Aaron Comess - Beautiful Mistake

Aaron Comess - Beautiful Mistake

2011, Aaron Comess

Aaron Comess is a multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer who has collaborated with the likes of Joan Osborne, David Foster, Phil Ramone, Isaac Hayes, Chris Whitley, Marc Cohn and Natasha Bedingfield (among others).  You might remember Comess as a founding member of The Spin Doctors (drums).  However you may have crossed musical paths with Aaron Comess, there can be no doubt that his talents have aided and abetted some pretty big names in the music business.  On June 14, 2011, Comess releases his second solo instrumental album, Beautiful Mistake. 

Comess surrounds himself with first class musicians on Big Mistake, allowing the ensemble to stand out as a whole, and in individually, while he quietly drives the action with variegated rhythms.  Opening with "Truth", Comess starts listeners off in mellow, thoughtful tones.  Guitar is the lead voice here, imparting a sort of stodgy melodicism that is more fluid and lyric than it first appears.  "Beautiful Mistake" is a deceptive and archaic waltz that occasional breaks into a swing beat.  Bass and percussion create a rhythmic bed that is entrancing, while Comess' guitarist has his way with your ears in a guitar sound that's part Prince and part Eric Johnson.  Comess and ensemble build all of this into a rollicking jam that sweeps you up in its pure joy.  "Past Present & Future" builds on a polyrhythmic feel with quirky guitar sounds, sounding like a compositional study in rhythmic aberrations.  It's entertaining and offbeat, and could be taken as run through with a wicked sense of humor. 

Comess drops into mellow rumination for "Kumpelicious", delving into some vaguely Hendrix-style riffs in a mellow side-trip of sound.  "Castkills Last Waltz" is jaunty and fun, with something a swing sensibility built loosely into the arrangement.  What will really catch your ear here is the phrasing on the guitar, which transcends technical competence to that thing they call "touch" or "feel".  As a counter, Comess pulls a complete left turn into the bowels of garage rock for "Dirt", an angular and distorted bit of fun that serves as a perfect counter to the pure essence it follows.

"Limbo" sounds like a blend of Steve Howe and Greg Kihn; funky and full of a bubbling energy.  The exceptional guitar work here is punctuated by rhythms and sounds that begin by distracting and slowly enmesh themselves into the creation that is the song.  Comess tries his hand at gothic-style film scoring on "Unleash The Beast", a messy-but-fun composition that gets points for style and pure chutzpah.  "Lullabye" serves as a spoiler, a sweet, flowing melody as a moment of piece in the maelstrom of creation imparted on Beautiful Mistake.  The moment of peace is over quickly, however, as Comess and band launches into the muscular-yet-atmospheric "High Five".  What starts out as a straight forward composition builds in intensity and style, adding funk and volume until it's ready to blow out the top. 

"Stinky" is an edgy new-age pop instrumental.  Mild-mannered, but rough enough around the edges to not quite fit into the traditional new age category.  Comess answers back with "Bubble Blues", which is bathed in distortion and reverb.  It doesn't really add a lot to the album, but is an interesting diversion that leads into the spritely sweet closing track, "I Love You".  Everything flows at the end, as Comess has save his purest melodic moment for last.

Beautiful Mistake is a pleasant surprise.  So many pop/rock instrumental albums out there rely on cyclical arrangements and blind creation, often resulting in repetitive or derivative creations that seem anathema to the creative process.  Comess has structured Beautiful Mistake with an ear for musical diversity and progression, forcing himself continually over new ground rather than recapturing the same harmonic and melodic fields again and again.  Not every moment here will work for every listener, but Comess keeps things original and new throughout the album.  Consequently, those will listen complacently will miss a lot.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Aaron Comess at www.aaroncomess.com or www.myspace.com/aaroncomess.  Beautiful Mistake drops on CD on June 14, 2011.  The album is already available digitally from Amazon.com or iTunes.

Morgen La Civita - Old Souls

Morgen La Civita - Old Souls

2010, Morgen La Civita

Old Souls opens with "On And On", a dark and mysterious rocker with elements of Middle Eastern music and bluegrass pick work.  This catchy tune is sort of a "witchy woman" for the 21st century, and is a great bit of songwriting with a catchy mien.  "What Love Can Do" has a funky groove and features La Civita in great voice.  It may not turn out to be a fan favorite, but survives nicely on La Civita's salesmanship as a performer.  "Who Is This Woman" is an interesting exploration of how we often lose sight of who we are as we grow.  La Civita crafts a lush and lovely melody while reminding us that often the child we remember is not the adult we become.  "Divine Grace" is a prayer and message in song; dark and hopeful and featuring an intriguing intellectual approach. 

With a solid start, La Civita struggles a bit the rest of the way.  Things get slow until she breaks out with the funky and vibrant "Whole Lotta Trouble".  This is a great bit of danceable songwriting and worth checking out.  "Grandmother's Song" makes the jump from From The Basement and is as charming as it was the first time around.  "925" falls flat, but La Civita recovers to close with a live version of "Pretty Marie" (also from From The Basement. 

Morgen La Civita has a voice that's full of context and character.  You might not describe it as pretty so much as full of a regal beauty.  Like royalty, there's a distance between La Civita and the listener, but her performances are informed and heartfelt in spite of that slight separation.  When La Civita is on her game the songwriting is above average, and she can occasionally save a song on the strength of her egalitarian grace, but a handful of songs on Old Souls seems uninspired.  This is one of those occasions when a highly above average EP gets turned in an average or slightly above full-length album.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Morgen La Civita at www.morgenlacivita.com or www.facebook.com/morgen.lacivita.  Old Souls is available digitally from Amazon.com, iTunes and CDBaby.

Singer/songwriter and voiceover artist Morgen La Civita returned on Halloween this year with her second album, Old Souls.  The effort finds La Civita expanding on the sound she debuted on her first EP ­­­From The Basement, showing growth as both a songwriter and lyricist.