Album: Summer Flake, You Can Have It All

Somethingyousaid.com’s Sophie Metcalfe reviews the longplayer from Stephanie Crase:

I must admit I have a little soft spot for Sydney-based record label Rice is Nice, so I always get excited when they bring on a fresh new beatnik to join the team. This time it’s Adelaide-based slow-rock femme fetal “Summer Flake” AKA Stephanie Crase, with the release of her first full length studio album ‘You can have it all’. Not new to the music scene, Crase has had her finger in many other Adelaide pies with the likes of No Through Road, Batrider, Birth Glow and Hit The Jackpot.

The album is what I’d like to call a slow burner. On face value it is an easy going rainy day record, being a little unassuming with a slow rock pace and soft vocal melodies. But as you listen in there are some sneaky delights which I’ve become really fond of. Songs like “Drag You Down” and “Forever Here and Now” offer simple melodies but inside they’re peppered with distorted solos, small accidentals and shifty use of the whammy bar which adds a healthy degree of sass to otherwise innocent and charming songs. The distorted melodies come in and corrupt like a little drop of rum in warm milk, bending and wavering as it goes.

Despite these delights, it took me a while to make my mind up about this album as a whole. Like how beetroot doesn’t know whether it should be sweet or savoury. But it’s really the quiet vocal moments in songs like “Just Now” and “How Long” which strengthen the album. Beautiful and engaging small moments between the layered guitar results in a sound that is seemingly wistful and effortless, like a controlled chaos.

I have recently moved to Scotland from sunny Australia and as I prepare my “it’s going to get fucking cold” mix, Summer Flake will be taking a spot on the bill to help soften the blow. That and warm milk with a drop of rum…

Review by Sophie Metcalfe.