Natalie Prass | Self-Titled
Disclaimer: This is not typically an album that I would recommend. I have to admit that it is a triumph of social media marketing that I’ve listened to this album at all. I first heard of Natalie Prass through a Vox article of all places. This then influenced me to research more (google) and I found more flattering reviews. I thought to myself “Man, you need to check this album out”. I also had heard that she was tabbed as the tour opener for personal favorite Ryan Adams. Her unexpected canceling one of the dates due to flight issues led to Ryan Adams donning a dress, renaming himself “Natalie Sass” and performing her song “Bird of Prey” on stage instead. This blew up my facebook and twitter feeds for a couple days and I said to myself “Buddy, you really need to check this album out”.
Finally, after getting prompted by daily banner ads for Natalie Prass’s debut album thanks to all the clicking and secret internet monitoring, I caved in and said “Hey asshole, for $7.99 you’re buying this fucking thing right now.” I had not listened to anything she recorded yet, not even a sample, but my first thought was that she kinda sounded like Jewel, only thankfully no yodeling. The more I listened to Prass the more I could hear the Jenny Lewis comparisons, which makes sense since she apparently used to play keyboard for her. A lesser known artist that also came to mind on the first few listens was Vienna Teng. But really more than anything else, this album is like listening to musical theatre. I’m not a loyal patron anywhere and I can’t say I can really judge what is great or not, but I would suggest if that is your thing go listen to “Christy” now and you let me know if it’s any good. Don’t ever tell us that you don’t get what you pay for at Empty Bottle Evenings.
Not everything Prass did here evokes funny costumes and jazz hands: songs like the aforementioned “Bird of Prey” is groovy pop led by ‘70s style horns while “Your Fool” is bass and piano a la Ben Folds. The instruments throughout the album including Prass’s voice should not disappoint, it’s just a matter of style preferences. Not everyone wants to listen to jazzy pop music with a focus on both brass and strings; for some reason I assumed this was going to be a bluesy sounding girl with a guitar. I don’t remember why. But ass, u, me, got it. It’s good to try new things anyway. I don’t go to a play expecting the orchestra in the pit to play alt-country, do you? Because there is more to music, right? Right?!
I’m a little bothered that I felt tricked into buying this album by the powers that be that have monitored my preferences and are supposed to spit out what I like. Adjust your algorithms, internet jerks. But fuck it, where is the fun in that? If the worst thing that happens to me is that I now own an album that closes with a song that sounds like it was sung by a Disney Princess accompanied by harps and flutes and everything(“It Is You”), then I think I will get by.
The Drink: No Drink, Just a snow cone in a “Chip” from Beauty and the Beast Cup. Does Disney on Ice still exist?
Bake
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[…] – A lovely night for those who can appreciate female vocals and horn-led Baroque Pop. Natalie Prass opens, but no indication if birds and squirrels will be joining her on […]
[…] Natalie Prass | Self- Titled – Prass gets too theatrical for me at times on songs like “Christy” and “It is You”. But when she is performing the brassy, jazzy pop songs like “My Baby Don’t Understand Me” or “Bird of Prey” then I’m in. Possibly even all in. Okay, maybe half in. Meaningless descriptions on how “in” I am aside, she’s clearly talented. Still I’m hoping her next album is called Prass’s Brass and the songs sound accordingly. Hopefully they won’t be corny as the title that I’m demanding. […]