|
|
|
"It's a good sign when the first three songs of a record have you wondering 'why
haven't I heard of [the Megan Slankard Band] before?' Such is the case with
Freaky Little Story... Slankard?s vocal style is so distinctive that
simply naming influences (Ani DiFranco, Alanis Morissette) doesn?t do it
justice. Her vocal melodies are immediately arresting, she uses hip-hop phrasing
and whisper-to-roar dynamics like a pro, and she never lets her impeccable
technique eclipse the emotion she pours into her performances." "Slankard has a knack for getting the max out of what would seem to be modest resources, putting together a tight little band... writing
a brace of vibrant songs, taking them into a local studio ? and coming out with Freaky Little Story, an album that holds it
own against the 'real' records pros made. Spin Freaky Little Story and you'll hear singing and lyricism reminiscent of the
young Joni Mitchell while also picking up the intermingled vulnerability and attitude that characterized Chrissie Hynde when
she exploded onto the scene." "[Freaky little story] has lots of magic moments - lots of goosebumps... lots of evidence of hard work... The vocals and harmonies are wonderful... love the arrangements... very exciting." "I really like [Megan Slankard's Freaky Little Story]...
I have a feeling something's going to happen with her." "I'll say right off the bat, the this is one CD [Freaky Little Story] I know I'll listen to long after the review is posted?This is a really solid recording and anyone that likes rock with a pop edge ought to give it a listen." "Slankard possesses a range beyond her years. The fact that she can pull off high notes that sound ethereal, and dip low into an earthy, smoldering growl indicates a level of versatility that will take her farther than her peers.
Slankard's vocal risk-taking pushes her out of both the singer/songwriter and pop-star formulas, and showcases her own talent.
... Slankard's newest album reinforces her progress so far and promises a long-standing career in music for a talented young singer." "Wow! This outstanding CD [Freaky Little Story] from Megan Slankard is full of incredible songs - so good that our staff went out and bought their own copies!" "Megan Slankard proves that you don't have to play the
same three chords over and over again to be a rock 'n' roll star...
An artist with tremendous potential, I wouldn't be surprised if
[Freaky Little Story] is her last indie release.
Get it now before you have to pay a fortune on E-Bay." "Optimistic, energetic and young, singer/songwriter Megan Slankard
is like a breath of fresh air in a jam-packed genre." "Freaky Little Storyis a great album top to bottom...
Megan Slankard is definitely a star on the rise and an artist that
should be noticed in the near future." "The first thing that strikes you is her incredible vocal control.
And if you've made the mistake of thinking she's a cute little waif,
it takes about 30 seconds into the first song for her confidence and
musical prowess to make your jaw drop." "Freaky Little Story is an altogether impressive
full-length package from this singer/songwriter and her backup musicians...
This talented artist is well worth a listen." "What does shine through is [Freaky Little Story]'s
compositional diversity taking you from rock to blues to folk and back again,
while also providing a refreshing break from the pop diva genre that most female
artists have found themselves lumped into." "The thirteen tracks on Freaky Little Story all illustrate how [Slankard]
is able to distill the sweetness and quality from female musicians such as
Alanis Morissette and Lisa Loeb and make it her own. I expect to hear a lot
coming from the Megan Slankard Band in the very near future." "There are some things you just drop everything for, and Megan Slankard night
[2004 Performances in the Park] is one of them... This girl rocks. And she
swoons. Her voice stirs you up in one song, embraces your mellow mood in
another. She speaks to you on an intimate level, and the very coursing of blood
through your veins hums and thrums in symphony. She makes you want to get up and
dance one minute, stretch out on a blanket and soak it up the next." "What Megan Slankard is selling on her
self-produced album, Freaky Little Story, is bottled excitement... On
?Too Bad You? and ?Dirty Wings? close your eyes, it could be Sheryl with her
foot on the gas. In between comes ?Mocking Bird? where she sounds sexier than
Shania but it's a latent sexiness, more powerful because it's suggested. Her
[music] is made all the more alluring by a real hunger, she's a girl with
places to go. ?Addy's Tattoo? is breathless but it is also free from the cynicism
born of experience... "...Ridiculously talented..." "This seemingly innocent 20-year-old singer-songwriter has surprised audiences and critics across the country with her smooth,
bluesy compositions. A breath of fresh air in the world of female pop singers, Slankard's sound is vibrant, emotional, and very addicting." "Great voice, great songs, great album -- and if there's any justice in the world, a great future." "Overall, this is a gorgeous, beautifully realised, debut album, full of imagination and clever observation." "It's as if you've opened an emo pop
Jack-in-the-box -- the outside is adorned with hearts, rainbows and peace symbols,
but turn the crank, and after a little acoustic rock fanfare, out pop the twin
figures of Alanis Morissette and Ani DiFranco in all their fierce, ?er-female
kick-ass-itude. Such is the shock when an adorable 20-year-old hippie gal opens
her mouth and belts out sharp, punchy original tunes with radio-quality
professionalism. Tracy, California's Megan Slankard clearly aims to paint the
music industry paisley, and let's be honest -- it isn't exactly hurting her
mission that her every molecule radiates disarming cuteness. Keep your eye on
this one." "Up and coming singer/songwriter Megan Slankard might be just 20 years old, but her accomplishments and her voice reflect a worldliness for which many artists several years her senior can only strive. [Accomplishments include being selected as] a finalist in Pantene's 2002 Pro-Voice competition - a shining star among more than 1900 entries. With her haunting lyrics and addicting voice, one in a million would be a more accurate description." "[Megan is] a 20 year old prodigy with all the songwriting pizzaz of an established pro. Here is a talent to be reckoned with. Pay attention the this remarkable artist!" "Central Valley based acoustic rocker/emo popster Megan Slankard impresses with her personal magnetism expressed in original songs that showcase a distinctive and emotionally full voice and a wonderfully fluid but also percussive six string guitar style... As I write this I'm listening to the pre-release copy [of the new CD, freaky little story] she sent a short while back, and every now and then, I'm pulled from my researching and writing to the song on, and I think to check it off as one of my favorites so far. Funny, I just checked off the fifth song in a row. I'm telling ya, she's the real deal. Make that six!!" "Friday night at the Cayuga Vault in Santa Cruz I walked in blind and found Megan Slankard, 19 years old and amazing." "Just give one listen to indie folk-rocker Megan Slankard, and I'm bettin' you'll agree with me that this 19-year-old San Joaquin Valley native is on fire with pure, raw talent, and you'll understand why the Cayuga Vault called her its favorite emerging artist of 2002. With her fresh soulful acoustic sound and unpretentious yet elegant style, Slankard's a welcome antidote to the soul-curdling influence of certain young female pop stars. She writes all her own songs, has a passionate, gorgeous, bluesy voice, and plays a mean guitar." "Listening to Slankard sing these lines [in 'Lady is a Pirate'] and playing clean acoustic guitar is like being resurrected from a soulless coma, like receiving CPR after drowning in a vast, monotonous sea of tired music. It's now rather impossible to listen to any other pop/folk singer without thinking that I'm wasting my time... With her sorrowful but uplifting voice she could make the OED sound melodious." "Megan Slankard's singing is soulful and hypnotic, pulling you deep into her enigmatic folk-pop songs...[Lady is a Pirate is] an assured debut that shows Slankard's growing reputation is well-deserved." "This 19 year old is turning heads everywhere she performs." "She'll perform...treating songwriting connoisseurs to her simple, yet elegant style and funk-tinged mix of acoustic folk and emo-pop." "[Her] voice is like an angel." "Just 19, she's already an experienced performer in the contemporary acoustic folk/pop and blues realm. An inventive guitarist and versatile vocalist, she has toured with David Knopfler (Dire Straits), and released a potential-revealing debut CD, "Lady Is A Pirate." "Clever lyrics, intricate, highly percussive guitar playing, imaginative song architecture, and a soulful, supple voice place Megan a cut or two above the bevy of female singer/songwriters plying their trade in clubs and coffee houses across Northern California." "Voice and songs to die for – the best thing behind a guitar you'll see or hear this year." "A big up, up, and comer...someone you're going to be blown away by...Megan has got a voice to die for." "Slankard's folk-soul sound comes through beautifully in her home-produced Lady is a Pirate CD..." “Megan Slankard is a perfect example of a young woman who helps make chick music the genre of excellence that it is...So far, I've bought two of her CDs. I've never bought two of anyone's CDs in my life.” “...her bluesy-smooth style will knock you for a loop.” |
