| Addendum: May 3, 2007 It is not
often that Xena Starwoman fails to be factual, but herein lies a strange tale
of miraculous misidentification. Although the text below indicates that Jian Ghomeshi
was the source of my introduction to my musical Diva, the inestimable Sarah Slean
back in January of 2006, a moment, a snippet, as it were of a CBC Radio 1 intro.
for the show to air today (Jian's new program "Q,"
which airs weekdays and replays late evenings) indicates that it was not my source
for Slean. I have no idea how I arrived at Sarah Slean, and can only surmise that
I never located the Bee Gees single referred to as Slean's art, because it was
never produced by my Diva. No need to read between
the lines. When I visited Sam The Record man and HMV and purchased anything Slean,
it was because I was looking for the Leslie Feist, another Canadian, the artist
that actually made the cheesy cover recording of "Inside
Out" that I must admit I adore, as well... So, arriving at home,
wondering about the obvious incongruences vis the cheesy Feist track, I nonetheless
fell wildly in love with Slean's art which I had heretofore not heard. Slean is
my Diva, without a doubt, and while I find much to admire in the music
of the artist that produced the cover in question, the tune that I have in my
head at the moment is "Shame," by Alan Price.
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| Jian
Says: Psst Xena: What the ? | | Mortified,
I leave the article below intact as a reminder to myself to be more thorough.
I apologize profusely to my Diva Eternal, and otherwise encourage you to note
carefully all of my initial impressions of Slean, which remain deeply pertinent.
Thanks for the reminder, Jian.
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Other
notices? There is so much depth to the limited catalogue of Slean's music that
I have on hand (I was not able to find any releases other than the three that
offer artwork to this page), that I must warn the reader that my words here are
a very limited analysis of this artist. One that has "Day One" as a
center-focus. The mini album offers a broader index to this artist, and indicates
that Slean's maturity existed in recorded form from the outset. Her virtuosity,
style, her worthiness of Diva status (capital, "D," diamonds are forever,
darling...) are all well argued for in her earliest recordings, as you can Discover
Definitively (Drug withdrawl on xena's part for "D"embellishment...)
and are abundant in a wholly different way on "Night Bugs." Look for a deeper
analysis of this artist, soon. Perhaps I will offer a complete discussion once
I can assemble a collection of all of her recordings, including her most recent
live album. Still a relative unknown on the Canadian
scene, Slean nonetheless has her placement in the consciousness of Canadians that
watch and listen to the CBC. Her record company won't let her go, and I expect
other artists of truly superstar status, true mainstays of an enduring nature
in Canadian music will demonstrate their affection toward her by writing songs
for her to record exclusively, should she choose to. But don't hold your breath
for Slean to oblige. She has chosen to cover Joni Mitchell (and some other
inestimables), and this seems entirely appropriate, since she shares the stature
of Mitchell in terms of, how should I put this... Perhaps Ghomeshi might aver:
A high "Q." That is, Q-factor. Quality. Carte Blanche |
Xena Chooses a Diva - June 2006 It
was Jian Ghomeshi's weekday top ten music program
on CBC's Radio1 that caught my interest in Sarah Slean, an artist local to me
that I had easily not known. Jian introduced Sarah to the Playlist (sadly now
the ex. playlist) with her cover of the Bee Gees song 'Inside Out.' If it wasn't
the gimmicky keyboard sounds that made the song charmingly cheesy, it was Sarah
herself that carried the song, changing it into something that had just the right
amount of Andrea True sex in the vocal line to make it erotic in a way that the
emasculated choir boys never could. Now hear this: Saturday Night Fever. Mea apologia
for the falsettos, and no, I don't know how they did it. Sarah was singing in
her range at all times.
| So here's the deal. Canadian
singing gal. Also beautiful. So you thought that Michelle McAdorey, Chantal Kreviazuk,
et. al. were the beauty queens? No, in addition to sounding as sexy as Andrea
True, Sarah wins hands down as the most beautiful chick in rock-n-roll, and if
you take the trouble to look through her photo bio, you can see for yourself that
the resplendent choice is clear, not that we need to make such a choice, perhaps
save ourselves the trouble, and weep as Sarah implores Mary to have her baby.
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My word on Slean? She gives you a
style of chanteuse that makes me think of Sara Craig, but much gentler in her
vocal delivery. Both have a penchant for Brecht, and were they sopranos, I would
suggest Patricia O'Callaghan as being stylistically similar. So that leaves McAdorey.
No cross pollination here. No, Sarah Slean stays on-track in her delivery, as
much so in rock-n-roll as Patricia has transformed her niche in cabaret in the
21st. Century. Chantal? Similar middle of the field approach to the genre, but
Slean is much more direct in her presentation, almost extra direct by comparison
to Chantal's lofty vocal style that people identity with Alanis Morissette, but
which belongs by a calendar year or two to Sarah Harmer, the first Canadian chick
vocalist to try to sound shimmery. Harmer has the authenticity that you can hear.
All others have worked it. Slean, as I remind you, takes a more direct approach.
She does no trills, but her presentation is perfect and easy. She's not belting
it out at you, ever, and she is not trying to win any contest for highest note
sustained for how long. Thanks for that my dear.
 
If someone were to ask me to describe her voice, I would
say perfect. It always is, even when she sounds a bit boozy. She has the sense
of that and gets it. She is perfect because her perfection is apparent in the
Bizarro world 'Inside Out' or on the endearingly sentimental song about Mary and
that airplane trip that she must take to take his last name. From "Day One",
which is, I believe the most current album that has been released from Slean,
Mary is one of many vignettes that are in a style and a presentation that is consistent
from her own day one, the six song EP that was released in 1998. Picked up by
WEA after doing a turn where the label picked up the tab for her independent album
of the time, "Universe," her first major label album "Night Bugs"
was released in 2002. "Day One" was recorded during the summer and fall
of 2003, and released on September 28, 2004, 30 years to the day of the announcement
of the breakup of the most memorable iteration of King Crimson (Bruford, Fripp,
Wetton). Apart from the quickie in 2005 that gave the world a Bee Gees cover from
Slean (strange to think about), these albums are the sum of her career. There
is no doubt in my mind that Sarah Slean is a fixture on the Canadian Female music
scene, and I compare her most directly in terms of the confidence of her writing,
to Joni Mitchell. These two don't have much to do with one another. Mitchell,
a guitarist, Slean, a piano player. Mitchell wouldn't go out of her way to do
Weill and Brecht, while with Sarah, you know that it is lying under the surface.
The very rhythm of the dance of the music makes these themas more likely to be
the produce of a woman, -- remembering, of course, that the invention was that
of a man. But they get their play most often by girls that learn to play a keyboard
instrument like the piano. Should I tell you in confidence
that Sarah Slean's music is my drug? I'm waiting for more. Here's an idea: Sarah
can bring John Southworth back to earth, or as close to Sedona as he can get.
This seems entirely possible, by the way, since the final track of "Night
Bugs," titled 'Bank Accounts,' segues any way you like with Southworth's
opener from "Sedona Arizona" the inimicable 'Stand by your Masters.'
Also, a very nice duet potential present since both have the flavour for the cabaret
and they share the easy genius for composition that has led to some unforgettable
songs from each. Sarah doesn't like it when people tape her shows, but I can imagine
she would find the OLS recording of Southworth's
first live show to be a fascinating listen, or Harmer's first live performance
of Lodestar to be a gem. Miluji tì, Sarah. xena starwoman
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