The EP opens with “Heartbeat,” which begins with just
guitar easing us in. But it isn’t long before the song kicks in, signaled by
Joe’s “Huh,” and becomes a good, raw
rock number, Joe Mazzari’s vocals with just the right rough quality as he delivers
lines like “I heard her screaming like a
train whistle.” And I absolutely love these lines: “I’ve been lonesome, even in my dreams/When you’re here, I don’t feel
quite so low/When you’re gone, it ain’t as bad as it seems.” Maybe it’s
because of the long-distance aspect of my relationship, but those lines are
really effective. Anyway, this track works as a solid rock tune, but also is
not lacking substance. You know? It’s followed by “No One At Your Door,” which
also begins with the guitar part, which has almost a punk vibe at the start. I
dig the urgency in the rhythm and vocal line. “Is it me or is it him/I don’t know the score/This game is wearing
thin/You don’t need me anymore.” It’s not quite anger in his voice. It’s
like he wants to be angry, but things have been going on like this for long
enough that maybe he’s just ready for the end. By the song’s finish, however,
his voice is raised, as if to put an end to it on his terms.
“World Gone Crazy” is a cool tune right from its start. “In a world gone crazy/In a world of sin/Cyclone
ripped me out of my shoes/Whirlpool sucks me in.” It draws you in, feels
like it might pounce at any moment, that guitar teasing us, luring us to the
song’s center where it can do with us as it pleases. It’s a song with power, and
one of my personal favorites. And that lead guitar part halfway through is
wonderful, the way Joe lets a note play and fade, the way he incorporates
pauses so that we pay even more attention to what is played. And the song’s
title certainly seems apt these days, doesn’t it? I still can’t believe that
racist dipshit is in the White House. Toward the end, when Joe shouts “Let’s go,” I feel like we are already
there. The tune then grows quiet just before one last explosion at the very
end.
“World Gone Crazy” is followed by “If Tears Were Dirt,”
in which Joe tells us, “I ain’t gonna
live with this broken heart,” the line delivered in a straight-forward way,
almost as spoken word. That helps make it feel like truth. “And I know you’re hurt, hasn’t been the best
of years/We ain’t gonna live a day apart, day apart.” After a minute or so,
this song suddenly is kicked up several notches. And as there are peaks like
that, there are also valleys to this one, making for an interesting journey.
Yes, this song is another of the EP’s highlights. Then “Show Me Your Scars” has
a gentler folk vibe, which I love. “When
your thoughts run like rivers, I will slow them down/When you lose your way, I’ll
turn you back around.” And as he sings the title line, the experience in
his voice gives us the impression that he too has his own scars. The EP then
concludes with “Passion Tipped Arrow,” which also is more in the folk realm.
CD Track List
- Heartbeat
- No One At Your Door
- World Gone Crazy
- If Tears Were Dirt
- Show Me Your Scars
- Passion Tipped Arrow
…To The Edge
was released on June 15, 2017 through Bluzpik Media Group.
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