Casey Stratton

CASEY STRATTON
"STANDING AT THE EDGE"
(Sony, 2004)


"Blood"


Classically trained in the violin and cello beginning at the tender age of eight years, American musician Casey Stratton's focus shifted from classical performace to pop songwriting and singing when he began studying piano at age eleven. In 1995 (at age 19), he began his pop recording career, releasing three albums independently before his major-label debut in 2004.

Stratton's lush pop brings to mind a variety of artists, such as Sarah McLachlan, Enya, Peter Gabriel, and Tori Amos. Stratton's unusually high singing voice might take some getting used to, but it carries with it a disarming mix of sophisticated songs, including rhythmic, radio-ready tunes ("Violet Room", "The House Of Jupiter", "Blood"), gentle, atmospheric ballads ("The Dead Sea", "Bloom"), and most everything in between.

This has been Stratton's only major-label release thusfar, but he continues to record and release albums independently. The only reason I haven't bought any of his other releases is because I'm not sure how much I'd like them. Admittedly, this isn't my favorite sub-genre of pop music; it took me awhile to come to like this album as much as I do now, and I just think that liking any of his others could be a longshot. But don't let that keep you away from Casey Stratton ... take it from someone who knows: you never know when you might stumble upon one of your new favorite artists.