By Donzig
Stephen Sanchez has impressed me at different levels since I first heard his single "Until I Found You" around a year and a half ago. The dramatic sweep of the vocals and arrangement, so reminiscent of classic Roy Orbison, stood out from much of the usual fare one hears these days. Is he just another one-hit wonder, I asked myself. No, for his next single "Evangeline" early this year was even more dramatic and the vocals showed greater range than before. I was fairly convinced by now that Sanchez was someone to pay attention to, and eagerly awaited an eventual album. His next track, "Be More", began getting airplay this past summer. I really wanted an album of his by this time, but was still wary that the rest of the tracks might just be filler.
Stephen Sanchez's debut album Angel Face came out in September and was well worth the wait. Thirteen songs that hold your attention for 39 minutes and sound like they were sung and performed by talented human beings, with no detectable machine enhancement. When Glenn asked me for a Top 10 Albums of 2023 list, this one was going to be on it.
When the opportunity came to review Sanchez in concert and take photos for this blog I lept at the chance. But it raised another question: Would Stephen and the band be able to reproduce anything like the sound of the record while performing live? Happily, they all came through. A pleasant surprise came midway through the 90-minute set as Sanchez and Company covered Orbison's "Oh, Pretty Woman", as if paying tribute to an idol and influence. The band, for their part, recreated an appropriate sonic backdrop to the soaring vocals. Sanchez not only sang with the energy and range of the record, he also switched easily from singing only on the first few songs to singing while playing acoustic and electric rhythm guitar. He even performed a few songs solo with acoustic guitar. Sometimes singing passionately in the spotlight, and at other times with full stage lighting and interacting with the band and performing modest dance moves, Stephen proved himself quite the showman at his young age (he only turned 21 last month).
Short monologues here and there seemed to link some songs into a tale of "Evangeline" and the "Troubador" (referencing the single and "Death of the Troubador" from the album), making one wonder if Angel Face is actually a concept album about a tragic love affair. There were screams between songs from many of the young women like at Beatles or Elvis concerts, accompanied by loud cheers and applause from the men. Can't say I've ever seen that kind of reaction at a show before.
Now that Stephen has shown that he can make a memorable album and perform those songs live in concert, he faces another challenge: Can he get back to work after the current tour and make a worthy follow-up album? Having written or co-written every song on Angel Face and having shown his performing abilities both in the studio and on the concert stage, Stephen Sanchez has the tools to avoid the dreaded Sophomore Jinx. The expectations from some of us run high.
More details on Stephen Sanchez and his current tour via his official website.
[Photos: Don Valyou, 2023]
