Sugarplum Fairies

Chinese Leftovers

(Starfish)

Record Review by Kevan Peterson

The quiet and unassuming voice of Silvia Ryder, who comprises one half of the heart of Sugarplum Fairies, slithers out of the speakers and into your ears, attaching to your brain and demanding your attention, all while sounding lackadaisical in her approach.  She slides around between various versions of Hope Sandoval, Aimee Mann and Chan Marshall before ultimately landing on a sound of her own.  That’s not to say she sounds like she’s emulating, only that you can’t help but make comparisons at times.

“A Story” opens the album, fittingly, as she croons the on the nose lyrics “Let the story begin…” which seem to imply that the album itself will take you on a journey and not just the track alone.  And thankfully it does.  “I Wish I Never Saw the Sunshine” features a lo-fi guitar mixed with harmonized male and female vocals - the male vocals being the other half to the band's heart, Ben Bohm.  Utilizing a slide guitar to evoke a dreaminess complimentary to Ryder’s voice, this track stands out as one of the stronger songs on the album.

The album never picks up much in tempo, but it does deliver one solid slow groove after another.  “First Rate Show” is about as hard as the album gets, which uses a few mildly distorted relatively hard-hitting chords and echoed horns to accent the enthusiastic beat.

Overall, Sugarplum Fairies, much like the ones who famously dance in your head, keep your head dancing.  They have created a well-crafted album, one that can lull you to sleep or calm you from a hectic day.  Chinese Leftovers feels less like table scraps and more like a main course.