New York native now Alabama resident Joe DeVita has been performing throughout the United States for approximately 18 years in a variety of contexts from jazz combos to singer/songwriter and experimental, live looping performances. DeVita's music has been featured on radio and publications internationally including BBC6, Wyoming Public Radio, as well as jazz magazines in Russia. His latest release was recorded, mixed, and mastered at The Monastery, in Birmingham, Alabama, using the DAW, Reason.Thematically, this album is a running narrative of falling in and out of love while exploring the path of self-discovery. Sonically, the album is reminiscent of Blood on The Tracks and Grace.
“Preamble” starts the album off with a beautiful, piano melody – slow with a bit of melancholy. In the song’s second verse, some added ambient-like synths join in. I would say, this tender soft ballad that features reassuring lyrics, feels like a love song. Next up is “Traveling Song” and it features a stripped-down sound, with just the acoustic and DeVita on vocals. The lyrics point to the anticipating feeling of “coming home” centered around a happy rhythmic melody. “A Love” is an all-instrumental track that delves into experimental, ambient sounds. Heavy, warm bass tones play the backbone, while synths weave in and out of time. “Left” is another acoustic number that features a rambling rhythm. After a bit, the bass comes in but in a very subtle way that is barely audible. After the second verse, a fuzzy guitar comes in, along with synths and a marching beat on the snare. I liked how this one enfolded slowly, as well as how the instruments became louder towards the end. Overall, this tune had an inspiring feeling to it. Moving onto “I Speak to the Wind” you’ll find DeVita singing a cappella. He sings “This won’t work / The hounds won’t feed” “the bed we shared is a relic now” and “I speak to the wind more and more, with each passing day but it never stays.” I think this tune expresses the theme of self-discovery very well, where DeVita may have had a “a-ha” moment of realization while he was crafting this song. “Sky” is a tender and emotional piano tune, with a gorgeous melody and a little bass accompaniment. Lyrically, there are few words sung and I thought it was De Vita’s most vulnerable tune on the album. It was also one of my favorites. “One Step Beyond” fades in slowly, with a deep foreboding sound of synths and a gentle, rambling acoustic. DeVita’s vocal here is a very high tenor, and the words have mystery and metaphor to them. I recommend listening to this song for its unique arrangement of instruments, the song’s storytelling quality and DeVita’s voice. Next is “Limbo,” one of the longer songs on the album. This all instrumental takes on a Latin-lounge/World/tropic summer kind of feeling in the first half, and then breaks away going into an experimental/ambient/techno jazz style – I’m not sure how else to describe it. After this, DeVita returns the song back to its opening measures. A lot of instruments being played here – it was refreshing to hear this kind of song alongside the other tracks. The album’s title track “The Cave of The Heart” is perhaps DeVita’s most experimental on the album. The synths start things off (which were bouncing back and forth between my ears at first) and then another layer of heavy, ambient synths come in. In the background, are some words being spoken, but they were too faint to distinguish what was being said. Later, a soft bass beat joins in and the song crescendos into a climatic end before dropping off. I thought this tune had an inspiring vibe to it. On “Glimpse” DeVita sings, “I don’t belong here / I never did / Why should I sit here and wait for a glimpse of you” suggesting that his relationship has taken a detour and the love he once knew with someone else has ended. The piano melody is sad and melancholic, but the sound it makes is very warm and inviting. Another vulnerable and tenderly written song I would recommend listening to. The last track is called “Vapours” and stylistically, this tune showcases a little bit of everything – ambient, acoustic, alternative and experimental. I felt DeVita’s words were some of his best on the album – you can really tell that a lot of care and thought went into this song. He gives in by trusting that love is a powerful force that we don’t need to be afraid of – “By my side / Lead me if you want / I’ll jump on in with everything I’ve got / If I land on the rocks, it’s the only death I want / Your hand in mine.” That’s about all that needs to be said in this moving love song. Joe DeVita’s The Cave of The Heart, takes listeners into those dark places within one’s heart, weaving a narrative of love gained, and love lost, and eventually, coming to a place within us that discovers there is existence beyond the shadow of another. Comparatively speaking, no one band or artist came to mind, although DeVita’s gorgeous tenor made me think of Neil Finn’s from the Australian band, Crowded House.
0 Comments
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
Critique/insightWe are dedicated to informing the public about the different types of independent music that is available for your listening pleasure as well as giving the artist a professional critique from a seasoned music geek. We critique a wide variety of niche genres like experimental, IDM, electronic, ambient, shoegaze and much more.
Are you one of our faithful visitors who enjoys our website? Like us on Facebook
Archives
May 2024
|