Album Review: Ellen Starski — Sara’s Half Finished Love Affair
Tuneful, heartfelt and impeccably arranged singer-songwriter fare is the stock in trade of Ellen Starski. On the Nashville artist’s latest release, Sara’s Half-Finished Love Affair, she presents a varied set of songs. Rising above the singer-with-an-acoustic milieu, Starski draws deftly from glitchy 90s’ alt rock (Suzanne Vega’s 99.9F° seems a useful reference point), Americana (the keening yet subtle slide guitar that adorns “Come to Me Lover”), trip-hop (“The Satellite That Changed its Tune”) and other flavors. Her strong and clear voice is a wonderfully expressive instrument, and she employs is expertly, never in a showy manner, always in service to the songcraft.
For me the high point is the uptempo yet vaguely sinister “Have We Forgotten,” but there’s much to savor among the album’s eleven tracks. “Follow My Lead” features a delightfully evocative string arrangement, and the moody, percussive “Find Your Way” conjures a haunted, melancholy vibe. And the title track that closes the record doubles down on that quality, with a spare arrangement that subtly includes all manner of treats, most notably a high-lonesome guitar figure. If this album is the sound of a half-finished love affair, here’s hoping it never ends.
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4500-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he taught a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.