THE WASHINGTON POST - Jan 25, 2023
Sara Curtin’s songs carry a sweet honesty. This is evident on “Blame Time,” the first song of her 2017 project, “Or So It Seemed.” A slow and steady strumming immediately evokes nostalgia as Curtin’s crystallike voice floats in. It’s a song about fading relationships; the folksy D.C. native blames time, as the title says, but also herself. Curtin hits the crux of why fraying friendships hurt with lyrics like, “Syndicated memories of running wild in Brooklyn.” Curtin’s storytelling never reaches saccharine levels of longing but instead finds a balance between vivid recall and honest introspection. On “When Was the Last Time,” she asks the titular question again and again, her layered vocals pushing the listener to sway. Curtin is singing about lost gratitude, about when life gets in the way of appreciating life. “We all seem used to it / And I’ll be the first to admit / I’m happy in bed at sunrise,” she sings, her voice angelic as she delivers a stinging realization. On her 2023 EP “Goodbye Forever,” Curtin sings with her signature clarity but a newer aggression. The woman’s plight of constantly apologizing takes center stage on “So Sorry.” She opens the song swinging — “Sorry I can’t control my mouth / My mouth / Sorry I can’t control what comes out / Or how it sounds to you” — as her voice floats above rock-and-roll-y drums and an echoing electric guitar.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/music/2023/01/25/concerts-dc-greensky-bluegrass/
HOMETOWN SOUNDS - "gifted" ("So Sorry" official music video premiere
https://hometownsoundsdc.com/2023/01/09/sara-curtin-so-sorry/
WASHINGTON CITY PAPER -
"The emotional spectrum Curtin covers over
the course of nine songs makes it impossible
to pigeonhole Or So It Seemed as any particular
kind of record. At times it’s angry and at times
it’s anxious, but it’s also content and hopeful.
It’s a full portrait of a human being: nuanced,
complex, and contradictory. "
AXS - "Music fans who want to discover a truly independent
artist should take a look at Sara Curtin's video for "Wellish
Home," and enjoy the work of a performer who is delivering
great music without any of the noise."
Medium - "...while most artists tackling the issues make sure
you know they’re tackling the issues from beginning to end,
Curtin’s approach musically and lyrically takes you away from
the front lines, so to speak, allowing the listener to reflect in a
different way."
AudioFemme - "Sara Curtin’s music is pretty darn dreamy.
Her voice creates a tapestry of delicate sound. Half of
Washington D.C.’s The Sweater Set, Curtin’s solo effort takes
that precious quality and gives it a little edge."
The Deli Magazine - "...lovely, hypnotic voice that'll certainly entrance you into exploring more of her music... Her latest album, Michigan Lilium, is a masterpiece of smart lyrics and alluring music and was recorded in her very own home studio."
Glide Magazine - "Visionary singer-songwriter"
PopMatters.com - "Sweet Dreams" official music video PREMIER
"...new video for the haunting dreampop track 'Sweet Dreams', which in a neat twist, involves baking a cake. If there’s one thing indie rock needs, it’s more cake."
CMJ.com - "V D A Y" TRACK PREMIER
"...romantic groove, gossamer weight of the melody, and libidinous lyrical invitations..."
AMERICAN SONGWRITER - Daily Discovery - "Summer"
AudioFemme - ("Careless" Track Premier)
"It's smart, yet delicious, like a kale smoothie as yummy as a milkshake."
Brightest Young Things - "One of D.C.'s finest"
Live Video of "Careless" was chosen as one of WAMU Bandwidth's "Best D.C. Submissions to NPR's Tiny Desk Contest"
Washington City Paper Art's Desk features Sara's live video "CARELESS" as one of the Tiny Desk Contest entries "worth watching". (article here)
