ARTIST: Sarah Stefanson
ALBUM: Broken Like a Starfish
CREDITS: Sarah Stefanson - guitar, Trent Lengyel - percussion, Aaron Sinclair - guitar and vocals (several performers lend their talents to the album, more credits in the CD)
RATING: Great local talent. A must see.
Sarah in a exceptionally talented artist. Grouped together with a band, she has compiled a charming album. Her voice carries through all the tracks fluidly and her song writing is a look at the depths of her soul. Her music is best for a mellow atmosphere, be it sitting at home or enjoying a cup of coffee at Cafe Casa. Coincidentally, you can frequently hear Sarah perform there. This music is for everybody. I felt that most people would find it easy to discover something to appreciate within the thirteen songs on broken like a starfish.
We all know Bowman's music program is the best in the city. What we may not realize is that Bowman students also enjoy great success in their musical endeavors outside school. Bowman has turned out some very talented bands and continues to do so steadily.
Exhibit A: Most of us are familiar with Crown Nectar, the newly graduated band consisting of Luke Ryalls, Paolo Fenu, and Jean Paul Perron. Crown Nectar's performances have been enjoyed by faithful Bowman students both at school events, such as Variety Night and Coffeehouse, and their independant shows. Much to the dismay of their fans, Crown Nectar played their last show in August due to Paolo's departure to Italy.
Exhibit B: Hawaiian Mafia (Clint Needham, Jeff Pederson, and Chris Lefebvre) is Saskatoon's premiere surf band. Their numerous fans include such prestigious members of the community as Chris Krieger! This Bowman based band has a wonderful album for sale, Why Won't the Hawaiian Mafia Leave Me Alone?, for a very reasonable price. You may have enjoyed their quite elaborate live performances at the Bowman Coffeehouse or at an outside gig.
Exhibit C: Sarah Stefanson is a growing success in the music scene. She released her album, Broken Like a Starfish, in December of 1998. Sarah's music has been described as alternafolk, in it's acoustic sound and controversial subject matter. Although comparing it to a really good soft-serve-filled-cantaloupe is closer. She has performed at the Bowman Coffeehouse and Variety Night. Sarah frequently plays with Bowman graduate Aaron Sinclair, and posters announcing their shows can frequently be spotted on the walls of the school.
Exhibit D: STREETNiX. Now I know that some of you will roll your eyes and groan at the mere mention of the band, but when was the last time you saw them perform? What about the last time you listened to their new album? Or, have you even heard it? At any rate, one must admit that STREETNiX have been successful. It apparently pays off to do over three hundred performances a year. STREETNiX has released four albums over the years as an ever-changing group: Listen--1993, re-released in 1998; Time Permitting--1995, The Lost Tapes--1998; Ignition--1998. Two of the current members, Tony Hughes and Aaron Genest, as well as some former members are Bowman graduates. STREETNiX were awarded "Pop/Rock Album of the Year" in March of 1998 by the Contemporary A Cappella Society (CASA).
Exhibit E: Wide Mouth Mason is perhaps the most successful of all the musical groups to come out of Bowman so far. Shaun Verreault, Safwan Javed, and Earl Pereira have been busy touring around the world and opening for such notable bands as the Rolling Stones (which we are all likely aware of). Wide Mouth Mason's albums, Wide Mouth Mason (1997) and Where I Started (1999), have done extremely well, but the band has been successful outside their music as well. The boys travel around in a big pink bus with a sperm painted on the side (it has since been repainted blue), courtesy of their sponsor Durex condoms. This may seem a controversial sponsor, but the boys say they chose it because they wanted to use their influence to help raise awareness of safe sex. It is refreshing to see that they are using their fame to send such a positive example to their fans.
So go out and buy some CDs. Help support your fellow Bowman students, they're musicians, they need it!
