Album Review
Veteran Singer Songwriter James Mastro Releases Album for the Ages, “Dawn of a New Error”
James Mastro is a veteran songwriter and guitarist with an impressive career spanning several decades. He made a name for himself as a teenager in the iconic CBGB scene as part of The Richard Lloyd Group. As a member of The Bongos, Mastro achieved mainstream success with the release of three acclaimed albums. He went on to front Americana band The Health & Happiness Show, releasing three highly praised albums. Mastro has opened for a diverse range of artists including Wilco, Johnny Cash, and Barenaked Ladies. He has also collaborated with renowned musicians such as Patti Smith and John Cale. Additionally, Mastro has been a longtime member of Ian Hunter’s band, playing guitar on Hunter’s last seven albums. With an impressive list of credits, including production work for artists like Steve Wynn and Jill Sobule, Mastro is a highly sought-after musician in the industry. His latest project, the upcoming album Dawn of a New Error, is set to be released on February 21, 2024 on MPress Records.
Produced by Tony Shanahan, bassist and co-producer for Patti Smith, Dawn of a New Error is a masterful showcase of Mastro’s musicianship. From the soaring guitar riffs to the clever lyrics, each of the 11 tracks on the album is a testament to his artistic vision and musical prowess.
The album kicks off with the energetic and infectious “Right Words, Wrong Song,” featuring guest vocals from the legendary Ian Hunter. With its driving guitar riffs and catchy chorus, it’s a perfect introduction to Mastro’s musical world. The hopeful “The Face of the Sun” and the fast-paced “Three Words” continue the trend of earworm-worthy hooks and powerful vocals.
But it’s not all about the rock and roll on this album. Mastro shows his range with the introspective “My god,” a song about belief in oneself and others. It’s a beautiful track that sets the tone for the rest of the album with its poignant lyrics and engaging melody.
“River Runs Forever” takes listeners on a journey through lost loves and the end of days. The mandolin-driven “Everywhere” conjures up images of old photographs, while the gospel-tinged “Someday Someone Will Turn Your Head Around” is a message of perseverance and hope.
One of the highlights of the album is “Here Beside Me,” a hauntingly beautiful track that showcases Mastro’s vocals and songwriting skills. The dreamy “Never Die” features the high backing vocals of legendary drummer Steve Goulding and a more than memorable groove that lets Mastro’s guitar skills shine.
The album features many high notes, including “Trouble,” a lively track that features guest vocals from The Jersey City New Heights Gospel Group, adding a touch of soul and gospel to the mix. Overall, Dawn of a New Error is a rich and diverse album that showcases Mastro’s talents as a musician, songwriter, and producer.
What sets Mastro apart from other musicians is his ability to seamlessly blend genres, from Americana to Art Rock to Gospel. His diverse influences are evident throughout the album, creating a unique and engaging sound that will appeal to a wide range of music lovers.
The production of the album is top-notch, with a team of talented musicians and engineers bringing Mastro’s songs to life. Tony Shanahan’s contributions as producer, bassist, and backing vocalist add an extra layer of depth to the album, while the guest appearances from Ian Hunter and The Jersey City New Heights Gospel Group add even more dimension to the tracks.
In a world where many artists are chasing trends and trying to fit into a specific genre, James Mastro stands out as a true original. Dawn of a New Error is a testament to his talent and his ability to create music that is both timeless and timely. With this album, Mastro steps out of the shadows and into the spotlight, proving that he is a force to be reckoned with in the music world. Fans of Elvis Costello, Tom Petty, and Wilco will not want to miss this album. Dawn of a New Error is a must-listen for any music lover.
–Felix Crosse
Album Pre-save/order link: https://mpress.lnk.to/DawnOfANewError
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Album Review
Gitkin unveils an afro-latin blues with sonic psychedelia in his recent Album “Golden Age”
The undisputed king of modern cumbia and master of genre fusion, Brian J. Gitkin, unveils his latest 10-track masterpiece, “Golden Age,” released under Wonderwheel Recordings. This wordless sonic adventure transcends borders, featuring a guest appearance by multi-instrumentalist and producer Assaf Spector, delivering thrilling depths of Afro-Latin, desert rock, and blues with heavy doses of psychedelia. Rooted in the musical heartbeat of New Orleans, “Golden Age” offers a mesmerizing exploration of culture, rhythm, and electric guitar brilliance. This primarily instrumental experience enthralls audiences from start to finish.
Gitkin, a New Orleans-based multi-instrumentalist, channels the rhythmic soul of the Crescent City through the hypnotic twang of his signature Silvertone guitar. The album commences with the dynamic title track, “High Noon,” setting the tone for its adventurous spirit, a far-reaching sound exploration. Fans are treated to a dazzling mix of intoxicating African and Latin American influences, spiced with the desert rock of Mali and the electrified chicha style of Peru.
The second track, “Cumbia-ya,” exudes celebration with its infectious beats as the album continues to break boundaries with “Delta Mystic,” along with “Iced Coffee” and “Go Time,” the 5th composition featuring the expertise of Simon Moushabeck on the keyboard and Washington Duke on drums, which seamlessly blends jazz, funk, and Afro-American Mardi Gras roots into a jubilant groove.
Subsequently, “The One,” the eighth track, presents a hypnotic blend of classic Sudanese influences, Tuareg-style guitars, and Black Sabbath-inspired heaviness. The composition is propelled forward by a Giorgio Moroder-esque bassline, combining ’70s disco energy with soulful guitar motifs, showcasing Gitkin’s versatility and fearless approach to creating fresh, boundary-pushing music. The album’s standout track, “Tall Oaks Drive,” takes listeners on a cosmic ride with its psychedelic sitar riffs and melodic cinematic atmosphere reminiscent of a vintage spy thriller. The album concludes with the soul-stirring final track, “Golden Age,” providing a sense of closure and triumph.
Throughout “Golden Age,” Gitkin’s guitar melodies convey stories without words, evoking emotions of contemplation, joy, and spiritual upliftment. His ability to weave together global sounds with New Orleans’ rich musical heritage establishes him as a visionary in the global music scene. This album is essential for fans seeking adventurous, deeply reflective, and genre-defying sonic experiences.
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Album Review
Never Heavy Releases “Never Heavy Is One Full of Light”
Steve Alex’s new album is Never Heavy Is One Full of Light. The former frontman of the nineties alt-rock band Four Star Riot has forgone excess production value for a simpler, much more acoustic touch. The album skews the distinctly modern with the excess throwback, something decidedly in for the last couple of years because of romanticization of the past.
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/neverheavy
It could be the sixties, with the sexual revolution fashion and counter-cultural zeist, the seventies being the era of the singer-songwriter juggernauts, when the maestro of the excess confessional was sexiest person of the year. “Never Heavy Is One Full of Light” skews the latter excessively, literally starting with the title, down to the lyrics Alex has written for each track. The album also reflects the era because of the fact each song is a story, all thematically linked, with beginnings middles and ends. The other thing very much a welcome throwback is how personal Alex makes each song, feeling like a vulnerable creative expression.
What makes the album as a whole compete aside from nostalgia is the assuredness with which Alex performs each track. It’s unusual to feel like an artist has their own material on lock, there naturally being hits and misses throughout the course of their career, even their own, individual releases. I’m pleased to say Mr. Alex never falls into any traps on that front. The album is insanely consistent, maddeningly so. I would have liked to see a few cracks here and there, but all in all it’s a solid and entirely immersive achievement.
There’s a visceral quality to each of the tracks, something deeply gripping not just about the music itself but the stories it tells. Storytelling is the lost art of songwriting, much like poetry it’s about speaking to the heart in addition to the mind, conjuring immersive emotive experiences not easily dismissible even when it ends. A lot of this in Alex’s case likely points back to his experiences as rock frontman for Four Star Riot. It’s clear he’s carried this over to “Never Heavy Is One Full of Light,” once stating in an article with V13 Media: “The stage is a great leveler. It is the true yard-stick by which an artist can be measured.”
In the same article, Alex was quoted as saying, “The only reason to be in a rock band is to play live, period…The energy that is given during the show between the band and the audience is the most exhilarating thing I know. It’s fun as well as emotional, but I guess the best part is the danger. My Pseudo-dance and swagger has in the past, produced sprained ankles and bloody puncture wounds. Y’know, the possibility that at any moment the whole thing can fall apart, but that is the beauty of live performances, it’s here, then it’s gone and on to the next song.”
APPLE MUSIC: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/never-heavy/1492197159
He carries this mentality to the soft rock nature of his independent release. In many ways, the aforementioned sentiments have never proven more relevant. People crave connectivity in this era, with polls regularly pointing out depression, isolation, and a lack of social cohesion are at record highs. It’s nice to see someone turn back the hands of time on that front, if just a little bit, reminding us about everything that works outside of the corporate-controlled, digitally enhanced world of the top forty still has it.
Loren Sperry
