Steph Bowlin

"So it appears that myspace has at least some good use now a days, that is if you're tired of looking at underage kids taking pictures of themselves in the mirrors in their bathrooms. I was looking through a friends page - who happens to be in a band (www.inspectorowl.com) and came across the page for Steph Bowlin, a simple click and the adventure began. I was sent a copy of her demo "So as not to burn" and the only word I can think to describe about my reaction is "impressed". With poetic lyrics that will remind you slightly of James Pryor - of the late Get Up Kids and current New Amsterdamns - and the calm and collect musical sound of recent Lou Barlow. Make no mistake, her sound is purely unique. Listening to her you can easily imagine yourself sitting quietly at a cafe in the city, sipping your drink and relaxing back to her sound. The opening song Mercury sets the mood for the overall easy beats and smooth sound of the cd. While the audio may be a bit low it in no way takes away from the joy of enjoying the songs. Steph also does a good job of overlapping her own voice with...well her own voice. She is her own personal back up singer and it sounds great. The songs seem to go from slightly depressing sounding to upbeat and faster at the drop of a hat, which is in no way a bad thing. It's a nice mix of sound, it also seems like the songs get progressively better as the disc plays on, I don't know if that is because they are in the orderin which they were written in, but it's neat either way. Several songs also stick out which will obviously be fan favorites. "Until When" is a catchy song about just going on with life and letting it take you where it may...an obvious anthem for people in their early twenties. "Transition" is an interesting relaxing song about getting a new I.D. card and moving to a new city and starting a new life. Then there is my absolute favorite song on the cd, "Just What Happens" It comes in two versions - one amped up with a little more back up vocals and one without...either route you go you'll be very satisfied. It's a song that will inevitably get stuck in your hand and you'll find yourself humming the chorus randomly throughout the day. Overall the disc was well written, well played and recorded well enough. I look forward to seeing what Steph puts together on a full length record one day in the not so distant future. Be sure to check out one of her shows next time you're in the city, if she sounds as good live as she does on the cd you'll be happy you made the trip. " -Mike Cortez www.myspace.com/anewfoundlove - Myspace