You can find this one here: http://www.chartattack.com/damn/2006/11/2811.cfm

Text:

Last year Sarah Slean threw herself to the metaphorical wolves and moved to France. She's returned triumphant, minus a few scratches, with a live album titled Orphan Music in tow.

"France was version two of the cabin exile, taking myself out of the familiar," explains Slean. "Throwing myself to the wolves so to speak.

"I had to surrender to ignorance. I think ignorance is a tool for me. I must always remember my studenthood. It helped me regain my clarity to view everything like a kid again, filled with wonder and newness."

This past winter, the illustrious pop-pixie fled overseas to further promote her Day One disc, which featured material unlike the traditional sounds pouring out of Canadian musicians these days. Slean has gained the reputation of being a touch offbeat — chimerical at best.

Since Slean's early years lugging her keyboard from her parents' suburban Pickering, Ontario home to clubs around Toronto, the capricious canary has conjured up fictional characters, including the infamous "Cookie the crime photographer," whose job description entailed observing, preserving and recalling the aftermath of foul deeds.

Her latest understudy goes by the name of "the baroness," whom she says possesses traits and a temperament that are unlike her own. The every day, bookish Slean would never be gutsy enough to perform before thousands of listeners, let alone release a live album.

"The word orphan to me has such a residence existentially," Slean says. "We are such animals. We're half wild animals, half creatures.

"I feel occasionally as though I'm walking back into the world that way. Of course my mother always asks, 'Why are you using that word, orphan?' But it's really just a metaphor. I'm not an actual orphan."

According to Slean, Orphan Music was originally the working title for Day One. But she wanted the album to embody a more universal, utopian theme. Upon her return to Toronto in September, Slean enrolled in a few university courses — philosophy and music, naturally. But she hasn't started to unpack entirely just yet, as her skilled fingers shall caress a few more ivory keys before the holiday season settles in. With Christmas on the horizon, Slean looks forward to wrapping her small frame in an apron and whipping up some baked goods.

"I love baking. I'm an avid baker. I haven't really lived in places with ovens recently. Baking is sort of like meditation. I think Sylvia Plath did a lot baking. I like baking everything, cookies, anything really."

Perhaps there will be homemade sweets available at her merch table at these shows:

Dec. 1 Halifax, NS @ Rebecca Cohn Auditorium
Dec. 2 Fredericton, NB @ Playhouse
Dec. 3 St. John's, NF @ Holy Heart Of Mary Auditorium
Dec. 15-16 Toronto, ON @ Harbourfront Centre w/Bruce Spruce Quartet
Dec. 18 Vancouver, BC @ Stanley Theatre
—Shannon Webb-Campbell

Aww, that was a cute article- thanks eliza!

What I liked about this article was Sarah giving an explanation to the title "Orphan" music. Early google searchs used to bring up the soundtrack to Annie

I have been posting new articles to littleslean aswell. I am trying to keep that post updated as I find new write ups. I have however not had the time to repost them here. If anyone would like to archive post those articles, feel free too.

Thanks

Cameron

great article! it reminds me that I've got to start my christmas baking...