Review: Paula Sinclair - Steadygirl

Label: Old Sombrero Music

Released: March 17, 2009

Some albums are amazing in the way they push the boundaries and change the rules while others are amazing in the way they perform within existing boundaries and prove long established rules. There isn't much that's new in Paula Sinclair's music. She plays something that walks a fine line between country and folk so much so that it's difficult to tell whether it's country-tinged folk or the other way around. The rough edges hints at the garages of the mid-60s and Sinclair's voice is the perfect mix of raw and rich to broaden her appeal well into the realm of rock music. While all of this has been done by artists from the Indigo Girls to Gillian Welch, it still sounds fresh for Sinclair, because her delivery rings true. There is both honesty and trust in her music that is best summed up in the words of Steve Earle that she sings on Steadygirl, "I've got me a fearless heart/Strong enough to get you through the scary parts." These same words also reveal another great truth about her songs. The love she writes of is a giving love and what could be more true than that?

Ratings
Satriani: 7/10
Zappa: 5/10
Dylan: 6/10
Aretha: 8/10
Overall: 7/10

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