stephaniesid

Warm People (Nine Mile)

By Rebecca Shore
Published: June 13th, 2009 | 7:00am

On their third full-length release, Asheville, North Carolina, group stephaniesid has established itself as the musical equivalent to the nice, warm red wine buzz on a pleasant summer’s eve that is whiled away on an outdoor patio strung up with white lights. OK, it’s not an official title like the King Of Pop, but regardless, Warm People, a collection of 10 lush and synthy songs, deserves a good listen — if not several.

Frontwoman Stephanie Morgan’s ranging vocals are a delight, sometimes calling up Regina Spektor (“Warm People”), sometimes a slight Dolores O’Riordan (“Drinking At a Party”), and other times playing more of a percussion role (“Big Grey Peepers”). The songs vary from sweet and slow (“Hello From the South”) to riot grrl–inspired (“The Weakling”), and from pleasantly minimalist (“Bones”) to densely layered (“Fore!”). Despite the varying sounds, Warm People manages to simultaneously achieve cohesion while showcasing the many facets of Asheville’s three-time recipient of the local “Best Indie Band” award.

The main grievance is that the album lacks novelty; stephaniesid is pretty and easy on the ears, but they don’t offer much that hasn't already been done — an important quality for standing out in the particularly crowded indie pop category. Either way, the album remains a satisfying experience, especially accompanied by that wine.

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