RECORD REVIEW: Megan Slankard – A Token of the Wreckage (Performer Magazine – March 2011)


Megan Slankard | Performer Magazine – March 2011

Megan Slankard
A Token of the Wreckage
San Francisco, CA

“Sultry, warm with a golden glow”

Megan Slankard releases her fourth record in good company, aided by engineers David Bryson (Counting Crows) and Jerry Becker (Pat Monahan). A Token of the Wreckage includes 12 tracks of polished singer/songwriter anthems. The record features a consistent Americana sound, leaving Slankard to shoulder the responsibility of standing out with her unique songwriting and sultry voice.

The album opens with “A Token of the Wreckage,” a title track with such strong pop sensibilities it’s unmistakable as her first single. Subsequent tracks follow suit with comparably sharp production. “The Happy Birthday” offers a nice shift with its simple concept and upbeat swing. It’s songs like these that shine a light on Slankard’s clever lyrics. On “The Pain of Growing Up,” she itemizes a list of growing pains, including unfulfilled travel desires and working at Home Depot. It’s an honest track with an underlying melancholy that one can only hope isn’t completely autobiographical for her… not that there’s anything wrong with working at Home Depot.

Thoughtful construction and clever wordplay are the highlights on Slankard’s new record. A Token of the Wreckage is a generous collection that maintains its momentum from start to finish. (Daily Acts)

Produced by Megan Slankard and Jerry Becker // Mixed by David Bryson at Dancing Dog Studios // Mastered by Michael Romanowski in San Francisco

– Keane Li

Performer Magazine - March 2011 Cover