Music Review: Schuyler Fisk - The Good Stuff

A couple years ago, I attended a concert at the El Ray here in Los Angeles. The headliner was Joshua Radin who I had become an immense fan of. I had checked around and found out that the opening act was someone I had never heard of and who's name I couldn't pronounce, at least from reading it. So show night, and out comes a young woman with her guitar.

She introduced herself as Schuyler Fisk, that's pronounced Skyler in case you were wondering, and from her first words I was captivated in a way that I don't think I had ever been at a concert before. It was love at first listen. Thanks to my friend, Colette (EiC of Tomopop.com, do check it out), I was able to get her EP. I will say this. If iPods didn't exist the CD would have a laser burn straight through it by now.

Now, after a seemingly endless wait, we finally have a full length album from Schuyler Fisk called The Good Stuff.

The wait was worth it. The Good Stuff is 14 tracks of great stuff. It's being billed as a folk album but to be honest the album delivers a multitude of genres. It's a bit funky, a bit rocky, a bit poppy, and a bit folky. If it truly is a folk album, it's probably the most accessible folk album in quite awhile. It is easily enjoyed by mainstream audiences.

Schuyler's lyrics are rich and emotionally engaging. If you read my music reviews regularly you know how big I am on relatable songs. Schuyler has a knack for this kind of song.

The CD is fantastic from beginning to end but there is one song that stands out even among the other tracks. It was a song I first heard back at that Joshua Radin concert I mentioned previously. They sang it together and it hasn't left my mind since. The song is called "Fall Apart Today" and is included on this album. I've included a live video of this song at the end of the review so I will let is speak for itself. Suffice it to say, it's beautiful and one of my favorite songs.

Schuyler has that kind of voice that is impossible not to enjoy. She sings with such honesty and emotion its hard not to fall in love with her music the moment she opens her mouth. Like I said, she had me at the first note.

The Good Stuff is an album full of perfect music. Lyrically and musically, Schuyler Fisk delivers fourteen incredibly enjoyable tracks. I can't get enough of them.

So far with amazing music from Chris Pureka and Schuyler Fisk, 2009 is looking like a great year for not only women in music, but women creating real, heartfelt music that resonates. I can't wait to see what else we're in store for.

Schuyler Fisk's The Good Stuff is available on iTunes now and on Amazon soon.

1. The Good Stuff
2. From Where I'm Standing
3. Mr. Johnson
4. You're Happening To Me
5. Fall Apart Today
6. Hello
7. Afterglow
8. Sunshine
9. Cold Heart
10. Miss You
11. You're Only Lonely
12. Other Side of Love
13. Who Am I To You
14. Last Day of Our Lives

For more information on Schuyler Fisk, including tour dates, visit her MySpace page.

She is currently touring with Ben Taylor and has a few dates in California in the next couple of weeks, including an LA date I would love to be able to go to.