Meredith O'Connor - EP

Meredith O'Connor – EP
2012, Meredith O’Connor

Beware the wallflower.  Meredith O’Connor never fit in.  Ostracized in school for being different, O’Connor has used her differences to become truly unique.  Singer, songwriter, model and actress, the 17-year old is on a steady rise.  Her heart is in the right place too, as O’Connor still finds time to be an official advisor for www.reachout.com, an online information and support service for teens and young adults.  O’Connor is about to release her debut EP, featuring four original songs culled from her personal experiences and beliefs.  It is generally a pragmatic and positive look at the problems of a modern young adult.

O'Connor opens with "Celebrity", a straight up, candy coated kiss off song about making it big and rubbing it in the face of the one who dropped her. There's almost a country sensibility here, but the synth affirms the song's bubblegum pedigree. "14 Miles" finds O'Connor warning her crush that his girlfriend is going to hit the road. There is a good intent feel to this, but there's an obvious conflict of interest. The arrangement is straight ahead and solid. "Face That's Perfect" is an uncomplicated yet edgy pop crush song. O'Connor displays a keen pop sensibility here that's part Belinda Carlisle. "The Game" is an odd song of belief in another. It starts off steeped in singer/songwriter pastiche but moves into a chorus that sounds like it was inspired by Debbie Boone. It's an unsettled sound that doesn't quite fit O'Connor's voice.

Meredith O'Connor is an intriguing young artist. Her bound wire alto voice is pleasant but with a steely edge. As a songwriter O'Connor shows her young age. She has yet to find her voice as a writer, and is still playing musical dress up to find which style and sound fits her. There's little doubt, however, that she has the potential to be an impact artist one day.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more at www.meredithoconnorhome.com. 

Sarah VonderHaar - P.D.L.

Sarah VonderHaar - P.D.L.
2010, Sarah VonderHaar

Chicago's Sarah VonderHaar may be familiar to fans of America's Next Top Model. The Season 8 contestant was a fan favorite, and has not rested a moment since leaving that show. While still modeling, VonderHaar has devoted more and more time to writing and performing songs. Her debut EP, Are You Listening Now received a host of positive reviews and earned VonderHaar song placements in national ad campaigns. Sarah VonderHaar returns with her second EP, P.D.L., on August 24, 2010. While on four songs long, P.D.L. is a more nuanced and mature effort from the 23-year old singer/songwriter, showing a depth of songwriting ability that wasn't clear on her previous release.

P.D.L. opens with "Howling At The Moon", a campy jazz number that's sort of like listening to Jessica Rabbit in monster form. VonderHaar's voice is surprisingly supple and enjoyable to listen to. "Howling At The Moon" is driven by a walking bass line and the simmering sensuality in her voice. "What I'm Feeling About You" is a great bit of light pop. It's a love song of sorts, but more about enjoying the moment and feeling of falling in love, contrasting the naturalness of the moment with feelings of the past. "Pretty Damn Lucky" is a quiet, contemplative tune. The live acoustic recording presented here is a nice enough tune, but not her best, and exposes some of VonderHaar's vocal flaws in light of day. "All Mine" is a sweet, airy love song that avoids a bubblegum feel and is highly reminiscent of Jessica Jacobs (Riddle).

P.D.L. shows Sarah VonderHaar maturing as an artist, adding dimensions to her sound that will broaden her appeal. VonderHaar doesn't blow you away with her voice, but her sweet, smooth tone and involved presence help her connect to listeners on a personal level. VonderHaar has also shown herself to be deft self-marketer over the years, so don't be surprised if you hear a lot of this EP in the coming months.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Sarah VonderHaar at http://www.sarahvonderhaar.com/ or www.myspace.com/sarahvonderhaar.  P.D.L. drops on August 24, 2010.  You can pre-order digital copies from Amazon.com..

Review: Versailles - Broken Dolls

Versailles – Broken Dolls
2008, Evileye Records

Dianna Marie St. Hilaire grew up enduring a cycle of abuse and heartache, taking refuge in music by artists such as Tori Amos and The Cure. Learning piano and guitar and throwing herself into her own music as a therapeutic firewall, Ms. St. Hilaire transformed herself into Versailles, an artist comparable to child of a theoretical union between Jessica Riddle and Robert Smith. Dark, painful songs full of sad beauty are the order of the day on Versailles’ sophomore effort, Broken Dolls. In a side note, Versailles was the city where the end of hostilities was negotiated at the end of World War I. Whether intentional or not, it’s interesting that St. Hilaire would choose a name associated with the coming to terms for the career that sprouted from her process for making sense of her own travails.

Versailles deals in a brand of darkly melodic gothic rock that isn’t entirely classifiable. Her voice is gorgeous, full of a honey/amber timbre in the lower range and a sweet, breathy soprano on top. Her piano playing has a jangly, rhythmic feel to it; almost as if played by a small (but talented) child. And that’s the key, for whatever sophistication or pain comes through in the music; Versailles is an angry, scared little girl trying to make sense of a world that hurts. Taken as individual songs there is a lot to be excited about on Broken Dolls. Mars is the one track where Versailles really sounds like her influence Tori Amos, and this is probably one of the best songs on the disc. Believe is lush and full of a sorrowful sweetness. Broken Dolls is a little flat energy-wise but has gorgeous harmonies and a vibrant piano part that saves the song. Once is a gorgeous vocal performance that certifies how talented Versailles truly is as a performer. Even Wendy’s Razorblades, the sort of song that parent groups build “ban this song” campaigns around is a fun listen; it’s a unique juxtaposition of a Ben Folds style pop gem with lyrics about an impending suicide.

For all of that, the album taken as a whole is incredibly flat. The melody lines are simplistic without a lot of range, coming across with an almost flat affect fitting for the persona of Versailles, but becoming quasi-monotone over the course of the album. For me personally, I loved individual songs, and would enjoy Versailles in small doses, but this music is really written to appeal to teenage lost souls who in my generation gravitated to The Cure and The Smiths. Whether an honest divulgence of pathos or a brilliantly marketed bit of emotional necromancy, Versaille’s Broken Dolls should find solid footing with fans of The Cure, The Smiths or Tori Amos’ darker material. The pop sensibility and child-like sweetness of Versailles keep this stuff from getting too scary, although from a parent’s perspective I wouldn’t want my own kids listening to this. From a musical perspective it’s a great listen in small doses.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Versailles at http://www.versailles.ro/ or www.myspace.com/versailles. You can purchase a copy of Broken Dolls at www.cdbaby.com/cdversailles2.