Reviewed by Clare Jensen, Tacoma Weekly, Thursday, February 21st, 2008
Deborah Page's debut album "For" revamps the folkie-female vocalist era of the mid-1990s for something that stands out in Tacoma's 2008 music scene.
The female songbird backed by guitar is something open-mic nights and coffee shop stages have seen over and over again in decades past, but Page and band mate Paul Uhl somehow do not fall into that often tired category.
They bring a little more to the table by kicking the guitar out of campfire acoustic mode (some of the time) into riffs influenced by the last generations great guitarists.
The duo cannot be pigeon-holed on this album, as their sound shifts from track to track, but at the very least, Page's compositions could fall into the "mellow, reflective rock" category, if such a thing exists.
Page's vocals and song-writing ability stand out on most tracks. Her somber, sultry sound has surprising range and diversity and she seems to sing with ease.
The album starts out strong with tracks like "You and Me" and "Again," two songs that exemplify the artist's diversity. They are followed by "Stay," Page's "hit single," which is a surprising choice because of the slightly hokey electronic beats and the echoing "stay with/ stay with me," which does not quite flow. [a perfect recipe for a hit on today's radio]
Another track that sticks out on the album is Page's startling [rendition] of the nursery rhyme "Mary Mack." The song is jumpy and tense. It just does not fit into the rest of the typically relaxing style of "For," [brilliant] and the strobe-light-like repetitiveness of the rhyme could potentially trigger a seizure in epileptics. [brilliant]
Overall, "For" is a good first album in terms of performance, originality, and quality. The artist, who plays throughout the Tacoma area often would be well worth seeing live, and getting her album may not be such a bad investment either, especially if you have been waiting for an updated version of "Mary Mack" to play paddy-cake with.
Deborah Page will be performing live at 6:30 p.m. February 21st at Sanford & Son Antiques, 743 Broadway.
For more information on Page and upcoming performances visit www.myspace.com/pagedeborah44.
sefg
Written by Jessica Corey-Butler, City Arts Magazine, July, 2008.
Deborah Page Stands out. Well, what beautiful woman with a beautiful voice doesn't? But this local musician doesn't quite fit where you want her to. She is half of Deborah Page, a distinctive indie duo comprising Page and Paul Uhl, with whom she shares her life offstage. The music on her new debut album, "For," keeps you listening: incisive guitar licks laid over hypnotic electronic beats. Forlorn lyrics arrive just in time to offer hope in the face of loss. I'm not a folkie! Page seems to be asserting as she explores all the places her voice can go, from falsetto cries to sultry whispers. Still, there's something earnest in her music that makes the acoustic guitar sound at home. One of the best tracks on her new CD is called "Stay." Page makes you want to.
sefg
Written by Paul Schrag, Weekly Volcano, Late Debember, 2008.
I was blown away when I listened to Deborah Page's "For." She breaks a dozen conventions, dancing across musical landscapes. I swear I heard elements of late '80's goth, Spanish ballad, modern folk, funk, and a few other things in the course of a few songs. Her voice is near flawless, varied and haunting. Go see this woman sing. You won't be disappointed.
sefg
Written by Matt Driscoll, Weekly Volcano, Friday, March 28th, 2008.
Deborah Page is hot. I've heard it from a number of reliable sources.
But beware. Before you pass Page off as just another pretty face, I was talking about more than looks. Sure, Page is an attractive woman, but so are a lot of women. That doesn't mean I'd want to spend an evening listening to them play music.
I'd most certainly want to spend an evening listening to Page play music, and just such an opportunity will happen this Saturday, March 29 at Bob's Java Jive. Page mixes her haunting voice with heartfelt lyrics, throws in some alternative folk-inspired guitar work, and delivers the package with presence. It's enough to catch any music lover's attention, not just fans of external beauty. With Page there's beauty abound, both inside and out.
If you don't yet know Deborah Page, you'll have plenty of chances to acquaint yourself over the next month. Along with Page's performance at Bob's Java Jive Saturday, she'll be playing oh Gallagher's April 3, Jazzbones April 16, and Sanford & Son April 17.
For those who want to take her home (good luck with that), you'll have to settle for Deborah Page's atmospheric and spooky "For," which was recorded over two sessions in '07, one on Anderson Island and the other at Sanford & Son. Whatever Page is charging (unless it's like $36) "For" is worth it.
See the show[s]. Buy the record. It'll be time and money well spent.
sefg
Written by Angela Jossy, Weekly Vocano predictions on Tacoma's 2008 music scene.
...I tossed my magic bones to discover that Deborah Page's new CD, "for," will be more popular than pancakes...
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Written by John Larson, Tacoma Weekly, April 24th, 2008
Deborah Page does not quite fit in with the sensitive singer/songwriter crowd in look or sound. Her material does not really blend right in with the rock scene. She is doing something a bit different and attracting fans of a range of musical genres to her shows.
Page sings and plays acoustic guitar. She became active in the local music scene [one year] ago, although she has become more serious over the past [four] months.
She lived [in Tacoma] until she was twelve, when her family moved to Mexico. After returning to the Tacoma area she teamed up with guitarist Paul Uhl, who grew up in Auburn and Kent. He spent a few years playing in a surf guitar band. Uhl said his influences span a range of styles.
When Page was seven her father gave her an acoustic guitar with only three strings he bought at a garage sale. Eventually she moved onto six and then twelve string acoustic guitars.
She did some gigs on Anderson Island before going to work on her debut album, "For," last summer. It was released Thanksgiving weekend. She and Uhl handled all the [recording], editing, and mastering themselves.
They operate a photography [gallery and] studio in the Middle Floor Merchants at Sanford & Son, the famous antique emporium downtown. They did their first show at Sanford & Son [one year] ago, although they consider their performance on New Year's Eve for First Night as their first official show.
While some of the material falls within the singer/songwriter category, there are clearly elements that set the duo apart from acts that play that circuit. Page said people have compared her music to everything from Natalie Merchant to Portishead. Her unusual yet intriguing rendition of the nursery rhyme "Mary Mack" is an indication that Page is following her own muse.
"I don't want to be classified in the folk genre," she remarked.
"It is a good thing we produced our own CD," Uhl said. "No producer would have done 'Mary Mack.'"
Page and Uhl perform as a duo, with drums and sound effects prerecorded.
"We wanted a full sound, not a coffee shop sound," Uhl said.
Page said the idea of assembling a full band appeals to her, but for now she is happy with the good chemstry she and Uhl have in songwriting and performing. "We brainstorm off each other all the time."
"We are working so well together, I think it would be hard to change," Uhl commented.
Uhl said his least favorite thing about music is bands who's material all sounds the same.
Page admires artists like David Bowie, who alter their sound throughout the course of their careers. "Or Madonna, You can't pigeonhole her," she noted.
"People like that, I always want to hear their new album," Uhl said. "It's a breath of fresh air."
Page listens to a wide range of music, from Disturbed to opera, Tori Amos to Pearl Jam. To some extent her material is a reflection of this. Page said she is still learning about the business side of things, such as booking gigs. She admits it can be hard for booking agents or club owners to determine who to book with her. Uhl noted they sometimes get put on bills with female-fronted bands. [even if it is a completely different style]
With summer approching, Page has applied to play at many of the popular outdoor festivals around the Puget Sound.
In the meantime she plans to begin work soon on her second album, which she said will be both grittier and funkier than her debut. She is also considering singing one song in Spanish.
