by Sophie
Here was my initial impression of 'Blue Parade': aa, it's nice, typical Sarah Slean, all the songs sort of sound the same, nothing on this recording to rival "I Know" or "John 23rd".

OK, before the hate mail starts a-coming my way, let me repeat that this was my INITIAL impression. I didn't toss it into the reject pile. I brought it with me in the car and just kept listening to it and listening to it and listening... until it was all-consuming and I couldn�t imagine even having the desire to listen to anything else. I thought all the songs sounded the same? How could I have thought that!! Yes, they sort of fit into a certain genre, but they do not all sound the same. I sort of hate to list favorites, but I can't help it -- I'll do it anyway: "Narcolepsy Weed", "Bonnie's Song", "Twin Moon" and "Blue Parade". Those are probably my main ones. Of course I also love "High" and "Playing Cards With Judas". Well, I guess that's almost the whole album!! There is not one song that I dislike. Oh, I forgot to mention "Awake Soon". How could I have forgotten that one?

My avocation is writing and yet, as that saying goes which way too many people have taken credit for over the years, talking about music is like dancing about architecture. And so my words fail me here. I find here a young woman - still in the process of developing her talent - who is not afraid to be fragile and, paradoxically, becomes strong for having that quality. Her music is beautiful, ethereal, etc... All these adjective have been used to death to describe her music, I'm sure.

I love "Blue Parade". And it's taking a little trip around the world: I bought a copy for my 18-year-old niece in Russia, who loves everything I send her (I turned her on to Tori), and I know she will love this CD, too.

by Rachel Jagt

This is an art record. From the cover painting, done by Slean, to the carefully constructed poetry of the songs, Blue Parade is a work of art. It's also the kind of sad that's actually depressing. I'm a fan of sad songs -- I always have been -- but when a sad song makes you feel like jumping off a bridge instead of snuggling under the covers and listening to it over and over and over, it's just not as eternally touching.

Sarah Slean, who is a fixture on the Toronto club circuit, has a trembling, soulful voice. She's passionate and talented and writes very introspective, deep songs, but I find everything she performs on this record to be too slow and drawn out to really affect me positively.

Slean has recruited some talented musicians to play with her, most notably Starling bassist Maury LaFoy on "Twin Moon" and "Eliot," plus multi-instrumentalist Kurt Swinghammer. The instrumentals show a fine attention to detail and a strong musical sensibility. This is especially true of the string arrangements, all of which were composed and conducted by Slean. Horn accompaniment blends beautifully with Slean's piano on "My Invitation."

I've never been a fan of Slean's particular type of music; what it comes down to is that "Blue Parade" is just not my kind of record, as well-constructed as it may be.

When a songwriter as prolific as Sarah waits for 2 years to put out an album, there are inevitably disappointing omissions. Some of her older songs that probably would have appeared on the album had it been released earlier are missed. In fact, "Playing Cards With Judas" is probably the only song from the Universe cassette release-era days to survive to this songlist. But with this album, after a few listens, it was hard to find songs to bump in favour of the ones I wanted. There's probably a good reason for that.... Sarah has developed so much as both a songwriter and a performer since the Universe days, it's a little scary.... There's a good mix of songs, from gorgeous ballads like "Twin Moon" and "Blue Parade" to more up tempo songs like "Playing Cards with Judas" and "High". "Awake Soon" is an a cappella choral piece in the tradition of "Pie Jesu". There's the Cohen-esque "Eliot", and explorations of different sounds, effects and instrumentation in "My Invitation" (piano and horns), "Habit" (electric guitars), "Eliot" (accordion, horns, glock), and "Narcolepsy Weed" (funky keyboard setting). Unlike most CDs, my favourite tracks are near the end. "Eliot" has an old-time, Leonard Cohen feel that I just can't get enough of. I can also hear a touch of Rufus Wainwright in this one (she's a big fan of Rufus). "Blue Parade" is the very next song and this is one of the most emotionally moving and achingly beautiful songs I've ever heard. The first time I heard the recorded version this song was causing all sorts of visceral reactions, the tears, the shivers, the hairs on end, the goosebumps. It was all I could do from crying out for someone to pause the CD player after the song ended to give me some time to decompress after the song. Not everyone will find this album better than Universe, but I found that Sarah had learned more about arranging strings, and adding more strings added some more substance and oomph to the string parts. *I* liked it more, anyways.... And all the songs keep getting better and better with each listen. This is an unbelievable, truly beautiful album; the title track still gives me the shivers. ([email protected]) This album is pure brilliance. Absolutely incredible! The string/horn additions are amazing. From the first seconds of "Playing Cards with Judas" (what an AWESOME intro to a song), to the haunting title track, this CD is amazing--please check her out if you haven't already. :) ([email protected])

This album didn't really grow on me--more like pounced. If the song selection were a bit stronger (i.e. if there weren't so many slow ballads that sound exactly alike all strung together), this would have been in my top three of the year. Still, though, it's got some great songs on it ("High", "Habit", "Playing Cards With Judas", "Twin Moon"), and Sarah's voice is stunningly beautiful. ([email protected])

I've also been listening to this more often lately and appreciating it more and more as I do. (JoAnn.Whetsell)

Some really brilliant stuff mixed in with some...umm...less brilliant stuff. ([email protected])

I like this, but I must say that I'm a little surprised at how conventional it sounds compared to universe. The album really focuses on her softer, more balladic side--the punch these songs have is in her piano technique and soulful vocals. I also have a couple of quibbles about the strings being just a little too sweet for my taste. I still think this is a lovely album, but the songs are (generally) a little more soulful/slow/pretty than I usually like. Mostly she pulls them off for me by her clarity, her lyrics, and by knowing how not to overdo it. In other words, she pulls me in pretty well but I don't love this the way I did the universe ep. It's not as instantly engaging and is more subtle. It's an unusual album in that it seems to get stronger later in the disc--the later tracks are quite brilliant, and I especially like the last postscript track. I wish she didn't make us wait so long for it! She seems to be more and more clearly different from Tori with this release--more into her own sound and thought processes, which I think it ultimately rewarding for me as a listener. (Neile)

I love Sarah Slean, and to say that this is the biggest disappointment of a group new releases I picked up at the same time does her and the album a disservice. While a very solid album, none of the songs really stand up and grab you. Pretty, lyrically interesting, haunting vocals, but all kind of just blend into another. Also, her piano playing seems much tamer/less flashy than on her first release, and personally this album could use a little more flash. This album took a while to grow on me, and still seems a bit of a disappointment, but there is some beautiful stuff on here, and Sarah sure shows promise. I hope we'll be hearing from her for a long time. I think we will. ([email protected])

This was in my top ten of the year, also wins for the song I hummed most often: for the second year running this prestigious award goes to Sarah Slean. Either for "Blue Parade", or "Madeleine"--both have been on high rotation in my shower throughout this year :). ([email protected])

think I still like universe better, but Blue Parade is fabu. ([email protected])

Blue Parade has been a disappointment for me. Somehow it doesn't grab me at all like Universe did right from the start. Maybe it just needs some more time to grow on me. ([email protected])

I'm just quickly listening, not the proper subsumed within the music first deep listen, but it's gorgeous anyway. Lush and in full bloom--strings, layered voices, French accordion sounds, many of the songs are self-contained worlds. I'd prefer less, some simple acoustic tracks, the odd scratchy unpolished edge, but with a growing understanding of production and how to arrange strings and such it is understandable that Sarah wants to flesh out her songs. She has already heard the plain piano versions, unlike us. ([email protected])

By Rachel E. Beattie
Imprint Staff

Blue Parade is Canadian Indie songstress Sarah Slean�s follow up to her debut Universe. Blue Parade shows Slean�s maturing ability as both a singer and a songwriter. Some of the songs on Universe tended to blur, but here the songs are more individual while still maintaining Slean�s unique style.

"Playing Cards with Judas" starts off the CD. Slean sings of debating the state of humanity with Judas over a game of cards. She sings, "I have no missionary zeal I say, no armies fighting sin / But I�ll keep playing, I�ll keep playing / until I win." This song is irresistibly catchy and it immediately gets into your head. �Eliot� (which is about poet T.S. Eliot) has a funky Parisian cabaret feel to it.

Slean has a beautiful voice that is reminiscent of Tori Amos; there were times on Universe when I wondered if I was listening to a Tori CD. However, on Blue Parade, Slean has managed to build her own sound. sarah�s songs are multi-textured weaves of piano, cello, percussion, guitar and Slean�s radiant voice.

Slean�s lyrics are very personal; they tell interesting little stories, ranging from descriptions of all sorts of relationships to a feeling of pessimism with respect to the entire human race. "High" is a beautiful song about the agony of a one sided relationship. "Habit" tells of an obsessive relationship: Slean sings, �You need her, you love her, you die / When she�s not strapped to your side.�

Blue Parade is a great listen. I loved some of the songs, like "Playing Cards with Judas" and "High," from the first time I heard them. Other songs like, "Before Your Time" and "Habit," took a few listens to fully appreciate them. If you have not yet heard Sarah Slean, give Blue Parade a listen. And Slean sounds even better live, so if you get the chance to see her don�t miss out on one of Canada�s greatest new singers.

by Paul Schreiber
Imprint Staff

If you're saying "Sarah who?" you won't be for much longer. Toronto-based singer-songwriter Sarah Slean's debut CD, which hit the shelves in May, contains some of the best new music I've heard. Combining the six tracks from her cassette EP of the same name with two hidden bonus songs, Universe doesn't let you down.

Slean demonstrates good range with her clear, piercing voice and flowing piano melodies. She takes it slow and soft in "I know," a sad song about pain and oppression. In "Angel," my favourite track, she picks up the tempo and tells the story of buying her pet angel.

You can hear the emotion in her voice throughout the chorus: "'cause I saw it on TV / and they were selling pieces of heaven / and he thought, well how can this be? / What in the hell are they thinking." The subtle percussion and string accompaniment is fantastic.

"Universe," the CD's title track, again stars her voice. A very relaxing piece, it makes one want to hear nothing but her soft, sweet vocals. The sixth track is completely different from the first five. It's "Pie Jesu," a classical piece by Faur� in which Slean goes a capella. On track 23, she's back to her familiar piano-pop style with "John XXIII." Way down on the CD is the final track, a cover of Radiohead's "Climbing Up the Walls."

Although her music has drawn comparisons to Tori Amos, this singer-songwriter's style is definitely her own. If you're looking for great vocals, interesting lyrics and absolutely killer piano, pick up a copy of Universe as soon as you can.

by Rachel Jagt

A darling of the Toronto club scene, singer-songwriter and pianist Sarah Slean most reminds me of a cross between Sarah McLachlan and Tori Amos, with just a touch of Ani DiFranco thrown in for good measure. Her songs are unabashedly political. Universe was originally a six-song tape demo; word of mouth translated into more sales and the tape was burned onto CD.

Slean's songs, like the original artwork that adorns the CD inserts, are dark and politically strident. In "I Know," Slean expresses her horror at the exploitation of women in the sex trade. "Angel" is a treatise on television and the commercialization of religion and faith. She switches gears for a story about a relationship: "It doesn't matter where you ought to be -- how you get there's the thing."

Slean is finding her place among other great Canadian singer-songwriters. There is no place, yet, where she ought to be -- she's on her way there, wherever "there" is.

Universe should be required listening for any fan of Tori Amos or Sarah McLachlan in my opinion. ([email protected])

It is fantastic. A must-check-out, especially for fans of Tori Amos. Her songs "Universe" and "Me and Jerome" are just incredible. What can I say, Sarah rocks my world. It was great to get a studio recording of "John the 23rd". ([email protected])

I'd like to introduce a new award, "for the song I hummed most often". This year this coveted award goes to Sarah Slean's "Universe". My recommendation is Buy, Buy, Buy! My Favourite Record Award of 1999 will be a bit of a stretch since the record in question actually came out the previous year and is not really full-length either. All the same, with re-release in CD format and the inclusion of stunning bonus tracks I think it can qualify. Now the drum roll please...and the winner is Sarah Slean, Universe! ([email protected])

She is quite amazing. At one point I thought "this is what Tori Amos could have been if she didn't go the route of Boys for Pele", but then thought that was an unfair comment about Sarah. She is truly amazing. All the songs are great. I had the tape already, but decided to spring for the CD. I'm glad I did. The two extra songs make it worth the money. Of all the new CDs acquired lately, Sarah's is *THE BEST*, and unfortunately the shortest as well. The tape was on my top 10 for 1997 and although the CD is the same--plus two--she's on the rise, and is such a great songwriter it deserved a spot for 1998 as well. (Matt.Bittner)

The songs on this ep are individual and strong. Boy did they stick in my head and prove themselves playable over and over and over again. She's got a lovely voice and a good sense of song structure and she's only going to grow from here. I really enjoy this ep and look forward to hearing more from her! All 5 of the original songs are distinctive. Her version of Faur�'s "Pie Jesu" is quite lovely. I'm a little less thrilled with the 2 extra songs--mostly because they're both downbeat and I'm not sure if she sounds sultry or mournful on them. They're lovely but not as catchy as "weight" or "angel" or "me & jerome" or "universe". (Neile)

I really really really liked it. Great stuff. Yeah, it's an EP, so what? Sarah Slean exhibits all the markings of a great artist. I'm looking forward to following her career as it develops. Perhaps the endless comparisons to Sarah McLachlan and Tori Amos are unfair, but they're aptly descriptive. I just hope she takes her career more in Tori's direction than that of her namesake.... Five seconds into "Weight", I knew Sarah Slean was going to be a keeper. I usually listen to this a minimum of 3 times in succession. ([email protected])

This is like finding a whole set of Tori Amos Little Earthquakes-era B-Sides. However, they are not a pale imitation but as good in their own right. ([email protected])

It *rocks*. Sarah is amazing. Universe is one of the coolest EPs that I've heard all year. ([email protected])

I loved the cassette, but it's TOO SHORT!!! The bonus tracks on the cd are nice. Compared to Emm Gryner as many seem to do, Sarah's music seems to grab on the first listen. ([email protected])

This is fabulous. ([email protected])

My top album of 1998. Oh, and for the record, I did like Universe better than Blue Parade, but I think that's just because Blue Parade had room for a few weaker tracks that might not have been included in an EP. ([email protected])

I have pretty much fallen in love with it. Universe is fantastic. I love the crunchy piano style, the use of strings, the wry lyrics. Neat voice, great songwriting. And ya gotta love someone who could write a road story about cruising with J.D. Salinger, and have it make sense. One of my top albums of 1998. Sarah I find to be a stunning up-and-comer, and someone who I'm anxious to see grow throughout their career. ([email protected])

What everyone else said. One of the best debuts of the year, and a striking example of girl-with-piano done right. ([email protected])

"Universe, a six-song sampling from Toronto suburbanite Sarah Slean, is a strong opus in any medium. Its strength is in the songs... Ignore the girl-with-piano motif and the obvious musical comparisons, since beyond these is an arpeggio-tinted framework where a naive hope shines through some awe-filled darkness." "Sarah Slean seems poised for something bigger. And why shouldn't she be? She has brains, talent and a strong, almost daunting faith in her music. On her own, or with cellist Sharon Tiessen and a percussionist, Sarah paints little pictures in song, with explorations of magic realism more often found with mature Latin poets than with 20-year-old University of Toronto music students." - Chart Magazine

"...a strong mix of delicate melodies, intense rhythms and soothing harmonies that are beyond modern comparison... It doesn't always take heavy music to crush you."- Toronto Star

"Weight, the opening track, is the song destined to launch Slean into the spotlight." - Brock Press

"Art and beauty: Toronto's Sarah Slean expertly merges the two on her debut LP Universe... The only thing wrong with Slean's dark, evocative Universe is that at six songs, it's too short by half." -Words and Music

"While it is nice to listen to an album, there is nothing quite like Slean's performance, especially when one can see the emotion and hearfelt drive that goes into each song." - The Varsity- U of T

"Sarah Slean and Emm Gryner are easily two of the most promising solo acts on the Toronto music scene" -The Spill

"Almost as soon as I pressed play to listen for the first time to Universe, Sarah's debut E.P., I could feel the passion in her performance... I can't help but think that someone may have been sitting in a room years ago watching a young Joni Mitchell or Jane Siberry perform at the beginning of their careers. I wonder if they had the same feeling I had after watching Sarah Slean. This girl is going to make it one day." - Indie Nation