"Punk-folk" is a good description for Miranda Stone's music. This debut album is definitely a hyper type of folk music. Stone's edgy, yet pleasingly silky, voice commands attention from the first song to the last by jumping to center stage in front of rhythmic guitar licks and mingling with complex, non-traditional percussion. Back this up with the eclectic sounds of the mandolin, violin, Spanish guitar, cello, organ and electric guitar and you've got the unique driving-rhythm sound of her five-song album Brave.
Stone's strong yet subtle voice leads the tempo and direction of the music. It hits peaks in deeply felt lyrics and quiets for her most tenderwords. The poetic and provocative lyrics "You darted round the truth like a whacked out bow and arrow" ("Nevertheless the Dog") and "Sometimes I'm scared I've let my love turn selfish and unkind" ("Silverlined") expose the full range of toughness to tenderness in her lyrics. Other songs give a glance at the romance that she says began in her poetry at age 16 as a release for her unrequited love. Lyrics like "I'm stubborn and hard, it must be true" ("Growing Old") express her authenticity and transparency. All around, every song on her EP is a winner, and thus the other two songs "Thorn in Your Hand" and "Don't You Cry Out" are both worthy of mention for, again, Stone's vocal gymnastics and truly unique instrumentation on each. Overall, Brave is a real gem for any collection of eclectic folk-rock. It's freely written without the restraint and boundaries typical in much of today's Christian music, and a passionate album that portrays Stone as a take-me-as-I-am person, leaving the listener with a feeling of closeness to Stone and an identification with her humanity and flaws.
If there are any weakness in this album, it might be its short length and its occasionally too-slow tempo. Stone really wants to rock-out on all her songs and needs to go with that. Obviously every song can't break out the "Nevertheless the Dog" energy just for the sake of keeping that song unique. Yet, Stone should concentrate more on using her main attraction--her edgy yet silky voice--by singing fewer ballad tempos (i.e., "Silverlined" and "Don't You Cry Out") and chunking out more of her hypnotizing guitar rhythms. In short, she should break a few more guitar strings.
This 23-year-old Canadian musician has only begun to show her talents and you can expect more greatness from a full length album. Her independently released freshman EP is impressive, intelligent, and one of the most creative and unique albums to come out of the Christian music woodwork for a long time. That, coupled with its progressive, modern and current sound, makes it one of the few albums worth every bit of a whopping 5-tock rating.
Her CD is available at the following address for $12:
Earthdress Productions
P.O. Box 137
Virgil, Ontario, Canada
LOS 1T0
Phone (905) 468-1097
By Israel Kloss (9/2/98)
It was that kind of thing where you had to know a friend of a friend
of a friend, or you wouldn't have known about it -- we're talking about
the "Brave Little Tour," in which the talented Miranda Stone, singer/songwriter
from the shores of Lake Ontario, breezed into town to introduce her talents
to patrons of Chicago's bookstores and coffeehouses, to no small effect,
this last February. Her appearance at The Beat Kitchen's Chick Singer Night
created a considerable buzz and attracted the attention of some local
promoters, who chased her down at later shows. For a starving artist who
makes her living selling photo frames made of cardboard and dried beans
and other such curiosities, that was good news.
Her journey into songwriting began at age sixteen, soon after she
began to take interest in the guitar. Raised in the classical discipline,
learning piano, singing sacred choral works, it was only after her graduation
from art school that she admitted to herself that her desire to pursue
music had overtaken her dream of being a full time visual artist.
The music is self-described as "pro-God" rather than "Christian,"
(she names such bands as VoL and OtR as models for her musical journey)
holding to her belief that unless her music says something to everyone
it doesn't serve much purpose. Her faith is strong, and her lyrics point
in the right direction, but her ability to draw in any crowd is admirable.
Her live set can consist all at once of a mixture of serious discussion
and hilarious joking, disarming audiences everywhere.
Her EP debut, Brave, consists of a lot more than just her
and her guitar; she enlisted the help of drums, bass, mandolin, violin,
Spanish guitar, cello, and other surprises. The song "Thorn In Your Hand"
is a thoughtful, flowing melody, speaking of times when we're left with
nothing but questions about life, faith, and relationships ("Why do I feel
like a wingless bird when I compromise"), when we're tempted to despair
("the clouds come pressing in like they always have and they always seem
to win"), crying out for God's mercy, and pointing to redemption. 'Nevertheless
the Dog,' however, eludes the listener lyrically, and moves at a brisker
pace, with distinct Spanish influences to it. In short, it is the ability
to diversify stylistically that will draw the listener in, but more than
anything else, it is her captivating performance that will make you a fan.
The Brave EP is available for $12 by mail from Earthdress Productions
at PO Box 137, Virgil, Ontario, Canada L0S 1T0 or e-mail Miranda at
pallek@niagara.com
By Dave Landsel
Before this past Christmas, a friend of mine conscious of his budget
asked his newly-wedded wife whether she wanted an ample quantity of little
presents this year under the pine tree or only one present of greater quality.
She choose the latter, of course, supposing that he meant something small,
tasteful and expensive. Her decision was not only motivated by the female
sex's nearly universal desire for extravagant and high-priced jewelry,
but dictated as well by that old maxim that sometimes the best things really
do come in small packages. The same can be said of Miranda Stone's little
gem of a debut EP, Brave. She manages to say more, and say it more
creatively in 25 minutes than many artists do over the course of entire
careers.
Virtually all the women in the folk and rock arenas today owe a
large debt and a fair amount of inspiration to icon Joni Mitchell (in fact,
it has become entirely too fashionable to cite her as an influence). In
Miranda Stone's case it turns out to be altogether and appropriately true.
Most of her songs, especially "Silverlined," and "Thorn in Your Hand,"
owe a passing resemblance to Mitchell's work, primarily due both to Stone's
vocal choices and a mix of well-played percussion and guitar which gently
recalls the Seventies. Even though Stone's songs bear similar structures
and the same level of intriguing intensity, she is no mere Mitchell imitator.
Stone's more rocking side, evident on "Nevertheless the Dog" and "Growing
Old," is closer in spirit to Alanis Morrissette and Tori Amos sans piano.
"Don't You Cry Out" would be right at home on the next Over the Rhine album,
and vocally, Stone draws favorable comparisons to both Karin Bergquist
and Carrie Newcomer, who is a little known but exceedingly talented folk
singer hailing from Indiana. In common they share a considerable range,
a warm evocative style, and a surprising vulnerability.
The vulnerability and accessibility of her vocal talents is further
enhanced by lyrics that poetically, intelligently, and creatively tell
stories of intense longing, relational challenges, hope of God's providence,
and sure faith. When she sings "Hey God help me here like I know you can"
from "Thorn in Your Hand," she not only sounds like she really means it,
her searching plea becomes ours as well. Later in "Silverlined" she wrestles
with the decision to marry a man in a song sure to resonate with anyone
who has ever shared similar doubts. Couple these timely messages with music
from her talented band offering an interesting, above the average folk/rock
sound, and you have the complete picture. Stone not only deserves a wider
audience, she is overdue for the attention that should be accorded someone
of her burgeoning talent. To unearth this treasure for yourself, write
to Earthdress Productions at info@summit.org or call 905 468-1097.
Steven S. Baldwin (5/10/99)
Miranda Stone studied book illustration at university and she's obviously carried many of those skills into her music. The songs are beautifully illustrated stories of life, underwritten with music which mixes a folk sensibility with a little punk attitude.
James Stewart (05/10/99)
