Sophie Sputnik

So, "Do You Realize," our favorite tune off of the Flaming Lips' tenth album, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, might not deal directly with marijuana matters, but we felt it an apt entry into our Chronic series for a multitude of reasons. We'll tell you why. First and foremost, candidly (as we would never lie to you, faithful reader) New Times was desperately in need and want of a contribution from a female musician, so when we received word from spunky and wistful Deerfield Beach singer/songwriter Sophie Sputnik at the 12th hour that she had completed a song for us, we were more than flexible.

Besides, Sputnik's undertaking of recording her debut album, The Chase, live before an audience at Radio-Active Records last October enamored us with its guts and gusto. This is a woman who commands respect but at the same time doesn't take herself too seriously. We dig that. Second, Sputnik's rendition of "Do You Realize" is captivating in its lo-fi intimacy. This woman takes a song that was drenched in Flaming Lips' neo-psychedelic symphony, strips away all the squelches, bleeps, and bloops, and truly probes at the song's primal introspective core. It works magically. Sputnik needs only her raw-yet-angelic vocals and gentle acoustic strums to engage listeners and succeed in pulling off one of the Flaming Lips' most heartfelt moments. We never would have pegged this postprog song as an acoustic pot-smoking-session doozy, but Sputnik lays it out as such. Home run.

Third, Flaming Lips' oft-suited frontman, Wayne Coyne, is a staunch advocate for the legalization of marijuana. That's bound to earn him kudos from those of you in our readership with Zig-Zag rolling papers in your back pocket.

And finally, "Do You Realize" is exactly the kind of heady subject matter that comes to mind when finishing off a robust bowl of hydroponic nugs. Deep, meditative, self-actualizing questions often arise. "Do You Realize -- that happiness makes you cry?" nonsequentially might lead into "Do You Realize -- that everyone you know someday will die/And instead of saying all of your goodbyes/Let them know/You realize that life goes fast."

Deep thoughts, man. Those are the Chronic Cover Songs that really work. - The New Times

Sophie Sputnik's The Chase Live Recording
Radio-Active Records, Fort Lauderdale
Saturday, October 1, 2011

Better than: Any open mic in town and any sort of Lana Del Rey mischief.

Sophie Sputnik is beyond focused. The Deerfield Beach singer/guitarist had every second of her live recording session Saturday night meticulously planned -- and if not, it sure seemed that way. Before a rapt audience in white folding chairs and more leaning on record bins behind them, Sputnik rolled swiftly and confidently through a debut album's worth of material that will be titled The Chase.

The set behind her was decorated with Christmas lights, candles, dry ice, and a home-made "Recording" sign, and the air wafted with incense -- very MTV Unplugged, but far more intimate.

Photo by Reed Fischer
?Backed by John Paul Garcia on drums and Melanie Adak for harmonies, Sputnik in a tasteful gray filled the room with her songs, her dreams, and her heart. As amazing as it was to see (and hear) her belt out acoustic material that wavered from alt-country swagger to more precious jazz notes, it was even more impressive to note that not one chord was out of place, and every song was fully realized on its first take. Her confidence in her material became the room's pleasure, enthusiasm, and tears, when appropriate.

A long dedication kicked things off, filled with shoutouts to kazoos and self-mutilation and self-respect and everything as flippant or serious as you can imagine. What followed were songs that unloaded that balance of serious songs that could make you laugh and funny moments that might make you cry. Sputnik and Adak, who used to perform together as the Honey Bats, intertwined their voices and coughed and screamed for comic relief, especially on a song apologizing to Mr. Bunny -- "she didn't mean to," Adak whispered. A fake guitar solo via voice came during "Fox Chaser" a bit later.

The earnestness of a prodigal homecoming, and the very real insecurities many people face, came up in other portions of the evening. For the near and dear latter, "The Insecure Song," Sputnik sang "I have boring eyes" over a somber, finger-picked melody and a subtle percussion backing. At that moment, it was more tempting than ever to focus in on her own pupils, covered mostly by her bangs, and see the intensity at work. Maybe that's the thrill of The Chase.

Critic's Notebook

The crowd: About 50 people who are already enraptured by Sophie Sputnik. There will be more, soon enough.

Personal bias: Regina Spektor, who is usually situated behind a piano, is a comparable influence, but the feisty reverberations of Cary Ann Hearst could be heard as well.

The album: Is available for pre-orders now at Radio-Active Records for $5. Richard Vergez designed the cover art. See below:


?
Setlist:
1. hotter than hell
2. hello
3. the sick song
4. run
5. dandelions
6. the mom song
7. wolf song
8. insecurity song
9. patrick schwasted
10. fox chasin

- Broward New Times

Singer/songwriter Sophie Sputnik has decided to record her debut album with the whole world listening in. Or at least for the whole crowd that assembles at Fort Lauderdale's Radio-Active Records on Saturday, October 1. On that night, the laughter-prone 22-year-old will unpack ten or so songs written on acoustic guitar for her project, titled The Chase.

"I never really got enough money together to be able to get the kind of studio recording I ever wanted, and I never really wanted to settle," Sputnik explains from her home in Deerfield Beach. "So that's why this live show is like a perfect set. I don't have to be recording with some dude-bro that I don't know. And also, I can get that aspect of what I feel and what I want in the song."

Feeling comes in no short supply for Sputnik's work, honed at open mics around South Florida, from "The Insecure Song," a dark meditation about rejecting the body one sees in the mirror, to the fiercer "Hotter Than Hell." These songs came, in part, through Sputnik absorbing lots of work by Rilo Kiley frontwoman Jenny Lewis and South Carolina alt-country singer Cary Ann Hearst. "I love how they're women, but it's not about being a pretty, little-girl singer," she explains. "It's about having, not to sound wild, but to kind of go wild and drink whiskey and act like Johnny Cash, even though you're a girl. And you don't get to see that a lot."


After spending three years in the quiet confines of Scranton, Pennsylvania, Sputnik moved back to South Florida about a year ago and started an outfit called the Honeybats with her best friend, Melanie Adak. She has also laid down solid ties with another area musician gone solo, West Palm Beach troubadour Nick Eberhardt (Noble Rocket, the Darklights), and her management comes courtesy of area pop-punk the New's Natalie Smallish.

"I think she can bring something back to the music scene with her sincere writing that resembles a lot of the roots of music, such as blues," Smallish says of her young protégé. "She has some stuff built up under her belt that she's been hiding, and it'll hit with full force."

The recording is set to feature some personal moments with Sputnik alone on her Fender acoustic, but Adak will be there to provide backup vocals, and drummer John Paul Garcia will help fill out the sound. Though she admits that Regina Spektor's Live in London is a cherished album, Sputnik's absolute favorite concert record is from a less likely influence, Ben Folds.

"Ben Folds Live," she says excitedly. "It's just like the way he incorporates the audience. There's a song where he gets half the crowd to sing this part of a harmony and then the other half to sing [another] part. I listen to that album more than any of his other albums, and I want to do that too with one of the songs."

Sputnik speaks about her artistic future with purpose, and it's easy to believe in someone who already believes so firmly in her own work. Although she's pumped to capture her honest stage persona for this recording, after The Chase comes out, she hopes to get the traction and funds to record a proper studio album. "I don't know if you can tell by the way the sound of my voice," she says. "But I'm still in shock that there's still so many people who are willing to help."

- Broward New Times

Wednesday, September 14th on Lake Worth Muse, Mathew Sydney features music by and chats with progressive rock artist, Sophie Sputnik! Tune in every Wednesday at 6:30pm EST to hear the hottest underground music and to find out what's going on in the Nashville of indie music... Lake Worth!
- indieflorida