David St. Romain – Glory

David St. Romain – Glory

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/davidstromainmusic

This album isn’t perfect, but there is a section of it that comes close. The blend of sounds on the disc runs from bluesy music to soul and pop. The best of it comes with a lot of vintage soul built into it.

The first song is titled “If You Want It,” and it is built on a really classic blues sound. It’s full of horns, passion and power. It’s a great starter. I pick up a big Otis Redding vibe on “Even the Bad Times Are Good.” That’s a great thing. It has a bit of a Jeff Healey feeling, too. This is another great song. The vocals have a lot of emotion, and the whole thing just moves really well.

While the vocals on “It’s Gone” seem less evocative, the number is a catchy modern pop rocker. It’s a fun song, just not of the same caliber as some of the rest. The wailing sax that opens “Subtleties of Rain” has a plaintive, sad mood to it. The song builds a similar vibe, and the emotion returns to the vocal performance.

The title song seems like it should get people going on the dance floor. It’s a powerful tune and one of my favorites. The mellow love song titled “Hold On” is beautiful. The vocals convey the emotion in style, and the arrangement is timeless. I love this song.

The soulful retro vibes continue with style on “A Lot of Room.” It is another strong song that would be great for slow dancing. The album seems to have really found its groove by the point of “Every Little Thing.” The soulful sounds continue on another standout track. It is a mellower love song.

On “Trouble” the soul-train continues with a bluesy number that has a lot of jazz in the mix. Although it is a great ride, it doesn’t rise quite as high as some of the others do. The emotion on “She Can’t Remember” is the real selling point. It’s also quite retro in texture.

Although I can appreciate the energy and funk that is included on “Glad That I’m the One,” it kind of takes me out of my soul groove a bit. It’s a good song, but not a standout. I like the bluesy jazz sound on “I’m Not Just Anybody’s Food.” The saxophone soloing adds a lot. It’s still not as strong as the middle section of the album, but it’s quite good.

Review by Mary Angela Tobin

9/10

Purchase Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/glory/id1048825394