Customer Reviews

The American

5 star:		(78)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Angie is one of those impossible to pigeonhole into a single genre, so it seems he is forever writing great music that no one ever hears, because he really doesn't have a target audience. He's also one of those with equally strong sound/rhythm to his songs as lyrics; he isn't tilted one way or another. His other albums are really good, but this is the only album for which he had high production values, so for most it ends up being clearly his best. If there isn't at least one song on this album that speaks to you, well... you probably don't like music very much. This album simply oozes quality.

1. Green Into Gold (7/10): Good starter. Won't blow you away, but has strong lyrics and tends to stick in your head. Unlike most of these songs, you'll like this one more immediately as opposed to it growing on you.

2. Spaceship (10/10): This is the best song on the album, period. He hits notes I didn't think humans could hit without enhancement in this song. Simply amazing.

3. Hush (8.5/10): If this was never a single, it should've been.

4. Cry (9.5/10): Faith Hill won a Grammy for her cover of this song, and Angie's original version is quite a bit better. What does that tell you?

5. Third Time Around (8/10): This song doesn't really know if it's country or pop. If you like pop this might get you interested in country, and vice versa. You'll probably skip past it the first play-through, but it grows on you.

6. Free Man (9/10): One of Angie's personal favorites, and I can see why. You may gloss over it the first couple times through the album, but once you give it a chance you'll wonder how you missed it.

7. Gravity (8/10): One of the more emotional, and pop-ish songs on the album. Very clean sound, slightly less lyrically complex than most of the other songs.

8. Beautiful (9/10): Maybe the best lyrics on the album. One of the top few tracks.

9. Memphis City Rain (7/10): Vocal-heavy, slow, relaxing song. Deceptively simple. You could meditate to this.

10. Swell (8/10): More especially strong lyrics, with an extremely in-your face chorus. Has a very odd flow/feel that doesn't seem like it should sound good, but you'll keep playing it again anyway.

11. It's Alright (5.5/10): Strange. Not terrible, but this song doesn't really seem to know what it's trying to do.

12. Wonderland (8/10): This song serves as his proof of what a great singer he is, as he is accompanied for the most part by an acoustic guitar and violin only, and both are in the background supporting his voice, rather than the other way around. He used a live version of this song for this album, too, and the fact that he can get this kind of sound live makes it all the more impressive.

18. The American (8.5/10): Talk about a worth-it bonus track... this song is simply very strong in every aspect.

Yeah yeah, lots of high ratings, I know. But like I said, this is the strongest overall album I've ever heard. "It's Alright" is probably the only song I don't consider to be a very strong track. Pick this one up, no matter what kind of music you listen to. Trust me.

This album is a breathtaking piece of work that showcases one of the most talented artists I have heard in years. There are not enough superlatives in my vocabulary to praise Angie and his album. Like others, I heard Spaceship on my local radio station and proceeded to find out the name behind the voice. When I bought the album, I thought it was the best money I had ever spent on a CD. Songs like Wonderland, Hush, and The American made my soul ache, and I love the raw sounds of Gravity, Free Man, and Swell. I have to stop myself from singing along so I can just listen to Angie's divine voice. Please, this man and his music need to be heard. And having met him and seen him perform live, I know that he truly deserves every word of praise he receives. Buy this album now.

I work in the music industry, and it's not everyday that I'm wowed by a new artist. I first became aware of Angie Aparo after someone suggested that I listen to "Spaceship," his first single. I loved the song - it was catchy and different - but it by no means prepared me for what the rest of the CD was like.

I saw Angie perform at three consecutive Matchbox Twenty shows during their recent promo tour, and was lucky enough to meet him as well. He's one of the nicest men I've ever met and one of the best performers I've seen. Playing for a crowd that had largely not yet heard of him, he had everyone in awe and after each show I heard major positive buzzing about him.

"The American" is a CD full of beautiful music. "Spaceship" is, in my opinion, the weakest cut off of the record. Slipping into Angie's voice is like climbing under the covers with your favorite person. The songs are diverse but all have a dark, edgy sound that is complimented perfectly by Angie's beautiful voice. It's hard to choose favorites from a CD chock-full of stand-outs, but the tunes that I find myself repeating even more than the others are "Cry," "Wonderland," "Hush," "Gravity," and the record's title track.

"Cry," a song for everyone who has ever been hurt in love, was my instant favorite after seeing Angie perform live. Once I got the CD, I fell in love with the others, most especially "Wonderland," a majestically gorgeous ode to Aparo's daughter that should have the world swooning.

Bottom line - Angie Aparo is going to be a classic. He's phenomenal, and every self-respecting music-lover should have this CD in their collection.

I first saw the video for "Spaceship" on 120 minutes in the spring of this year. Angie's voice so blew me away that I went out and bought the album the next day. This is one of the best albums to have been released in the past ten years. It is full of melody, beautiful songs, and it really showcases one of the most talented voices in the industry today. Angie has a pure, unadulterated vocal quality that is truly unparalleled. I saw him perform last night and he didn't need a band or a guitar or even a microphone, in my opinion; he can just SING! He is also a talented song writer, which is very apparent in such inspiring tunes as "Wonderland," "Hush," and the enthusiastic "It's Alright." Whether you buy this album for its elegant melodies, the thoughtful lyrics, or just to hear this man's amazing voice, you won't be disappointed.

Quite by chance listening to a local radio station, I heard Spaceship. Fortunately the DJ gave the info on the song - I immediately bought the CD. WOW! I like every song on this album - a MUST BUY for every music fan. Hope that he gets up to NYC.

This album is by far the best in the world. To be honest, i really dont see how another can top this. The writing is absolutely amazing. It strikes a chord in the heart of anyone who hears this CD. I can't believe how underappreciated this album. I guess its just a classic example that the best music doesn't always sell the best. It's hard for me to even pick which is my favorite coz i really can't. omg, sorry im getting emotional, lol, just buy this album, please do it!

This is an incredible album. It's one of the best in my collection. Angie is an amazing song writer. The way he crafts his lyrics and thinks of ideas to write on amazes me. His songs are beautiful. Angie is also an incredible singer, and it isn't some machine making him sound great either. I've seen him live, and the man has an incredible range and an incredible voice. Some people may think the album is over produced, but I think it's perfect. A few songs are very simple, and then others are wonderful arranged with strings, horns, and a full band. I think you should buy this album. If you are having doubts, don't have doubts. If you enjoy pop, rock, or folk music you will like The American by Angie Aparo.

I first saw Angie Aparo, when he opened for Marchbox 20 at Avalon in Boston May 2000. Angie Aparo I believe is better in person and is a great performer that embraces the audience and gets them pumped. His music, is mellow and robust, that's perfect from a relaxing sunday afternoon, to club dancing on a high paced Friday night. 5 stars and two thumbs up to one of the up and comings in the music industry.

It's good to see Angie moving up in sales numbers here on Amazon. He is a very talented man. This is actually his second album. His first is an indie release that is in very short supply. Angie can rock the house with just his (amazing!) voice and acoustic guitar strumming... but on this disc he chose to collaborate with Matt Serletic (one of the premier rock producers... did Matchbox 20, Santana's "Smooth", etc). The result is a fabulous and underrated CD that should be belong to anyone who appreciates good contemporary rock with dense, sharp arrangements and power-packed vocals. Interestingly enough, although I love the soundscapes Matt and Angie created in the studio, my favorite track is "Wonderland", which was recorded live with just Angie, his guitar, and a string quartet. It is gorgeous and in my opinion the most compelling display of Angie's talent.

For 2 months I haven't been able to stop listening to this disc - it's the best release of the year to date. "Hush" and "Cry" are magical, poignant, and so heartfelt and emotional that you can't listen to them without feeling a haunting and direct emotional connection to the tracks. Angie's voice is brilliant and his songwriting is tremendous. "Green into Gold" is a great lead-off track and although the first single "Spaceship" didn't click with me at first, it's infectious after a few listens. "Wonderland" is raw emotion and recorded brilliantly with passionate vocal track. Am in dire need of his indie release! Check this album out though - you won't regret it!