OurStage

U.K.'s Black Velvet Magazine, 2/2008 "Shed the Skin"...it's a gutsy rocker seeping in attitude and low-slung guitar swagger. It's 70's rock feel...think Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix....Sue's voice brings back memories of the golden greats, like early Tina Turner and Janis Joplin...that soulful, powerful quality....

Anthony Kuzminski for Antimusic.com and screendoor.com, 2/2008 "...It's unlikely you'll hear any album in the... "...It's unlikely you'll hear any album in the next year whose rock and soul architecture sounds this fresh...." "....Soraia are not hopping on any bandwagons, they merely check vintage classic rock riffs and find a way to swathe them into a package that is intoxicating and enthralling. There is a profound depth to the lyrics which are enhanced by the layered roars of guitars that make you yearn for a time where albums and artists ruled the landscape....." "....As Mansour belts out the title track, her voice crows with an immediate and defiant pulse which is nothing short of pulverizing. Her vocal stylings are a throwback to the past but what's integral is that she is well aware of the rich tradition of singers who have come before her as she reaches back further than just one decade but five decades to the inner workings of Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin and Wilson Pickett before recording her dynamic, soulful and mesmerizing vocals...." "What makes this record so profound is the raw intensity of the soulful lyrics which put you right in the emotional thick of the action. While it connects American musical traditions, it's sonically and implausibly fresh. Producer Obie O'Briens instinctive, enlivening and revitalizing production does the material justice and significantly brightens the album to A-grade levels, but always keeping the vibe organic and elegiac....As impressive as the sonic framework may be, the real star is Mansour's cooing vocals paired with the elliptical lyrics which combined make Shed The Skin a harrowing, endearing and essential album." Album Grade: A-