Web: rachaelsage.com
Contact: [email protected]
The Players: Rachael Sage, vocals, keys, guitars; Kelly Halloran, violin, backing vocals; Trina Hamlin, harmonica, backing vocals; Andy Mac, drums; Annalyse & Ryan, guest artists; Annalyse McCoy, mandolin, backing vocals; Ryan Dunn, backing vocals.
Material: In support of her new release, Another Side, Rachael Sage resurrects songs from her previous release, The Other Side, a sister album if you will, to the original, re-imagined with stripped down arrangements. Her easy to digest blend of folk/pop/rock draws inspiration from life’s challenges and triumphs which hopefully lead to courage and personal growth.
In “A Place of Fun,” Sage confronts the importance of one’s own convictions only achieved by shutting out all the noise around us and its influence over us. I never thought I’d be the one to veer/From the perfect path away from fear/Now I’m staring straight into the sun/Meditating on the future’s gold/Dedicating myself to be bold/But nothing seems to take the place of fun.
“Deepest Dark,” the catchiest of the set, which Sage wrote at the age of 14, boasts a strong hook with a lovely musical motif running throughout. The lyrics reflect what we might feel when looking into an abyss we seek protection from: And if I call you/Will you come to me tonight/ Even though everyone is sleeping/Even though the deepest dark is still in sight.
Musicianship: Equally deft on piano and guitar, Sage jockeys between the two. Her vocals are tightly woven into the fabric of the songs creating an inseparable package. Though most songs are piano centric, the several performed on guitar bring variety to the set with the backing band adding color and dimension to the overall sound.
Performance: Her colorful stage garb with a touch of bling, seems to be a kind of signature look for her. She exudes a resolve and confidence that only an artist with this level of experience can. With some backstories setting up various songs and guest artists taking the stage, it helped to shake up the instrumental mix and visual landscape. A poignant moment in the show came when Sage performed “Alive,” an uplifting and life-affirming song written to mark her five years as a cancer survivor.
Summary: Rachael Sage is a prolific artist who has carved out an irrefutable niche as an independent artist. One can learn a lot from her about navigating this type of career. She is on a UK tour this summer.
