Sarah Slean is a musician who likes to shake things up. Her debut record, Blue Parade, was sublime piano-based pop with a distinct spiritual tinge. The subsequent self-titled EP was Slean's entry into the US market, but the EP and the album behind it, Night Bugs, alienated some fans with their strange, melodramatic cabaret leanings.

A longtime fan, I had responded to the EP with great disdain, but later learned to accept and even love Night Bugs on its own terms. And now Day One is likely to baffle Slean's old-guard listeners again. But just like its predecessor, it contains delights that will unfold eventually and grow on you.

How to describe this album? A little rock, a little punk, some splatterings of funk...and even sprinklings of industrial. Slean seems determined to defy any kind of pattern in her music. Night Bugs producer Hawksley Workman is out, and in step Peter Prilesnik and Dan Kurtz as producers. The resultant sound is surprising, a brash, upfront sound which contains far less of the orchestral sweep of Slean's earlier productions, and a lot more machine-like beeps and booms.

I still don't like it when they dress up Slean's voice too much as they do here. Slean's voice had a clarity in the early days which was like a splash of cool water; it's not a voice which needs a great deal of effects. But the arrangements are nice, punkier with a dash of funk, as on the almost Ramones-like beat of "Lucky Me". And Slean's strongest suit, songwriting, remains arresting. "Lucky Me" shows she can adapt to a catchy rock milieu without losing her classical and cabaret flavours; it probably ranks with Charlotte Hatherley's "Kim Wilde" as the most weirdly catchy pop/rock tunes of the year. I remember Slean's been playing "Vertigo" live in concert for a while, and it recalls her earlier, poetic, sweeping orchestral ballads -- in short, beautiful. "The Score" is a heavy, insistent piece with jarring turns and changes, and "Your Wish Is My Wish" is a quiet ballad of breathtaking wonder, with Slean's gorgeous harmonies and a piano that drips with lonely longing.

Sarah Slean's music may be a little too left of center to ever become part of the dominant pop scene, but as with her last two records, her music is slow to grab you, often initially confounding, but ultimately thrilling in its diversity and ambition. Day One is more immediately accessible than Night Bugs or the Sarah Slean EP. Dig in, and you'll find a kaleidoscope of sounds and styles which rewards repeated exploration.

First time I heard of Sarah Slean was her video clip for Lucky Me on MTV2 Canada. I enjoyed the song very much and it got me wanting to hear more from her. Downloaded a couple of her old songs and I was wowed by her talent. Her songs are well written and she has an incredible voice. I was liking her more and she was passing through Montreal for a concert with Ron Sexsmith, so of course I went to see her. Her voice live is even sweeter. I bought her CD (Day One) the next day and been listening to it since. The songs' lyrics are well written and the music is very melodic. Sarah Slean will be coming back to Montreal in April and for sure that I will be there.

The first time I ever heard or saw anything of Sarah Slean was as support for Ron Sexsmith in Frankfurt/Germany. There she played a couple of solo numbers from her new album. What can I say: I was mesmerized!! A great voice carrying great songs.

So right after the concert I bought the CD (not yet available in your local record store). Though the sound on the CD is somewhat different, as she's not solo, I was positively surprised: the rest of the album is as good as the stuff I heard her playing live. And if there was a live solo CD available, I would most definitely buy that as well.

A great CD - so go on and buy it today!!!!

This album has a slightly different feel than "Night Bugs", with the new producer, but it's as good, if not better, than her previous release. I heard her perform "California" life a few years ago, and have been waiting for its release. What a song! The hidden song, "Somebody's Arms" is as beautiful as ballads get.

Well worth the cash.

This is a good CD. I love about half the songs, but the other half are just okay. 'Lucky Me' is a great song and makes the purchase totally worth it though.