Cicola is a one-man band from Columbus Ohio. This enigmatic singer/songwriter by the name of Jason Cicola puts the heart into blues and folk music. The opening track, "My American Dream,” on his latest album, Cicola III, makes this abundantly clear. It's packed full of spirit. The type of song that transcends beyond the chords and melodies -- it's not just about the way in which it was written but the performance from Cicola himself. You can hear the heartbreak in every single word sung. The thing I love most about this track is the haunting, harrowing feel of the melody; Cicola really does convey a disturbing, dark atmosphere on this opener.
And that's why it was a pleasant surprise to see a different side to this talented musician on the second track, "Last Call.” Darkness is replaced with a slightly more feathery, somber track. A ballad, more than a dissonant tune. There's another lovely vocal melody to this track, but it's definitely more of a stripped-back piece -- just Jason Cicola and his acoustic guitar. And he does a fantastic job of proving that's all he needs to deliver an astoundingly beautiful performance. That being said, there is a soothing, sliding clean electric guitar solo towards the end of the track. It really closes off the song nicely. Love the chorus on this track and everything else about it. Another belter of a tune. One of my personal favorites on the album is "The One That Got Away.” I love the slow, bluesy beat, acoustic guitar progression, and electrifying lead electric guitar. This is a funky, engaging piece of music. Cicola really does a wonderful job of utilizing guitars in such different ways throughout the album -- he traverses so many different genres, and each one is traversed sublimely. His husky vocals really shine on this particular track though. I particularly enjoyed the vocal melodies sung with Cicola's harmonized backing voice -- he really has mastered the art of putting on a one-man show. And then there's the closer, "Chapter 3: Going Home.” What an outro to a wonderful album. More hauntingly pristine acoustic guitar-picking, both on the rhythm and lead guitars. Cicola's vocals ring out powerfully; every word, as always, oozes with passion. You can tell how much each song means to him. Each track is more than a catchy melody -- it's a page on which he pours out his innermost thoughts. Cicola III is truly an exceptional album from start to finish for this very reason -- it's not often that musicians truly feel their music in the way that Cicola clearly does.
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