Consistently wavering between a handful of potent piano-led ballads and some tastefully arranged, mid-tempo rockers, Slean's debut full-length immediately recalls the early work of another gifted pianist/songwriter, Tori Amos. Like Amos before her, Slean exhibits both a knack for the occasional obtuse (almost surrealist) couplet and an obvious predilection toward some weightier thematic content. But yet, in spite of the fact that this is an introspective, piano-heavy pop record, Blue Parade rarely sounds derivative. Read More