Na Hoa goes for a blissful dreamy world with the beautiful “Leo Kama’aina”. Done with the greatest of ease, the languid pacing feels just right. From the elegant piano weaving in and out of the mix to graceful guitar, the whole thing simply stuns.
A highly energetic, wild spirit defines Mark Lindsay’s “Rush On You”. Rhythms have a great insistence to them. By far the highlight comes from the feral vocals that have a chaotic quality to them.
The journey of Slight Return and Mark Kassa’s “69 Days Till Freedom” feels positively epic. Everything works, from the buildup to the colossal series of ornate layers, it all works. Chops prove to be absolutely impeccable as the song careens about without a care.
Soothing to its very core is the reflective “Bring It Down” where Sangeeta Kaur sings with crystal clarity. Done with the utmost of perfection the track draws from pop and classical in such a graceful fashion. Everything possesses such a great sense of balance.
Robin Spielberg takes deliberate steps on the lovely “Spellbound”. Delicate piano work anchors the entirety of the piece. Truly making the instrument sing the whole piece has a meditative quality to it.
Going for a deeply resonant sound is the darkened beauty of OBLIVEA’s “The Way Things Stand”. Vocals soar up into the sky. The guitar work opts for a dreamy disposition letting it all swirl into a kaleidoscopic whole.
Tremendous colors define the whole of Zombie Garden Club’s blissed-out shoegaze “Animals (Long Version)”. A great spirit of optimism pours through the entirety of the piece. Wild and carefree the track embodies a strong sense of freedom.
Minimalism reigns supreme on Studeo on the noir of “our Perfect Place To Be”. Touching upon classic lounge with a surreal twist the song soars about with a serene calm. By far the heart comes from the otherworldly vocals.
Kama Ruby sings with a raw grit and soul on the Americana “Badlands of Bakersfield”. Detail matters a great deal from the laid-back rhythms to the playful fiddle work. Proving to be a great storyteller the song has a lived-in quality to it.
With a commanding presence Sheba The Mississippi Queen’s “Butter On My Rolls” opts for a big band bluesy sway. Nicely updating the blues sound with a hint of electronica the whole thing is full of a sense of life. Large and proud the whole track goes for a timeless style.
The fantastic build of Sharon Lia Band’s “Anomie” feels fresh. Neon-hued synthesizers pulse through the entirety of the track. Best of all are the vocals that rest at the very heart of the whole journey.
Annemarie Picerno goes for a folksy singer-songwriter tradition on the powerful “Bonfire feat. Lisa Coppola, Jimmy Parker, Donna Jo, Steve Own, Benny Pitsinger, Gene DiPierro and Bob McGilpin”. Emphasizing a sense of togetherness, the way the vocals trade off makes the song akin to a conversation. With just the right arrangement it all feels truly honest and tender to its very core.
Truly potent with his delivery, Damian Wyldes sings with spirit on “Disengage”. Everything about it has a sweep cinematic affect from the strings to his undeniably powerful voice. Quite beautiful the whole of the track has a balance to it that feels uniquely pastoral.
Cyclical with a slight hint of yearning Jim McCarty’s “A Special Girl” has a distinct 70s quality to it. Vocals feel reminiscent of Van Morrison’s poetic delivery. Keeping the arrangement to the essentials the piece has a clear-eyed intensity.
Weird and wonderful, the Violanta go for a carnival-esque musing on “La Bohemienne”. Done with the greatest level of care they opt for a pure sense of playfulness. The melodic richness possesses a childlike sense of wonder and joy.
The Kevin Lucas Experience go for an all-consuming, swirling world on the transformative “Africa feat. Wouter Kellerman, Alek Razdan, Dave Gross, Ricky Kej and Jerome Lawrence”. Instrumentally dense the way the track twists and turns feels outright magical. Highly ornate the seemingly endless array of patterns becomes truly dazzling.
Perfectly bringing it all to a conclusion is the Corridors carefully crafted rush of “Chain Reaction”. A truly intense trip their blurred rhythms have a driving quality to them. By far the highlight comes from their haunting vocals that seemingly rise above.
Official Album Page: https://bongoboyrecords.com/the61stfyc/
Line Up:
1. Na Hoa – Leo Kama’aina 3:28
2. Mark Lindsay (former Lead Singer of Paul Revere & the Raiders) – Rush On You 2:43
3. Slight Return / Mark Kassa – 69 Days Till Freedom 6:19
4. Sangeeta Kaur – Bring It Down 4:11
5. Robin Spielberg – SPELLBOUND
6. OBLIVEA – The Way Things Stand 3:47
7. Zombie Garden Club – Animals (Long Version) 4:50
8. Studeo – Our Perfect Place To Be 4:06
9. Kama Ruby – Badlands of Bakersfield 4:01
10. Sheba The Mississippi Queen – Butter On My Rolls 3:49
11. Sharon Lia Band – Anomie 4:37
12. The Corridors – Chain Reaction 4:00
13. Annemarie Picerno – BONFIRE feat. Lisa Coppola, Jimmy Parker, Donna Jo, Steve Owen, Benny Pitsinger, Gene DiPierro and Bob McGilpin 4:26
14. Damian Wyldes – Disengage 5:38
15. Jim McCarty (The Yardbirds) A Special Girl 4:47
16. The Violanta – La Bohemienne 2:36
17. Kevin Lucas Experience – Africa feat. Wouter Kellerman, Alek Razdan, Dave Gross, Ricky Kej and Jerome Lawrence 4:38
