Stratospheerius
Headspace
Stratospheerius, led by the talents of Joe
Deninzon on Lead vocals and a multitude of acoustic
and electric violins, is probably best described as a
light jazz group with a little Progressive Rock,
country and Funk thrown in for good measure.
The production is exquisite and the
musicianship is top notch. There are no low points on
this album, although there is a cover song I wouldn’t
have included for sake of making room for another
original.
New Material: Funky, melodic
and very reminiscent of a more talented Lenny Kravitz.
Old Ghosts: A nice jazzy piece. Very
spooky in it's feel. One of the hot spots on the
album.
Sold Out: A Progressive Hoe-down
intro melding into a funk-grove with a nice light jazz
melody. Sublime.
Today is Tomorrow:
Light and airy with a nice vocal. This is a beautiful
song that keep your ear interested.
Mental
Floss: Odd times and funky grooves. This is a well
constructed instrumental piece that shows off the
talents of everyone in the group.
Gutterpunk Blues: Western/Bluegrass
feel to the intro with a nice seamless transition into
a a solid metal groove. Another of the hot spots on
this album. Nice melding of styles.
Driven
to Tears: This is a groovy cover of one of my
favorite Police tunes. While I love this arrangement,
I feel it would have served better as a b-side or web
download and made room for another original piece.
Yulia: Probably the most jazzy piece on
the album. Very melodic and sad, with a tinge of hope.
Long Rd.: Funk-jazz piece with a great
solo. The vocal verses are entertaining but I find the
chorus very repetitious and somewhat tedious.
Heavy Shtettle Part II: Eastern and
Persian influences abound on this wonderfully crafted
instrumental. The music is imperative, demanding
attention.
