot of artists feel: his heartbreaking optimism," observes Mitchell. "In the underworld, the rules are the rules, you don’t get a dead person back—but Orpheus believes if he can just sing/play/write something beautiful enough, maybe he can do the impossible, move the heart of stone, get through to someone. I've felt that feeling..." And alas, an incredible album is born, complete with human emotion, social commentary, and an incredibly impressive artistic collaboration.

In general, the lovely Vermont singer-songwriter has a unique, eclectic style all her own, but has definitely been influenced by "the earthiness of Shawn Colvin, the child-like bite of Joanna Newsom, and the urban jumpiness of Ani DiFranco." As this reviewer continues, "These elements, as disparate as they might seem, come together as nicely as cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg" (Margaret Reges, Allmusic.com). In January 2008, I was actually lucky enough to see Mitchell play shortly after she was taken up by Difranco’s Righteous Babe Records, opening a show for the extraordinary anti-folk goddess herself.

Back to the album, Hadestown is definitely the most creative, inspired folk album I have heard in the past couple years, bringing a fresh perspective to the mythic tradition and timeless themes of power, love and desperation. Listen—to the feature on NPR or buy it—but listen to it all the way through. Even if the Americana style generally doesn’t appeal to you, and I admit it normally doesn’t for me, the inspired and compelling narration, craft, and featured artists on the album come together and truly form something magical.

Written by: Abigail Chance, May 28th 2010