Sara Petite from the album The Empress

Sara Petite from the album The Empress

Sara Petite from the album The Empress available on Forty Below Records/JTMMUSIC (by Lee Zimmerman)
 
For a woman whose surname may suggest otherwise, Sara Petite maintains a formidable presence. That’s never been more evident than on The Empress, an album which clearly comes across as her most assertive effort yet. Her swagger and sway dominate the proceedings overall, imbuing an sassy attitude that’s as defiant as it is distinctive.
 
To be sure, Petite has never been a shrinking violet. She comes across like an heir apparent to Loretta, Dolly, Emmylou, and any number of other striking singers that possess an independent attitude and the sturdy chops to match. That’s immediately evident on songs such as “She Comes Undone”, “I Want You So Band”, “Lead the Parade”, “Le Petit Saboteur”, and the title track itself, all of which find Sara Petite asserting a no-nonsense attitude that also leaves no doubt as to her decidedly assertive stance.
 
It’s appropriate then that The Empress finds her falling back on a honky-tonk/Classic Country sound that makes heroines out of lonely losers while also touting certain women who, throughout history, have taken a stand without regard to their own safety and security. Producer Eric Corne helps underscore that defiance and determination, and even when Petite allows herself an occasional mellow moment, as per her sympathetic nod to the heroine at the heart of “The Mistress,” those assured emotions never linger far from the surface. She’s clearly comfortable in her own skin, but also equally adept at making a case for others who haven’t the means to claim a voice of their own.
 
Some may argue that Sara Petite has assumed the role of a feminist, but given the rowdy, rambunctious persona she inhabits here, it’s not like she’s making a social statement or preparing to stand on a soapbox. She’s merely asserting herself by declaring that the characters she describes in song don’t deserve to be treated any differently than any man who galivants about in the guise of a rascal or raconteur. She certainly succeeds, and if that means women have earned the right to express themselves whatever way they see fit, then The Empress deserves credit for taking command of such an earnest endeavor.
(By Lee Zimmerman)
 
Listen and buy the music of Sara Petite from AMAZON
For more information, please visit the Sara Petite website