Marjorie Fair's premiere album, Self Help Serenade, was completed in 2002, so what was the hold up on its debut? It actually was released in Europe over a year ago and is critically acclaimed overseas. The same now can be said for the United States, as the album has been available here since June. Serenade has received such praises as "a stroke of genius … a modern classic" from The Independent and has been called "a candidate for debut of the year" by Mojo.
Their melancholy pop sound is not what you would expect from Marjorie Fair, which is comprised of Dain Luscombe, Scott Lord, Mike Delisa and lead singer Evan Slamka, who is a self-described "neo-hippie who wished he lived in the '60s…"
With a title like Self Help Serenade, the disc is self-explanatory. Each song serves up Slamka's aching heart on a silver platter, with themes of pain and loneliness laced throughout. Almost every song has a slow tempo accompanied by tragic lyrics.
The CD has a sluggish start with "Don't Believe," which has a very monotonous sound, mainly due to the unimaginative chord progression. Serenade gets a little better on the second track "Halfway House," which sounds remarkably like Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb." The song exhibits more of an acoustic sound with Slamka seeming to be at his lowest point as he croons, "Daylight is not the same/ When you're stabbing at the stars/ In your eyes, and bleeding/ Is what you see." This contrasts with Pink Floyd's song, which has an uplifting chorus and a rock edge.
The first song that could actually be considered a single is "Empty Room." It has a catchy chorus that you find yourself singing before the song ends. This differs drastically from "Stare." On this track there is a crescendo of drums right before the refrain, typical of many pop songs. You expect the tempo to pick up, but it unfortunately falls short of these expectations and just seems dull. The only upside to this song is that the lyrics are extremely relatable. Slamka sings about the loneliness one feels after a breakup.
"Waves" is another other single-worthy track on Serenade, but the lyrics are very abstract making the song a little hard to follow. Marjorie Fair's best work is showcased on "Please Don't." This song actually has a good melody, not just for this CD, but compared to other albums, as well. In addition, instead of depressing the listener as with most of the other tracks, the song has an uplifting effect with lyrics like "Please don't be afraid of all you're made of/ And what you are/ To the one in front of you." These rare glimmers of hope in the lyrics are enough to make you listen to Self Help Serenade.
Serenade is very similar to Coldplay in their melodic sounds. When Slamka gets into his falsetto he evokes an image of Chris Martin, especially in the chorus of "Silver Gun." This is the type of music perfect for listening while mellowing out after a long day of studying, or more likely for mending a broken heart. Hearing someone else vent about their problems can be a good way to forget about other issues.
On that note, Self Help Serenade is good for what it is: an album of melancholy music. Other than that, it's not really worth listening to. The songs tend to drag on and it is difficult to sit and listen to the CD the whole way through. If you are feeling dejected, hearing a couple of these songs might have a therapeutic effect. On the other hand, too many of them might make you feel even more doleful.
Marjorie Fair shows they have the talent and the ability to make a truly good album. Evan Slamka has a soothing and plaintive voice, but it is lost on the sometimes-confusing lyrics. However, if you find that the music is enjoyable, Marjorie Fair will be performing in Madison Oct. 27 at the Annex as part of their tour.
Grade: C
