Lopez Blogs

After a very long and arduous day, it was most pleasant and surprising to return home to find the Elouise ~ Stardust EP sitting on my doormat. Those of you who are regular here will exhibit no surprise that this was a joyous occurence ~ I fell and fell hard for the seductive tones of Elouise early last year and have avidly followed her ever since. While none of the songs on the EP are new to me, having them in physical format is quite the delight. They come in a digipack cd, with a rather lovely cover where Elouise has the most enormous doe-eyes and the imagery (both on the cd cover and postcard) is evocative of some of the greatest Disney princesses of our times. There's a vulnerability in the bare shoulders, the way the eyes look up at you - yet as you start to play the music a resilient strength also begins to shine through. My adored Larry Flick says it best on the press release...

"Elouise is a rare breed of artist, who has the forward vision of a future superstar, while also revealing an unabashed reverence for the classic divas of all time. Elouise is unlike any other performer I've encountered in recent years. She's the ultimate, fresh faced ingenue, yet she's as assured as a seasoned veteran"

Let's investigate, shall we?

1. Another Day ~ It's no surprise that after a weekend of listening to singers such as Dusty Springfield, Karen Carpenter and Agnetha Falgstok, I naturally progressed to Elouise. Eschewing latest sound trends for a more timeless feel rich in melody and resonance, Another Day is a soaring ballad filled with heartache, emotion and regret. Strings and a persistant syncopated drum beat add to the drama while oohs and ahhs bring a richness to the chorus. Written by Steve Anderson and Terry Ronald, they clearly trust Elouise with a song that requires full commitment from the singer as well as emotional investment ~ in lesser hands, the song could have floundered under the vivid production. Elouise carries the tune, brings you into her story and leaves you wanting the next chapter. It's not an easy task to pull off... (and those wanting more uptempo from Elouise, try imagining a dance remix of this song - totally fits and would be an immense disco anthem!)
2. Pretender ~ If I remember correctly from twitter, Terry Ronald had this song laying around for about ten years before he found a performer worthy of the challenge. Once again, the lyrics are about yearning, what could have been and holding onto long gone possibilities. The vocal performance here is exquisite - completely matches the changing needs of the song. Elouise goes from confident to tremulously whispering to seductive to soaring diva without missing a beat. Thus it becomes not just a song but a performance where even the most tame and reserved listener is drawn into a theatrical world where imagery leaps at you from each lyric. Painting a picture with the EP is quite the achievement and lyricist, producer and singer weave their brush strokes together seamlessly to bring the magic to life. It's one of the most poignant post-break up songs I've heard in a long time and makes me just hold onto Darren tighter than ever...
3. Fireman of my Dreams ~ With two high drama songs, it's time for some light relief. Fireman is a tune that Elouise and her brother wrote (listen to a different version here) and then Steve Anderson added a bit of pixie dust to make it an even more camp experience. Trust me when I say (and I mean this as a high compliment) drag queens will be performing this song for years to come in the not to distant future. I know people hear Tears On My Pillow and Beauty School Drop Out in there, and that's true and quite possibly intentional. It's almost a medley of these great timeless pop tunes and I hear a little of Girl For All Seasons in there and definitely shades of I Will Always Love You as Elouise takes it to the dramatic finale. There's a cheeky wink in the lyrics, a bit of bawdiness (let me slide down your pole indeed!) and an endearing charm to the tune. It's no wonder it's been number one on my playlist for nearly 4 weeks now. Just immerse yourself and let the music do the rest...

So there you have it. The Stardust Ep. It's Star Dusty. To me, it's a dramatic journey through what happens when the spotlight goes off and the singer goes back to their personal lives - the human side of The Fame Monster if you will. I can't wait for the album now - and don't worry, it promises to have a few grab the one you love and shimmy swirling disco ball moments on there. This is just the start of something special...
(Check out Mike's review here)