June 2002 issue of Performer Magazine

Reviewer - Sherry Sly

Mature is the best way to describe Stacy Kray's sound. Not mature in an "adult contemporary" way, but in a “been there, done that and have something new to say and a new way to say it” way. Think Lucinda Williams without the twang. With Broken Symmetry, her 12-song debut, Kray performs a musical hat trick: Accomplished musicianship, originality, and accessibility. Kray's voice is unique without being quirky and technically beautiful yet never showy. Think Portishead or Cowboy Junkies with more resonance. Her controlled voice, trailing guitar work and sparse use of additional instruments and back up vocals lend Broken Symmetry a restrained, yet full sound, creating a subtle unifying theme of quiet confidence. This quiet confidence gives Broken Symmetry a cohesive sound, but it is far from monotonous. Her songs range stylistically from the Kurt Weilesque "Neverland" to the PJ Harvey inspired "Sirens" to "Saboteur," a droney ballad that could have been written in Nick Cave's, well, cave. Every song is strong, with vocals, musicianship and lyrics that feel perfectly balanced, yet have plenty of character. Such a feat is rare in general, let alone in a do it yourself debut. Broken Symmetry skips many a DIY pitfall, with its professional look and sound and the sense that the music was never compromised for the performer's ego. The songs are catchy, yet the lyrics tell stories via colorful metaphors that stop short of clever and often take a few listens to fully grasp. Think Dar Williams without the folk, Ani Difranco without the anger, or Tori Amos only less elfin creature from another planet. The theme of quiet confidence is threaded throughout the lyrics culminating in "Neverland," where Kray makes the reviewer's job easy and sums up her own album perfectly singing: "You changed your locks/found a girl/you were all done with me/But you'd best get used to me as company/I'll be haunting you from inside your blood/First a trickle, but then a widow's flood." Listen to Broken Symmetry twice and two days later you'll find yourself unconsciously humming the verse from the "Red Room:" "Vanity's high in the red room/The blues turn shy in the red room," wondering how long it's been haunting you from the inside.