Hmmm a not-so-positive review from the Vancouver Sun. I can't honestly say I'm super thrilled with the Baroness at this point (I need to listen to it a lot more), but this review doesn't seem to be particularly well thought out or useful...

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/westcoastlife/s...34be98aa73f2&k=36559

CD reviews: Singer strains romantic themes
Amy O'Brian, Vancouver Sun
Published: Monday, March 10, 2008

THE BARONESS
Sarah Slean
Warner (three stars)



There is no doubt Sarah Slean is an accomplished singer, songwriter and all-around musician. But there is something holding her back from being great. It's not her voice, which is strong and emotive. It's not her musical skill, which she demonstrates at the piano. It is the absence of a certain amount of subtlety and mystery. The Toronto-based singer seems to want to lay everything out before you on her most recent album, The Baroness. She clearly has a penchant for drama and poetry, which is fine and good. But it often comes off as over-thought and overwrought. Then again, when you consider that the 30-year-old wrote a good deal of the songs on this album - her fifth - while living in Paris and that she is now studying philosophy and music at the University of Toronto, the reasons for the romance and drama become clearer. There's a Victorian feel to the lyrics and a theatrical feel to the building and crashing music. Slean would benefit, perhaps, from some more modernity. Take, for example, the lyrics to Please Be Good to Me, where Slean sings: "I carried my heart unbuttoned across the lonely stage where all the fools and actors circle like birds of prey." I can't help but picture the heartache and drama of a story like Wuthering Heights when I listen to this album. Images of torn gowns, unkempt curls and bleak winter gardens come to mind. Such influences could make for gorgeous music, but Slean overdoes it. The songs all blend together. They all sound similar - a bit like they were written for some romantic, teen television drama. Slean is surely capable of more.

Yeah, i'll have to agree with you, Politely Dazed. I keep expecting Sarah to pop out and be like "you've just been punk'd! Here's my real album"

I was like you two after the first couple listens through, finding only 2 or 3 songs "typical Sarah" and the rest seeming a little too "radio-friendly soft rock" for my liking.

BUT, after listening to the album more and more, I'm finding the melodies and harmonies really coming through -- especially when I'm NOT listening to the album (which to me is a sign that the music is hitting its mark).

I still think Parasol being kept off the album was a mistake, though.

I agree with Metal2000, Parasol absolutely should have been on the album. (I also take some issue with having to preorder to get one bonus song but having to then pay to download the album again to get the other two...)

I think for me this album was totally different from what I was expecting. What was said over and over again about the album was about how stripped down it was going to be and it turned out to feel REALLY overproduced and perfected to me. A lot of the emotion in the songs doesn't come through well on the album (to me they're nowhere near to how amazing they are live - more so than the usual comparison of studio vs live songs.) The songs are all very pretty but they're definitly not connecting with me all that well yet.

i agree that it takes a couple listens to really get into it as much as her past albums. i don't think Parasol would have fit in with the rest of the album BUT i'm thinking maybe she should make a second album with all the songs she left out (the other day i was thinking how she could've also released a double disk which would have been awesome!). i was just hoping there would be more string arrangements with a quartet (or more... haha). but agreed that the live performances she did for a lot of the songs stand out far better than the album.

after seeming like i've been disappointed, no i haven't. especially after a couple listens i love the album. =)

after several listens I finally got connected to the album as well a I love "notes from the underground"!! I still think that night bugs was the best album of sarah...
It`s really a pity that you have to buy the itunes-album to get those incredible tracks "the lonely side of the moon" and "the rose"... maybe they`ll find a place somewhere else (on DVD)?

I agree. It is starting to grow on me a bit now... but it just doesn't affect me the way Night Bugs and some parts of Day One do. Maybe that will come with time. My favourite is definitely Notes from the Underground. Lately I've just been putting that on repeat!
I hope Sarah does a European tour because I'm moving to Germany before May when she does her Canadian one... I can't judge this album until I see it live!

And I agree about Parasol; it wouldn't have really fit with the rest of the album, but it's by far my favourite. I'm also disappointed about Lonely Side of the Moon and the Rose, as I really like those songs as well. I might just suck it up and buy the album on itunes as well if I have to.

[QUOTE=elizalavelle]

I think for me this album was totally different from what I was expecting. What was said over and over again about the album was about how stripped down it was going to be and it turned out to feel REALLY overproduced and perfected to me. A lot of the emotion in the songs doesn't come through well on the album ... The songs are all very pretty but they're definitly not connecting with me all that well yet.[/QUOTE]

YES! that's EXACTLY it! especially the part about it feeling overproduced and perfected. well worded! Also that it's too...ostentatious, if you know what i mean. It's lost much of the quirky subtlety that we've been so used to

also, I wish Sarah had released Parasol some other way, because I really would love to hear the recorded version of this. It's by far my favourite of her new songs, and yet it didnt make the cut. understandable, but still, it's too bad

I agree with what some of you said, that it's definitely a disc that takes a few listens to really get into. I've been listening to Sarah for quite a few years now and she's been a huge inspiration to me and my music. I just don't get why people don't love this album ... I had it on repeat for about a week in the car so far and I can't seem to change the disc yet. Sarah is just so open with all of her words and the arrangements are so simple. I cry when I listen to Get Home and Looking for Someone ... they're just so honest and that's a hard thing to find with a lot of musicians. I can't even sing along with 1/2 of the album without getting choked up. It's just a beautiful, straightforward, honest record. I don't get the comparison with Sarah McLachlan - I've never been a fan of hers, but I find her music to lean more on the ethereal side, which I don't think is what Sarah Slean is doing. She's just putting her bare soul on tape and it's heartwrenching and heartbreaking to listen to.

Just my opinion.

hey guys, it just clicked! After seeing the songs live, I moved on to not-hating-the-album status, but i still only thought it was alright, but just now it clicked and I love it!