Blame Sally — Music Reviews

It is always a pleasant surprise when new music leaves an immediate impression. This four piece female band has been recording for a number of years now and their creative source is the song writing talents of Renée Harcourt and Monica Pasquale. Their range of songs is very impressive with plenty to excite across the 13 tracks taken from a live concert in Sacramento in 2011.

From rock based arrangements into reflective vignettes, both the playing and writing is very strong throughout. Unfortunately, as with all live shows on disc, there is an element of wishing you were there to experience the entire set first hand. That apart, Mona Lisa Smile is beautifully conceived and performed and the haunting Pajaros Sin Alas lingers long after the song has ended. The band play an impressive set coloured with fine guitar work and a rousing cover of Chain of Fools to close the show. Blame Sally merit close attention and a trawl back through their collected works is a journey that I feel compelled to take

This San Francisco quartet come from diverse musical backgrounds, something that allows the band a wide scope for their collective efforts. They have found common ground and present a united front, but one that allows various members to contribute songs and lead vocals to the album. Musically they offer a diverse range of styles all delivered with skill, as all four form the core of the band playing a host of instruments between them and bringing in guests to cover the rest - bass guitar being one. Bird In The Hand opens their account with an immediately attractive song delivered with a light touch of harmony and twanging guitar. Next up Big Big Bed has a more claustrophobic sound later Mona Lisa With A Smile has a lighter touch that is airy and almost jazzy. Contrasting that the Spanish/English ensemble vocals of Pajaros Sin Alas, laced with accordion, suggest a heat and passion. Something that carries through the other songs were there is a maturity to the songwriters that suggest this quartet have gone through a fair amount of life's trials to get to where they are right now. Back In The Saddle is a collective effort in terms of writing by all four - Monica Pasqual, Jane Selkye, Rénee Harcourt and Jeri Jones - a song about picking up the pieces and getting on with life. The uptempo Countdown has a strong keyboard base for some strong vocal interplay to hit home. Wide Open Spaces lives up to its title with Hammond B3 to the fore and another strong vocal interaction. Take Me There is more reflective and closes an album that leaves you in no doubt about the individual and collective talents of Blame Sally. The only question is their diversity something that may confuse. It's hard to say, as the variety in the different vocalist and musical styles is very much a part of who they are and may be part of the oxymoron that the title suggests. The best way is to go and check their music out yourselves.