Spun: A Fine Frenzy

By Ryan Pike

Given the crowded nature of the music industry, it’s pretty difficult for a new artist to make an impression. Often, newcomers resort to “look-at-me!” attention-whoring to get their names known, which can backfire if the artist is not in any way talented. A Fine Frenzy’s understated debut, One Cell in the Sea, doesn’t resort to any of these tactics. It’s fortunate that she’s talented enough to get noticed.

A Fine Frenzy is Seattle-based singer-songwriter Alison Sudol. The 22-year-old’s debut album is surprisingly good for a first effort. A self-taught pianist, Sudol is also a vocalist and the album is an

effective showcase for her talents. Her songs are all well-constructed three-to-five-minute ditties, but lack much variety. The songs are all enjoyable on their own, but it’s only possible to listen to the same good song so many times before the mind begins to wander. Regardless, One Cell in the Sea is remarkably poised and mature for a debut album. Hopefully Sudol works more variety into her act next time around, as it would be a shame for such a fine voice to be ignored simply because all her songs sound similar.

Judged against other first-timers, A Fine Frenzy fairs fairly well. Compared to others in her field, she lacks something to make her stand out. For now, she’s just another face in the crowd.