John Vento perfect a mixture of modern and classic rock with “For What It’s Worth”. Surprisingly timely given the mood of the world at this precise moment, John offers such insight into the ways of the world with this particular piece. The way he hands off the sound from the rustic, yellowed nostalgic elements to the newer, almost futuristic sort of sampling helps to give this sound such a sense of dimension to it. Usage of these found sounds helps to further flesh out the whole of the scope.
The evolution of the groove feels beautiful for the sound offers nods to a great deal of musicians. From the beginning there are strong links to Buffalo Springfield directly, in terms of the lyrics themselves. Everything about it has a loveliness to it for it swirls about. Beats bounce off each other and the rhythm itself has a warmth that helps to grow the whole of the atmosphere. Little flourishes matter a great deal for the song features a grandeur that expands out into the infinite. Done with such care the references to Beck’s collage-like compositions are unavoidable. Even the vocals themselves further attest to this influence, as they are sung with poignancy. Within the piece there are little shifts that reverberate in a way that has a fully lived-in presence.
A clever balance of old and new, John Vento proves to be an exceptional artist with “For What It’s Worth”.
