- Bryon Harris
Tara Beier - 'Hero And The Sage'
Canadian born artist Tara Beier is a refined and talented Americana singer-songwriter, currently based out of LA. Drawing influences from artist like Laura Nyro, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, and Fleetwood Mac, Tara songs seamlessly blend brilliant song composition with an origianl voice and poetic/personal lyrics that when mixed together produce an exquisite sound that is uniquely her own and undeniably excellent. Tara's album 'Hero and the Sage' was released on Red Raven Records; it is sure to impress the discerning ear.
Kicking off 'Hero and the Sage' is the track “Forever Mine.” This upbeat Americana song begins with a gorgeous finger-picked guitar line leading into the first verse. Tara’s voice is pure and clear complimenting her style of music. The lyrics are honest and personal telling age-old story of an old friendship that passes her by after she realizes that she'd like to be more than friends. The simple arrangements during the verses do well to show off Tara’s raw and authentic vocals while leaving room for the chorus to expand and build, making an extremely memorable and well composed song. “Forever Mine” is a beautiful introduction to Tara’s music and a solid start to her debut album.
Following is “This Innocence.” Starting off strongly, a lone strummed guitar introduces Tara’s vocals. In this song you can hear the passion and emotion in Tara’s voice; it is captivating right from the start. Once again Tara shows her ability to build up a song to the chorus as other instruments begin to cumulate. There is a great banjo-like sound and vocal harmonies that gives it a fantastic Americana feel. “This Innocence” is a strong track with great musicianship from the band and stunning vocals from Tara making it another note-worthy addition to 'Hero & the Sage.'
In “She’s Gone” Tara changes up the pace of the album. With a more rocking feel, “She’s Gone” adds a lot of energy to the album and shows her versatility as an artist. With a classic rocking drum beat complimented by a simple bass line and some twangy electric guitar leads, “She’s Gone” has a certain groove that will get you swaying. Being the shortest song on the album, this song is a sneak peek into the variety of music that Tara can write. The next song I want to mention off Hero & the Sage is “Cellar Door”. This song showcases Tara’s knack for making simple yet beautiful melodies. It perfectly embodies a mix of Tara’s influences, landing “Cellar Door” as my favorite track on the album. Starting directly into the first verse, Tara’s voice is beautifully haunting. The simple backing of the band during the verses blends smoothly while slowly building up until the band breaks it down for the chorus with some funky guitar flourishes.
Lastly is the title track “Hero & the Sage” finishing off and naming the album. This gorgeous acoustic track is a great reminder of Tara’s raw, emotive appeal. With just acoustic guitar and Tara’s voice, “Hero & the Sage” sends us off with a lovely melody and a gorgeous performance that will have you yearning for more. "We must ask ourselves what we are here for... There's gotta be more. So close your eyes dear friends and dream a dream and find a place to make it what you mean. We must believe that we can make a change."
'Hero & the Sage' is a well put together album with a plethora of delightful tunes from slower acoustic ballads, to up-tempo jams making a wonderful debut for Tara. The album is honest, authentic, moving, poetic, and as real as it gets. Tara is currently working on finishing the rest of her EP which she is producing at The Village in Los Angeles, set to be released in spring of 2017. Tara’s music can be found on her website