Rob Barteletti & Paula Sinclair: News
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THIS WEBSITE LAST UPDATED on May 19, 2009
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ROB'S BLOG LAST UPDATED on August 2, 2008 (see menu on the right). Rob hasn't written a blog in a while -- too busy making music and managing Paula...but one of these days, he'll be back on the blog.
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"ROB BARTELETTI & FRIENDS" SONGWRITERS SHOWCASE SERIES THIS WEEK
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PAULA'S CALENDAR
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BUY PAULA'S NEW CD, STEADYGIRL, HER OTHER CDS, AND T-SHIRTS SECURELY THROUGH PAYPAL
STEADYGIRL, THE GOOD HORSE, and AVALANCHE are all available below through PayPal. You can also purchase a cool, high quality "Steadygirl" T-shirt in separate women's and mens styles (image below is a woman's style shirt). Enjoy our ''Economic Stimulus" prices and NO shipping/handling fees while quantities last.
To hear songs from STEADYGIRL, go to Paula's myspace: www.myspace.com/paulasinclairanduncletumbleweed
or to her EPK at Sonicbids (see link above)
Woman's T-Shirt (man's style has a slightly higher collar, slightly longer sleeves, and is less "shaped"; both men's and women's sizes tend to run small; high quality 100% cotton):
When you place your order for CDs/T-shirts through PayPal, we'll promptly mail your package without postage or handling fees.
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TWO REVIEWS OF PAULA SINCLAIR’S STEADY GIRL
By Jeff Rosenberg
Willamette Week - March 25, 2009
Try describing the sound of your favorite singer’s voice. Tricky, huh? Writers often compare singers to other, better-known ones because it’s easy, and even the best vocalists betray their influences: similar phrasing here, a borrowed inflection there. But Portlander Paula Sinclair thoroughly disarms that critical commonplace, because no other voice I know sounds quite like hers. It’s a lived-in, grown-up instrument—deep and sturdy, with a fine grain to the finish, and long notes sustained into a vibrato that quavers like a hummingbird’s wing.
Sinclair’s new collection, Steady Girl, matches that vocal clarity to a clear-eyed creative vision; it’s almost a concept album, portraying a resilient woman steeled by sadness but defiantly guarding her heart. Sinclair and returning producer Rob Stroup, who also sings simpatico harmony, round up a stellar backing band, featuring gifted stringed-instrument wielders Tim Ellis, Tony Furtado, Paul Brainard and Arthur Parker. Keyboardist Jean-Pierre Garau, amazingly, coaxes fresh tones from his Hammond B-3 organ and Drew Shoals’ supple drumming sensitively underpins the songs.
Each track on Steady Girl (five written by Sinclair alone) stands comfortably alongside a sped-up cover of Steve Earle’s “Fearless Heart.” The record contains only three ballads, but they’re weighty ones: the statement-of-purpose title track, and devastating chronicles of dissipating relationships in “Drifting” and “Something Blue.” A couple of midtempo numbers, like the nostalgic “Blue-Eyed Kentucky Boy” add a nice country touch, while the rockers are fist-pumping singalongs, especially when the stutter-step pre-chorus of “Medicine Burn” opens up into the rollicking chorus.
Sinclair’s recent work adapting poems to music has heightened her lyrics’ verbal precision, inspiring striking, counterintuitive images—silence, for example, likened to an avalanche in “Drifting.” Meanwhile, her humor shows in homespun truisms like the one that closes the disc: “You can’t satisfy your sweet tooth with just one sin.” Listeners disappointed by Lucinda Williams’ recent records should point their car wheels down this outstanding album’s gravel road.
By Paul Hollingsworth
411mania.com: March 26, 2009
The country music of today has become so overproduced and over thought that it only superficially bears any resemblance to the musical roots of pioneers like Hank Williams, Patsy Cline or Tennessee Ernie Ford . If you listen to any country radio stations, you're not likely to hear anything that would seem out of place on Top 40 pop radio. Thankfully, musicians like the Kentucky born Paula Sinclair are quite comfortable returning to the origins of country music, which has, from the very beginning, dealt almost exclusively with love and its aftermath.
Sinclair's voice has a strength which commands attention. From the first few lines of album opener, "Something Sweeter", it's clear you're no longer in the land of contemporary country. The majority of modern country singers are vanilla-voiced, all sound the same and do their best to remove all traces of country drawl from their voices. Not so with Sinclair, who immediately sounds like she must come from Kentucky, much like fellow Kentucky native Loretta Lynn. Her voice can reach angelic heights, but you can tell the heights were reached only after several descents into the depths.
The second song, a cover of county music heavyweight Steve Earle's "Fearless Heart" further shows the range Sinclair can reach. It's an ambitious attempt to cover such a well-known song, and Sinclair shows herself capable of the task. While Earle's version was self-confident and assured, Sinclair infuses the song with a trace of vulnerability and doubt. You're left wondering, if Sinclair is indeed, 'strong enough to get you through the scary part . Covers only work when they add a layer or a texture to the original song, and Sinclair, using the same words and a nearly identical arrangement, adds a feeling of hurt and helplessness absent from the original.
Sinclair glides effortlessly through the album between classic country tunes, ("Steady Girl"), bluegrass ("Blue-Eyed Kentucky Boy") and back again ("Sweet Tooth"). "Sweet Tooth" in particular, wouldn't sound out of place on an Emmylou Harris record from the 70's. However, because everything in music these days must have a label, Sinclair will probably be saddled with the title of alt-country. Alt-country is nothing more than traditional country, and the 'alt' prefix will probably scare off more than a few people, who associate anything 'alt' as containing lots of screaming, flannel or wailing guitars. Alt-country is a misnomer. There's nothing 'alt' about this record, as it's just straight ahead country, without any of the pop pretenses of contemporary country.
"When A Heart Breaks" is my favorite track on the album. Sinclair knows how to write a traditional country song, and her lyrics on this one are especially poignant.
'You smiled and you told me/ Sometimes things don't work out/You said we had some good times/But the good times ran out/Stood there in silence though I thought I might shout/But baby when a heart breaks it don't make a sound'
Unlike whatever drivel you might hear on the radio, you get the distinct impression that Sinclair has had this experience, that's she writing the lyrics from an (almost) fond memory. The music, the lyrics and Sinclair's voice all combine to create a very moving, fluid account of the end of a relationship, and it’s the sort of song which everyone can relate to. Musicians often give lip service to being 'true' or 'honest' and 'open' with their songs. Sometimes, as in this case, they don't have to speak it, because each image, each lyric rings true the first time you hear it.
Last week, I reviewed Neko Case's latest album, and I can't help but notice the similarities. Both women are classified as 'alt-country', both have strong song writing skills, and both are obviously very talented. The only real difference I can find is that Neko has name recognition while Sinclair, outside of her current home of Oregon, does not. There are songs on each album which could fit comfortably on the other. If you liked what you heard with Neko, you'll be well served to give Sinclair a listen as well.
P
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PAULA AND PAULA SINCLAIR & THE CONTENDERS
Besides performing during Happy Hour, from 5:30-7:30 p.m., before each of Rob's White Eagle gigs, Paula has an extensive performance calendar available at both http://sinclairsinclair.com and at http://myspace.com/paulasinclairanduncletumblweed. Or you can find her in the "Links" section of the Menu. (Also, see posters below.)To book Paula or Paula Sinclair & The Contenders for a venue or house concert, contact Rob Barteletti at robbartmusic@comcast.net.
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DOCUMENTARY ON THE MAKING OF STEADYGIRL
Click on the frame below to watch a brief documentary video about this recording project. Directed by Derrick LaMere.
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ROB'S DEBUT CD FROM 2005, OLD SOMBRERO, STILL FOR SALE
Click on "Old Sombero CD" in the menu. Only $5.
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ROB ON MYSPACE www.myspace.com/robbarteletti or click on "Links" in the menu.
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Paula's Sonicbids Electronic Press Kit 
View Paula Sinclair's EPK
Rob's Sonicbids Electronic Press Kit
View Rob Barteletti's EPK
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