Heather Fay

Heather Fay, Scrape Knee’d Girl

Singer-songwriter Fay delivers a modestly tuneful, smartly-arranged and heartfelt set of 10 songs here. The modesty in question isn’t a comment on her talent — she possesses a strong, clear voice, and can use it to convey a broad range of emotions; and her songs themselves, which fit into the rootsier end of the pop-rock spectrum, are melodically graceful (the middle section of the album is particularly confident and hooky) but her delivery feels subtle and somehow private. Eric Lichter’s analog production gives the songs warmth, and his multi-instrumental contributions create an ebb and flow with plenty of ear-catching passages. Not only is there more going on here than one might first notice, the songs are concise in their composition, even the slower ballads (and the set does tip towards mellow, steady-tempoed songs). One wishes she showed off more, or made all the choruses pop out the way she can. But the private-feeling approach still suits Fay’s direct lyrics and melodies.

 

Heather Fay - Scrape Knee'd Girl 2009

Heather Fay started out with the dream of creating the perfect mix tape. The implausibility of this quest didn't hit her until years later while looking at her Alvarez acoustic and realizing that if she wanted the perfect mix tape she'd have to write some of it herself. Scrape Knee'd Girl is the outgrowth of that realization; an album of songs about the imperfections and wrong turns on life's path and the emotional cost of living through both right and wrong decisions. The title and artwork represent the "perfectly imperfect" state we live in, the bumps and bruises we acquire, and the tales Fay spins on Scrape Knee'd Girl sing to the very part in each of us that crave to be accepted, warts and all. Heather Fay dabbles in the singer/songwriter pastiche of Carly Simon and Joni Mitchell and adds in a twist of Americana, Country Blues and Rock, depending on the song. Her voice is clear and strong and plain-spoken; an every woman's voice that connects to the listener instantly and holds your attention. Scrape Knee'd Girl opens with 515, a musical soliloquy about making choices that are painful but better in the long run. Here she's moving on toward an unknown future away from someone whose decisions will take her down a less desirable path. Don't Cry is a song about waking up to the important things around you. It's a pragmatic tune set to a comfortable Americana arrangement that shows off Fay's easy vocal style and talent for putting emotions and moments into words. The Last Time touches on the distance that grows between two halves of a couple over time, an honest question to the other about how/when things changed. Ruby's Song is a song of love and devotion. The sentiment is beautiful and the arrangement is striking if a bit mundane, yet this serves to help the quiet vocal line soar. California Days is a dreamy memory song; a reverie for a time and place that likely could never be recaptured. Breaking My Heart is an entreaty to a loved one to not hurt her, set to a light Reggae beat. The light, optimistic nature of the arrangement runs at odds with the subject matter here, and Fay's cool, easy delivery makes it all believable. Dukes Up is an optimistic song about overcoming heartbreak; fighting your way through. It's set to a great blues/country arrangement that accentuates the hard-nos ed yet vulnerable feel of the narrator. Heather Fay brings a distinctive voice and approach to songwriting on Scrape Knee'd Girl. There's an emotional honesty that is unmistakable, with Fay delving into psychologically intimate subjects and moments from the experience of her protagonist. The music is wonderfully constructed, sticking primarily with a rich Americana sound that could pass for Country or Folk with a sprinkling of Rock thrown in. The album's pacing is a bit slow at times, with a couple of songs just losing me along the way, but Fay recovers well and generally delivers a very strong effort. Make sure you check out Scrape Knee'd Girl. It's worth the time. Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

 

HEATHER FAY Scrape Knee'd Girl

Every once in while an album comes along that you like not just because of the production or the voice or the songwriting, which is why I went out of my way to get a copy of Heather Fay's Scrape Knee'd Girl. After sampling a few tracks on her MySpace page, I heard something I could not quite put my finger on, something beneath the music itself. A handful of listens and I knew what it was. Heather Fay is the Scrape Knee'd Girl. No, it's not a teaser for the album. It just is. She sings and writes like a young girl with scraped knees, vulnerable yet trusting. It's that simple. You basically get two Heather Fay's here. One encompasses full band and full sound, a little more sophisticated, if you will. I attribute those mainly to Eric Lichter, who produced the album and plays all instruments (and they are many) with the exception of Heather's guitar. The arrangements are first rate, most notably on the softer ska of Breaking My Heart and the slow rocking 5:15. Layering a slew of instruments, including multiple keyboard and guitar tracks, is never as easy as it sounds and Lichter handles the chores well, keeping the background background and not letting it get in the way of the voice. The other is Heather Fay herself, basic and alone, which is where she shines. Don't Cry and especially California Days stand out, remnants of the late sixties folk sound worked into the fabric. Unplugged and solitary works for her and allows the scraped knees to show. While her voice is, shall we say, a bit untrained, she more than makes up for it in her phrasing. These songs from the heart are sung from the heart and it sounds it. Call her a work in progress, as are most of the musicians working these days. She might have a ways to go, but it will be interesting watching her get there. Scraped knees or not, this is a good start.