Customer Reviews

Safe in Sound

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

 

 

I had the pleasure of hearing Jim Boggia and his band at an outdoor music fest here in Jersey, and he did a great live set (got to meet him, too - real nice guy). He also happens to be one-fourth of the Philly-based "supergroup" Four Way Street. (Ben Arnold is also a member of that band.) When I hear his raspy tenor, I can't help myself - I think of everyone in power rock from Bryan Adams to Jon Bon Jovi. But he's much more than that - He's a clever, witty songwriter as well, and this album is a lot of fun. Yeah, he can croon a good ballad, but it's the uptempo rockers where he really shines. And "Shine", by the way, is a great kickoff number for this CD. "Live the Proof", "Underground" and "Made Me So Happy" are killer tracks as well. And "Let Me Believe (Evan's Lament)" is a big nod to Queen. Boggia gets first rate support from a number of well-known artists, and the CD is co-produced by Julian Coryell, an under-appreciated artist in his own right. So do yourself a favor and pick up this CD - it'll charm you and rock you all at once.

This record is incredible. Each song is powerful and different than the next on the record. Jim Boggia's voice is spectacular and engaging, the music is overwhelming, the songs are moving. The people who support him on this album are clearly there because they are fans as well. Aimee Mann, Wayne Kramer, Jill Sobule, Emmitt Rhodes, the drummer from the Eels, Beck's bass player, the list goes on and on and on. But they are all there to support the true talent that is the man on the cover. Jim Boggia puts the singer/songwriters who are in the mainstream right now to shame. He is so much more evocative and interesting. I can't think of a better way to spend $12.

I first heard Jim Boggia at a bookstore in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. I was immediately impressed with his excellent melodic and catchy songwriting, as well as his unique personality and humor. I bought "Fidelity is the Enemy" and have enjoyed it very much. I happened to catch a track from "Safe in Sound" on Pandora, and had to run out and get it.
I was immediately disappointed- not with the music, as it is interesting, well written, and a step beyond "fidelity", but with the production. Whoever produced this has done Jim's music a great disservice. The first thing I noticed is that many of the tracks are compressed into oblivion. I'm not talking about the normal over-compression typical on todays recordings... this is just HORRIBLE! It's to the point of being distorted on some of the tracks. It mostly obscures the interesting arrangements that are going on within the music, which become nothing but a wall of blurry sound. There is an annoying piercing "AM radio" quality (think low bit-rate mp3 sound without the flutter) that quickly becomes fatiguing to listen to. I assume this is a product of the compression. I also noticed was that Jim's vocals are WAY too forward on some songs- not in the mix, but because of the EQ used. I mean, a presence peak is one thing, but they almost sound bandwidth limited on some tracks, and are noticeably contrasted to some of the very natural sounding acoustic guitar on the cd. This is multi-tracking at it's worst!
If you can find a way to ignore the bleeding ear production, the songs are excellent. Jim's music is a great blend of old influences and new sounds, with a deep hook in every song. I love some of the synth sounds swimming in the background.

Jim Boggia is an amazing artist. This CD is nothing but a joy to listen to. My personal favorites on this CD are Supergirl and Evan's Lament. They really show off Jim's amazing vocals. And on top of his stupendous amount of talent- Jim is a really great guy! I met him at one of his concerts a week ago and he was so amazing to his fans. He has such a presence on stage. Honestly, this recording doesnt do him justice, but is still 10x better than somuch of today's 'music' (like the Strokes. haha. any real Jim fans will know what I mean)

The Good
"Shine" combines calming acoustic guitar with a subtle drum back-beat that builds to an empowering chorus. Boggia's vocals are soft and melodic. "Show My Face Around" is lead by soulful and passionate vocals that are set to simple acoustic melodies. As it progresses, drums and percussive effects are introduced. "Underground" punches up the tempo and distortion, and leans a lot on keyboard effects as well. Boggia channels his inner Bryan Adams on this one.

A great finger-picking run introduces the ballad "Where's the Party". Jim's emotional delivery is just awe inspiring. The song's arrangement is instantly memorable. Twangy guitar tones and driving riffs propel "Made Me So Happy", which is about a girl that leaves Jim speechless. There's just something about the rhythm and structure that will have you snapping or tapping you foot along with it. It has a real Queen influence in the vain of "You're My Best Friend".

The Bad
The hidden track is lame.

The Verdict
Where the hell has Jim Boggia been hiding?! With only his first album, Boggia sets his own bar fairly high with catchy, likeable, and well-written rock songs.

This is the first album of Jim Boggia's that I've purchased, but I will definitely be buying his previous album soon (and his next one, whenever that's coming out). The songwriting is top-notch: very melodic, clever, catchy. Excellent production, great recording, entertaining liner notes. What more could you want?

I didn't know anyone still made lush power pop like this anymore!! ala Jellyfish.