Paula Cole’s new double album, Sonic Memoir Vol I and II is four and a half hours containing 63-demos spanning the first nine years of Paula’s career. Finally, a diva who recognizes the appropriate amount of songs for a new release. Paula went into her vaults to dust off these musical treasures (from 1989-1998), gave them a little mixing love and released them into the world.
I’ve been apprehensively awaiting these gems, but if you’re like me thinking poor-quality when you hear “demo,” enjoy because these are anything but. Paula’s heartfelt storytelling birthed these songs and the music has always been her labor of love. Some are earlier versions of songs from her albums Harbinger, This Fire and Amen but others wouldn’t have seen the light of day if it weren’t for Sonic Memoir, which would have been a shame, especially for “America Is A Hooker” and “Laugh Away The Pain.”
In my gay opinion, “Where Have All The Cowboys Gone” and “Garden Of Eden” show a more experimental Paula and some of the demos (like “Bethlehem” and “Saturn Girl”) may be better than the highly produced album versions. Her music has always been about regaining her power and these albums echo that. Paula’s taking ownership of these songs on her terms and maintaining her rights to the music itself.
