B l u e P a r a d e - A S a r a h S l e a n F a n s i t e
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by David Chiu
When it comes to surveying the current crop of today's young female singers, Sarah Slean definitely stands out from the rest. Whereas her peers positions themselves as either flavor of the month stars or tomboy rockers, Slean comes across as a experienced chanteuse from pop's golden age (think Edith Piaf). The 20-something Canadian's music evoke Tin Pan Alley, Euro cabaret, and the bombast of today's rockers like Radiohead and P.J. Harvey.
The artist from Toronto had released her latest full length album Night Bugs (Warner Music) that combined torchy, dramatic music with introspective, fatalistic lyrics. Night Bugs is a varied album of romantic-sounding pop, from the sweeping grandeur of "Eliot" and the character study of "Duncan," through the baroque beauty of " Book Smart, Street Stupid," and the buoyant "Sweet Ones" and the horn-laced "Bank Accounts." They all carry Slean's charismatic, smoky voice and her dominant piano playing. Not relegated to being an ing�nue, Slean also co-produced the album and was responsible for the musical arrangements.
Slean may be an unknown to a majority of American music fans (she released the Sarah Slean EP in the States back in 2001). But in Canada she is already a successful artist with a full-length album (Blue Parade) and an EP (Universe) already under her belt. Her music have appeared in television shows like Murder on Smalltown X and Dawson's Creek. She also has been touring diligently in her native Canada and even in the States. Her most recent New York appearances included stints at the Knitting Factory and Central Park Summerstage on Canada Day 2003.
NewBeats had a chance to catch up with the charming and fascinating Slean to introduce herself to American music listeners and to talk about her sound.
1. Sarah let me start off by saying that I enjoyed your latest album very much. It is very well-crafted and tuneful. My first question is, if someone who has never heard of you asked me how to describe your sound, what it would it be?
"In my heart of hearts, in my thickest painting, it would be Leonard Cohen and Marlene Deitrich slow dancing in the forest. It would be Hansel and
Gretel getting hammered on the coast of France. It's war and train travel and love letters.
2. Does your roots lie in pop, rock, jazz, cabaret, or a little bit of
Everything. As a wee bug I was first drawn to classical music...it continues to be the MUSIC that inspires me the most...also film stuff...grand orchestral magic....as far as singers and writers...well a whole cast of characters from all disciplines inspires me there....Tim Burton, Leonard Bernstein, Joni Mitchell, Judy Garland, Maria Callas, Radiohead, Bjork, Tom Waits, Glenn Gould, Ella Fitzgerald, T.S.Eliot, Jim Jarmusch, Chopin....etc.
3. Night Bugs seem to vary in terms of mood and tempo, from the melodic and poppy "Sweet Ones" and "Bank Accounts" to the subdued fatalism of "Eliot" and "St. Francis." Is there a preference you have in writing and performing: the uptempo, whimsical numbers or the reflective, slower ones? Does songwriting come naturally for you?
Performing is the craziest beast of them all because you can't indulge in your own wild tangents and flights of fancy. You have receiving ears and eyes to contend with and that's the enjoyable aspect....that's the slow dance, the cheek to cheek, the diary swap so to speak. So when I perform, i try to work with what's coming at me --the beauty of it is it's all unfolding in realtime.
Songwriting is a weird one. For me it's solely about watching and listening and falling in love with everything you get to witness or feel as an invitee
on earth. sometimes it's cynicism that paints the picture, sometimes it's doe-eyed naivete, but it's all a wonder that you feel it at all.
4. How did you come up with "Book Smart, Street Stupid"? I just love the title of the song, as well as the music. Why did you choose to name the album Night Bugs?
My dad always called me book smart street stupid. He thinks I'm all philosophy and no reality...no pay-the-phone-bill, know-what-day-it-is. He's probably right. Zut alors. That song was written in the studio with some Jameson Irish whiskey and my heart alight with my magical surroundings--the forest, the ghosts, the instruments.
"Night Bugs" came from that too...every night we'd walk home to our on-site cottage to the tune of the (strangely loud) tree frogs and fireflies...
6. Not only you are the performer and writer, but you were also the co-producer and arranger on the album too. Was it difficult wearing that many hats and in the end, did you present the album the way that you wanted to?
Yes it's difficult to do all those things, but I couldn't imagine doing it any other way. It's more difficult to try and translate your vision intact...
easier to try and squeeze it all out of yourself. A co-producer is good to keep you sane, help with decision making, take the pressure off, and in [my co-producer] Hawk's case, play a lot!
7. Is it true you practiced on the piano at a very early age? Did you have voice and piano training through your adolescence?
I met my piano at 3 and we started hanging out more at 5 or 6. I've trained formally ever since...never trained formally for voice.
9. Given the eclectic and unique style to your sound, do you pay attention to what's out there in pop music these days?
Pop music these days is like a bag of Doritos. It's strangely tasty and absolutely everywhere and it doesn't cost much and it's mass produced and it's got a shiny bag, but in reality, it's chemicals and fake cheese, it makes you feel like crap, can't fill you up, rots your belly and it only wants your $1.14.
10. You have performed in the States, like in New York. Is there a difference between the American and Canadian audiences and if so, what are they? Have the Americans been receptive to your music? Any chance that your albums will be officially released in the States?
I wouldn't waste a paragraph on the difference between those audiences People who dig music are relatively the same everywhere. Yay for us! We're talking to a few American labels right now. My manager will know all that stuff.
11. What impression do you want to leave with people after hearing your music?
"Saints alive, my heart is a raging muscle!"
12. What's next for Sarah Slean? What are your upcoming plans?
I've run off to the woods to live for the summer, throw myself into the making of my next opus.....heroes unite!
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