Upon asking Sonia Rutstein, or SONiA, lead singer and songwriter of longtime folk popsters SONiA and Disappear Fear, what her favorite city to perform in was, I received an unusual response. Instead of telling me the name of some beautiful foreign city in Spain, or some bustling metropolis like New York, I was given a metaphor. "[My favorite city is] a city of possibility – a city of dawn – and that city is everywhere. I connect with people in Cleveland, Tel Aviv, Toronto; it's just a matter of being in the moment and connecting." This metaphor, it seems, is a perfect description of why Disappear Fear is such a fantastic group.
It should be noted that I myself am by no means a lover of folk music – listening to hybrid artists like Bob Dylan stretches my usual range of "indie pop" – but there is something about the music of Disappear Fear that could extend the scope of even the most dedicated metal head, and it would stand to reason that this is in large part due to SONiA's ability to connect with her audience on a higher level, both in concert and on a recording.
Disappear Fear's new album, Tango, kicks off with a smooth flash – infusing beautiful Latin guitar riffs, a la Carlos Santana, with fantastic female vocals that enrich the flamenco beat, creating a collage of beautiful sounds. It's clear that SONiA understands Latin culture deeply, which alone would be a wonderful feat. Still, Tango, and consequently SONiA, plays on with beautiful range, showing SONiA's clear ability to understand all cultures and situations with eloquent ease and care. Track three, the beautiful and uplifting anti-war poem "Mica Moca," displays SONiA's unusual ability to seamlessly combine two languages, English and Hebrew, together to create a cohesive and aesthetically pleasing listening experiment.
This is no surprise, though, considering SONiA's reasoning for writing a multilingual album in the first place: "I've always done multiple languages…I love the melting of languages together." It is her love for the variation in emotion that can be displayed using more than one language inspired her to continue with the variety concept. And SONiA's love for multiculturalism extends far beyond languages; she has a complete adoration for the world as a whole. With personal favorites such as the internationally renowned, but nationally unknown Israeli superstar Eden Rakel, it's clear that SONiA appreciates all that the world has to offer. This is probably why Disappearing Fear's live shows have a reputation for being very personal and intimate. With a lead singer who genuinely loves the world, how could they not be fantastic?
SONiA's favorite song off of Tango, "Metzotzim Anaquim," is an ethereal Hebrew song that becomes even more heavenly because of the choice to sing it in such a beautiful and fluid language. "Something about it…I just felt when I wrote it. It's just a zone." Clearly SONiA knows her abilities, and it's very fortunate for casual and die-hard fans alike that this is the case. Tango is a fantastic album, and one can't help but love the intention and delivery behind it.
SONiA and Disappear Fear are coming to Cleveland this Sunday, Oct. 14, and performing at the Beachland Ballroom. The show starts at 8 p.m., doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 and available from the Ballroom's website, www.beachlandballroom.com. For something new and refreshing, head over to see SONiA and Disappear Fear. It promises to be an intimate concert unlike any other.