(we get there when we do)
suddenly, tammy!
Warner
Bros., 1995
Reviewed by
Jonathan Cohen
Unfortunately, this hidden major-label gem arrived on the scene just past the
expiration date of true alternative music; before Fiona Apple and Third Eye Blind were
rock radio’s idea of “challenging.” suddenly, tammy’s piano-centric
sound was one-of-a-kind in 1995, but We Get There When We Do, the band’s
major label debut, sadly got lost in the shuffle of less interesting ivory-ticklers like
Apple and Ben Folds Five. It would be one thing if suddenly, tammy’s unconventional
instrument lineup (piano/bass/drums) were its only distinguishing feature, but the
Pennsylvania-based trio has the songwriting chops to set itself apart from the pack.
Indeed, We Get There was one of the last big-label alternative records to really
push any kind of artistic envelope. Whereas Ben Folds writes lyrics from the perspective
of his high-school-aged self, suddenly, tammy! singer Beth Sorrentino fashions these same
childlike-themes into affecting, ambiguous stories-in-progress (the arty
“Flemen,” “Mark Of Man”). And while Folds and company draw heavily
from the theatrics of ‘70s-era Elton John, suddenly, tammy! informs its music with
Carole King’s creative melodies (“Supersonic”), subtituting bombast for
beauty.
Still, Sorrentino, an elementary school teacher by trade, is as adept at kicking up a
storm with percussive poundings (propulsive opening track “Hard Lesson”) as she
is at weaving sentimental instrumental webs in the vein of George Winston. She mulls over
her experiences in both first and third-person guises, inspiring the kind of personal
reminiscences that inevitably unearth bittersweet memories. On the crisp “Beautiful
Dream,” her recollections of the “high school gym lit like a talent show”
allow for a myriad of interpretations. But Sorrentino gets tripped up on songs like
“Not That Dumb,” where allusions to “braiding my hair” confuse realism
for interesting lyrical fodder.
Musically, We Get There When We Do does an excellent job of matching the tenor of
a song with its implied subject matter. Several of the songs, such as “Snowman”
and “River, Run” ruminate on the way nature influences mood and experience,
where Sorrentino’s calming piano parts amplify the sparse surroundings. The more
abstract tracks feature similarly original musical arrangements, particularly “Long
Way Down,” which segues from a weird chant (“such a long way down / to see my
parents”) into a smoldering, spinny chorus seemingly plucked from another song
altogether. Occupying more of a middle ground, “Hard Lesson” reigns in the
temptation to be odd for the hell of it and rocks out on a memorable melody and a strong,
driving rhythm. Sorrentino’s pretty voice, although not particularly distinctive,
lends just the right personal touches where necessary, most notably on piano-only closer
“Bound Together,” one of the more direct songs on the record.
Destined to be heard by far too few, We Get There When We Do endows its songs
with the kind of fresh perspectives that demand repeated listening. And out of the
post-’95 major-label universe, it’s tough to name an album - let alone a debut -
that demanded it more.
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"'Hard Lesson'
is my favorite track on the album. You have a tendency to learn things the hard way, and
that's what the song is about."
Beth Sorrentino
- suddenly, tammy!
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