RORY MERRITT STITT: harlequin

Rory Merritt Stitt

harlequin

© 2003 Rory Merritt Stitt (783707680521)

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(About MP3 downloads at CD Baby)

Piano driven theatre-pop. The carnival, the bedroom, the tragedy, the absurdity through a modern Fool's eyes.

tracks

1 American Harlequin
2 Jungle Boy
3 The Runner
4 Unlaced
5 Destiny
6 Little Beauty
7 Jaded
8 Big Beauty
9 The Song That Wanders
10 Howboutmi
11 Renaissance Man
12 Uhhuh
13 Essential

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notes

"Rachmaninoff sings the blues..."

"harlequin" is the follow up album to Rory's debut CD "the Narcissist". Full of long melodies, short hooks, catchy piano riffs and soulful vocals it also could be described as "Chopin on the singer/songwriter circuit..." This album finds Rory driving his piano-focused theater-pop into the warm and lush land of blood and heart, comic-tragedy and large-as-life characters fleshing out their business over a ground of bass and drums. This album is from innerspace.

Born and raised in Alaska, Rory is part of the reemerging trend of music school dropouts turned singer/songwriters. From classical roots springs pop music with long melodies ala Rufus Wainwright, poetic license ala Tori Amos and androgynous soul ala David Bowie and Annie Lennox. Enough hooks to catch your interest and enough levels to listen again and again, this is music to fall down the rabbit hole to...

Rory has performed around the country and Canada frequently for the last 6 years refining his performance and style. He's worked extensively with world renowned Perseverance Theater as actor, musical director and sound designer. A live solo piano album is in the works to bring his renowned performances to a larger audience.

reviews

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  • lovely stuff!
    author: Matt Winkworth

    I bought this CD totally on a whim and it pretty much hasn't left my CD player since buying it. Great album!!

  • Ben Folds Meets Tom Waits
    author: TheCardboardConnexion

    If you like the piano rock from Ben Folds minus all the random profanity, this is a great CD for you. Also alot of the more unique, less-typical chord progressions-- not the type that plagues alot of modern-day pop. That's where the Tom Waits comes in. Also, he's from AK, so he's gotta be cool!

  • Another Amazing Album!
    author: Anonymous Portland Guy

    This CD is fabulous! I can listen to it again and again and never get bored. Stitt has a way with music most people only dream of. Great music, MUST BUY!

  • Absolutely amazing!
    author: Leah

    Harlequin is breath-taking and is worth every cent. This CD ranges from unique, upbeat piano driven melodies to smooth and sexy ones. The lyrics are absolutely beautiful and completely original. Harlequin is addictive, I can't stop listening to it. Rory Merritt Stitt did an incredible job.

  • ... and now for something completely different
    author: GothicGuru

    This was unexpected. If anyone else is doing anything similar to this I haven't heard it. The diverse instrumentation and creative vocalizations are not only entertaining but invigorating. There is an energy here that gets my heart pumping and my mind racing. His creativity seems contagious and pours out of the speakers.

  • incredible
    author: Jenna Hime

    This CD is everything I want in an art-pop album: by parts grandiose, by parts breathless, sweeping through a dynamic range of emotion and mood. Stitt's classical training and poetic sensibilities bring new depths to the love stories and soul searching that have ever been the domain of independent pop music. The best album I listened to this year.

  • wow
    author: Susan

    wow! I *really* like this. It reminds me of Rufus Wainwright (rufus on speed, that is). I'm recommending this to all my friends.

  • A studio album almost as good as live
    author: dan wayne

    Good quality recording w/crisp vocals and keyboard. I like the way the piano and/or the singer sometimes wander off track for a little solo improv here and there in otherwise tightly written and performed pieces. It's nice to be able to understand the words too. This is an album that is nice the first time--even stunning on a few cuts-but has lots of depth so gets even better on re-listen. In that way reminds me of Cat Stevens "Catch Bull at Four" album, even though Merrit-Stitt is a better singer and musician and his sound is definitely "up to date" for this century. If I was shopping for gifts I'd get this for someone who has contemporary tastes but appreciates rock, jazz, & classical. Dummies won't like it.

  • The Lyrical Soul
    author: Melanie Bianco

    Harlequin amazed me. The music on this CD swells from one emotion to another without ever feeling superficial. Rory's skill on the piano is something that simply must be experienced. Even if you are someone who, like me, often finds themselves locked into one genre of music, expand your horizons. Harlequin is a fantastic journey, take the ride.

  • EARGASM!
    author: Brett

    omg - this has been the most promising and most re-playable cd ive bought this year (thats a pretty high number) i love this. i love his voice, the music, the orchestration of everything is just so beautiful - you would be a fool not to buy this cd after listening to the first track!

  • author: Jacquelyn Lewis, Pulse Editor

    "Harlequin" is a breathtaking explosion of cabaret-inspired pop… The tracks are novel -- taking the listener on an emotional roller-coaster…"Jaded," the seventh track on the album, is perhaps the best example of Stitt's work, showcasing his amazing vocal range, mind-boggling piano skills and lyrical prowess.

  • A CD that truly enables you to slip out of the hum drum and mundane.
    author: Rikks Reviews, Rikk Matheson, USA

    Unique !. This CD really dares to be different. What we have here is a Pop music record in the first caliber , done with flair , style and Charisma…very few artists have taken such a vision and created a project from character to voice to music and established something "NEW" and emotional . The Talking Heads brought us "Smart" punk , Bowie brought us Ziggy Stardust , Pink Floyd brought us mind candy , Robert Johnson defined the early blues of the 20th century , Rory Merritt Stitt brings us THEATER POP …an EXPERIENCE one can rarely hope to find , in any style of music , not just independent ! A CD that truly enables you to slip out of the hum drum and mundane.

  • Harlequin, simply put is a festival for the ears.
    author: Indie Al’s Online Reviews, USA

    Harlequin, simply put is a festival for the ears. An aural carnival ride that climbs high and drops low leaving you hanging on with anticipation for the next turn. It is the kind of music that instantly sparks visual imagery which can quickly turn into a blissful daydream. There is a strong emotion that can be felt in Rory's delivery that makes you want to climb inside of the music to fully understand it.

  • stunning
    author: anna maria

    a stunning and original work from a gifted young star. rufus wainwright watch your back.

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