On her self-released debut, Claremont, Sasha Papernik presents herself—a trained musician trying her hand at piano pop and achieving an accessible record with some excellent moments. The press touts Papernik as a classically trained and studied songstress, and this much is clear. Here she tastefully combines the pop sensibilities you expect from fellow singer-songwriters like Regina Spektor or Tori Amos with the technical chops of the classical greats she studied in Manhattan.
However, that technicality haunts the record’s upbeat numbers like “What to Do” and “On the Road,” cramming piano flourishes, guitars, drums and bass into songs that still have to make room for lyrics. As a result, the songs suffer from overcrowding, where they could excel if they were just given a bit more oxygen.
Instead it’s Claremont’s slow burners that stand out. “Walker Evans” rolls like a journey through the Depression-era documentarian’s photographs—heartbreaking scenes whose voices “rise” and “roar” beneath a surface quieted by time; here vivid and clear once more. The soul-stirring “Okay” alternates between fragile piano tiptoeing and a restless amble, creating a heartbreaking narrative on love and loss.
And suitably, love and loss make up the majority of Claremont’s subject matter, which progresses in an unfortunate fast song–slow song sequence that disturbs the record’s chances for consistency. Though it may have its detractions, there is no denying the real focus of Claremont’seight tracks: strong, hook-based, pop songs that effectively synchronize human emotion with musical expression. And that makes Sasha Papernik’s a worthy debut.
Stephen B. Griggs – MuzikReviews.com Contributor
September 30, 2009
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