Album Review: Lisa Loeb - No Fairy Tale

Remember that cute, nerdy, girl-next-door type who slunk down walls and flailed her arms around an empty studio apartment singing Stay (I Missed You)? Almost two decades after becoming the only unsigned artist to top the American charts following the song's inclusion on the Reality Bites soundtrack, Lisa Loeb is still making pretty pop rock, and she's still as adorably fresh-faced as she was back in 1994. No Fairy Tale is Loeb's first adult record since 2004; film and television, voice work, children's albums and books kept her busy until co-producer and New Found Glory guitarist Chad Gilbert approached with a proposition to make a “full-on modern indie pop/rock record”. And that they have, particularly considering Gilbert's distinctive SoCal guitar contributions, though “full-on” is too strong a word for anything involving Loeb's sweet, unique vocal. 

The album's opening title track is a chugging, punkish contradiction to the actual fairy tales of Loeb's recent history with delicate double-tracked vocals and layers of harmonies. Weak Day throws back to the clean, melancholy acoustic vibe that so engaged the Gen X crowd, and The 90's even references the film-clip's making with slightly cringeworthy lyrics. Somewhat strangely, Tegan and Sara Quin donate the songs A Hot Minute and The Worst, typically quick-fire and feisty in style. Citing long-term fandom, Tegan even adds harmonies to the tracks; almost indistinguishable from Loeb, the connection is suddenly an obvious one and it goes some way to legitimising Loeb in 2013.

While largely cheery and fun in a way that recalls the vigour of youth, it's difficult to pick a highlight of the even-keeled No Fairy Tale, though it's still a worthy listen.