I met Layne Sterling a number of years ago. At the time, she
was a single mother raising her young daughter, Sara. They lived just west of
my dump on Reed Street in PB. Layne
had aspirations of becoming a model. She was working as a sales person at a
Fashion Valley clothing outlet.
Good
people.
We went to
a bunch of concerts together over the next two or three years, often seeing
Cheap Trick. We both loved Cheap Trick. She also loved Pink Floyd and a
sh*tload of other acts, too. In other words, the woman was (and is) a big rock
fan, like millions of people. But she never showed the slightest interest in
playing an instrument or singing, despite her having previously been married to
a musician...which is why I'm here to
tell you about The Assumptions.
When
Sterling e-mailed me several months ago, telling me she'd recorded an album of
original material, I thought, "Oh, no, I hope I don't have to let her know what
I think." I have heard too many of my friends' attempts at making
records...most of which were terrible (just imagine those first-round
contestants on American Idol.)
Oops! My
bad!
This
is one of the best recordings I've heard this year!
It's as
though the Assumptions just materialized,
fully formed from the brow of Zeus! (Whatever THAT means.) The true story is
less cosmic, however.
When I
spoke with Sterling a couple of days ago, she told me that, during the hundreds
of concerts and backstage hangouts she'd attended over the years, she'd been
like a fly on the wall, observing and taking mental notes, saving the
information for future reference.
Obviously,
Sterling has an excellent memory.
From the
first seconds of the first track, "Velvet Warning," I knew this album would
kick ass ... (and not just because my wife, Sandi, who listened to it first,
told me it did!) This song is a hit
single. It reminds me very much of the Pretenders. When I mentioned that to
Sterling, she agreed, although she told me that, because she loved Chrissie
Hynde so much, she deliberately avoided listening to the Pretenders for four
years before writing this record in 2005. Same goes for Joni Mitchell, who's also
a major influence on the sound of the Assumptions.
Which
brings me to track three, "Deep Dish Sonic Sage," another potential hit, which
reminds me very much of Mitchell. Sterling's vocals are closely miked and
breathy. The arrangement by Sara Sterling makes this number absolutely
gorgeous.
Another
masterpiece is track five, "Better Late Than Never." The arrangement and
layered vocal hooks make this song alone worth whatever you'll pay for the
Assumptions. This is the Pretenders on steroids.
The
producer/guitarist on the Assumptions is former Frank Zappa "stunt guitarist,"
Mike Keneally. When I heard Mike was attached to this project on guitar,
keyboards, and vocals, I realized that Layne Sterling had become more than a
fan of great music ... she's writing it and singing it, too. She told me that
Keneally made her play every song on this album on acoustic guitar before he'd
agree to participate.
Kudos, too,
to the tight rhythm section of Jon Kanis on bass and vocals, and Brian
Cantrell, drummer extraordinaire.
The album
is crisply recorded and mixed by one of the best engineers I know, Mike Harris.
The CD and LP artwork and packaging is stunning.
Find out
more about the band at myspace.com/theassumptions, and on their Facebook page.
They have tracks streaming on one of them.
Don't
assume I'm mistaken...get the Assumptions!