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Rory Merritt Stitt: Harlequin
[self-released]

The word eclectic is bandied about too easily these days.  There are so many different bands/musicians/artists/whatever around today, all vying for your attention, all saying that they have a sound youve never heard before, when most of it is something youve heard before, or at least something pretty similar.  While I wont say Rory Merritt Stitts album is completely new or innovative, it is a pretty interesting and engaging disc.   

Harlequin is Stitts second album, and it gets off to an odd but compelling start with the song American Harlequin.  It has a very old-school pop/semi-vaudeville sensibility, and actually reminded me of bits of the first Rufus Wainwright album.  Stitt is a very talented piano player, and his playing is the anchor of the album.  Throughout its nine tracks, (there are also four short instrumental snippets in between the songs) the mood swings from sexy to happy to melancholy and back again.  The lyrics are literate and intriguing; not everything is spelled out to you in black and white, but there are hooks that you can hold on to, either through the actual words or the melodies hes singing.  He has a very Jeff Buckley/Thom Yorke/Rufus Wainwright quality to his voice which, while not necessarily uncommon these days, is nice to hear when done well.  Sometimes the songs are a little overdone, with a little too many bells and whistles, but overall this is a very good album that ends sooner than it should. 

For an independently release, Rory Merritt Stitt has made a very professional album.  The music is well produced and mastered, and the packaging is great too.  Hes got enough originality in his songs to make you want to listen, but theres also enough of the familiar there too.  If you are a fan of piano songs that have a flair for the dramatic, Id recommend Harlequin.

This album can be purchased at the Rory Merritt Stitt Official Website

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