Rachel Derry

Ambitious in scope, rich in lyricism and sonic texture, medusa is at times reminiscent of high-brow Sarah Brightman pop...

Graham Rockingham - The Hamilton Spectator

Rachel Derry's debut sees the Canadian performing literate pop in the vein of Tori Amos and Fiona Apple. The title track is lyrically inspired and the melody fluid and sweet....Derry has a gift for writing songs on difficult subjects....

Anna Maria Stjarnell - Collected Sounds, A Guide to Women in Music

Written by Kinda Mardam Bey

Born from Medusa’s blood was Pegasus, the winged-horse. Rachel Derry’s CD titled Medusa is a vivid musical portrayal of the light and dark of these two creatures of classical myth. Derry, a Hamilton native, has a crisp and elegant voice that draws comparison to Sarah McLachlan. Her obvious talent on the piano and original compositions will make you feel as though Derry is Canada’s own version of Tori Amos. Most striking about the CD is Derry’s connection with the lyrics and choice of song titles, which are evocative and poetic. “Sacrifice" and “The Curse” are particularly beautiful book-end songs to the CD that will make you wish you’d persisted with your piano lessons as a child.

At times the songs are a fusion of new age and the chaotic vibrancy of Jazz (“Dance For Sorrow”), while other songs leave you with a little Rock and Roll (“Storm”). Even though the lyrics and overall theme of the CD is cohesive, the music in each song feels too self-contained and not part of a bigger whole. Derry might be discovering her unique sound to bring to the music scene in her freshman CD. I think this is just the beginning of a talented artist’s career. Medusa is well worth listening to again, perhaps with a cup of tea and a good book to go along with it.

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