Seattle's AARON MANNINO is a pretty good songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, with more than enough skill to put together this full-sounding album of 13 decent songs. It’s a second album with a confident touch and a good range of material - lyrically and instrumentally. A sympathetic small band sit in on the sessions.
The emotional and narrative contents don’t connect with me in any obvious way. There's a lingering mild disappointment in the tone than some will relate to. What I can hear above all is the writer and arranger at work, but I can’t get myself into that receptive state where I can be part of each song. And I have a feeling that this appreciative, but not bowled over response will be a common reaction.
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The most distinctive song, and the one that drew me back from inattention was the simple, extended tune at the very end, "Somewhere (I Can Feel again} uses a repeated descending phrase on a piano synth and plenty of reverb on the undecorated vocal line. Violin and guitar are added and it builds into an impressive and much more engaging song than the album had offered up to its appearacne. More risks are taken, it’s longer and it suggests that there is more at this level to come in the future.
www.last.fm/music/Aaron+Mannino
www.myspace.com/aaronmannino
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