STACIE ROSE "ALTER-EGO EPs"
As her first three LPs proved, this NJ songstress has a knack for crafting pop tunes with instant appeal—witness the long list of her songs that have appeared in TV shows and ads. But my description of 2008’s excellent Shotgun Daisy as “lighthearted” is outdated, as evidenced from her Means to an End EP here (the “rock” side of this double-EP set). Means features hard-hitting rhythms, bold hooks, robust singing, and huge-payoff choruses, especially the standout “Alter-Ego,” sunny “Sunny,” and country-ish “Raw Sugar.” And while I prefer Means to the seven-song “remix” Raw Sugar EP here, that’s still enjoyable beyond its dancefloor allure, thanks to catchy beats and Rose’s molasses-sweet voice. The musical landscape is littered with the ashes of disposable pop stars—but Rose assuredly isn’t one of them.
