A New Review of Deviant
MidwestBands.com has just posted a review of my CD "Deviant". The reviewer listened to it twice and really wrote a well thought out and balanced review. Thanks, Luke! You can check out their website and read the review here or just read it pasted below. And, of course, if you'd like to buy Deviant, you can get it here at CDBaby or on Itunes.
Musicianship – 7.5 out of 10
Unless an artist is following a tried-and-true formula in the world of Indie music, there is always a chance that the project they have slaved over for so long will be summarily dismissed, misunderstood, or worse. It’s simply the nature of the beast: if everyone was satisfied with the status quo, where would the perceived need be for new music, and a new sound?I n this spirit, I approach the latest release from Baltimore’s own Saturn. He is the sole music-maker on this album, entitled Deviant, incorporating electronic beats, keyboard parts, and layered vocals on an album that is fun, naughty, dark, and edgy. The foundation of each song is the groove laid down with electronic beats. On many tracks, the beats are very simple old-school bass drum/snare drum beats. Others, though, like (Art) and (Make U Scream) incorporate very funky, creative beats! I tended to favor the latter, finding that the music had more energy and a fuller sound, because more was going on! For my taste, there weren’t enough songs like this! (thus the slightly lower rating where the musicianship is concerned)In addition, the vocals/rhyming on the album also sound really good! Saturn has a voice that is used as an instrument to convey a lot of different emotion. After listening to the entire album twice through, I found that I really liked the way his voice made the musical vibe of the album happen. He has created a sound that is truly different in a world of corporate sameness!
Songwriting – 8 out of 10
For me, I think that the professional quality of this disc and the lyrics/songwriting are absolutely the strongest points. Using the backdrop of creative Urban dance beats, Saturn paints a picture full of raw human emotion! In the vein of Prince, he writes songs like (Flirt), (Make U Scream), (Boy 2 Boy), and (Deviant) that are sensual and erotic in nature, often pushing the limits to their very boundaries! Other tunes, like (They Don’t Know) and (I’m Coming Out) are songs that depict the struggles and victories associated with the gay lifestyle. Whether it’s love, lust, pride or shame that he speaks of, the words are believable and the emotions real. The more you listen to each song, the more you realize that Deviant is a revelation of the inner workings of Saturn, the person! Not always my cup of tea, but I have a lot of respect for Saturn as an artist, because he has written songs that are very definitely real!
Sound Quality/Professionalism – 8.5 out of 10
I was pleased with the sound quality of Deviant. I’m not a huge fan of Hip-Hop, so I can’t say anything authoritatively, but I felt that the sound quality/mix was professional, and very good. All tones, high and low, sounded crystal clear! Good work all around on the part of the production team!
Packaging – 8 out of 10
Deviant is a well-packaged CD. There aren’t many frills, but that’s basically because there isn’t a lot to do besides provide cover art, production credits, and a track listing. Lyrics aren’t included, but are made available on his website. I imagine that the explicit lyrics prompted this decision, and as a result, I understand completely why he didn’t include them in the liner notes. Not much else to say; the back and front cover photos are really good, revealing much about the personality of the artist!
Favorite Tracks
I’m Coming Out
Deviant
They Don’t Know
Art
Overall Rating – 8 out of 10
The art world, including music, is in a constant state of flux. Each day, a new artist embraces his/her concept of the way that music should sound and feel, and takes a chance on presenting that material to a cynical audience! Only a very select few ever make it to the upper echelon of stardom and fame. Many struggle their entire careers to bring their vision to life, and to convince the world that their music is THE next big thing!Saturn is not doing a totally new thing with his sophomore release Deviant, but he is taking honesty, sexuality, and his viewpoint of life, love and the pursuit of happiness to new territory. Many will reject his music outright because of the lyrical content; others, because of the style of music. Sadly, some will reject his music because of his advocacy of the gay lifestyle. I get the impression, though, that all of this is something he has faced before, and knows he probably will again. While not totally comfortable with it, I’m sure he will be okay with that. Music is incredibly subjective, and there is a fanbase for his music out there!Deviant is not an album that everyone will enjoy, but I do urge you to give it a listen! It has more artistic merit than 90% of the music you will hear this year, and that is reason enough for me to hear what Saturn is communicating! Take a listen, and see if you don’t agree!—Mark Lush, Midwestbands.com, 7/21/05
Musicianship – 7.5 out of 10
Unless an artist is following a tried-and-true formula in the world of Indie music, there is always a chance that the project they have slaved over for so long will be summarily dismissed, misunderstood, or worse. It’s simply the nature of the beast: if everyone was satisfied with the status quo, where would the perceived need be for new music, and a new sound?I n this spirit, I approach the latest release from Baltimore’s own Saturn. He is the sole music-maker on this album, entitled Deviant, incorporating electronic beats, keyboard parts, and layered vocals on an album that is fun, naughty, dark, and edgy. The foundation of each song is the groove laid down with electronic beats. On many tracks, the beats are very simple old-school bass drum/snare drum beats. Others, though, like (Art) and (Make U Scream) incorporate very funky, creative beats! I tended to favor the latter, finding that the music had more energy and a fuller sound, because more was going on! For my taste, there weren’t enough songs like this! (thus the slightly lower rating where the musicianship is concerned)In addition, the vocals/rhyming on the album also sound really good! Saturn has a voice that is used as an instrument to convey a lot of different emotion. After listening to the entire album twice through, I found that I really liked the way his voice made the musical vibe of the album happen. He has created a sound that is truly different in a world of corporate sameness!
Songwriting – 8 out of 10
For me, I think that the professional quality of this disc and the lyrics/songwriting are absolutely the strongest points. Using the backdrop of creative Urban dance beats, Saturn paints a picture full of raw human emotion! In the vein of Prince, he writes songs like (Flirt), (Make U Scream), (Boy 2 Boy), and (Deviant) that are sensual and erotic in nature, often pushing the limits to their very boundaries! Other tunes, like (They Don’t Know) and (I’m Coming Out) are songs that depict the struggles and victories associated with the gay lifestyle. Whether it’s love, lust, pride or shame that he speaks of, the words are believable and the emotions real. The more you listen to each song, the more you realize that Deviant is a revelation of the inner workings of Saturn, the person! Not always my cup of tea, but I have a lot of respect for Saturn as an artist, because he has written songs that are very definitely real!
Sound Quality/Professionalism – 8.5 out of 10
I was pleased with the sound quality of Deviant. I’m not a huge fan of Hip-Hop, so I can’t say anything authoritatively, but I felt that the sound quality/mix was professional, and very good. All tones, high and low, sounded crystal clear! Good work all around on the part of the production team!
Packaging – 8 out of 10
Deviant is a well-packaged CD. There aren’t many frills, but that’s basically because there isn’t a lot to do besides provide cover art, production credits, and a track listing. Lyrics aren’t included, but are made available on his website. I imagine that the explicit lyrics prompted this decision, and as a result, I understand completely why he didn’t include them in the liner notes. Not much else to say; the back and front cover photos are really good, revealing much about the personality of the artist!
Favorite Tracks
I’m Coming Out
Deviant
They Don’t Know
Art
Overall Rating – 8 out of 10
The art world, including music, is in a constant state of flux. Each day, a new artist embraces his/her concept of the way that music should sound and feel, and takes a chance on presenting that material to a cynical audience! Only a very select few ever make it to the upper echelon of stardom and fame. Many struggle their entire careers to bring their vision to life, and to convince the world that their music is THE next big thing!Saturn is not doing a totally new thing with his sophomore release Deviant, but he is taking honesty, sexuality, and his viewpoint of life, love and the pursuit of happiness to new territory. Many will reject his music outright because of the lyrical content; others, because of the style of music. Sadly, some will reject his music because of his advocacy of the gay lifestyle. I get the impression, though, that all of this is something he has faced before, and knows he probably will again. While not totally comfortable with it, I’m sure he will be okay with that. Music is incredibly subjective, and there is a fanbase for his music out there!Deviant is not an album that everyone will enjoy, but I do urge you to give it a listen! It has more artistic merit than 90% of the music you will hear this year, and that is reason enough for me to hear what Saturn is communicating! Take a listen, and see if you don’t agree!—Mark Lush, Midwestbands.com, 7/21/05
posted by Saturn at
10:59 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home