Thursday, June 23, 2011

Joe Next Door - Open All Night

Joe Next Door Music - 2010
Every song has a mood and quite often an entire album will maintain a mood through each song. Open All Night, the new release from Joe Next Door balances a melodic pop style with the storytelling of a singer-songwriter.
Behind the vocals of pianist Zoo (a.k.a. Michael Rae Zeoli) Open All Night is like a compilation of "slice of life" story-songs with each one a different and unique chapter tied together with a stylistic commonality that speaks of life's seemingly mundane struggles and the quest for a life beyond those struggles.
There is an elemental quality throughout the album that kindles a reflection of great story songwriters such as the late Harry Chapin. Open All Night is an intelligent and intriguing album that invokes a mood that balances between wistful and hopeful.