MPress Records

Delancey Street

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

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

New Arrivals: Volume 2

admin — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 12:56:00 +0000

By Various Artists

MPress Records

Rachel Sage’s Mpress Records presents its second compilation, this one to benefit the organization Artists Against Hunger and Poverty, a division of World Hunger Year. Eighteen performers are showcased, most solidly in the “My heart: here” tradition of straightforward song stylings, some more twang than others. Chicago’s Todd Carey is featured, as well as 2006 Independent Music Award winner Kristy Krüger, introducing us to a “Dark Stranger” that we may have all already met, or wish that we would.

Any compilation that includes an artist with the ovaries to describe herself as “Trent Reznor with tits” (Natasha Alexandra) deserves a listen, although I can’t help but decontextualize for a moment to despair that the male remains the normative. Shell out and give this disc a spin to help the hungry and chip in towards a day when a male performer might be described as “Patty Smith with vas deferens.” But, vive la difference, the boys and girls on this album all tend to play well, although not necessarily ‘nice.’ And that’s how I like it.

Written by: Erika Mikkalo, April 10th 2007

New Arrivals: Volume One

admin — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 13:47:00 +0000

By Various Artists

MPress Records

Upbeat and flowing, this album has a lot of very powerful music and lyrics on it. From Noe Venable's "Juniper," to Paul Brill's "New Pagan Love Song," the music in this selection is a definite must-have. Whoever edited this work paid a lot of attention to detail and continuity between selections and it really, really shows. All of this music I found very upbeat and easy to listen to, but without being maudalin and boring. Well worth your listening time. Classic folk-type music in the modern era. These artists will defiantly become ones to watch for in the future.

Written by: caroline tigeress, January 29th 2007

The Blistering Sun

admin — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 02:05:00 +0000

By Rachael Sage

MPress Records

“Alright, OK,” the opening track on Rachael Sage’s new album The Blistering Sun, introduces you to all that is best about Sage’s music: it’s an vibrant, catchy, pop tune showcasing her warm, versatile voice, with clever rhymes and introspective lyrics, as well as top-notch piano playing and penchant for horns. Other standouts include the mellow, jazzy ballad “Violet or Blue” the buoyant “C’mon Over” and “Lonely Streets,” which features the memorable line, “You were the fun I should have done without.” The accordion and urgent tempo immediately mark “93 Maidens” as a departure. The lyrics capture the listener’s attention: the song tells the true story of Chaya Feldman, a Warsaw teenager, who, along with 92 classmates, swallowed poison rather than becoming a prostitute for Nazi soldiers. The tongue-in-cheek “Hit Song” is a confessional about the chart topper Sage believes may hide inside her. The track stands out for the absence of piano and for the vocal, which is spoken more than sung. The tune is something you’d hear at a poetry jam, with percussion, drums, and horns giving it a jazzy feel. Sage is at the top of her game on this album, which makes it a great introduction for those who haven’t heard this talented musician.

Written by: Karen Duda, January 5th 2007