Musicians: Jesse Batiuk (guitar, all instrumentation)
Review: Los Angeles native Jesse Batiuk puts his guitar playing abilities on full showcase on his debut release Bluephoria. Batiuk goes for a vintage tone and vibe. Playing over mostly relaxed and simple rhythms, (generated by an electronic drum and bass machine) the album carries a warm glow, and that familiar feeling of guitar rock tones (that is a good thing on this album). Batiuk’ s playing shows much promise, but the simple compostions and computer generated rhythm section weaken the overall sound. It keeps the guitar playing from sounding extra-ordinary. The songs are all very brief, there is a presentation of an idea and then the song goes into a quick fadeout, and premature close. Despite these down points, Batiuk’ s guitar playing manages a consistent vintage tone and vibe throughout the whole album. A couple of adjustments for the next time around and improvement is inevitable. A decent release from a promising artist.
Tracks: La Costa, Bluephoria, Porcelain, Null, Definitions, Essential, Awakenings, Drown
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