Description
The self-titled, third full-length studio album by the American alternative pop band Sixpence None the Richer was released on Squint Entertainment in November 1997, with distribution by Elektra Records. The album was produced by Steve Taylor. Featuring guest musicians like John Mark Painter of Fleming & John, Tom Howard, Phil Madeira, and Al Perkins. The single “Kiss Me” peeked at No. 2 at The Billboard Hot 100, and “There She Goes” at No. 32.
If you really want to know where Sixpence None the Richer has been the past two years, you have two choices. You can spend 15 minutes reading the oh-so-finely crafted story that graces the cover of this very magazine, or you can spend 15 minutes (give or take a few seconds) listening to the first three tracks on the band’s new release, its self-titled debut on Steve Taylor‘s new label.
Those songs, especially «Anything» and «The Waiting Room», possess a seamless segue and a common denominator of being the quietest indictment of the music industry ever to be burned into a compact disc.
If you’ve followed Sixpence’s saga over the past couple of years, you know of the struggles and travails the band experienced in trying to get out of its previous record deal. These two songs force you to come to grips with the fact that making music isn’t always fun and games, and the business can rip relationships apart.
If there’s anything positive to come out of the band’s forced hiatus from the studio, it manifests itself in experience with their instruments and ideas. Sixpence None the Richer is a much deeper, more focused recording than ’95’s ‘This Beautiful Mess‘, with Leigh Nash wielding a much more confident vocal, Dale Baker providing a fascinating percussive backdrop to the delicate songs, and guitarist/songwriter/arranger Matt Slocum getting to realize his ideas with intricate strings weaving in with his pop guitar riffs.
New label honcho Taylor also wears the hat of producer for this project, providing a sensitive touch on the boards for a band that is light-years stylistically from his past production credits, be it his own work, Newsboys or Guardian. He (and engineer Russ Long) treats Nash’s vocals with the proper respect and care, as well as allowing Slocum to experiment sonically.
To best experience Sixpence None the Richer, light a couple of candles, put the record on your stereo and darken the room. Let the quiet sonic textures wash over you, and near the end of the album’s 48 minutes, stare at the candle. You’ll see (allegorically, at least) what the band Sixpence None the Richer is now seeing: the light at the end of a very dark time. [Lucas W. Hendrickson, CCM Magazine, December 1997]
Sixpence None the Richer has conceived a self-titled album as lush and beautiful as you can make without sacrificing the requisite modern rock energy. The songs are dramatic, conjuring comparisons to a more aggressive Innocence Mission in tone and inspiration as well as a stirring rock opera in realization. Leigh’s wispy voice, Dale’s deft drumming, (mostly) J.J.’s melodic bass, and Matt’s ample jangling, guitar-slinging, chilling cello playing, and careful song-crafting all combine here with powerful affectation. They’ve masterfully captured the visceral tension of angst and grace here on an album which is their best to date. Steve Taylor (one of the few relevant Christian songwriters of the Eighties) as the producer is not nearly so ubiquitous here as on the Hokus Pick and Guardian albums he has produced and for which he has contributed lavish lyrical bits. This suggests his confidence in Sixpence’s creative merits and intrinsic ability. In a sense, he got out of their way and let them do what they do best by helping them to realize their own abilities. This is a collaboration that makes sense; it worked. The result is a wondrous work of art from Squinterland. Keep ’em coming. [Steven Stuart Baldwin, The Phantom Tollbooth, 1998]
When I heard that Steve Taylor was starting a record label, I was excited. I expected great things. Then when I heard the first band to release an album on said label would be Sixpence None the Richer, I could hardly wait for November to come. Well, it’s come and I’ve heard the album. Sixpence’s sound has changed quite a bit. After the wonderful rock album that was This Beautiful Mess, many people were expecting more of the same; however, the band has chosen to go a bit mellower here, possibly due to the change in personnel since This Beautiful Mess was released (background vocalist Tess Wiley leaving for Phantasmic and bassist J.J. for Plumb). I was also interested to note that Matt Slocum’s section of the ‘thanks’ column (in the liner notes) mentions Linford and Karen Detweiler of Over the Rhine. Steve Taylor produced here, but this album sounds closer to Over the Rhine than previous Sixpence works, so I wonder how much influence they had. With Steve as producer, though, this still retains more of a pop sensibility than any of that band’s albums. Matt’s string arrangements suit the guitar-driven music brilliantly, and Leigh’s vocals are as wonderful as ever. Lyrically, the album mixes in love songs with explorations of spiritual troubles and confusion. We are treated here to the only song on the album from the pen of Leigh Nash, which fits in well amongst the more predominant lyrics of Matt Slocum:
You and the moon are a beautiful sight to me.
The stars in your eyes make it really hard to see you.
A night in the sun is all I really want.
You and me with the best of both for once.
Night breaks.
My heart could not ache anymore.
Am I that easy to ignore?
(from «Easy To Ignore» by Leigh)The maturity of Sixpence None the Richer’s sound makes it difficult to remember that the band is still relatively young. It will be interesting to see where they go from here. [James Stewart, The Phantom Tollbooth, 1998]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/sixpence-none-the-richer-deluxe-anniversary-edition/1714080539)
CD tracklist:
01. We Have Forgotten – 5:08
02. Anything – 4:45
03. The Waiting Room – 5:14
04. Kiss Me – 3:30
05. Easy To Ignore – 3:50
06. Puedo Escribir – 3:44
07. I Can’t Catch You – 4:11
08. The Lines Of My Earth – 4:25
09. Sister, Mother – 3:04
10. I Won’t Stay Long – 2:22
11. Love – 3:56
12. Moving On – 3:51
13. There She Goes – 2:42
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by Squint Entertainment, and as well released as a Limited Edition 12-inch vinyl LP. (On the vinyl edition, the song “Sad But True” replaces “Puedo Escribir” and “Easy to Ignore”.) “There She Goes” did not appear on the album until a re-release in 1999. Re-issued on 12-inch vinyl double LP by Curb Records/Squint Entertainment in 2024, as a 180g Deluxe Anniversary Edition housed in a gatefold sleeve and featuring four bonus tracks (the non-album single “There She Goes” + 4 additional bonus tracks).
The December 1997 issue of CCM Magazine featured a cover story on Sixpence None the Richer.
A half-page advertisement for Sixpence None the Richer’s self-titled album was featured in the May 1998 issue of CCM Magazine.
“Kiss Me” (MUSIC VIDEO)
“There She Goes” (MUSIC VIDEO)
“Kiss Me” (Paris Version) (MUSIC VIDEO)
CREDITS. Produced by Steve Taylor. String arrangements by Matt Slocum. Engineered by Ryan Freeland, Chris Grainger, Andreas Krause, Russ Long, John Mark Painter, Tony Palacios, and Tara Wilson. Mixed by Bob Clearmountain, Russ Long, and Tom Lord-Alge. Mastering by Bob Ludwig. Editing: Nathaniel Tarn. Translation: W.S. Merwin. Design direction: Gina R. Binkley. Art direction: Beth Lee. Design: Janice Booker. Artwork and Cover Painting: D.L. Taylor. Photography: Ben Pearson, Randee Saint Nicholas. Stylist: Toni Armani.
Sixpence None the Richer: Leigh Nash (vocals), Matt Slocum (guitar, cello, multi instruments, Wurlitzer), Dale Baker (percussion, drums), J.J. Plasencio (bass, upright bass), Sean Kelly (guitar). Additional musicians: Justin Cary (bass), David Davidson (violin), Chris Donohue (bass), Tom Howard (piano), Peter Hyrka (violin), Phil Madeira (Hammond organ), Mark Nash (cymbals, hi hat), John Mark Painter (accordion, multi instruments, bells, oud, muted trumpet, hurdygurdy, mellotron), Al Perkins (pedal steel), Antoine Silverman (violin), Kristin Wilkinson (viola).
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