Rachel Sage

Public Record

2003-10-23

On Rachael Sage's fifth release, the former ballet dancer and commercial voiceover star leaves no emotional stone unturned, employing a style of music some have termed "folk noir," Sage sings about love and relationships with dense poetic lyrics amid
musical backdrops that careen from rock to classical to jazz to Middle Eastern.  It's gotta be tough to write music to go with lines such as:  "I crocheted secrets like a blanket" and "Am I just black coal your courage is burning" or "I'm so tired from the wrong kind of rest and restlessness" --- but more often than not, she pulls it off.  To me, the most arresting song is "Someone Save Me/The Oil and Water", which Sage wrote the lyrics for as a mere eleven-year-old.  Talk about precocious!  This stuff ain't for Britney Spears fans; get out your thesaurus and psychology textbooks and listen up.

Quick Links:

More reviews tagged #Folk

  • reviewed 06/2005

    Erin McKeown
    We Will Become Like Birds

  • reviewed 02/2004

    The Clumsy Lovers
    After the Flood

  • reviewed 04/2009

    LEONARD COHEN
    Selections From Live In London

  • reviewed 04/2006

    Willy Mason
    Where Humans Eat

  • reviewed 11/2006

    GOB IRON
    Death Songs For The Living

  • reviewed 05/2010

    MEG HUTCHINSON
    The Living Side

Compiled by the WYCE Journalism Club

The opinions expressed in these reviews are those of the individual volunteers that submitted the article and do not necessarily reflect the views of WYCE or GRCMC; nor its staff, donors, or affiliates.