Music Review – Paris Stairs EP by Brittany Jean

“Speak low and listen closely,” Brittany Jean sings on the first track of the Paris Stairs EP. I would advise that you just listening closely because this EP is pretty fantastic.

The EP consists of four songs—“Paris Stairs,” “On the Balcony,” “White Sheets,” and “No One Runs.” They all have extremely rocking beats; I’ve had “Paris Stairs” stuck in my head for a few days now, which would just drive me to listen to the EP again. With Jean’s strong vocals, all the songs seem to capture a longing that many of us are all too familiar with; we may stop longing for what it is we wanted, but you never forget that feeling of yearning. My favorite of the set, “White Sheets,” perfectly captures this sentiment.

This is the kind of music that I enjoy listening to: powerful instrumentals and fantastic vocals that combine with evocative lyrics to not only bring about great music, but to make you puzzle over lyrics and to conjure up images. The best kind of music needs a bit of deciphering, and I must admit I’m still working through some of the songs (“Paris Stairs,” especially, with its religious imagery juxtaposed with a rebellious zeal). As I mentioned above, there is a wistfulness, but it never overwhelms the other components of the music; everything falls into a nice symmetry that allows you to thoroughly enjoy the EP as a whole. Although the EP consists of four songs, they’re four songs you can listen to over and over again.

It’s also a joy to discover local artists; as someone who’s not much for Top 40 and explores books much more than music, knowing that such talent resides in D.C. is both thrilling and reassuring. It’s been a long time since I genuinely liked anything new; I won’t tell you what I last downloaded, but I will tell you it’s 24 years old.

The EP will be released on January 4, 2011. In the meantime, check out a preview of the EP at http://www.sonicbids.com/brittanyjean. Songs for the New Year, I say.