Album Review by Leslii C Stevens
A little over a 11 years ago I met the amazing singer song writer, Reeve Carney. Reeve was playing guitar with his friend Jonny Lang back in 2004-2005 on the acoustic world tour. My first Mother’s Day was spent on an Island in Hawaii traveling with the Jonny Lang Band on his acoustic tour. It was then that I first saw Reeve playing alongside Jonny. I was lucky enough to hitch a ride and grab a bunk for 2 weeks on the tour bus that July. I had the opportunity to see so many wonderful cities and countries. It’s those long rides that makes for getting to know your bunk mates really well, an adventure I will never forget. During those 2 weeks that I got to really see and understand Reeve Carney. I just knew there was more to come from this very young very talented man.
When this album hit my hot little hands, I was over the moon excited to dive right in and hear what I had heard so much about over the past years.
In the fall of 2013 we took our daughter to New York City to see Turn Off the Dark on Broadway where Reeve played the lead, Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Super Hero’s rock!). We spent the weekend with Reeve (along with my daughter’s Flat Stanley). I now totally understand why this album has completely blown my mind. It was made pretty damn close to Heaven I tell ya’. Riding the elevator for what felt like hours (I am not too keen on heights) my ears were popping when landed in the clouds overlooking the Hudson river and yes “Hello Lady Liberty, you look stunning!” Oh my, it was a pretty amazing place to live in, no wonder why Reeve was so inspired to write and record this entire album right there way up in heaven as I will always refer to that place. He recorded every note and played every instrument all inside that magical Manhattan apartment. Reeve built his very own isolation booth in bedroom so he could play as “loud as Jimi Hendrix at 4 a.m and not bother his neighbors. That my friends is where magic was made. I’m very grateful Reeve Carney is sharing his music with the world. A truly organic raw urban album one that I can’t seem to stop listening to. Have you ever just put a cd into the drive and it just has not come back out? This is one of those albums, It’s Rock and Roll, it’s soul, it’s Broadway, it’s Pop, it’s jazzy and it’s alternative rock, It’s Reeve Carney!
He tells stories of the heart in ways that make you really want to hear and understand every word. His words and stories will hauntingly stay with you.
Truth: This song makes you feel the pain in his voice it pulls you into the hauntingly painful discovery of a heart being broken. A head spinning out of control. Feeling the pieces of a relationship falling like glass shattering and crackling all around. You feel the rawness and grit in this very emotional song. A piece that has truly moved me.
Intention: bringing you to a place right from the first note. You’re on a journey and Reeve has set it all up for you to feel. “There is no greater drug then intention” and this song makes you feel all those words. You can feel the drug of this song seeping into your veins and leaving you soaring. Hang on this is an amazing journey.
Think of You: There is such beauty in song. To truly have this connection, this deep with another soul is a very magical gift. Makes my heart melt. What a feeling to think that just one person can be the glue that keeps one together. A very raw and organic song, and a very raw and organic friendship like this is very special.
Checkmate: This is an amazing song. A hauntingly beautiful love story. Feeling the twists, the turns, the highs and the falls all along the way. A new love, putting your heart on the line. Hearts are so fragile. So much power in the past. Doing everything to hold onto that love in your heart. So much struggle and courage in this piece and you feel it all. Trust with one’s heart…Checkmate!
There She Goes: This finger snapping tune has your heart swirling with its melody around a very shy kind heart. You can feel the anxiety building inside. A boy with a big-time crush. Having all the words inside wanting so bad to be known. You can feel all the butterflies and bees buzzing with so much love. A boy who wants to give everything to this girl. It’s torture hearing the shyness and feeling the love he has for her… And she has no idea…Life’s too short, Dude tell the girl!
Girl Like Me: Looking for that one true love is a journey and this song makes you realize what you’re looking for. This is a very brilliantly written piece. Reeve has a range and he shows it in this one, amazing. Rocking out like Freddy Mercury of Queen.
Father’s House: This oh so very sweet cool blues tune has me totally digging the Jonny Lang vibes. A very sweet guitar and vocal duel. It’s so blues it will have dancing your way to heaven! This soulful song takes you on a journey, where understanding that there is room for all in heaven and yes, there is “room in my father’s house” for everyone! A very cool song of unity.
Looking Glass: Reeve’s voice has a melting effect on me throughout this song. I feel like I am looking deep into a mind of antique old beat up black and white photographs just falling away, trying so hard to keep a tight hold grip onto each one but only allowed the space of just a portion as times goes on. Trying so hard to keep all full image, the full feel. As if I am spying on someone’s soul. Going deep into their file cabinets and knowing I really shouldn’t be here. Like Alice down a hole…This song has ghosts
Resurrection: Crank this one up! This one rocks! You don’t even realize just how much this song makes everything else just go away and you become a part of it. You feel every guitar string. You feel every twist though out this magical musical piece. Reeve goes high you go high Reeve goes low you go low. It’s a dance between his voice instruments. It’s a dance that hits you and your captured in a trance. This piece moved me in so many ways.
Happiness: His voice wraps you in soft tones. Feeling like your floating along on a cloud looking down watching the stories he tells in this beautiful song yet sad song. Like clips of movies from all different times. Everybody trying to get to that very same place in life…Happiness…where is that place to be…
Geronimo: (One of my very favorite words I seem to use on a daily base’s) Geronimo is a very sad love story. We can all hold tight to our hearts when one has been broken before. So, when that door just seems to open up in surprise and love comes bashing through. Your truly heart is sitting out on a cliff…Geronimo baby fear is nowhere to hide, but fear is where most do when it comes to the affair of the oh so very gentle heart.
Don’t’ Forget to Say I Love You: A song everyone should hear. A very happy feeling melody runs along this beautiful reminder of just how short a time we all have a human being. Seriously, Reeve you tapped into a piece of Heaven while perched up above the world in that Manhattan glass tower.
Mad Mad World: You can hear the rawness in his voice and really feel the evil ways this song goes into twists. Love can drive you Mad….and you hear, feel and are totally along for this ride into a Mad Mad world. A brilliantly written piece!
Youth Is Wasted: I believe everyone should see, hear, feel this song! That life is way too short and this song can hit that point right in your gut. Youth Is Wasted is a very powerful song.
Up Above the Weather: Feeling more like a very peaceful lullaby, this piece is the perfect ending to this album. This piece leaves you with hope and a peaceful feeling. This song brings you to that place where you can feel Reeve’s magic in your veins.
This album left me blown away with so many emotions. Each song came with its own set of feelings and its very own story. Stories of love, pain, healing and death. He took you to faraway places and showed you places that one only dreams of.
Reeve said “This album Is the truest artistic statement I’ve had an opportunity to make and it was such a blast.”
This album was truly made from his soul and came from his heart. Whether it is singing on a stage, playing guitar, acting on Broadway or on screen, if Reeve Carney is given a chance he delivers everything and leaves it all there for you to see. This a name to keep an eye on.