Customer Reviews

Beauty?

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you are familiar with the music of Johnny Indovina, I would tell you, this one has the power and emotion of "The World Inside" and the variety of "Pin-Ups" all backed with a modern beat.

To those not familiar with Johnny's music, I think the other person who liked the sound/feeling to early Bowie hit it on the head with that comparison, though they miss with their 3 stars, un-enthusiastic review, and for not mentioning it still has a very modern sound.

Every song has a standout feature, that you will find yourself humming later as you walk, work or play. This one like all of Johnny's music is quietly powerful, if that makes any sense. It is full of energy without being loud.

You may regret many things, but buying this CD will never be one of them.

Johnny Indovina's ending of Human Drama was a bit of a surprise, but it's no surprise that his muse hadn't left him. great record!!

Sound of the Blue Heart's richly textured debut album leads on clearly from Indovina's past work as the singer/songwriter of Human Drama.
In the socially conscious title track, "Beauty?", Indovina contemplates the fickleness of fate. "I Cannot Look Away," meanwhile, goes back to cabaret roots, providing a Dresden Dolls/Voltaire aesthetic.
I loved Indovina's inclusion of an unexpected but well-handled cover song, ELO's 1977 number "Can't Get It Out of My Head." Indovina's delivery doesn't try to clone Jeff Lynne's, and the overall performance is a definitely a treat.
Indovina also covers brilliantly the moody "Pantomime Clown," by underground New Orleans based artist Damien Youth.

it's a great album in many respects, strangely addicting.

In my humble opinion, "Beauty?" is a masterpiece. Indovina's a very gifted musician. His understanding of melody, his poetic lyrics and his voice... Everything comes together right on this album.

Being a fan of Johnny Indovina's work with Human Drama, perhaps I am a bit biased to write a review on the release of his new work with Sound of the Blue Heart.

Truth be told, "Beauty?" was a delightful and striking surprise for me. This album plays like a film and I cannot say that about many artists nowadays. The songs are individualistic and unique, yet melt together perfectly which makes the album feel whole and complete. It leaves you wanting more, of course, but the loose ends are certainly tied on "Beauty?".

The lyrics and music still provoke emotion as his previous work did but it is presented in a slightly different manner. It is stripped down, as far as instrumentation and vocals go, giving it a deliciously intimate, cinematic feel. Comparing SOTBH to Indovina's previous work with Human Drama, "Beauty?" seems a little more inviting, a little more quiet and low-key. Indovina's vocals and songwriting feels a little more comfortable and narrative, maturing into the likes of, for example, Leonard Cohen. There is beauty in simplicity on this album - certain lines will strike you and stay with you for a long time

This album invites you to step back and observe life around us, without feeling too heavy. It is a beautifully reflective album but it doesn't give you a sense of desperate isolation. It is a well thought-out story that remains with you once the album ends.

The songs to keep an open ear for are; "He's Forgotten How To Dream" - a purely genuine and honest song, "Elizabeth's Song" - a wistful love song accompanied with a great guitar tone, the cover of ELO's "Can't Get It Out Of My Head" - in which Indovina makes it his own without straying too far, and "I Cannot Look Away" - which breaks up the album nicely, throwing in a theatrical moment of passion versus fear.

Highly recommended!

This is a great album. Johnny continues to show off his masterful lyric writing ability. The music has a softer feel from his past projects, but is great in it's own right. It seperates itself from anything else and they play off well in the live shows.

Beauty? features eleven tracks and covers a lot of ground. Johnny Indovina proves his artistic skills yet again, even surpassing his own excellent previous works. (He is first and foremost known as the leader of Human Drama, but he is also a fascinating solo artist). His new band does a better job of synchronizing with him. The result is worth your while. This collection of musical arrangements is consistently excellent. I was very impressed with the 2 cover songs as well, "can't get you out of my head" and "pantomine clown".

Sound of the Blue Heart takes a lot of their sound right from the early David Bowie handbook. Though unlike Bowie, the group focuses a little more on guitar enhancements and runs. The smooth vocal melodies help drive home the somewhat tear-jerking and depressing tales of love and heartbreak.