Another retrieved treasure from earlier this year, released in June, of gentle, witty, melancholy intimate self-deprecatory folk numbers by the New York singer-songwriter who exudes a old-school charm, reminiscent of the school of Malvina Reynolds, Dori Previn, Shari Lewis, Randy Newman and contemporary New Yorker Jeffrey Lewis. Sternberg’s wry humour shines through from the brutally honest title track (“And all my faults and flaws and lies / Are no one’s fault but mine / Between self-hatred and self-awareness / Is a very small thin line”) to the more cutting address to a ex-friend on People Are Toys to You (“You said you stayed ’cause you felt bad for me/How sweet of you to call me charity”) there is always a beautiful clarity to Sternberg’s voice and lyrics. And whether piano, strum and pick of acoustic guitar or the jaunty piano style on The Human Magnet Song, there’s a true timelessness to the songwriting. With many other clever and catchy, melodious and melancholy standouts here, such as Neighbours, Stockholm Syndrome, The Love I Give, Mountains High or more effortlessly rolling piano on She Dreams or the heartbreak closer The Song, it’s a beautiful gem of an album. Out on Fat Possum Records.
New to comment? It is quick and easy. You just need to login to Disqus once. All is explained in About/FAQs ...
Feel free to recommend more new albums and comment below. You can also use the contact page, or find more on social media: Song Bar Twitter, Song Bar Facebook. Song Bar YouTube, and Song Bar Instagram. Please subscribe, follow and share.
Song Bar is non-profit and is simply about sharing great music. We don’t do clickbait or advertisements. Please make any donation to help keep the Bar running: