The 67th FYC Album – Various Artists (reviewed by Dave Franklin)

With the Superbowl out of the way, we can get back to talking about the things that really matter, such as promoting new and emerging musical talent. Not that Bongo Boy Records has ever been distracted by such minor diversions as a football game, as their FYC compilation albums, among many others, testify. These compilations of the best new music to be found in their not-insignificant creative orbit are sure-fire places to get a taste of the breaking music, the movers and shakers, and the latest talent rising through the musical spectrum.

The FYC albums are not just compilations put together on a whim. To be considered for inclusion, you must have made it to at least the first round of voting with the Recording Academy, the road leading to a Grammy nomination for the lucky few. So, even to be included in this roundup of rising stars is an honor in itself.

Although Bongo Boy Records prides itself on finding the best of the new crop of music, there are always some names I recognize, and Studeo, who open the album with “You’re Safe With Me,” is undoubtedly one of them. This gorgeous ballad combines elements of soul sentiments, anthemic pop moves, and no small amount of rock drive, acting as a brilliant platform on which to build such sonics.

Samantha Starr Stefanik follows with “Bazooka,” another song with one foot firmly placed in the rock realm, but then dresses this up with other sounds, not least a bluesy spaciousness and all manner of R&B moves. All of this creates a great dynamic, one that packs a punch without resorting merely to volume or velocity. This is all about the groove!

David Becker brings a lilting and light slice of loveliness with “Gravitationally Bound,” an instrumental whose finesse puts you in mind of seminal sounds such as those made by The Allman Brothers or Steely Dan—Mellifluous, magical and marvelous.

Two pieces from James Adler’s “Deux Arabesque” suit of piano follow. “Andante Con Moto” is a cascading arrangement ebbing and flowing between understated lulls and ornate beauty, between space and complexity. This is followed by “Allegretto Scherzando,” which, as the name suggests, increases the pace of what has gone before. The notes pour down like spring rain, the spaces less frequent, the grandeur increased, but not at the expense of grace.

E.G. Holmes brings us “Pieces That Lay Broken,” one of those songs that feels like a classic as soon as you hear it. It might be a song you have been listening to for half your life, a song that sits between pop accessibility and rock energy, balladic understatement and anthemic highs, and a song that changes genre depending on which aspect you choose to dwell on. Like I said, it sounds like a potential classic—just give it time.

Maryann Stefanik gives us a song with a touch of the new wave about it, “New York Lady,” full of punk energy – think more Blondie than Television – the sound of the accessible end of the post-punk sound being reborn in the modern age, something I for one am more than happy with. ObLiveA keeps the energy levels up with “Black Sheep,” a neat slice of rock and roll but one that relies on a slow, slinky, powerful groove rather than merely an undignified race for the finish line, which is what much of the rock world seems to rely on these days. As I have said a couple of times already, it’s all about the groove; that may be the secret of Bongo Boy Records’ success; they can spot a great groove a mile away.

“Espiritu Samba,” as the title suggests, takes us into a place where Latin grooves and jazz musical machinations dance in harmony, again, an instrumental piece, but thanks to Mariah Parker’s cool creativity, the music speaks volumes without the need for words. It speaks of sunkissed beaches and all-night dancing in the open air; it speaks of jazz-club vibes and slightly of sixties-infused sentiments; it speaks of sass and seduction. Brilliant.

Willow Layne and Countryside Studios give us “True Companion,” a song that is the sound of country cool heading into folk finesse, or perhaps vice versa, the understated sound of timeless roots music. It draws a line between the 60s singer-songwriters, the 90s country boom, and the sound of today.

Maryann Stefanik returns with another song seeped in 70s punk and alternative sounds, “Calm Before the Storm,” which reminds me slightly of Patti Smith’s signature brand of music. From here, the album passes through more delicate sonic realms. Simonne Draper‘s “Ricordiana” reminds us that the acoustic guitar is very much a classical instrument, and here, she blends her gorgeous and delicate arrangements with the digital delights of sonic washes and fantastic banks of heavenly harmonies.

“Sol De Barcelona” follows on perfectly, another one from Mariah Parker and a fantastic slice of Mediterranean-flavoured guitar work fleshed out with a gentle Bossa Nova beat, staccato brass, and infectious percussion.

All that is left is for Grayhawk to round things off with “Peace Prayer,” which starts in the realms of Gregorian chant, moves through more tribal grooves, and by the time you have traversed its almost 12 minutes, makes you feel as if you have been on a tour of world music, tribal sonic customs and cinematic soundtracks. Remarkable stuff.

As I said at the beginning, this is more than just a compilation album; it is tightly and selectively curated music. And even if these songs don’t make it to the final Grammy shortlist, it is to such artists as found here that you should be looking to see which way the sonic winds are blowing.