Thursday Guest Post - Sarah Rocks

While Sarah Borges' name (and music) is no stranger to this site, Rich from Modern Acoustic was kind enough to share his thoughts on her new album, The Stars Are Out, which is due out next month (and which I have yet to have the pleasure of listening to). For those of you who haven't checked out Modern Acoustic, it's an e-zine that Rich puts out quasi-semi-periodically when the mood hits him which covers everything from the rash of blogger take-down notices that struck a few months ago to locally grown (Boston area) music to the struggles of internet radio, all packaged up in an electronic magazine that looks like it was produced by a professional stuff much larger than one man. While not working on the upcoming issue Rich also posts irregularly at the Modern Acoustic Blog as well.

-Sean

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For those who have found my magazine, Modern Acoustic (link: www.modernacoustic.com), you are well aware of my affinity for the music of Sarah Borges. For those who have yet to give her a listen, well, you are missing a treat and should jump in with both feet (and ears).

Sarah, who hails from the working-class town of Taunton, Mass., is a little bit country and a lotta rock ’n’ roll. Her music is best described as sassy bar band roots-rock and Americana, but is infused with some serious bad-ass Boston swagger by way of Aerosmith and J Geils.

The tunes from her first two albums, Silver City and Diamonds in the Dust, are garnished with pedal steel or a country sway, but allow plenty of room for rip-roaring electricity to pump you up and get you bobbing your head and dancing. The great sound is due in large part to her tenacious backing band, the Broken Singles. Drummer Rob Dulaney is a steady, smiling force with a big beat, while bassist Binky is Sarah’s foil and a great stage presence. With the new album, they have a new guitarist in Lyle Brewer; he has big shoes to fill replacing the great Mike Castellana, who could make one minute make you weep with his pedal steel and then could blow you away on the electric the next. Sarah, of course, can play a bit herself and with her relentless energy, it is hard to take your eyes off her onstage.

The band’s new album, The Stars Are Out, is due out on March 24. On first listen, it sounds like Sarah is stretching the band’s sound, making it a little more radio friendly and trying some new things. The country influences have been diminished for a more rocking attitude. The first song, Do It for Free, opens with heavy guitars and a hard-drumming beat. It sounds a little like a rocked-up version of Faith Hill’s Sunday Night Football song. One of the standout songs is Me and Your Ghost, which has a ’60s girl-group sound with a rockabilly kick. There are also some great covers that she makes totally her own, including Smokey Robinson’s Being With You, the Lemonheads’ Ride With Me, and an outstanding version of No One Will Ever Love You by the Magnetic Fields.

In the end, though, you have to catch Sarah and the band live. That is where they break away from the pack. They get you on your feet and dancing and hooting and hollering and screaming for more. Here's a video of them playing Me and My Ghost, a song from the new album.

Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles - Better at the End of the Day : The Stars Are Out

and here's an older live cut:

Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles - Just Between You and Me (Charlie Pride cover) : Live at the Iron Horse, Northampton, MA 9-22-07

Visit their website, their label Sugar Hill Records, and become their friend on MySpace.

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Tour dates (more will surely be added soon)

2/21 Toad, Cambridge, MA
2/28 Turning Point, Piermont, NY
3/2 Pianos, New York City
3/15 Concerts in the Studio, Freehold, NJ