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MH-285 Steffaloo - Would You Stay  Would You Stay is the Mush full-length debut from Los Angeles based auteur Steph Thompson, recording as Steffaloo. The thirteen-track album is a meditation on beauty and loss that uses the tape-hiss ambience and reverb drenched vocals of a classic bedroom recording to capture isolation and heartache in simple, yet near-perfect songs. The title track sets the mood of the album, as Steffaloo strums an acoustic guitar with a style that hints as bossa nova while she lists the things that she can't bring herself to do to save her relationship. Tracks like "Can't You See" and "I'm Sorry" marry subtle hooks and unexpected phrasing with perfectly matched instrumentation to create a haunting mood reminiscent of You Are Free era Cat Power. Throughout the album, percussion is used sparingly, be it a simple kick drum or washed out handclap, and never gets in the way of the song. A handful of chance-taking tracks, including the desolate campfire tale "Lonely Night" and the effected "My Heart Beats" break up the album. By the time the slightly out of tune guitar and pleading vocal of "The Whale And Me" and the beautiful harmonies of "You" close the album, it is clear that Would You Stay perfectly captures its author's distinctive sound. |
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| Reviews Summary |
| Masterwork of heart-rending realism and poignant optimism - Altsounds / When I hear Steffaloo’s music I can’t help but feel the love - Deftune / This just may be the quintessential fall album all of you indie folk enthusiasts have been looking for - Indie Shuffle / If you were or are a fan of chicks with guitars: i,e,: Cat Power, Feist, even a dash of St. Vincent, then Steffaloo is the musician for you - In Your Speakers |
| Reviews |
| The title track of Would You Stay introduces to the world the smoky voice, somber tones and engaging energy of Steph Thompson. “If I loved you on your worst day … would you stay?” Thompson sings, searching for ways to keep a fragile love intact. These themes of regret, brokenheartedness and acceptance run through Thompson’s haunting yet warm Mush Records debut. Performing under the moniker Steffaloo, Thompson brings an enigmatic, emotive presence. Steffaloo’s sound is that of melancholic bedroom pop, where the dominant instruments are reverb-drenched vocals, an acoustic guitar and the ambient hiss of a lonesome room. It’s the perfect music for a rainy day spent indoors. It’s a bit of a departure, but not out of the ordinary, for Mush Records, a label known more for putting out experimental electronica, instrumental music and hip hop. The eclectic label has branched out to its share of indie rock and pop, though. - Red River Noise |
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