Album Review: Star Belly by Stephanie Rearick

Album Name: Star Belly
Artist: Stephanie Rearick
Year/Label: 2005 / Independent

[Buy at Amazon]
Buy the CD

Review by Amy Lotsberg Producer of Collected Sounds

There’s nothing average or mainstream about Stephanie Rearick. She’s officially out on her own now, having been a part of the now defunct Coma Savants. However, this is her third solo release. Each one is a trip (and I mean that) into her world. She’s funky, out there, odd, and most of all a very talented musician. This is more artsy than pop, however this is her most pop-ish release of the three.

Her latest CD is filled with haunting vocals, amazing piano playing and lots of Cabaret weirdness. She utilizes the many-voice-layers-singing-in-unison thing, which at times sounds like a ghost choir.

“Star Belly”‘s piano is very jangly. Sounds carnival-ish.

“Twilight Fog” is really pretty. Sounds almost classical, until her childlike ghosty vocals start up.

“Roll Over” has the swooping vocals and unison backing vocals.

The only “drawback”, if you will, is that some of her songs are a kin to a Saturday Night Live sketch. They just go on a little longer than is necessary. Not that they’re not good, just that they just repeat and do the same thing on a loop with nothing new happening. “Long Picnic (reprise)” is one of these. But then again, I’ve never been a fan of the jam band, which is, in effect what she’s doing. It’s just that she’s doing it all on her own. Which is impressive.

The most “normal”…whatever that means…release from a very unique artist. If you are already a Rearick fan, my guess is you’ll really dig this. If you’re not, I can’t promise it will be for you, but if the descriptions sound enticing give it a whirl.

Stand out songs: Along with the above mentioned ones, I like “Hymn”, “Arms” too.

Posted on May 23, 2005

Track Listing
Listen to track samples
1. Hymn
2. Star Belly
3. Disease
4. Twilight Fog
5. Your Foolish Heart
6. Dreemycream
7. Fantastic Voyage (bowie/eno)
8. Roll Over
9. Soldier’s Thing (tom Waits)
10. Long Picnic (reprise)
11. Arms
12. Ish

[Stephanie Rearick Official Site]

[wp_campaign_1]

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.