REVIEW: Marnie Stern - Marnie Stern

Marnie Stern - Marnie Stern
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There are no two ways around it: Marnie Stern’s new self-titled album is inescapable. From the initial moments of chaotic guitar and drums to the gentle fadeout that closes the album, it’s one wild ride. Stern runs, not walks, that line between chaos and harmony. Apparently produced during a particularly difficult time in her life, Marnie Stern is certainly a rollercoaster of emotion, a reflection of good in bad and bad in good. It’s a relentless powerhouse that proves Stern is more than an adept guitarist, she’s also a capable songwriter.

The key element of the album’s overall success is Stern’s guitar work. It’s one thing to hide behind a bunch of flashy guitar work, it’s another to coax a wide array of expressions out of the instrument. Stern manages to muster pop hooks with serious guitar chops, the kind that would be head-splitting for some players to attempt and reproduce. She draws more emotion out of her guitar than most singers get out of their voices. What’s more, Stern is a thoughtful arranger, displaying careful consideration for the power of layering.

“Transparency Is the New Mystery” is rather transcendent, with monumental lead riffs, mammoth drums, and an orchestra of guitar – one that rings, oscillates, crescendos, and just flat out wails. It bursts with a high-strung attitude that stretches from one hemisphere to the other, possessing a rather universal flavor. “Female Guitar Players Are the New Black” sees Stern at the top of her game, laced with enough tapping, machine-gun snare fills, and rhythmic shifts to make you dizzy. It’s built upon such razor-sharp guitar playing that it’s hard not to be more intrigued by Stern’s chops than by the overall song – not a bad thing by any means. “Cinco De Mayo” is a tornado built on tension and release, with intertwining guitar riffs whirling over the backbone of a lightning fast guitar riff.

Here, Marnie Stern isn’t aiming to make sugary sweet guitar pop. It’s much more of a challenge, with a lot tangled in and around the layers of frenetic guitar work and furious drumming – almost like a new kind of thrashy math rock. With time, the album reveals itself to be an intricately beautiful creation of Stern’s mind and heart. It’s the type of album that reminds us that if something challenges you, it’s truly worth something. Cohesive, powerful, emotive, and exciting, it’s an album that solidifies Stern as one of the best musicians around – one that’s helping to keep the art of guitar playing alive and fresh. Marnie Stern might be a dizzying ride through Stern’s personal life and mind, but it’s a dizzyingly amazing ride.

BUY: Marnie Stern is available now on Kill Rock Stars. You can pick it up through Kill Rock Stars, Amazon MP3 ($6.99!), Amazon, or iTunes.