A.J. Croce - A.J. Croce Review

REVIEWERS NOTE: Well, it's been a while since I put up a review. The problem with the idea of this site is that it is really difficult to find obscure music worth reviewing. This is because almost everything I find is under Chinese influence (obscure to the people reading this by default) or indie, and I have a problem with taking the easy way out. This is my second review, and hopefully you'll enjoy this.

A.J. Croce. Sounds a bit familiar doesn't it? Look at the last name. Anyone who is a fan of folk knows that last name, as it is the last name of the legend Jim Croce, A.J.s father, popular for the song Bad Bad Leroy Brown. Since his fathers death in 1973, Croce has been actively playing music, playing piano since he was 4. On top of that, Croce was completely blind until age 10, taking inspiration from Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder. A.J. never became a folk musician, however, and instead got into playing jazz and blues, with some overtones of early rock. The album being reviewed today is his self titled album, A.J. Croce. This is A.J.s first album, as well as the only album I could get ahold of by him, which is why a link will be provided at the bottom of the page for download this time. I must say that I enjoyed this album quite a bit, as it was very mellow and it was pretty easy to get relaxed to. A few of my favorites include He's Got a Way With Women, I Wonder, and in fact, I actually like just about everything on the album. His voice is pretty cool too, as it reminds me a bit of an older Bob Dylan.

Unfortunately, the album is uninteresting, albeit good. Croce doesn't really take any risks, and isn't that good of a writer. It's actually Croce's unthoughtful writing that brings down A.J.s quality composition. I think this is why Croce may never become a legendary name in music. Jim died too early, and his son hasn't been able to put his name on the map for the 16 years he's been putting stuff out. That's not to say he will never become known, but he's going to have to be a bit more innovative if he thinks he has a shot at holding up the legacy of Jim, who also couldn't really write anything beyond what he saw as "catchy" or "fun", but he became what he was because of his composition, his eagerness to achieve, and his raw talent.

To summarize, A.J. Croce is essentially a sequel to his father Jim. He can't do anything quite as good as the original, but it's nice to hear something different then what you are used to from a particular "name". Will it get you to reevaluate music, question a higher meaning in life, and change your listening habits? Of course not. But it will serve as a painless way to ease yourself into a genre, and a great way to just mellow out on a warm Saturday afternoon or a chilly autumn night.

Verdict: Pretty neat

Download

Cold Fairyland - Seeds on the Ground Review

Cold Fairyland is a Chinese progressive rock/fusion group based in Shanghai. They have several American influences including Jethro Tull, Genesis, and even John Lennon. This group is kind of interesting, because it combines the eastern traditional folk style and blends it with western symphonic rock. This is done by taking riffs in something like 13/8 and layering them with several instruments at a time, effectively creating organized chaos. The music itself is almost to the point of beautiful, from the classical Chinese folk style of Seeds On The Ground to the prog-y fusion sound of Puzzle to the simply brilliant beat heavy Ice Castle.

My issue with this album, actually managing to make me rethink my praise, is that the music is under what I like to call "heavy metal syndrome". This is basically my way of saying that the individual tracks don't have enough to give them personality, and it isn't due to the foreign vocals either, because I do love how it contributes to the sound instead of becoming the song. The songs just don't play with their fusion genre enough, and somehow manages to become stale by the fifth track. It is nice and calming to have in the background while doing other things, but it can't hold my attention by itself. This isn't to say I don't enjoy it, I truly do, but it doesn't have the ability to grab my attention and not let go, save a few tracks like Solemn, Silent Circle and the aforementioned Ice Castle.

In conclusion, this group is one of the most original groups you may hear in a while, jumping into genres you may not have imagined together. The music created on this album was made to flow with other songs incredibly well however, so much so that they had too many songs sounding similar to other songs and not enough songs that make you say "Wow, so this is what music really is!". I recommend this album though, if you are interested in hearing something fresh and original compared to what you may be listening to right now.

Verdict: Give it a shot
LINK TO DOWNLOAD: www.usegoogleyoulazyass.com

A New Beginning

Hey there. It looks like you've stumbled upon my new blog, devoted to the musically curious. I will be devoting this blogspot to reviewing the most obscure music I can get ahold of. If you are expecting music for the coffee house hipster, the radio listening mainstream listener, or the headbanging metal-head, this site is not for you (One of my first reviews covers Chinese folk). I will try to have things up as I find them, and I have at least a half dozen albums I have to get to before I have to worry about before this, so just sit back and relax, and enjoy the musical journey you are about to embark on.

-Alex