08 November 2012 (gig)
13 November 2012
It’s in the cosy confines of West London boozer, the Elgin, that NYC songstress, Rachael Sage launched her new album, ‘Haunted by You’.
Supporting her was the newbie unsigned high-pitched singer-songwriter, Ben Willis, who, just as James Blunt hinted a rather sudden and most welcome (for some) retirement from music, with a couple of tunes up his sleeve, including the brilliant ‘Love Politics’, and after treating the audience to a rendition on Rodriguez’s ‘Sugarman’, appeared to be a plausible successor of this vein of mellow singer-songwriters.
Thirty minutes later, Sage made her appearance on stage, all sequin-gowned (her trademark by the look of things), and dived into her set with the yet-to-be-recorded track ‘Happiness’ on piano (her instrument of choice despite occasionally having a go at acoustic guitar), full of energy and oomph.
Though most might never have heard of her, the lady has an impressive pedigree and mouth-watering credentials, having released no less than ten LPs in the past 17 years through her own record label, MPress Records, shared stages and toured with the likes of Ani Di Franco, ‘Walking in Memphis’ singer Marc Cohn and Eric Burden Of The Animals (the latter to whom she even dedicated a song), and having her song ‘Too Many Women’ featured in the remake of Fame three years ago.
Crafting adult contemporary pop melodies around tales of relationship ups and downs, Sage belongs in that league of candid chanteuses, and her flamboyant delivery on the piano and her whispery vocals call for comparisons with peers such as Kate Bush and Tori Amos, and while the analogy might seem simplistic if predictable to some, Sage’s act and performance make it all too easy.
This said, Sage’s currency finds its place on the piano music scene and is fairly worth the journey to one of her shows.
Rachael Sage played:
Happiness
Lonely Streets
Performance Art
Invisible Light
Abby Would You Wait
Wishing Day
Trouble
Brave dancing
Big Star
Hey Nah
My Word
Too Many Women
Sage is Café Nero’s ‘Artist of the month’ and plays a series of acoustic sets at various branches across the country. She will also play two London shows at The Troubadour on 27 November and The Apple Store on 29 November.
Her new album, ‘Haunted by You’, is out now.
