Small Sins

Though there are no less that five renditions of the title song on the single, it is the original album version that remains the best one, though the other renditions of "Stay" aren't all that bad. The "Full Band Version" uses a pained, angry vocal track from singer Thomas D'Arcy as well as an indie rocking guitar solo, while the "Small Sins Remix" sticks with a frailer-sounding voice and purely electronic instruments. It's really only the "Radio 4 Mix" that falls short. The techno-y, club-friendly beat is fun in itself but fails horribly with the vocals, which are mixed low and rhythmically awkward. Luckily, the two previously unreleased songs included on the single make up for this. "All the Way" is darker, with D'Arcy coming close to whispering at times, but "Necessary Change" is back to the breezy electronic pop that Small Sins presented on their debut(s), with an airy keyboard riff that circles about and the nearly plaintive cry of "I need a street that knows my name." Probably not of much interest to anyone but a die-hard fan, but good stuff nonetheless. ~ Marisa Brown, All Music Guide