Jimmy Gnecco - The Heart

Jimmy Gnecco - The Heart
2010, Bright Antenna/ILG

OURS front man Jimmy Gnecco steps out on his own this month with his solo debut album, The Heart. With a recording career marked by setbacks, trials and unsung successes, Gnecco is an interesting figure whose songwriting is often under-rated. The Heart is a mournful, heart-breaking musical experience. It's also a difficult one. Jimmy Gnecco puts the grieving process on record, quite literally, with song after song that dissects the process from disbelief to recovery with all stops in between. The Heart is not an album to be taken lightly, and it's frankly not for most casual listeners. If you enjoy the sort of music that wallows in sorrow and contemplative disbelief then The Heart is for you. If that sounds like the last thing in the world you're interesting in then skip this album. The Heart is not without its redeeming qualities: Jimmy Gnecco has a voice that absolutely soars (particularly in falsetto), crafting moments of pure beauty over the pool of sorrow he dwells in here. "Rest Your Soul" (the opening track) and "Talk To Me" (the closer) are the best two tracks The Heart has to offer, as one enters into sorrow and the other emerges full of hope and longing but not without the scars the experience provides.

The Heart is not an easy listen, but for what it is it's done quite well. I don't expect Gnecco has a wide demographic to play to here; The Smiths are positively joyful compared to the tortured dirges that populate The Heart, but Gnecco speaks clearly to those who know mourning in a language they will understand. The Heart is an experience not to be taken lightly.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Jimmy Gnecco at http://www.jimmygnecco.com/ or www.myspace.com/jimmygneccosolo.  The Heart is available as a CD or Download from Amazon.com. The album is also available via iTunes.