As guitarist/singer for Sydney pop rockers Stella One Eleven, Genevieve
Maynard has always tinkered on the edge of the limelight.
But with Ghost Notes, her debut solo album, Maynard has stepped
into a spotlight of her own, revealing one of this country's shining lights.
As far as debut albums go, it's hard to fault Ghost Notes. This
collection of songs is as well written as it is performed and finds strength
in its intimacy.
Maynard has a clear grip on the subtleties of her craft and while her
voice has power to burn, she's never prone to over-the-top vocal acrobatics.
Opener Jackie in the Morning is a case-in-point with Maynard's
sultry and restrained delivery sitting over, but never dominating, the
deceptively hooky groove.
While many would be tempted to lump her in with the folk/pop crowd, Maynard
draws from a much broader creative palette which makes Ghost Notes a
delightfully diverse ride.
From the wafting blues of Johnny Lee to the sample-driven Fifteen
Letters, Maynard never sits still long enough to be easily pigeonholed.
Listening to Ghost Notes, one gets the feeling Maynard is an artist
with her feet firmly planted on the ground and plenty of ideas left in
the tank.
In detail
Multi-tasking: Maynard engineered, produced and mixed most of the
record, and played all the guitars, most of the bass and keyboards and
programming.
Stella performances: Stella One Eleven frontwoman Cindy Ryan pops
up on the record, singing back-up for a number of the tracks. Other guests
include former Falling Joys and Stella bassist Pat Hayes.
Button tweaking: Maynard helped co-produce an album for former
Clouds member Jodi Phillis and has recently finished work on the new Bernie
Hayes record.
What next?: 2003 is shaping up as a big year with a five-week national
tour in February, followed by the mid-year release of the new Stella One
Eleven record. | 
