One of Chicago's hardest working singer-guitarist-songwriters puts out her much anticipated debut CD, 'Stolie' in true DIY 'righteous babe' style. Considering this is a self funded project, the whole thing, particularly the packaging, has a quality which must belie its modest budget.

Stolie crashes in with the particularly Difranco-esque 'Inside The Guitar', replete with wailing fiddle and that kind of distant home-fried percussion.... But don't be fooled, for the rest of the record takes a similar form to Jewel's debut, being a mixture of live performances and pared-down solo affairs, mainly consisting of just voice and acoustic guitar. Because of the mixture of recordings there's an imbalance of sonic quality from song to song which at first listen can be a little off-putting. Now having overcome this though, the Stolie CD has given me repeated hours of listening pleasure.

The influences shine through this record... as Stolie ricochets between Indigo Girlsey harmonies, Lisa Loeb sweetness and Ani Difranco assertion. However, the whole thing is pulled together and covered in a personal charm, honesty and a humour all her own. One eye winking, one eye crying, both feet tapping...

'Maybe I Might', with its three-part vocal treatment (no guitar, no nothing) is SO beautiful and certainly something you won't get from a Stolie gig. Other than this, the CD is a very good representation of what you can expect from her live set... only live there are many more between-song funnies. (We are eventually rewarded with some inimitable Stolie banter with the closing live version of 'Picasso'... a superbly scary unrequited love song.)

The song selection is well considered: there's an equal balance of regretful love songs, coming of age realisations, and sharp life observations. Amazingly moving is the piano ballad 'Table'... and the warm harmonies of 'Mama' (the start of many greats in the rapidly growing genre of 'Mum' songs... everyone should have one!) Especially catchy is my personal favourite 'Superhighway', brimming with road trip excitement and sweat you can hear!. Its chorus is an in-car singalong must.

Over all, Stolie has drawn on all her strong points to create, in just 10 songs, a cracking, ear-catching album that is, as I said, very very 'her' and very very good.... because well.... she is!

There are plenty of other songs from her live repertoire that deserve a place on this album, and that would really be my only complaint... it should have ideally been a double CD!!! I sincerely hope that this is just the first of many more Stolie albums and that all my favourites will appear on disc in the near future. Now, where is that Chicago holiday brochure.....

For more information and to listen to clips, visit Stolie's page in the VAC hall of fame, or her own website at, you guessed it... www.stolie.com

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Stolie - Stolie CD ©2001 Rich Barnard & Virtually Acoustic
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