Sarah Slean

AMG Review of Sarah Slean

Bret Love
All Music Guide

Even if you didn't catch her performances in several episodes of the reality TV series Murder in Small Town X, this Toronto-based singer/songwriter's sound should seem familiar. Her voice has the same sort of earnest, earthy folkiness that made Sarah McLachlan a fan favorite, while her piano allads evoke obvious comparisons to a less-spacy Tori Amos or a less-angry Fiona Apple. But while her sound may be far from original, Sarah Slean's debut EP shows songwriting talent to spare. The opening "Eliot" is a grand waltz that wouldn't sound out of place on a Rufus Wainwright album, with a dizzying approach to dynamics that makes great use of string crescendos and wailing harmony vocals. "Book Smart, Street Stupid" could be a long-lost Edith Piaf torch allad, while the stripped-down simplicity of "Me & Jerome" uses ambient atmospheres to shine the spotlight on Slean's nimble piano style and evocative vocals. So maybe she's not exactly reinventing the wheel here, but at least this seven-song set piques your curiosity as to where the singer/songwriter's bandwagon will lead on her full-length debut. And really, what more can you ask of an EP?