A common mistake artists make when creating an album is writing and playing tracks that are indistinguishable amongst one another. This generalization is often the cause of the one hit wonders we read about or relive on a VH1 show. You know those programs where they highlight the top music of the 90s and your usual response after hearing a tune is “Oh, I loved that song. Whatever happened to them?” We have sympathy for those bands who fall into this group, but it is your own fault for not bringing diversity into your tracks.
On a more uplifting note, we can guarantee you that you will never hear a Jim Bianco tune on one of those televisions shows. Bianco has put all those fleeting artists to shame with his third full-length album, Loudmouth, which dropped April 5th. We know we are a little late with the album review, but not commenting on this Joe Cocker-esque masterpiece would be an immense loss to all you music fans.
Bianco is a quadruple threat in the artistic world. As a musician, producer, singer-songwriter and an all-star performer on tour, Bianco’s got creativity down pat. As seen with most people who dabble in several professional fields, they often slack off in a few areas, possibly due to their inability to give their utmost concentration to just one project. Once again, Jim Bianco doesn’t fall into this general category of talent. Loudmouth upholds itself as a remarkable lyrical album, melodic album and vocal album.
The opening track off Loudmouth, “Sinners,” is a prized tune in the lyrical world. Bianco’s raspy and soothing vocals establish a wholesome feeling within a listener. This calmness is quite ironic to the lyrical arrangement of the tune. Bianco sings, “My friends and I are sinners each and every one, I hope we’ll be forgiven for the damage that we’ve done, And if we’re not forgiven well at least we had our fun.” Opposites do attract in the music world. The words of the song read like a poem and bring balance to the passive tempo and gentle vocals. If you want to have longer than 15 minutes of fame, we suggest you add a dose of contrast between the lyrics and the melody of a tune.
Bianco’s humorist side continues to radiate in the track, “Elevator Operator.” Yes, we know the title is definitely something you would not picture yourself singing, but Bianco will have you unconsciously saying “elevator operator” once the track plays all the way through. Random words don’t seem so arbitrary in a tune when there is a quirky beat and tenderly effective vocals to go along with it. The song might be using the term “elevator operator,” but a vague and profound meaning lies underneath this outdated professional title. We’ll leave you to do the guessing.
Taking his satirical personality out of the equation, Bianco showcases his more emotional and vulnerable side with the track, “Ok, I Suppose.” His vocals are positively at the forefront of this tear-jerker tune. We normally don’t like to play favorites on an album, since each track should be treated individually, but “Ok, I Suppose” is a stand out favorite due to its heart wrenching capabilities. Bianco sings at a much slower pace with this tune, but the lack of an upbeat tempo does wonders for his voice. He has the perfect amount of control over his vocals causing them to be powerfully poignant throughout the whole track. He captures the sound of the legendary Mr. Cocker with this ballad, so we highly doubt you won’t find this song to be a Loudmouth favorite.
Time to dry your eyes after “Ok, I Suppose” and embrace the talent of Jim Bianco with a glaring smile on your face. The man is a prized figure in the music world. His undeniable talent can be accredited to his ability to harness all aspects of his personality in a single album. Whether you are content, cheerless or livid, you can find one tune off of Loudmouth to identify with. Jim Bianco gave you listeners a musical goldmine and we suggest you take him up on this offer with a few hundred grains of salt.
by Lonnie Nemiroff
