press clips
“At once reminiscent of Sarah Shannon (of late indie hipsters Velocity Girl and now solo) and Parisian/New York transplant Dominique Durand (of Ivy), Charming vocalist Nicole St. Clair Stoops sets an explosive tone on Champagne and Magazines that simply refuses to let up even long after the last note’s been sent to bed. Tracks such as “Let Me Take You Out” and “Downtown” could easily adjust the mass-market consumer receptors if only people had a chance to hear them! DJs, now’s your chance, listen to Charming, play track three (“Downtown”) on the radio, and let everyone in the whole world know you heard it here first. Refreshing, exhilarating and yes…charming. -Josh Gabriel, The Big Takeover, Issue #50
“Its limber jingle-jangle is directly inspired by luminaries such as Orange Juice and even the Smiths. Charming sounds as if it likes drives by the Thames, not the Hudson, but we’ll indulge its Brit fantasies because they’re just so darn bubbly”
– Time Out NY
“A bold name to take unless you can pull it off, and this indie Brit-pop quartet (actually no one’s from there) does. Guitarist Ravi Krishnaswami and vocalist Nicole St. Clair Stoops have created a reinvention of English ’80s acts like Swing Out Sister and Lisa Stanfield, with upbeat and modern results.” -Andrew Aber, The Village Voice, 4/24/02
“Champagne and Magazines is an unabashed collection of love songs that transport listeners to a place where it might be raining outside, but the fires of romanticism crackle with warmth within.” -Katherine Gorrell, Unpop.com (Full review here.)
“Champagne and Magazines may well be the lifestyle statement of the year, for this is an album that couldn’t be more suave if it tried. Behind the wonderfully named Nicole St. Clair Stoops glacial vocal pumps a soundtrack that skirts between samba, bossa nova and jazz, and even a little bit of funk, oh yes!” -Tasty (Full review here.)
“Charming are made up of very accomplished musicans for sure, but what really sets them apart has got to be Nicole’s contributions as the sweetest pop-crooner this side of Nina Persson. Grab the dancing shoes for “let me take you out”, drop the disco ball for “downtown” and wind down to the title track. -AJ Naito, lightrotation.com (Full review here.)
” ‘Downtown’ es, directamente, la bomba.” -Green UFOs (Spain) (Full review here.)
“Damn, this thing is boring into my brain like a possesed weevil… If you think you can handle it, it comes highly recommended.” -Indiepop Spinzone (Full review here.)