BOBBY MESSANO – Bad Movie (2017)
“Bad Movie” is the new album by BOBBY MESSANO. Does the name ring a bell? Messano is one of the greatest – and most requested – session guitarists in the US music scene. He has recorded with all, from Gloria Gaynor to Joe Lynn Turner, has been the music director for Steve Winwood and Foreigner’s Lou Gramm solo career, and of course, Messano was the man who crafted Fiona’s melodic rock sound all over her ’80s albums.
Over the years, Messano has become a successful solo artist, and for his own work, he chose to play and sing the music he grew up with: blues. But not your regular, traditional blues… “Bad Movie”, for the most part, kicks with a hard rockin’ nerve.
Great bluesy rock comes from real and powerful emotion and requires an artist wiling to reveal his whole soul to his listeners. Bobby is that sort of artist.
He wrote or co-wrote all but one of these songs and some of them are heartfelt political commentary, but like many musicians, life on the road has led to some romantic misadventures and they do indeed, sound like a very ‘bad movie’.
And like blues men do, he weaves these bad experiences into song, often with a mix of heartbreak and humor.
All of these songs are great by themselves, but Bobby has stressed to this writer that you should really listen to them in order. So let us begin with the opening title track, which builds like it should be over the opening credits and then bursts into a raucous rant. The guitars wail and the overall feel is real, true rock n’ roll from the guts.
Then comes the amazing ‘Come To Your Senses’, co-written by Queen founder Brian May, and it is perfect for Bobby’s voice. Great arrangements and guitar work.
He then delivers a beautiful, brooding ballad, which also showcases the sensitive side of his guitar playing and gives us the first real glimpse of Bobby’s battered heart, ‘Why Water a Dead Rose?’ The crescendo of Messano’s guitar is heart stopping such is the majesty of it. I love the Jimi Hendrix influence of this deeply personal song.
Of course here are some songs with roots in delta blues, like ‘Road To Oblivion’ where couples acoustic slide guitar with a more modern feel to create a fresh sound.
But do not be fooled, this CD rocks.
There’s a heavy, hard rock punch on the groove monster ‘Unconventional Wisdom’, the fun and dynamic ‘Never Too Late To Break A Bad Habit’ (very Gary Moore) and a classic rock feel in ‘American Spring’.
Messano adds a killer shuffle to the funky rocker ‘Too Good To Be True’ which has great character and a cocky attitude bringing to mind David Lee Roth’s solo albums. Love it!
Messano is a master at the 6-strings but also as arranger and conductor: there’s a superb atmosphere in ‘The Girl That Got Away’, a slow burn bluesy rocker with superb guitar work recalling Moore’s Still Got the Blues.
If you need ballads you find some really fine numbers here, being my favorite ‘Water Under The Bridge’, a haunting duet with Bobby and Alecia Elliott (2001 AMA Nominee) offering a unique Americana feel.
Bobby Messano is the real deal: this is a true, ‘real’ musician like few you can find in the current Rock scene. Yes, Messano mostly play & tour in Blues venues, but the man belongs to the Rock territory.
“Bad Movie” is more rock than blues, or call it ‘rockin’ blues’, but one thing is for sure; do you miss Gary Moore?… listen to Bobby Messano.
HIGHLY Recommended
01 – Bad Movie
02 – Come To Your Senses
03 – Why Water A Dead Rose
04 – Road To Oblivion
05 – Unconventional Wisdom
06 – Too Good To Be True
07 – If The Phone Ain’t Ringin’ It’s Me Not Callin’
08 – Never Too Late To Break A Bad Habit
09 – Water Under The Bridge
10 – You Left Me No Choice
11 – The Girl That Got Away
12 – I Thought We Had This
13 – We Need A Blessing
14 – Is It Too Much To Hope For A Miracle
15 – American Spring
Bobby Messano – guitars, lead & backing vocals
Ed Canova – bass, backing vocals
Nioshi Jackson – drums, percussion, backing vocals
Pete Gallinari – keyboards
Jon Tiven – sax
Alecia Elliott – backing vocals, duet on 9
BUY IT !
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