Spaccacuore by Alessandro Bottura

Spaccacuore by Alessandro Bottura
Alessandro Bottura is back with a brand new release after enjoying great success with his debut album, Morning Grooves, which was released in March 2009 to rave reviews by both critics and fans. Bottura’s latest track, “Spaccacuore” is a medium tempo groove that speaks of unrequited love and the pain that accompanies it. The constant “wah wah” on the guitar pedaling into a syncopated piano figure is a good backdrop for Bottura’s vocals which have a great smoky (and I might also add “sexy”) sound. In fact, this particular vocal performance reminds me of Phil Collins. Bottura, a multi-talented multi-instrumentalist (piano, guitar, drums and bass) does a great job with this song, originally recorded by Samuele Bersani in 2004, and then again in 2009 by Laura Pausani, who took it to new heights. The four piece rhythm section features a nice electric bass solo on the breakdown between verses. Morning Grooves both introduced Bottura and solidified him as a bonifide rock/pop/jazz musician with talent to stand the test of time – not an easy feat in the music industry. Bottura has been compared to Jaco Pastorius, an American jazz musician and composer who was widely known for his skills as an electric bass guitarist, and his performance on “Spaccacuore” only reinforces that parallel. The tune is solid, enjoyable though melancholy, and while it may be classified as adult contemporary rock, it is infused with a hint of jazz flavor for spice. “Spaccacuore” builds to a layered background with vocal harmonies and power fuzz guitar chords before fading to a nice finish. - Michele Wilson-Morris, MusicDish

"Morning Grooves Special Digital Edition" by Alessandro Bottura

New Review by MovimentiProg Magazine
Brand new “Morning Grooves” review appeared on italian magazine “MovimentiProg”

Enjoy it and stay tuned for more!

“Mind, Passion And Instinct: the triptych “Mind, Passion and Instinct”- the title of one of the songs that make up this disc – seems to be the compass that guides the work of Alessandro Bottura. The little genius of progressive fusion and funky colors, the young musician from Modena is more than a bassist: composer and instrumentalist, has created this intriguing debut album “Morning Grooves” in complete solitude.
After having the experience in groups such as NoLogo and Landslide Ladies, Bottura studied in the USA with Jeff Berlin and returned back to Italy where he received more endorsements. The meeting with the manager Mark A. Forrest back in the States and through Las Vegas they have launched their project to the world. The hard fact is that they are enjoying wide international radio shows and good music reviews.
The secret? The balance between the different components: the technical element is subordinate to the objectives clearly defined, the emotional balance of virtuosity, funk soul and warms the typical jazz-fusion solutions, often diverted into reggae and rock shores. ”Out of sight,” the piece quoted at the beginning, the overwhelming “MayDay Mayhem” and “Tropical Night” mixing different influences (from jazz-rock as “flesh” of the ’70s nu-jazz to contemporary, from Weather Report ‘s Jaco goes to Medeski Martin & Wood), the calypso of “Quetzalcoatl” is buzzing as the eclectic funk “Stern Memories” from the vague references to Hendrix.
A fine debut album from a valuable Italian musician, who awaits a second trial, perhaps with a group that can enhance even more its project.”

Donato Zoppo
Movimenti Prog

ENTROPIA 2010: MIND SURGERY

www.eclectic.it

ENTROPIA: ANEMIC CINEMA new release 2010

www.eclectic.it

www.myspace.com/entropiaexperience

Zach Jones' Fading Flowers

CD REVIEW: Zach Jones "Fading Flowers"

When musicians go it alone and depart on a solo project, it usually means that they've been doing theircurrent thing for quite a while and have garnered a ton of recognition, maybe a handful of hit songs on the radio, and they just want to do something new and different. In Zach Jones' case, he has been part of a successful indie band, As Fast As, that never rocketed to the top of the charts, but maybe should have. So, for his solo project he wanted to showcase his own power pop abilities and managed to do a bang up job. Elements of Weezer and Fountains Of Wayne can be heard throughout the entire album, with Zach adding his own twist and flavor to the traditional power pop sound. "3,000 Miles" and "Round & Round" are two songs that are sure to help Zach break out of the unknown sector and become a force of the independent power pop genre. Zach Jones has proven that he can go it alone and be the frontman and rock just as hard as when he's with his bandmates in As Fast As.

Mike Mineo Releases "Eccentricity"!!!!!

NEVERNOTHING RECORDS, LLC is proud to announce the new album release of Mike Mineo's "Eccentricity". Produced by Brent Williams. Brent has engineered for such artists as (Cat Power, Burning Spear, The Temptations).

Mike Mineo's music is best described as Avant-Garde Pop Music. It is a familiar approach to an old sentiment. Brent WIlliams producer of Eccentricity and manager of the label NeverNothing Records, LLC which he started explicitly for Mineo after being told by a major label that Mike Mineo would be too much competition for one of their own top billing artists. Williams is in deep with the artist he's fostered since they met a few years ago during an open-mic night at Koffeeoke, a coffee shop in Delray Beach. "I was drawn to his raw talent. I felt the same thing that a lot of people feel when they see him, like 'What the fuck are you doing here?' "

Williams rents a five-bedroom house in Delray Beach, and two bedrooms are set aside for his studio. Mineo also sleeps in one of the rooms, an arrangement that has afforded them the opportunity to take their time.

"We got to work on each song over the last year and a half," Williams says. "We just let things grow and took our time so that we could do it exactly the way that we wanted to."

Their process certainly was meticulous. Three songs feature string arrangements written by cellist Oksana Pankiv. "Doing the string quartet on the album took a few months," Williams says. "We went to Stetson University in Deland to record strings. We had free rein of the place. They had a piano and a harpsichord, and Mike jumped on the harpsichord and played it like he'd been playing it his entire life."

"The track 'Eccentricity' wasn't working for us either," Williams adds. "We decided that we needed a pedal steel guitar. I had to farm it out to a guy in Iowa, but that sound brings it all together."

"Eccentricity," the title track, addresses people who rub Mineo the wrong way with the sort of eccentric antics that he can't buy into. It also poses a question about its subjects that people might wonder about him as well: "Is this deep or just eccentric?"

The track also references Shakespeare's character Hamlet, one of the most impenetrable madmen in Western literature. As is the case with Hamlet, it's uncertain how much of Mineo's curious behavior is evidence of keen perception and how much is just plain oddness. His recordings, for the most part, are less peculiar than his person. But for occasional maniacal laughter on a few songs, the album mostly presents profound awareness and a positive message.

"Ain't no problems right here, my dear," is howEccentricity's big, brassy opening track, "Believe," begins lyrically. Mineo goes on to encourage people to worry less about their problems and "just believe." "Where Did You Go?" plods along like a playful elephant, with Bill Muter's tuba setting a New Orleans-style tone. Instead of whining about a departed lover, the song confronts her with an appeal to be reasonable: "Where did you go?/Why won't you just acknowledge one thing that I did/Before you go and blow it all up in your head?"

Eccentricity's tracks cover a range of genres: jazzy lounge song "Lucky Coin," the soulful "Easy Livin'," country-influenced "Eccentricity," the Broadway-caliber drama in "Old Shoes," and the folk-flavored polka of "Movin' to France."

The album has 18 hit worthy tracks and is a steal for $9.99. So don't hesitate to buy this album. Mr. Mineo is about to show the world what he is made of!!!

Tesla's Christmas...a chance to give back

It's been a tough year. My wife and I are very thankful to still have a roof over our heads and food on the table. Many are not as blessed. You see them on the streets, their homes have been foreclosed on. They barely have enough to get by... and some don't. Then, there are also the "other" family members, dogs, cats, etc. Some are abandoned on a highway, others killed at the end of their stay at the local animal shelter. Why?... because people don't have money to take care of them, let alone themselves.

About a month ago, I decided to use my music to give back. An eclectic project, "Tesla's Christmas", was born. The songs are comprised of Christmas Carols... some familiar and others not. Combining electronica with ancient sounding instruments, "these carols will remind you of something you've never heard before".
My wife and I will give all the profits we receive to a couple of charities that are close to our hearts:
The Rescue Mission of Salt Lake City and No More Homeless Pets in Utah
This is the very least we can do to help... Christmas should last 365 days a year.
Blessings, Richard & Cyndi Souther

Click HERE to buy "Tesla's Christmas"