Jeff Scott SOTO – Revision (2020)
Jeff Scott SOTO is releasing a new album titled “Revision“, where Jeff revisits 10 songs from his catalog, re-imagined, re-recorded, re-done and re-visioned 2020.
All songs have been produced, arranged and performed by Jeff, mostly unplugged including acoustic guitar, bass, piano and percussion – all done by himself. There’s some tracks where there’s just Jeff and his piano, and are amazing.
Only external personnel was used for the Mix, including long time collaborators David Clarkson, John Ellis, and Alessandro Del Vecchio.
There’s a legal conflict with the release of this album as Jeff Scott Soto / JSS, so Jeff decided to use his band SOTO as moniker & logo on the artwork – but this is a true JEFF SCOTT SOTO ‘solo’ album.
“Revision” falls on the unplugged category more than anything. For many years, Jeff has been conceptualizing the idea of re-visioning some songs he wrote 100% of that many of you may have heard on the various albums and releases the originals appeared on.
2020’s forced stay at home orders finally allotted the time needed to make it happen. Jeff wanted to get this out before the holidays, you know, in case you need to gift someone with music.
Jeff own words; “Now, the word ‘revision’ or ‘reimagine’ can worry some but to be honest, what we’ve have to done to the list of songs I will add here is far more unique. I wanted to cover songs where I was the sole writer on both music and lyrics.
As the original idea was to make acoustic versions of them all was the 1st idea, I felt this might be a little boring. Instead, we took 1 song that was normally uptempo and stripped it down as a ballad, a song that was originally an a cappella and completed it as a song with music, a song that was more novelty and gave it an R&B/Soul vibe and so on.”
“For the release, we decided to go the route of putting it out independently, on digital download only (Apple Music, Amazon, etc.,) as it serves the purpose more so than dealing with the burden of physical product (for now).
I feel very strongly you will enjoy the new versions of these songs”.
These are the ones that have been ‘revision’ed:
‘Eyes Of Love’ – The original version of this song was a Hard Rock Pop song so 1st I thought to do it acoustically and stripped down. This didn’t sound as exciting as what I eventually settled on, stripping it down completely to piano and lead vocal only, like I was just sitting at a piano bar tinkering about. It felt so organic removing all the bells and whistles and turning it into this personal mood setting.
‘My Love, My Friend’ – This appeared on the Soul SirkUS debut album ‘World Play’ as an a cappella I slapped together after Virgil Donati joined the band and we remixed the album with more songs. I thought it would be fun to revision it as a full song with more lyrics and sections.
‘If This Is The End’ – This is the closest to the original version redone for this album, I couldn’t find another way to revise it so I went the route of stripped down piano, percussion and vocals of this classic ballad from 2004.
‘Holding On’ – The original version of this song has such a classic rock ballad feel to it that I didn’t think just doing it on piano and vocal would carry it as strongly. Instead I thought it might be interesting to do a string section and vocal version instead, using The Beatles’ ‘Eleanor Rigby’ as the blueprint. By having an array of strings samples and loops, I pieced something I found intriguing to re-sing this version over.
‘Till The End Of Time’ – Just before I left Eyes, we were demoing songs for a follow up album. They had a song that I finished with melodies and lyrics called Save My Life which once I departed, I used the melodies for new music I wrote which became the original version of this song. Here I am stripping it down, more of an acoustic version of the original.
‘Friend’ – In March of 1994, I relocated to Florida leaving California after the ’94 earthquake, my son was only 5 and remained in LA with his mother. I came out to visit him for a week during his 6th birthday and on the night I dropped him off, he would not stop crying knowing I was leaving the next morning. My heart was destroyed and I wrote this song for him within the next days that appeared on my 1st ever solo album. It was no more than 2 months later, I moved back to LA as I could not have Jason grow up without his dad near. This version is a more moving piano ballad version than its predecessor, I feel the lyric stands out more now.
‘Don’t Walk Away’ – The original version of this was more of a melodic rock ballad that I wanted to lift up a little. I was engulfed in the Prince reissued deluxe/extended edition of ’Sign O’ The Times’ and the original version of a song called ‘Strange Relationship’ inspired me to take it this route, a little funky and uptempo.
‘Your Man’ – The original version of this song appeared on the Talisman album ‘Truth’ which ironically I wrote it more in the vein of a Boyz II Men song. Marcel liked it but thought it would sit better on a Talisman album as a more Queen-esque novelty kind of thing. So it morphed into that and now I have taken it back to the original version but not so Soul oriented.
‘Good Love’ – I wrote this song originally as piano/vocal gospel vibe that 1st appeared on a band I was in called Slam’s demos. I updated it with a full band version that appeared as the bonus track of my solo album ‘Prism’ so for this version its kind of a cafe piano bar feel with its strong blues vibe intact.
‘Somebody 2 Love’ – Finally, the ‘ghost’ track that ended the Eyes debut album as an unlisted a cappella song returns as a Motown-esque, easy listening groove. Added lyrics and a Country slide guitar solo gives this reboot a fresh new sound and life from the 1990 one!
Awesome performances by this incredible vocalist.
01- Eyes Of Love
originally released on the JSS album “Prism” *
02- My Love, My Friend
originally from Soul SirkUS album “World Play” as an a cappella *
03- If This Is The End
originally released on the JSS album “Lost In The Translation” *
04- Holding On
originally released on the JSS album “Prism” **
05- Till The End Of Time
originally released on the JSS album “Prism” ***
06- Friend
originally released on the JSS album “Love Parade” ****
07- Don’t Walk Away
originally released on the JSS album “Prism” ***
08- Your Man
originally released on the Talisman album “Truth” ****
09- Good Love
originally from JSS album “Prism” as a Japanese bonus track *
10- Somebody 2 Love
originally from Eyes debut album as an unlisted a cappella ***
Written, produced, arranged and performed by JSS
Mixed by:
David Clarkson *
John Ellis **
Alessandro Del Vecchio ****
Adriano Daga ***
Mastered by David Clarkson
BUY IT
www.amazon.com/Revision-Soto/dp/B08QFW2XNL
