On Portland-based songwriter Stephanie Schneiderman’s new release, Rubber Teardrop, there is an almost instant realization that it is the perfect blend of two very different artists who have found their collective voice. A fluid recording that seamlessly combines the synthetic and organic into a single powerful compilation, Rubber Teardrop plays like an epic movie soundtrack, at once evocative, entertaining and dramatic, even mesmerizing at times. In fact, it is difficult to imagine that she hasn’t always been an emerging international electronic artist.
Schneiderman and renown producer/DJ/electronic musician Keith Schreiner come from two disparate musical worlds. She is rooted in folk and Americana and lauded as a NW treasure (seven solo albums, two collaborative albums with popular girl group Dirty Martini, music production credits, film and stage roles as well as numerous performances with everyone from Five for Fighting to Hall and Oates, Heart and Pat Benetar). He is an internationally acclaimed electronic musician/producer/DJ who has worked with Grammy-winning artists like Jeff Trott, Sheryl Crow and Dr. Dre/Eminem producer Mike Elizondo.
The duo worked together for the first time in 2008, which resulted in Dangerous Fruit- a gorgeous tug o’ war that transcended genre and defied convention- earning Schneiderman an international following, a label deal and countless new licensing opportunities. What was a unique collaboration on that first outing, has now evolved into something more profound on her new album, Rubber Teardrop.
One can almost see the music as each song plays through the headphones. It is all there. Beautifully written songs and incredible vocal performances, wrapped in ambient textures, undulating beats, and masterful production. From the dreamy electronic pop and shooting chorus of “Wide Open” to the driving swell of “Earthquake” and the hard-hitting rush of “Bridge on Fire” each arrangement ebbs and flows, through whispering ballads, moving ever forward, like an evolving character, to the grand conclusion. In this case, the re-introduction of the opening theme – a climactic remix of the track “Hush.” The pair didn’t mean for this to happen, but it did and it works.
On her Kickstartercampaign page for Rubber Teardrop (she funded the latest project in less than 48 hours) you get a glimpse of the natural tension in their partnership. However, you also get a sense that each has truly embraced this and tapped its musical potential. Schneiderman has opened her vocal range to include new textures, unafraid to synthesize or filter her vocals and let her songs grow within this new musical framework. Schreiner amply splices the arrangements with organic elements, like the guest appearance of slide guitar ace, Tony Furtado on several tracks, and chooses ambient electronic instrumentation that sounds like it could be acoustic on the title track, “Rubber Teardrop.” He even rolls out the Roland 808 for the high energy tracks, using it and several soul-inspired samples to tie many of the songs together with a pounding, yet lush, retro vibe.
“This whole album has been a departure for me, into a more ambient and textured landscape for my songs,” explains Schneiderman “Now I can't imagine them any other way.”
Niether can her national distributor Allegro or mentor Dan Reed’s (Dan Reed Network) U.K based label, Zero One Entertainment, which recently signed Schneiderman and will release Rubber Teardrop internationally in June. With whispers to push the record heavily to the European market and a national/international tour lining up for fall, Rubber Teardrop is already inspiring her legions of fans to help her make this “departure” into electronic music a permanent one.
More About
Stephanie Schneiderman
Stephanie’s solo career began with a coveted spot in the 1999 Lilith Fair. Since then she has earned extensive NW radio play, a devout following and multiple appearances with some the nation’s top touring acts. Prior to Rubber Teardropshe has release six solo recordings- Stephanie Schneiderman (1999), Unbelievably Unbroken (2001), Fall Sessions EP (2001), Touch Down (2004) and Live at Kung Fu Bakery (2005), Dangerous Fruit (2008).In the past 5 years, she has gained widespread acclaim and exposure with her collaborative project, Dirty Martini. The Crosby, Stills and Nash-styled girl group has been corralling enthusiastic listeners and sellout crowds since their “one night only” gig together at a singles Valentine’s Day event. The group still headlines festivals throughout the NW regularly and has even agreed to open for her Portland, OR CD release performance for Rubber Teardrop.
Her musical accomplishments also extend to film, TV and beyond. In addition to placing songs on the WB’s primetime show Jack and Jill, and the title track for the movie Kat and Allison, three songs from the album Touch Down were used in the WB show Felicity and songs from Dangerous Fruit were placed on MTV’s Bad Girl Club and Real World. She has also produced three CDs featured as soundtracks for a series of popular children’s videos. OyBaby, OyBaby 2, That Baby DVD and the accompanying CDs have sold more than 30,000 combined units .
She has enjoyed success as an actress in films like Men of Honor, starring Robert De Niro and Cuba Gooding Jr. as well as leads in several local productions. Her most recent nod combined music and theater in Profile Theater Project’s encore production of the hit Broadway musical The Full Monty.
In 2007 Stephanie founded and produced Voices for Silent Disasters (www.voicesforsilentdisasters.com). Portland’s first humanitarian concert series, Voices for Silent Disasters featured 35 artists through 10 concerts at three venues across the River City. She raised $70,000 for Mercy Corps in Uganda and has plans to continue the successful series in the future.
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