Former Rentals member Sara Radle’s fifth solo effort is an impressive one, given that she played all the instruments on the release, and mixed and engineering it—all on her laptop! The percussion-heavy first track, “Last,” opens up with vocals that have far too much reverb on them, however, the effect fizzles out so one can hear the soft and sweet voice that is coming from Radle. She proves that her bite is just as strong as her bark with songs such as “Little One” and “The Pins.”
The two are polar opposites as far as the aesthetics are concerned. “Little One” is lighter and fluffier, but still gets the songstress’ sharp message across. However, “The Pins” features Radle on drums, guitar and bass, singing lyrics that can be applied to anyone who has been held back by another.
Throughout the release, the overall sound changes many times. Radle will go from an electric power anthem, to a piano ballad and then to an eclectic pop hit in a matter of minutes, which really diversifies Same Sun Shines. “There’s A Change” is the sugary penultimate song that has the most interesting sound on the disc. The distorted guitar almost sounds like a kazoo and the handclaps add to bubble-gum effect while the campy lyrics drive home a message that is often missed in today’s society. The acoustic, “Bye For Now” closes the record on a hopeful note for Sara Radle’s return.
Sara Radle’s Same Sun Shines just sets the stage for a bright new year for the veteran musician. With each song flowing into the next, Same Sun Shines is a genuine hit in all aspects.
In A Word: Sensational
