Stacy Clark is a young singer/songwriter originally from Buffalo, New York, and now residing in Orange County, California. In the past two years, she has won several regional music awards and received attention from MTV and the Vans Warped Tour. What's surprising is that most of this attention has come from her four song EP, Unusual. Although she has a full album on the way, and her first recording from 2002, she seems to be doing quite well with such a small representation of her potential.
Frankly, I'm not surprised. Unusual is on par with the synth pop that has been generating underground hits in recent years (think Rachael Yamagata or The Postal Service). The title track, with its shimmery electronics and crystal clear vocals, lays the groundwork for the three that follow. The slower and more introspective "You Make It Worse" is a sudden shift from the danceable "Unusual," but it contains the lush arrangements that bring these four songs together. "Never" starts off like the preceding track, but it has a much harder element in the chorus, and the lyrics are of the "dammit, that weasel left me for another woman" variety. "Say What You Want" goes back to the shimmery electronics of "Unusual," but without the dance beat element.
Unusual is a fine collection of modern pop tunes. It doesn't stand out with any particular uniqueness, or make any dramatic statements, but it's a solid choice for something good to listen to. I expect that with time and experience, Clark will have more to say in her lyrics, but even if she doesn't, I'll be happy to continue to listen to the tunes.
originally published on Blogcritics
