VANESSA PETERS: Sparkler

Vanessa Peters

Sparkler

© 2003 Vanessa Peters (783707699820)

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Literate and sparkling folk/rock, carried by a gorgeously textured voice and brilliant lyrical sensibility.

notes

"Strong, confident guitar, true folk-laden vocals, and meaningful writing are the trademark of Vanessa Peters. An incredible songwriter with an out-of-this-world voice, she has captivated audiences wherever she plays. Peters defines herself as a truly enjoyable performer." - MyTexasMusic.com

This is an independent album, lacking in the slick production you hear in an album by a major label, but you get the feeling that it could be a major release by a major name in the business. That's because this album has "the sound," of music you hear in the media by singers like Shawn Colvin, Sheryl Crow and Patty Griffin. Vanessa Peters has got it, got the sound, got the rhythms, got the musical feeling that the big names have." - MusicAustin.com

'Sparkler,' the stunning new album from Vanessa Peters, is a 12-track exploration of every heartstring you've ever had tugged. From the rollicking, nearly-country feel of the opening track 'you're losing me,' to the otherworldly loveliness of the title track, 'sparkler' entangles the listener in its layers and intricacies. Produced by Lindsay Graham, 'sparkler' shines with the touch of seasoned musicians who know how (and when) to apply instrumentation.

Anyone who has seen one of Vanessa's live performances knows how capable she is of working the nuances of her dynamic vocals and guitar playing. The joy for a long-time fan (and first-time listener) will be to hear how seamlessly her voice and guitar wrap themselves around other instruments. The mid-range, heart-breaking moan of the cello on 'sparkler' settles right into the warmth of Vanessa's voice, while the frantic drums and electric guitars on 'hooked' keep pace with the driving acoustic guitar. From the jangly pop-rock of 'I wanted to ask you' to lovely folk-ballad of 'july,' these songs slide effortlessly between genres.

Lyrics are in top-notch form on this album as well. Her lyrical strength lies in the deceptively simple manner in which she is able to capture the little details that make up the fabric of heartbreak and happiness. In 'easy,' she sings "I send you postcards cause there's less space to fill with brilliant things to say/to try and explain how we ended up this way, and I burn all the letters," and she summons a thousand memories of a love that just wouldn't work. When the album closes with its lovely tour de force, 'too far gone,' fading out with her fragile voice singing, "and I don't want to lose me again, I was so hard to find/I don't want to lose me again, I don't want to lose this time/and this is too far gone," you find yourself too far gone as well, and more than willing to hit 'play' again and settle in for an encore performance of one of the most striking debuts in recent memory.

A Bio, in brief:
At the age of 4, driven by subconscious ambitions, Vanessa summoned up her courage in her grubby little fist, climbed on stage, took down the mic, and belted out "We Are the World" to an unsuspecting church audience. Needless to say, everyone (especially the pastor and her parents) was a bit surprised.

But after that auspicious debut, being comfortable on stage was a long time coming. Vanessa's desire to perform vanished for the next 15 years. In fact, her stage fright was nearly debilitating. She played her guitar in her room, maybe on the front porch, but never for an audience if she could help it.

Then 2001 rolled around, and Vanessa found herself living la dolce vita in a tiny hill town in Tuscany. The charm of the small town, the slow pace of life, the odd tug at her heartstrings when she thought of America...all of these elements fused together and led to a prolific pen and melodies she couldn't keep out of her head. After a few months of living in Italy, Vanessa had written an album's worth of material, and had hidden it safely under her bed. But at the heavy prodding of friends who had overheard her practicing one afternoon, Vanessa found herself making her public debut in front of an audience of 200 Italians and Americans at a pub called The Velvet Underground in Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy. It was a strange place to take to the stage, to be sure, but no stranger than sneaking the mic off the stand during a church service. After her set was over, and after the crowd had finished calling for an encore, she realized this was just the beginning. And now, an EP and a full-length album later, Vanessa is taking the Texas music scene by storm, one beautifully crafted melody at a time.

reviews

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  • A Velvet Voice, Lovely Lyrics and Precise Picking
    author: Cheri Arnett - Singer/Songwriter - Houston, TX

    Vanessa Peters' velvety voice is so calming, like golden sunshine on a spring morning. Her lyrical depth gives insight to just how intelligent this beautiful young woman truly is! Vanessa's debut album "Sparkler" captured me from beginning to end. I purchased a copy at one of her shows, popped it into my cd player as soon as I got in the car, listened to it all the way home, then replayed it a 2nd time while sitting outside my house. I was so impressed with the production quality, the musicianship, the beautifully crafted songs, and even the artwork and cd packaging. This is an album that every person who made a contribution to its creation should be very proud of! "Sparkler" does not seem like a debut album, it's more like a 3rd or 4th. I eagerly await Vanessa's sophomore project because she is always "one-upping" herself. I envy her talent. - Cheri Arnett - Singer/Songwriter - Houston, TX - (www.cheriarnett.com)

  • As good as any female vocalist out there!
    author: Ken

    I don't listen to music that often, and I almost never buy CDs. But I was walking through the Austin airport last Tuesday, heard Vanessa playing and stopped to listen even though I was in a hurry. I ended up buying her CD Sparkler, and I think it's great. She has serious talent. I think she's as good as any female vocalist out there, and with just a little good fortune along the way she could reach a level of success that most people can only dream about. I wish her well.

  • Vanessa Peters' music is absolutely breathtaking!
    author: Ana-Maria

    Listening to this CD takes you go places you've never been, and then you realize you've just come home. The amazing union of music and vocals gives 'sparkler' the raw, honest feeling i've come to expect from Vanessa. Amazing.

  • An absolute masterpiece of folk music
    author: Brianna

    What can I say about Vanessa Peters' new cd, sparkler? It's amazing, an absolute masterpiece of folk music. she encompasses her passion and talent in a whirlwind of powerful wisdom and youthful integrity. Vanessa Peters forces every generation of listeners to find themselves and connect with the pain and joy of her music. It's all good. There's "nothing i [can] cry about."

  • author: Josh Johnson

    Sparkler is touching, transparent, and extremely listenable. It is touching, in part due to the honesty exuded by Vanessa Peters’ conversational singing voice. Listening to her sing, one gets the sense that she is not performing the songs, but rather whispering them to her best friend. To draw an industry comparison, I would say her vocals are reminiscent of Mazzy Star, minus the gratuitous reverb. The lyrics contribute to what I term as the albums transparency. There is not a lot of ambiguity in terms of the stories that Vanessa is telling. What there is, on the other hand, is a lot of realism that finds its emotionally cutting strength in its almost shocking nakedness. For example, lines like “and we stopped to rest on that crumbling wall, and I heard the stars tell me not to fall like they do, but all I could see were those baby blue eyes” don’t leave much up to the imagination. These lyrics are explicitly descriptive enough to give you a visual and emotional picture of a story, even if they were told in a monotone voice (which of course is not the case). Vanessa’s honest voice, coupled with her transparent lyrics, make for some really special moments on Sparkler. This album is extremely listenable, and pays dividends in goose bumps for the time you invest listening.

  • tops the highest expectations of the genre
    author: brianna

    Vanessa Peters has out done even the high standard she set for herself on mirabilandia. This cd is like watching her spread her wings across folk music. She explores instrumentation and style and ultimately shows the audience who she is. This is a fantastic way for her to get started with widespread coverage of her individual perspective. Vanessa has proven herself on this cd as an artist of magnanimous proportions who deserves a closer look and a lot of air time.

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