Rachel Taylor Brown - Susan Storm’s Ugly Sister and Other Saints and Superheroes

Genre singer-songwriter Publisher Cutthroat Pop Records External Links Official Rachel Taylor Brown Website Rachel Taylor Brown MySpace

Rachel Taylor Brown’s album, Susan Storm’s Ugly Sister and Other Saints and Superheroes is a fresh, weird, unique little album. It’s something that would fit in a movie like Coraline. It has a creepiness, yet likeability to it, with its’ eerie piano. Some have labeled it "piano-creep-pop."

Susan Storm’s Ugly Sister and Other Saints and Superheroes is only comprised of eight tracks, but it’s like having a little storybook to read. Each song has it’s own unique tale. Rachel sings about Superheroes and Saints and odd little things. Not to mention, her songs can be quite catchy. The first song off the album, “Susan Storm’s Ugly Sister,” is a fictional song overlayed with an eerie piano track like something out of Transylvania. About a minute in, a loud, “I could kill you” lyric creeps upon you unexpectedly and leaves you wanting more. Her song titles are some of the longest I have seen. The album is pretty solidly set on using simple piano tracks throughout, and goes from dark to upbeat to slow. It kind of has a theater like quality to it. Her second song, “Ambush Bug, Reduviidae,” sings about bugs and has a carnival vibe. Rachel is at her best with her upbeat tunes. “Bruce Wayne’s Bastard Son,” is just over two minutes long and she sings different variations of the lyric “Daddys gotta run, daddy met a girl”…etc. “Zoe of Rome,” is another solid track showcasing tap dancing sounds and a simple piano track.

If you want something a little out of the box, this is the album for you. It’s short but it’s good. I think Tim Burton would like it. Susan Storm’s Ugly Sister and Other Saints and Superheroes is definitely not your typical singer songwriter album, but it is one that should be listened to. She has something different to offer outside of the normal pop songs. Best of all, it works.