Search - Emm Gryner :: Science Fair

Excellent Sophomore set from Emm

... | Montreal | 04/07/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is Canadian singer Emm Gryner's second album of all-original material, and the first one that she released following her release from the Mercury label (and subsequent return to her own Dead Daisy Records). She recorded this almost entirely in a rented cottage, and she apparently had so little money to make the album that the liner notes are in black and white. Make no mistake about it though...this is a very very good album.



As is often the case, it's the albums that don't grab you right away that end up among your favorites, and "Science Fair" definitely falls into this category. I was already familiar with the very catchy "Asian Blue" and "Public" albums, and was a little disappointed at first when I picked this one up at a local HMV and discovered the music to be so spartan. On many of the tracks, it's just Emm and a piano (or guitar), with very little production being added to the mix. This turns out to be one of the true strengths of the album, and with repeated listens this has become one of my favorite Emm CD's, and really encompasses some of her finest work.



I'll include a song list, as Amazon hasn't seen fit to do so:



1. Serenade

2. Stereochrome

3. Southern Dreamer

4. Julia

5. Revenge

6. Good Riddance

7. Stardeep

8. Boy Races

9. You Do Something to Me

10. Disco Lights

11. Closure



The album is quite strong top to bottom, but if I had to pick some favorites I'd go with 'Stereochrome' as my #1, but 'Disco Lights', 'Serenade', and 'Southern Dreamer', are also excellent. For softer songs, 'Julia' is probably the most recognizable, and I developed a much greater appreciation for 'Boy Races' after hearing Emm sing it live. It was breathtaking, and I can't listen to it the same ever since.



Fans of Emm probably already know and own this album, but any enthusiasts of female singer/songwriters should check her out, as they will likely be pleasantly surprised. On top of that, you get to support an independent artist that does things her own way (as opposed to our beloved industry zombies), and not to mention that you'll look pretty smart to your friends when you play them great music that they've never heard of."