Short Reviews [Steve Bonino - 2013 - "The Peace Rocks Sessions"]

I listen to a lot of music, far more than any sane person should ever put themselves through (it’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it). So, when I find myself singing a song during the day, and also waking up with it playing inside my head, then I know I am onto something very special indeed. That song is “Come Out and Play”, which in many ways could have fitted in really well on Neal Morse’s second solo album, ‘It’s Late’. Delicate, with picked guitar, delicate keyboards, gentle bass and Steve allowing his voice to go falsetto when the time is right, it is a true poptastic masterpiece which is already one of my very favourite songs. But, what makes this even more unusual is that in many ways this is a song which shouldn’t have seen the light of day. Recorded between 2005 and 2012 these songs only feature Steve, with Jimmy Keegan providing drums just on “You Rock My World”. Steve views this and ‘Peace Rock’s as a pair, and this makes sense as musically and lyrically there is a lot in common between them, but given they were recorded during the same period that probably isn’t surprising. The drums are far more basic on here than on the other, yet there is still the breadth of styles, and this album even features the title track of the other album as it hadn’t made the cut on that one. As a complete album, it must be said that ‘Peace Rocks’ feels superior (mostly in terms of the drumming), but if you want to hear an absolute classic number then look no further than ‘Come Out and Play’ for an example of singer songwriter delicate pop rock at its’ finest. Yet another great album from Steve.