Have YOU ever made an extremely “COOL” choice? When remembering that one poignantly embarrassing, never-want-to-think-about-it-again-repress-it-at-all-costs memory from childhood we all seem to have in which you publicly embarrass the crap out of yourself, have you ever thought, “Wow. What a COOL choice”?
Apparently, Jenn Champion has collected so many of these type-A cringe worthy memories and life events that it was appropriate to name her most recent album after all of her
(Aaaanyway) the tastefully sarcastic 2014 release Cool Choices is a change for Jenn Champion, the sole creator behind S, as it not only takes a poppier twist than S’s previous work, but the album is also fully fleshed out in a four-piece ensemble. Even more exciting for S fans, the album has been made completely “livable” to put it in Champion’s own words. Before making it close to the studio, Champion was working with her newly acquired band to transition each song from an emotional outpour in her bedroom to a live stage performance. Perfecting arrangement and style as they played across Seattle, S finally headed to the studio months later with producer Chris Walla of Death Cab for Cutie- and Cool Choices was born.
One-fourth of the long defunct indie rock band Carissa’s Wierd, Champion has been releasing music out into the Seattle scene and beyond for almost two decades. Only with Carissa’s Wierd until 2003, the majority of her time has been spent on her solo project S. As it is natural, the differences between Cool Choices and her first release Sadstyle are numerous, but the same honesty and backbreaking despair that appear on every album let listeners know it’s the same old S using music as her outlet, through bad times more than good. Even transitioning from the almost uncomfortably disconsolate solo-work on her junior album right into fronting a band for the first time in 12 years on Cool Choices, Champion’s signature heartbreak melodies keep. on. coming.
Cool Choices is the breakup album every S fan in Seattle has been waiting for- the album that is made for live performance as opposed to bedroom therapy. This is it. The time is now.
Make a truly cool choice and catch S at the Vera Project this Thursday- doors at 7:30, show predicted to begin at 8. With Seattle-native openers like Gazebos, another four-piece fronted by the charismatic, all too interesting Shannon Perry, and the self proclaimed “weirdo synth pop” ball of energy that is Seaside Tryst, all of us all-aged patrons are in for a treat.
S is performing at the Vera Project on October 26th. Doors @ 7:30pm. All ages. Tickets are available here.
MARIA KING l Conflicted Tide Pod Consumer l KXSU Reporter