MIKE COACCI – Change (2014)

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Born in Italy but established in the USA since many years ago, guitarist / singer and composer MIKE COACCI has been working as session player and touring the East / West Coast with his band with gigs at venues like the famous Whisky a Go-Go, The Baked Potato, The Bitter End of New York or Philadelphia’s The Dobbs.
It was time for Coacci’s first solo album, the rocking CD titled “Changes“, released at the end of past year.

Michele Coacci is a skilled six-string slinger, he actually can sing, and his own penned songs are strong pieces of classic rock with an updated sound. Mike’s music mixes influences ranging from Jimi Hendrix to Bad Company to more contemporary artists like John Taglieri.
The 10 rockers in “Changes” are highly melodic, bluesy and with some energetic funk injections in the vein of Ritchie Kotzen (“Scared of Your Love”, “In the Eye of the Storm”, “Only Me”), while the more bluesy groovy numbers “Precious Thing” or “Tonight” bring to mind Matti Alfonzetti’s recent project Red, White & Blues.

There’s more commercial cuts with a melodic rock smell such as “Tell Me (What You Feel Right Now)” – akin Dan Reed’s recent work – and “Take”, the more poppy track and single / video, which if not bad, is not the best song on the album so don’t take it as parameter.
All songs are played with an organic feel, adorned with Hammond B3 keyboards and a steady rhythm section, so the overall sound is more melodic than ‘raw power trio’.

Highly professionally recorded and produced, “Changes” is an enjoyable collection of classic rock tunes.
As said, the songs are strong, there’s a great guitar work all over (including acoustics) and Coacci owns an easily likeable voice quite well modulated according the vibe of each song.
Bluesy melodic rockers with a dash of funk is the recipe on this CD, with a sound / style in the mould of Ritchie Kotzen solo.
Recommended listen.

01 – Tell Me (What You Feel Right Now)
02 – Take
03 – Scared of Your Love
04 – Tonight
05 – In the Eye of the Storm
06 – Precious Thing
07 – What Are You Looking For?
08 – Suicide Game
09 – Only Me
10 – Change

Mike Coacci – vocals, guitars
Gianmarco Petti – bass
Luca Cetroni – drums

BUY IT !
www.cdbaby.com/cd/mikecoacci4
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