REVIEW 12/22

https://www.tjplnews.com/post/beth-sass-blue-blind-sky-single-review

The vocals of Beth Sass will heal any wound, console any soul and spur on any dreamer. Their latest single, ‘Blue Blind Sky’ makes great use of that warm, caramel tone, and pushes it to the heavens through keys, percussion, guitars and bass. Country influences dance about the head and electric keys highlight the melody, its poppy and slow, a chill tune with a loving vibe. Beth Sass uses the structure of the song and the textures of the instruments to work the atmosphere, its lush and curved, rippled with love and adorned with lyrics that sit about the air, hanging like incense. A second, lower, vocal powers through, and the two together make harmonious blue magic in the clouds.

‘Blue Blind Sky’ begins with that guitar riff. It’s smooth, it’s 00s and it is inviting. An open invitation to sit about the flowers and watch the world go by, taking in its paces, its breadth and its depth. The vocals join in as the song opens up, the keys thicken the sound and the percussion tickles the walls with slaps and cracks of wood-tone drums. Together the sound is modern, stylish and humbler than any out there. How a single can come out only months ago but feel already like a classic I don’t know! The answer lies somewhere in the genius of Beth Sass, maybe one day we will find out, until then, the miracle of ‘Blue Blind Sky’ is sure to keep us going on strong.

REVIEW 12/22

Beth Sass Unveils Comeback Record ‘Blue Blind Sky’

As if it was a matter of destiny, Beth Sass wrote her first song at the young age of 12. Inspired by the likes of the Beatles and Leonard Cohen, she then went on to study composition at the prestigious Berklee College of Music, where her reputation grew thanks to her emotional songwriting and elegant piano skills. A professor at Berklee encouraged her to send her compositions to Nashville, where they were signed by Sony (then Tree Publishing).

Sounds like a fairy tale, but it’s just reality. Sass is a living example that through passion and dedication everything can be within reach. Sustaining herself with a long career as a performer, the Nashville resident has experienced music and art in multiple aspects, giving particular force and meaning to her lyrical prowess.

Hungry for personal expression, Beth also nurtured an artistic project, sharing various albums along the way. Now, Sass returns with ‘Blue Blind Sky’, a brand new record supported by Casio Music Gear, who endorsed her as a performer and educator. The single is the first sign of an upcoming long-length effort. The track features a collaboration with fellow singer-songwriter-guitarist-producer Ira Ingber.

The pair creates a wonderful piece: gentle yet charismatic, the song kidnaps the listener into a soulful and warming sonic universe, even if for a mere four minutes. Building on the best American songwriting tradition, Beth Sass stays true to a classic lyrical formula, a welcome change from the synthetic material we are constantly served with nowadays.

Recommended! Discover ‘Blue Blind Sky’ on Spotify

REVIEW 12/22

Beth Sass teams up with Ira Ingber on evocative and intricate new single, Blue Blind Sky

Setting the tone with an enigmatic guitar melody with light, textured percussion, Beth Sass opens Blue Blind Sky with intrigue and atmospheric vocals as she sings introspectively, “Blue Blind Sky, I find, Blue Blind Sky, unkind, in the middle of offering, I feel your shadow devour, wander over where you shouldn’t be, patron saint of sour…”

The opus expands into a soft rock hybrid energy as Beth Sass takes us on a journey through her mind with evocative prose. The visionary creator who has been writing since the age of 12, cites The Beatles, Laura Nyro, Dusty Springfield, and Leonard Cohen as some of her influences, although there is no doubt that Beth Sass is creating a universe of her own.

We appreciate the poetic depth of Blue Blind Sky and the charisma with which the rising artist from Nashville performs. Speaking on the meaning of the song, Beth confesses, “One day I was exhausted while trying to wrestle an upset friend out of her much skewed perspective. From my songwriter’s perspective, I sensed she was emotionally colour blind at that time… mislabeling foes and mis-assigning motives. It was obvious to me while entirely beyond her awareness.”

The cohesive tapestry of sound that Beth Sass creates with her songs is dynamic and rich, and we are also grateful for the dimensional presence of Ira Ingber on the track as he reinforces the message of the composition with his unmistakeable vocal timbre. The music video for Blue Blind Sky features a hypnotizing performance from the stars as they bring to life the concept of the piece visually.

We learn that just in time to record her new album, also called Blue Blind Sky, Beth was endorsed by Casio Music Gear, promoting Casio Keyboards for performance recording, and education throughout the United States. With reference to the record, Beth tells us, “This new album is a phoenix of magnificent creative teamwork rising out of pandemic-era separation.”

“Since my need to document life and love through songwriting can’t be vanquished by challenging logistics like bicoastal time zones and divergent sleep schedules, technology prevailed, and the artistic process won out. Thank you to songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist Ira Ingber for his compositional and production midwifery”, she continues.

Blue Blind Sky has been added to our New Music Spotlight playlist, whilst we anticipate the upcoming album of the same name, and continue to stream Beth Sass‘s wider discography including Watercolor Lake.

REVIEW 12/22

The Other Side Reviews

Beth Sass – Blue Blind Sky (2022)

December 16, 2022 Nicole Mendes , Folk Pop

Inspired by artists like Dusty Springfield, Leonard Cohen, the Beatles, Laura Nyro, and her poet mother, singer-songwriter Beth Sass has an intimate and soul-stirring sound. By 8^th Grade, Sass was already writing songs and performing as part of a duo that lasted throughout high school. With a growing passion for music, it was only natural that Sass would go on to study composition at Berklee College of Music – the first step to a successful career. As a signed songwriter at Multimedia Music and Maypop Music Group, this songstress was mentored by notable country lyricists, such as Don Pfrimmer, and has now established herself as a poignant pianist and singer. The latest addition to her discography is the single ‘Blue Blind Sky’.

The first release in three years, ‘Blue Blind Sky’ follows her 2019 track ‘Distance’. Similar to ‘Distance’, Sass’s new single has a heart-breaking folk-pop style; however, ‘Blue Blind Sky’ has a heavier quality to the song. I’m not saying the heavier element is part of the melody, although there is a more poignant robustness to the arrangement. No, it is actually part of the poetic lyricism. A deeper, more vulnerable and intimate weight lies on your soul as you listen to the new single.

Beth Sass has a charming, haunting and powerful voice, but in ‘Blue Blind Sky’ she is joined by singer-songwriter Ira Ingber. The interplay of his warm tones and her haunting tones make for a cleverly crafted vocal arrangement. Harmonically blended but also contrasting creating a soft sonic touch but also a vulnerable pushing away. Sincere, sentimental, introspective and thought-provoking, you can become easily lost in Beth Sass’s new single ‘Blue Blind Sky’.

For more from Beth Sass check out her official website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.

This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator

—“Beth is a multi-talented singer-songwriter, music supervisor, arranger, producer, and performer who enjoys crossing stylistic boundaries. Her music is deeply thoughtful and evokes a tangible sense of time and place. As one of the first graduates of Berklee’s songwriting department, she studied the pioneers of all eras and genres of writing and performing, while gaining a solid foundation in the music craft and business acumen needed to augment the talent she so obviously possesses. Specializing in matching melodies, chord progressions, and hooks to lyrics, she artfully designs her songs and compositions to create special moods, effectively articulating the yearning of the human condition beneath the surface of the words and music. Beth’s understanding of the music industry and performers’ and composers’ rights, along with her writing and performing capabilities, positions her as the “go-to” person for music licensing, film music, music supervision, music production, or any other endeavor where the requirements include professionalism, talent, and ability.”

TOM STEIN Professor, Professional Music, Berklee College of Music

—“Beth Sass is an American original, taking the bricolage of the every day and crafting it into something so deep and penetrating that it becomes almost sacred. Her voice, which has always been an amazing instrument, now has the texture of time and the timbre of wisdom — while lulling you into thinking you’re listening to a pop song. Her lyrics are stark and unusual (“tomorrow ripped me from your mouth”; “I should find a place where someone understands/that I am who I am/but I don’t want to work that hard”(!)) — the pure drop of economy. And have three chords and the truth ever been so brilliantly demonstrated than on the chorus “Knowing Me”? This is music that defies labels, crosses in and out of styles effortlessly, is beholden to no other artist. But somehow you know you’ve heard it before — in the deep recesses of your heart that you, yourself, could never turn into song. Fortunately, Beth Sass has.” John Hamilton, Pastor, First Congregational Church; musician, writer, jongleur

—“If you have the guts to listen to Knowing Me by Beth Sass be prepared to confront some introspection. Her music isn’t for the shallow or fearful. She’s both musically and lyrically deep and expects the same from her listener. Her melodies and images will haunt you after you’ve turned the music off. If you are open, she’ll bring you to tears, she’ll make you examine your life and give you reason to celebrate your survival”. –Robyn Flans, Los Angeles.

—“Because of how long I’ve been playing and doing it professionally, music has to be interesting to me both lyrically and production-wise. In album KNOWING ME, the strong Peter Gabriel-like production doesn’t overshadow the equally strong lyrics. I felt the balance between the two was excellent, which is always the most important thing for me. I would recommend this album highly for either one. Not to mention I would listen to it for Beth’s keyboard playing/ voicings alone!”

-GREG DOTSON, NASHVILLE PRO ROCK DRUMMER

—“Beth’s evocative lyrics, unusual melodies and rich vocal quality are enhanced by her own piano accompaniment. Arranger Jerry Kimbrough completes the picture with multi-textured orchestration. Moody and captivating!” -Lisa Silver, Nashville Singer, Songwriter, Liturgical Soloist, Violinist

—“A wistful take on Americana! Upon listening to “Seven Songs”, I was reminded of that honest, organic sound similar to that of artists like Mary Lou Lord or Patti Smith. That being said, you are able to maintain your individuality by blending a myriad of influences and forging an eclectic take on the singer/songwriter genre. This can definitely be heard in songs like “I Forgive Myself” and “Dying Breed”. I love the twangy Emerson, Lake and Palmer-ishintro in “I Forgive Myself”. This wry little shanty then continues via crisp acoustics atop drving cadence- very catchy.I must say, though, that “Stampede” is probably my favorite song off the album. Again, another flawless intro with escalating electric lead atop the backing guitars. This song has just the type of melody that leaves an impression on first-time listeners. All in all, “Seven Songs” radiates with pastoral goodness and boasts of proficient songwriting. We here at Shut Eye would love to feature you on the third edition of our “This Is Alt Country” Compilation .-RYAN HOFFER, SHUT EYE RECORDS

—“Beth Sass is “sassy”! She reminds me of former teen singing star, Debbie Gibson, if she had gone Country instead of going into musical theater. Beth has a lovley, lilting voice and can hit all the high notes. The more you hear her songs, the more they grow on you. I like her better than Faith Hill, too. On “I Forgive Myself” — which is like a country version of Joan Jett’s immortal “I Hate Myself for Loving You” — it’s refreshing that she sings “I don’t even want to work it out,” rather than something ultra-lame like “take me back or I’ll die,” because lyrics like that are so played and make me want to scream and punch walls. I noticed also that her performance of this fine song recalls the great Judy Collins and I can imagine hearing Beth belt out an awesome cover version of Ian Tyson’s “Some Day Soon” (which Judy covered so definitively way back in the day). That would rule!”- GAIL WORLEY, STARPOLISH

“Beth Sass accepts. She watches, she listens, she feels, she accepts. Based on her acceptance, she moves on, or not, with no blaming or whining. She is respectfully honest with whomever might be listening…especially herself. Her songs are tightly crafted narratives, movies that will necessarily play differently in your imagination than in hers. She accepts that too.” –JERRY KIMBROUGH, PRODUCER, ARRANGER, ENGINEER, SESSION GUITATIST