Sister Speak – The Stand
A couple of folk rock anthems. A few grinding jams that shut down any club bursting at the seams. A plethora of inventive rhythms that are delivered with more authenticity, more sincerity, than any artist you’ve listened to in recent memory. All of this and more await those who stumble across The Stand, a six song extended play from Sister Speak. The Stand is a humble record, but you’d never know it if you decided to just jump right into the middle of any of its tracks. It requires focus and attention to truly fall under its spell.
The Stand is positive and self-aware in the bulk of its narrative, starting off with the optimistically brooding New York Sunrise and closing with the ethereal Catch Me as I Fall, which features a guest appearance from the multi talented Tolan Shaw. It’s rare to find a record that makes us feel good while still packing plenty of introspective fodder, especially in these depressing times we’ve been living in artistically. Sister Speak are like a breath of fresh air in a world polluted with thick smog.
Pop music has been waiting for a lead singer as captivating as Sherri Anne, who is the main creative force behind Sister Speak and their enigmatic musical profile. Sherri is sweet but irreverent and articulate in her descriptive, imagistic lyricism. As many a time as the opportunity may present itself, she never goes over the top with her expressions, choosing to reserve her catharsis for specific fragments of time when it can be unleashed with zero restrictions to hold it back, like in the briskly paced yet adorably subdued Do You Believe, which, personally, was my favorite song from the record.
The Stand is a very experimental electronica/rock crossover record, but it’s still the most accessible thing I’ve listened to on college radio in a while. The specialty radio format was tailor made for artists like Sister Speak who so gleefully reject labels and the categorization of their music. Any artistic limitations that have gotten between the band and the delivery of their conceptual, mesmerizing sound have been broken down, whether socially or physically, and the path to fame seems to be wide open for this band right now if they’re willing to follow it. Something tells me that fame isn’t a priority for Sister Speak though; it’s all about the music.
All signs point to this group growing into their sound even more as time passes, and that will make their inevitable rise to power all the more impossible to stop. I myself am completely, unapologetically sold on their brand. This is a group that I could listen to repeatedly through the day and would kill to see live on stage, and believe it or not, that’s not something that I encounter a lot as an American music journalist living in our modern 21st century pop culture. Get out and secure a copy of The Stand for yourself to see what I mean; you won’t regret it.
For more information on Sister Speak, check out the official website by clicking here. Give her a like on Facebook by clicking here & a follow on Twitter by clicking here.
