Lisa Loeb, Maya Rudolph & Molly Shannon Guest on New Album 'Simpatico'

By: Jul. 21, 2015
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Maya Rudolph, Molly Shannon, Lisa Loeb, Colin Hay, Glen Phillips, Chris Ballew, Jeremy Toback, and an assortment of other musical friends are featured on a new album Simpatico, by Renee & Friends, a project by Los Angeles based singer-songwriter Renee Stahl and producer Rich Jacques. This crossover album is available on August 28, 2015 (One Melody Records, $13.98 CD, $9.99 digital).

Like the critically acclaimed music of Stahl's much-beloved family music duo, Renee & Jeremy (whom Jacques has also produced) these songs are not just for kids; they build off of hushed harmonies and reassuring lyrics about friendship and familial love. For Simpatico, Stahl and Jacques envisioned a gathering of gifted artists getting together to write and perform songs for all ages.

These collaborations offer lush pop sensibilities with values and sentiments less often expressed at the top of the charts. Guests for Simpatico are actually real-life compadres of Stahl and Jacques. They've been longtime fans of Glen Phillips (Toad the Wet Sprocket), and Stahl joins him for the gorgeous, star-gazing folk duet "You Were Meant To Be." Another friend, Maya Rudolph (SNL, Bridesmaids), adds a magical touch to the whisper-clap soul of Prince's "Starfish and Coffee."

Almost all of the songs are Stahl's originals. From the first track, "Gather Round" (featuring Lisa Loeb) the warmth of these songs and voices envelopes the listener with love and reassurance. The guest roster is heartfelt and astounding, built on genuine personal relationships with the lead artists: Renee's friend Colin Hay has a spoken word moment with "Are We There Yet?" Another friend, Maya Rudolph provides a sensitive and jaunty cover of Prince's hit "Starfish and Coffee." Molly Shannon, who performed with Stahl in school productions when they were growing up in Cleveland, lends her honest vocals to "Happiness," from the "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" musical. Chris Ballew (Presidents of the USA, Casper Babypants) sings with Stahl on the symphonic anthem "I Am Not Afraid." Stahl is a longtime fan and colleague of Glen Phillips (Toad the Wet Sprocket), and they co-wrote the powerful and wistful ode from a parent to child, "You Were Meant To Be." Other guests include world music artist Tom Rossi, French bilingual artist Sophie et les Petits, and electronica star Kyler England.

Renee Stahl is known for her distinctively rich, harmonic vocal style and original songs which resonate with intimacy, feeling and atmosphere. With Jeremy Toback, her performances with Renee & Jeremy have racked up more than 3.5 million views on YouTube, Their album It's a Big|Brave World ranked as one of the top 50 baby music albums of all time (Babble). For Simpatico, Renee & Jeremy reunite to sing the reassuring "Wherever You Go." Rich Jacques is a Los Angeles based singer/songwriter and producer, known for his collaborative approach. He leads the band Right the Stars, whose most recent album is The Only Thing. Together, Renee and Rich perform their original lullaby "Dream about the Moonlight."

This fall, Renee & Friends will celebrate the release of Simpatico with concerts in Southern California. Visit www.reneeandfriends.com for updates.



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