RACHAEL SAGE
Painting of a Painting (MpressRecords)
Reviewed by Holly Day

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I think Rachael Sage is on the verge of becoming something great. I don't think that she's necessarily reached that "great" point with this album, but you can already tell that she's growing into something here. There's just not enough confidence or strength in her voice at this point, though, and for the subject matter and the quiet type of sparse jazz-pop accompaniment (guitar, percussion, piano, etc.) she's singing along with, her voice is the centerpiece of these songs and needs to be strong enough to take that position. However, at this point, her voice quavers and trips just enough to detract from what is good there to hear, leaving the listener wondering if perhaps turning up the volume is all that's needed to make these really listenable, only to find out that the problem's not with the stereo at all.

© 2002 - Holly Day