SONiA

Country of origin:

U.S.

Type of music generally:

Contemporary folk, folk/rock

Status:

Most recent release, Tango (as SONiA and Disappear Fear, 2007)

See also:

SONiA/disappear fear site

The Ectophiles' Guide entry for SONiA's band, disappear fear

Comparisons:

Indigo Girls, Kristen Hall, Melissa Ferrick. (Sherlyn.Koo)

Covers/own material:

Own material, occasional covers

General comments:

After 10 years leading the highly successful folk/rock band disappear fear with and without her sister Cindy Frank, SONiA Rutstein is now recording and touring as "SONiA of disappear fear". Apart from the name, nothing much has changed though—the messages of love and politics are still coming through clearly, and SONiA's songwriting is as good or better than it ever was. A fantastic performer definitely worth checking out. (Sherlyn.Koo)

Comments about live performance:

SONiA is an excellent performer—she's got great stage presence, is an excellent guitarist, can be very funny at times and is also very charming. I dragged a group of about ten people to see her recently and everybody loved her. Her shows are a mix of material from her solo albums and disappear fear songs (not surprising since Sonia writes all the material for disappear fear as well). I can still hear Cindy's harmonies on my head, but there is certainly nothing lacking from Sonia's solo performance. Go see her if you can! (Sherlyn.Koo)

I did manage to catch her record release show at 8 X 10. Sonia's show was good, though I caught only the last hour and a half of it. I found it a little sad that the 8 X 10 was pretty empty, when it used to be packed for disappear fear cd release parties. And while Sonia was still a dramatic presence, I found myself really missing the band. I never got over Cindy's departure, but the band she eventually put together kept getting better and better, so I could almost forget her harmonies. Solo, I found that I had returned to running Cindy's parts through my head to flesh out the music. The appearance of Howard on guitar, who was briefly in the final incarnation of the band and, before that, brilliantly added what I never knew was missing from the duo, was a nice surprise, and lifted the energy of the show to another level. For the time I was there, I only heard 2 new songs, both of which seemed solidly in the disappear fear mold. (c. 1998, neal)

unlike last time, when she played solo, this time she had a band with her, many of them familiar faces, notably the bassist who had been playing in Lisa Cerbone's band since disappear fear disbanded.
     I'm sure Sherlyn will be suitably jealous when I say that the crowd and I were thrilled to see that Cindy was with her for about half of the evening! So we were treated to some of the old favorites: "Box of Tissues", "Deep Soul Diver", and "Postcard from Texas" with the original disappear fear harmonies. I haven't had a chance to hear that for many years, so it was a pretty big deal. Hopefully Sonia will be able to lure Cindy out more for local shows. The only song missing from those days that I'd have loved to have heard again was "For Hollywood (I Will)", though it was a shame that Cindy left before they sang "Sexual Telepathy" and "Sink the Censorship". Also notable was a brief appearance by former disappear fear guitarist Howard Markhman and accordionist Brian Simms. While they are the two best players from past versions of disappear fear, it wasn't so easy to enjoy their strengths when the band swelled to 7 people. It was still good to see them on stage though.
     Some of the new songs seemed pretty strong and somewhat surprising. My favorite was "Me, Too", the title track of the album. It provides an interesting counterpoint to longtime concert highlight "Is There Anybody Here?" (written by Phil Ochs). That song always strikes me as strident and somewhat unfair, though, as usual, it was one of the best moments of the show. Sonia and Cindy mesh so beautifully on it, and it's so damn catchy. "Me, Too" balances the military damning with an understanding of some of the values that veterans might represent, then tying it nicely into gay politics and the standard disappear fear plea for understanding. (Well, that's what I got based on one live listen, at least.)
     While Sonia was as lively as ever, once Cindy left, I found the current band to be somewhat lackluster. And I think that was mostly the guitarist/keyboardist, as the rhythm section was quite solid. One guy had the role that has previously been filled by some pretty amazing people (the guests above), and while he seemed fine, I didn't find him particularly transforming.
     Not that it matters much in this town. The band just has to approximate any of the songs to get the mostly adoring (and surprisingly young) crowd singing along.
     They are touring around the country (no Cindy though, I'm sure), and put on a lively rousing show if you like something that sounds a bit like a mix between Indigo Girls-style folk/pop and Bruce Springsteen's anthemic singalongs. (9/99, neal)

Recommended first album:

No Bomb is Smart

Recordings:

• Almost Chocolate (1998)
• Me, Too (1999)
• Live at the Down Home (2001)
• No Bomb is Smart (2004)
• Tango (as SONiA and Disappear Fear, 2007)

Almost Chocolate

Release info:

1998—Rounder/Philo—PHILO CD 1207

Availability:

Available in the US, may also be available in other countries where Rounder products are distributed

Ecto priority:

Recommended for folk fans

Group members:

SONiA—vocals, guitars, keyboards

Guest artists:

Cindy Frank—vocals
Danny Bernini—percussion, electric guitar

Produced by:

SONiA and Danny Bernini

Comments:

With Almost Chocolate, you get the feeling that Sonia is letting her hair down a bit while away from disappear fear—and enjoying it. Apart from harmonies by her sister Cindy Frank on a few songs and percussion and electric guitar by Danny Bernini on the opening track, most of this album is simply Sonia and her guitar. At times it feels almost as though you're eavesdropping on her own private jam session. Although the songs on Almost Chocolate are generally less structured and are musically more relaxed than those written for disappear fear, they do still bear the same powerful messages of love and politics, though focusing a little more on the love than on the politics this time around. The album also contains a couple of departures from Sonia's "usual" style, with the rambling opening track "Two Eggs Over Easy", and the mostly-wordless "On Your Side". Some of the other best songs on this album include the bleak "November or Nothing"; "13", a song about coming of age both personally and professionally; and the catchy, almost Spanish-styled "Fallin". Highly recommended. (Sherlyn.Koo)

Me, Too

Release info:

1999—disappear records—CD 1007

Availability:

Available in the US or online via Amazon

Ecto priority:

Highly recommended

Group members:

SONiA—vocals, guitars, harmonica

Guest artists:

Troy Engle—pedal steel guitar
Cindy Frank—vocals
John Grant—various instruments
Jane Miller—guitar
Michael Munford—banjo
Brian Simms—accordion
Dylan V.—vocals, harmonica

Produced by:

SONiA and John Grant

Comments:

Me, Too contains eleven new songs plus one re-recording of a disappear fear classic. I'll say it up front—I love this album, and it's probably going to be on any desert island I ever happen to find myself on. SONiA brings to the table some of her finest songs yet, and she and co-producer John Grant have also done a great job with the arrangements and production. The songs are in a range of different styles, including the pure folk of the title track, the delicious grooviness of "Opinion #33", and songs such as "Good Morning (This Is God)" which evoke the smooth folk/pop sound of Seed in the Sahara-era disappear fear. Social and political commentary, love songs and feel-good tunes—SONiA might be on her own now, but it's obvious that she's lost none of the talents which made the music of disappear fear so special.
     There are many great songs on this album. The re-recording of "Postcard from Texas", one of my favourite early disappear fear songs, was a welcome surprise. The band setting gives the song a mellow new atmosphere. Another of my favourites is "Turtle Flowers", co-written by SONiA's young nephew Dylan, who also sings lead and plays harmonica. It's very well done—rather than sounding cutesy, it instead sounds to me like a passing of a musical torch. Given Dylan's musical pedigree (he's Cindy's son) it's hardly surprising that he seems to be pretty talented. Other standout tracks include the opening song "Opinion #33", "Good Morning (This Is God)" and the catchy "Shake It". But the most memorable song on this album is the title track, a heartwrenching ballad about patriotism, family love, and how the two are connected. This is one of the most affecting songs SONiA's ever written (one of the most affecting songs anybody's ever written) and has the capacity of reducing me to tears every time I hear it (and I'm not even American). This song alone is worth the price of admission. But since there's so much other great music here, it works out to be a bargain. Do yourself a favour and go buy Me, Too. (Sherlyn.Koo)

Live at the Down Home

Release info:

2001—Winthrop Records—WIN-2201-2

Availability:

Available in the US or online via Amazon or CDBaby

Ecto priority:

Highly recommended

Group members:

SONiA—vocals, guitars, harmonica

Guest artists:

Michelle Treece—African Drum

Produced by:

SONiA

Comments:

Live at the Down Home is high-energy live album, recorded at one of Sonia's favorite venues, the Down Home in Johnson City, Tennessee. A great selection of songs, mostly taken from Sonia's disappear fear days, with a few newer songs thrown in. The sound is warm and immediate, giving the feeling of sitting mere feet from the stage. From start to finish, it's obvious that everyone in the room—performer included—is having the time of their lives. A highly enjoyable album that does a great job of capturing the mood of a SONiA show. (Sherlyn.Koo)

No Bomb is Smart

Release info:

2004—disappear records—CD1009

Availability:

See the SONiA/disappear fear site

Ecto priority:

Highly recommended/recommended/for fans only, etc.

Group members:

SONiA—vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica, piano on 1 track

Guest artists:

Cindy—vocals
Craig Krampf—drums, percussion
Glenn Worf—electric gass, acoustic bass
Pat McGarth—acoustic guitar
Ed Snodderly—dobro, manello, acoustic guitar
Hamnk Singer—fiddle, violin
Bill Cuomo—keyboards, strings, string arrangements
Jerry Flowers—bass
Kenny Greenberg—electric guitar, acoustic guitar
John Deaderick—keyboards

Produced by:

Craig Krampf

Comments:

No Bomb Is Smart opens gently, with a sombre keyboard introduction swelling into the only cover song on the album, a haunting version of Phil Ochs's "No More Songs". SONiA has often described Ochs as one of her heroes, and it shows in the the reverence with which this song is delivered. Like SONiA herself, Ochs was well known for his political songwriting and though No More Songs is more lament than missive, there is plenty of other political material here. For example, the title track is a protest song of the first order ("Can't you see America's on fire/Fuelled by the high octane Bush bang-bang empire?"), while "I Am the Enemy" details a pacifist's struggle to see colours other than just red, white and blue, in the aftermath of September 11 2001. As is usual for a SONiA album, there are also a fair few love songs, from the playful "Ride This Ride" to "Obviously", a snapshot of a relationship undergoing a rocky period. But for me the most affecting song here is a love song of a different kind: "Don't Let Go", a song for Sonia's father during a period of ill health.
     No Bomb Is Smart is Sonia's first studio album in five years and finds her again working with Craig Krampf, who produced disappear fear's self-titled album in 1994. disappear fear fans should also find this album particularly appealing, as Cindy adds harmonies on almost every track. Stylistically, this album is less eclectic than Me Too—fairly acoustic and with slide guitar on several songs, it falls pretty much in the folk/Americana category. One of my favourite releases of 2004, this is a fine album from a singer/songwriter going from strength to strength. (Sherlyn.Koo)

Tango

Release info:

2007

Availability:

See the SONiA/disappear fear site

Ecto priority:

Recommended

Group members:

SONiA—vocals, guitar, piano
Laura Cerulli—percussion, drums, background vocals
John Grant—electric guitar, 2nd acoustic guitar, bass, programming
Christopher Sellman—bass guitar

Guest artists:

Rabbi Elizabeth Bolton—vocals
Helen Hausmann—violin
Jared Denhard—tin whistle, flute
Brian Simms—piano

Produced by:

John Grant & SONiA

Comments:

It's an interesting project, more world-musicy than anything she's ever done before. The songs are in a mix of English, Spanish, Arabic and Hebrew. Four of the songs are translated versions of older songs ("Fallin'", "Be the One", "Sexual Telepathy" & "Because We're Here"). The rest of the songs are all new.
     Anybody who knows me knows how much I love this woman's music so it should come as no surprise that I think that this album is great. I've only listened through a couple of times but so far "La Tormenta Santa" and "Mica Moca" are early standouts for me. (Sherlyn.Koo)

Further info:

DVD Happy Birthday Sonia, released 2005.

Thanks to Sherlyn Koo for work on this entry.