• New Music Reviews
• |
• Archives
• |
• News
• |
• Submissions
• |
• About
• |
• 
• |
• 

December 2024

• After Lapse: Pathways
• Illusion Force: Halfana
• Powell-Payne: Voilá

November 2024

• Sunstorm: Restless Fight
• Storace: Crossfire
• Voodoo Circle: Hail To The King
• Lionville: Supernatural
• Starchaser: Into The Great Unkown
• Empires Of Eden: Guardians Of Time
• Lonerider: Down In The Dust
• Seventh Crystal: Entity
• Neal Morse & The Resonance: No Hill For A Climber
• Beardfish: Songs For Beating Hearts
• Impellitteri: War Machine
• Brothers Of Metal: Fimbulvinter

October 2024

• Casandra's Crossing: Garden Of Earthly Delights
• DGM: Endless
• Daytona: Garder la Flamme
• Fate: Reconnect 'N Ignite
• Frost*: Life In The Wires
• Aries Descendant: From The Ashes Of Deceit
• Fans Of The Dark: Video
• Radioactive: Reset
• House Of Lords: Full Tilt Overdrive
• Cleanbreak: We Are The Fire

September 2024

• Sinner's Blood: Dark Horizons
• Serious Black: Rise Of Akhenaton
• Eclipse: Megalomanium II
• SteelCity: Reverence
• Hydra: ReHydrated
• Heartwind: III
• Gabrielle De Val and the Dragonlords: Tiger
• Find Me: Nightbound
• The Nail: The Nail
• Timeless Fairytale: A Story To Tell
• Stryper: When We Were Kings
• Phil Mogg: Moggs Motel
• Pure Reason Revolution: Coming Up To Consciousness
• Jordan Rudess: Permission To Fly

August 2024

• Siege Perilous: Creation's Call EP
• Paralydium: Universe Calls
• Mike Tramp: Songs Of White Lion Vol. II
• Bite The Bullet: Looking For Paradise
• All For Metal: Gods Of Metal (Year Of The Dragon)
• Hammerfall: Avenge The Fallen
• Jim Peterik & World Stage: Roots & Shoots Vol. 2

[ More Music Reviews ]

John Taglieri: Days Like These EP

Melodic Rock/AOR

3.5/5.0

Website Facebook Twitter YouTube
Vanity Music Group / Leap Dog Music
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 17.12.2014

Like most singer-songwriters, John Taglieri reaches for inspiration from life. In the case of his twelfth recording, the six song EP Days Like These, the initial inspiration came from the news that he and his wife were having their first child. I'm thinking he'll be finding more inspiration as that child grows.

John Taglieri

Days Like These, as a whole, basic melodic rock of the AOR variety. The music is generally upbeat with good melodies, cogent lyrics, and Taglieri's smooth, sometimes soulful voice leading the way. He gets help from some longtime friends Kenny Aronoff and Keith Lubrant (Real Housewives of Miami, Beavis and Butthead, et al) and musical peers Kenny Aronoff (John Mellencamp, Elton John, Bob Seger, etc) and Rich Redmond (Jason Aldean, Ludacris, Kelly Clarkson, etc), among many others. This collaboration of musical minds does one simple thing for Taglieri's musical ideas: it makes him sound really good.

After this, Days Like These, Here For The Taking, Beautiful Tonight, and the last song Toasting The Man In The Moon are the rockers on the album. Beautiful Tonight has a large mixture of elements including acoustic guitar, harmonious background vocals, friendly if not quirky keyboards, and a solid vocal arrangements. In between these songs, Taglieri gives us some lighter fare, general ballads, that draw down the sound. Thin Air has some nice piano and a fine smooth guitar solo, but still seems really, really slow. Finish Line is quiet and slow moving as well, measured by vocals matched with acoustic guitar, piano, and some slight symphonic notes. You can definitely attach some personal meaning to the songs, yet some might feel the drag the album down. Otherwise, Days Like These is still a fine recording from Taglieri, showing an artist definitely at rest with his art and it's expression. Check out the tune below, and discover for yourself.

John Taglieri - Days Like These

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

Days Like These is a fine measure of AOR melodic rock from Taglieri, showing an artist definitely at rest with his art and it's expression.

Alphabetical Index

The Powell Payne project, created in 2022 is the collaboration of Mark "Penfold Powell (ex-drummer of Psycho Kiss) and Adam Payne (former vocalist of Airrace). With guitarist Adam Davies and keyboard player ... [ Read More ]