really like the beat and the vocal is very interesting. I will be looking into getting this.
Meet Sophia Pfister
Instead of the usual "song and dance", the email refreshingly got directly to the point: "Will you review my record?". I replied, "Send it and if I like it I will."
The record arrived. There was no catalog number and the cover art was not exactly polished, but the credits intrigued: on what appeared to be a low budget number was pedal steel great Greg Leisz as well as two cellists and a violinist—members of the L.A. Philharmonic. Everyone involved has outstanding credits.
Ms. Pfister sings and wrote the songs as well as the arrangements, which are spare, deft and spacious. Said Pfister in an email: "I actually had to chase Greg Leisz down in the parking lot with cash in my hands because he said he had so much fun he forgot to get paid for the recording session."
Ms. Pfister added: "I attended Berklee College of Music for a year and I can definitely say, I learned so much more just throwing myself into this by writing, recording and funding everything myself. I showed up in LA with nothing but dreams and that's why I started the album with that song about my complicated love and hate for this city of Los Angeles."
After playing the five song EP, which contains tough, gritty, but tuneful songs and sounds remarkably fine, I asked for a short bio:
"I was born in California and lived in various parts until I was 10 years old, but I moved to Ashland, Oregon and was raised there until I was 18 years old. After High School I auditioned and was accepted to Berklee College of Music, but dropped out after a year. I then moved back to California and have been moving around LA the past few years. I turned 24 last January and as of last month I am now living in Highland Park with my brother (who also films my music videos).
"I currently have a day job at a mortuary and I come from a very creative family, however none of them are musicians. My mother is from Mexico, and my father is of Irish and Hungarian decent. I play the banjo, dulcimer, autoharp, guitar etc… and can I make a song with any instrument I pick up, however I consider myself a writer and singer rather than a technically proficient instrumentalist."
Having lived in Los Angeles for eight years, the opening tune really resonated with me. I share the singer's "love and hate" relationship with Los Angeles and perhaps that's part of what made me determined to share with analogplanet readers this five song demo, which was recorded at Studio City Sound and can be purchased on Ms. Pfister's website.
Grammy Award winner Tom Weir, who owns Studio City, produced, engineered and mixed the record. He also plays drums.
It seems that everyone involved is pulling for Sophia Pfister. Is this the best she will do? Or is it just the beginning of something bigger? You can never tell. I just thought this was an auspicious, high quality demo worthy of your attention. I posted the video on YouTube last night and hundreds have listened and it's gotten all "thumbs ups".
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COMMENTS
RAW Mic
Submitted by kurb1980 on Fri, 2016-06-10 19:22
Wow this sounds like a RAW mic feed no vocal effects. Sounds nice but not really my cup of tea with that said she should head over to blue coast records see if she could get signed. This sounds like it would be right up their ally.
A bit of avant-garde with no fear.
Submitted by OldschoolE on Fri, 2016-06-10 19:38
I just had a second listen and I tell you what, she is not afraid of writing lyrics. She's not afraid to just get it out there, no holds barred. I find her sound to be a bit avant-garde with a jazz foundation and in your face approach.
Nothing really stands out to me regarding vocals or instrument performance and while it may not be overwhelmingly appealing, I like it in a strange way.
I Find Your "Review"
Submitted by Michael Fremer on Sat, 2016-06-11 07:11
Concise and pretty much mirrors my reaction. I do like it! But not in a strange way....:-)
Went to buy the LP...
Submitted by mraudioguru on Fri, 2016-06-10 23:09
...since I really do like it. $30 for a 5 song EP is nuts! I thought maybe $15-$20, but $30 bucks is way too much for a relative unknown and for only 5 dongs.
Sorry Sophia.
Pretty good, but
Submitted by firedog55 on Fri, 2016-06-10 23:29
Available as $30 vinyl and iTunes?
Want to sell some to this crowd?Make it available as a CD quality or hi-res download. And not $30 for 5 songs.
Too bad, otherwise I'd buy it to help out a new artist
It's a free download...
Submitted by Superfuzz on Sun, 2016-06-19 03:33
It is available as a download... mp3 or flac (CD quality), or stream it, on her bandcamp page. And it's not $30, it's "name your price", which means you could get it for free if you're really cheap
Dont find it so expensive
Submitted by isaacrivera on Sat, 2016-06-11 05:31
It is a truly limited edition of 200 which she funded herself. She is probably just trying to recover her investment. You may like her music or not, but to whine about the price to a struggling aspiring artist? Either you support the artist or you don't. And sell to this crowd by making it a CD? Do you know this crowd? It seems to me she has come to the right place if she wanted to promote a record among music lovers. Everyone just wants everything for free I tell you...
Yes -
Submitted by Muso on Mon, 2016-07-11 19:42
- and it's 200 because that's pretty much the minimum anybody will press. I agree: I have no problem with the price tag. Forget about the recording costs, just having the finished mixes mastered for LP, lacquers cut and parts made, pressing, and sleeves is very expensive per unit on a small run of 200. 30 bucks isn't out of line at all.
I wish more new artists would do this.
Not bright sounding...which is very good
Submitted by hiendfan on Sat, 2016-06-11 08:54
I Like it. The lyrics, the arrangements and the uprocessed presentation works for me.
Liked it, Bought it!
Submitted by teachscience on Sat, 2016-06-11 14:47
Right up my alley. Gritty, simple recording with nice lyrics. Hope she makes it.
Out Of Tune Intentionally?
Submitted by AnalogJ on Sat, 2016-06-11 19:09
She is really pitchy at times. The first tune is a simple 2 chord structure. But she keeps hitting north of the notes of the scale. If it's not intentional, it's really irritating to my ears (and I'm a musician with perfect pitch). It sounds more like a Florence Foster Jenkins type project to my ears.
Compositionally, again the first tune is pretty simple and not as lyrically arresting as, say, "Walk On The Wild Side". The second tune doesn't really have a good hook. It's repetitive without being clever.
Thumbs down for me. Sorry.
I noticed that too, but
Submitted by madfloyd on Tue, 2016-06-14 09:48
I noticed that too, but somehow I got past it (maybe she locked in a bit more as the song progressed) and really liked her voice and the mood of the songs.
So I bought it.
The Lesser Of Two Evils?
Submitted by AnalogJ on Wed, 2016-06-22 17:40
I think auto-tune would only make it worse.
?
Submitted by texanalog on Thu, 2016-06-23 01:37
Why would it make it worse? Auto-tune would address the pitchy-ness and make her attempt at sing-song more acceptable, especially since her voice was presented in stark relief against the sparce instrumental background.
Because...
Submitted by AnalogJ on Thu, 2016-06-23 04:39
Auto-tune is largely awful. I hear it used quite often and it sounds terrible to my ears. Unless it's being used as a sound effect (a la Daft Punk), it is just a partial mask for mediocre singers like Britney Spears.
I like it.
Submitted by Wimbo on Sat, 2016-06-11 19:52
I hope she does well.
I bought "Cold Fact" back in the early 70's. Australia loved Rodriguez back then. This lady could be similar.
She is Streaming on Tidal if
Submitted by audiophile01 on Sun, 2016-06-12 23:47
She is Streaming on Tidal if you want to have a good listen before you buy the Vinyl. Leaving it on a loop , that way she might get enough royalties for a cup of coffee by the end of the Month....
I Like Sophia Pfister
Submitted by xtcfan80 on Tue, 2016-06-14 13:20
Very interesting stuff. And great job Michael for reading her email listening and promoting an artist doing it her own way. And good for Sophia to be hip enough to find Michael and Analog Planet and the audiophile community and promote herself. Would love to hear this at RMAF 2016 in Denver on a mega-buck system, maybe in one of the Audio Alternative rooms.
When someone is tonedeaf...
Submitted by P. Stoned on Tue, 2016-06-14 16:04
When someone is tonedeaf... Can he/she still be considered a singer?
I think not.
A bit harsh.
Submitted by Muso on Mon, 2016-07-11 21:16
OK, on the first one she's hitting sharp, which is common for less-than-experienced singers when they are singing near the bottom of their vocal range. She's down in Fiona Apple territory and it's not her optimum range. The rest of the tunes are in better keys for her and she sings them fine. Nevertheless, a far cry from tone deaf.
I am a bit surprised the first one made it through that way given she sings well on the other songs. She has a nice voice.
It`s all about the groove
Submitted by Joffa on Tue, 2016-06-14 18:29
I like it. I wish her the best.This is not normally the sort of music I listen to. there is something about this though...
Hear a hint of Kate Bush.
Submitted by Jim Tavegia on Thu, 2016-06-16 07:57
I would be interested to know how the tracks were recorded and then mix down in what formats.
I had been working on some 23/`192 tracking ovver the last few days and really like the "analog sound" it brings IMHO The clarity's remarkable with good mic res and miss....and you can make the "sounds" what ever flavor you want them to be. I would not say it is greatly more detailed than 24/96, but I know I have captured more. I would love to hear some 24/192 tracking pressed to vinyl and give than at listen.
She is definitely someone to keep the link to her website and see what the future holds.
Is the hum in the background this issue you talked about in your most recent Stereophile column?
Thanks for sharing and giving her a listen.
Received the vinyl yesterday
Submitted by Lazer on Tue, 2016-06-21 21:14
It sounds fantastic. Sophia even personalized and signed the inner sleeve for me. I thought that was a great touch. Of course I cleaned the vinyl and replaced the inner sleeve with a mofi sleeve, then added an outer sleeve and put the signed original inner sleeve inside the outer. Then I played the record and was floored by the quality of the pressing. Dead quiet vinyl, with astonishingly deep and wide soundstage and precise images. The quality, especially for an unknown artist, blew me away.
Bought it, listened to it, like it
Submitted by kruhlin on Wed, 2016-06-22 18:06
Arrived today, poured a drink, let it run and repeated. Very nice and well worth the $30. I do enjoy the sparse arrangements and her voice. Wish her well.
Liked it. Bought it on iTunes.
Submitted by the matching mole on Thu, 2016-06-23 07:46
Good stuff, thanks for sharing it, Mikey. I'm a fan of similar singers, like Lera Lynn and Essie Jain. And Ms. Pfister has a powerful strong voice, like Polly Jean Harvey, which is always a good thing.
No one graduates from Berklee
Submitted by Devil Doc on Thu, 2016-06-23 15:19
Not anyone good,anyway
Very nicely done!
Submitted by teachscience on Thu, 2016-07-14 11:58
I'm quite pleased with the quality of the product. The vinyl is nicely pressed, very quiet, and musically this is very nicely done. $30.00 well spent.
Two Keys
Submitted by bleachbro on Sun, 2016-08-21 21:54
Very creative. I'd bet the vocal is in it's original key, and the track is a half step down. I'd also bet it was a completely intentional choice to add tension to the lyric. Probably challenging to perform live though! :)
Late to the Party
Submitted by Trius on Thu, 2021-08-05 16:35
Five years later I have discovered Pfister, thanks to Janna’s YouTube video of the Vince Rossi/Harbeth NY Audio Show demo. One of the tracks played was Living in the Grey from her follow-up album, Birdcage. Sophia is wonderful and I’m hoping she has a long career.
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