Audio By Carbonatix
Stevens is generating big buzz among local scenesters these days, and that acclaim has placed a considerable burden on her latest full-length. But while I’m Okay shows promise at times, it can’t quite live up to the hype.
Unlike those singer-songwriters whose repertoire sounds like the same tune with a dozen different titles, Stevens demonstrates some range; her voice is as effective throughout the relatively muted “Don’t Ask” as it is during “Heaven Knows,” which requires her to belt. As a bonus, her band brings some much-needed color to her music on the likes of “Little Things,” highlighted by Phil Barhite’s lively saxophoning. In the end, though, the disc is overloaded with too many quasi-generic strum-a-thons with pleasant but prosaic lyrics and monikers to match (“Home Sweet Home,” “Roses and Daisies”).
Okay is okay, all right. To justify her rising reputation, though, Stevens will have to do better next time around.
