Like many of us, singer/songwriter Stacy Gabel is going a little stir crazy. So much so that she’s titled her new track “Stir Crazy”. This whimsical songstress, a gregarious voice that shines bright, Gabel is a breath of fresh air in an uncertain time. “Stir Crazy” blends treasured acoustic guitar arrangement with a rambunctious drum arrangement. Gabel is the sane one of the bunch, so to speak, and her sunshine vocals and witty lyrics are but a small picture of her expanding artistry.
Gabel’s personality really shines through when she sings. In many ways, she reminds me of some of Broadway’s best belters – from Kristin Chenoweth to Sutton Foster – Gabel refrains from going full-out blast in “Stir Crazy” but it’s evident that her vocal prowess is being contained. She stays in her lane, but she has the voice that could rise to any occasion and any stage size. Gabel defies any sort of negativity and while the frustration comes across when she sings the words ‘stir crazy’, for the most part, she sounds like an eternal optimist.
Thundering at times and at other times flowering the landscape, the acoustic guitar in “Stir Crazy” calls to mind folk, American and pop rock genres. I loved the way it disrupts the harmonies and Gabel’s melody. She has this slight pause right before she sings the words stir crazy and it’s like her mind is run amuck, the guitar bed mimicking that frazzled feeling, and she takes a breath to sing stir crazy. The additional music sequence is a steady stream of percussion and what I can perceive to be electric keys cascading into the night. It’s a shimmering glaze that adds a sweet layer to the already interesting musical texture.
The sun will shine again, Gabel sings. I wasn’t surprised she had this glass half-full line in her song. Gabel doesn’t present herself as the next EMO kid, and what she has going for her works very well. I like that she’s perky and is so approachable. When she sings, besides the Broadway stars that she could resemble for some, I think some listeners will find that Gabel falls into the Amy Grant comparison chart. She’s fun. She’s nice. She’s upbeat. What a refreshing tone during a grey time in the world. We got through each day by learning new skills, Gabel continues. I had to laugh because I’m picturing all the grandparents out there trying to figure out Zoom. We all have had to pivot and adjust and while some of us have not taken to a new hobby, learned a new language or dare I say it, even read a full book, over this lockdown, I think we’re learning about who we are as people, too. Learning a new skill might not be top priority for some, but I gander to say that they have learned something since March 2019.
Oh, the world is hunkered down, it’s been so long, Gabel sings. It does feel like a long time and a year from now we will (fingers crossed) have this all in our rearview mirrors. “Stir Crazy” is the great distraction for 2020 and artists like Gabel that lend lyrics to what we’re all thinking. “Stir Crazy” is well-worth the listen.
Troy Johnston
The music of Stacey Gabel has been heard all over the world in partnership with the radio plugging services offered by Musik and Film Radio Promotions Division. Learn more https://musikandfilm.com