Anne Stott’s latest album, the operatic rocker Watershed Synapse Experience, builds a variety of song structure around her perfectly smooth, sweet vocal. Sometimes the music charges forward briskly. Other times it come straight down like a hard rain. If we take it song by song it becomes a sensation of mini works each with their own narrative arc.
Opening cut “Hurricane” finds Stott asserting short bursts of vocal to the hefty snap of her dark piano chords. Not only catchy but gripping, this one feel like a compelling call to arms. Stott’s vocal assertions become otherworldly as eccentric touches around her keep the music interesting.
Even more hooky, the “Water To Blood” anthem keeps head nodding, toes tapping, fingers snapping. Stott offers a tune that never lets go of the listener’s ear. Her lead vocal call and response with her backing vocals keep it ever lively and present.
“Born Under A Full Moon” keeps a persistent electric guitar chord progression progressing. Stott shines with her otherworldly vocal and her simplistic backing musicians keeping it down and dirty with color and tone. It all keeps humming with the power in each vocal and instrument.
Stott puts a dark, slow piano line beneath her unique, rangy vocal on “Palm Trees And Parking Lots.” The down tempo pace makes it feel deep. Its hesitant presence doesn’t move down tempo as much as it seems to hover like a flying saucer. Electronic coos make one briefly think of a sci fi movie soundtrack until Stott’s haunted voice oozes out of the stereo speakers with her understated but still strong presence.
A catchy mid tempo number, “Future Ruin” gets a peculiar, effective rhythmic clip from Stott’s dramatic stop-start technique. There is much depth of feeling as she sings in a self-restrained manner. Catchy and infectious in its own quirky way, when the drums come up, there is something epic playing out.
“Oh Muses” lets Stott’s haunting vocal ring out in a quiet, sparse space. Ethereal and eerie, this one reaches the listener on a profound emotional level. It’s also impressive how much range Stott has to pull this off. She eventually becomes even more surreal, sublime, and one knows he’s not in the presence of a usual vocal.
“I Can’t Hide” combines and meshes brittle electric guitar chords, buzzing keyboards, and whatever else Stott’s imagination finds to create an unusual backdrop for her voice. Stott’s voice swoops upward, moving up from the imaginative instrumentation in its peculiarly inventive use.
The brief, forlorn “Fifty Times Around The Sun” pits a slowly strummed electric guitar repetition against Stott’s rangy, arcing vocal. Voice and guitar combine to from a place outside of time and space. Keeping it simultaneously tethered to our world is an exotic percussion pattern that makes this primitive while also funky and innovative.
Another possible hit song is “White Lies.” Stott’s electric keyboard supported vocal moves briskly forward. She sings this one like an anthem, strident, moving to a pulsating keyboard and percussion mashup. She’s also addressing the gas lighting leadership qualities that too many are buying into these days. Stott develops from her musical inventiveness that intrigues the listener about a new level of world wariness.
Close out track “Are You Serious” is a sensuous piece laced with seductive saxophone emoting in the backdrop. In the foreground Stott’s vocal and piano slap their way forward, slappy drum work making it move in a sassy pace. Stott’s soft voice and that sweet sax remind of late night jazz club flirtations as she actually sings of higher issues. Perfect.
Anne Stott continues to make fine albums with this Watershed Synapse Experience. Her ability to arrange instruments to house her unique timbre and rangy vocal is uncanny, creating her own distinct sound in each track. Produced by Barb Morrison at Sterling Sound, Watershed Synapse Experience also features Kenny Mellman, Terre Roche, Jonathan Jetter, Jaime Karpovich, Eliana Gershon, Azran Starkweather, Jeremy Kinney.
