Review: Griffin Anthony - Crazy Ways

Griffin Anthony - Crazy Ways
2010, Griffin Anthony

New York City-based singer/songwriter Griffin Anthony brings a Soul-imbued Pop sound on his debut album, Crazy Ways. With quality and style befitting some of the bigger names in Pop music, Anthony adds his signature Soul voice and sharp songwriting to create one of the biggest surprises of the new year. The self-produced Crazy Ways was mixed by Grammy winner Charles Dye (Ricky Martin, Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, John Secada).

Griffin Anthony opens with the soulful title track. Anthony is vaguely reminiscent of Jason Mraz on Crazy Ways with a rapid-fire vocal style on the verses but breaks into a vaguely funky chorus full of Pop magic. So You is a Soulful Pop love song that's bound for the Mix Tape pool. So You is a likely candidate for licensing for television or films and may even have legs for commercial radio. Let Go is a great tune with a great message, and fits right into the commercial niche with artists likes Mraz, John Mayer, Rob Thomas and Jack Johnson. Funk and Soul are the order of the day on Keep It Honest, and Anthony even channels a bit of Dave Matthews on Sleepy Sunday, which has hit single written all over it.

The highlight of the album (the highlight amidst highlights) is Lift Me Up. Written form the perspective of a little boy who is trying to figure out the world around him but still looking to his Dad to make the way a bit easier, Lift Me Up is an amazing piece of songwriting. If you're a Dad this song will get to you. Without My Blocks returns to the flavor of catchy acoustic Pop with a soulful mien, telling a story against the backdrop of a divine arrangement. Anthony touches upon the desire for second chances on Plane Girl. If you've ever met someone while traveling or at the supermarket who caught you unawares and you let them walk away and wishes you hadn't, then this song sums up the desire for a second chance to do it differently. Anthony takes his Soul/Folk/Pop sound on the Lounge side for Pieces, an unpretentious little song that perhaps doesn't shine like its brothers and sisters but quietly holds its own. Anthony closes out with the Bluesy barn burner Hurry Up, shifting the tone of Crazy Ways suddenly in a promise, perhaps, of what comes next.

Griffin Anthony takes both the singer and songwriter aspects of his occupation quiet seriously, creating music on Crazy Ways that ranges from compelling to breathtaking. Crazy Ways is incredibly polished without sounding slick or over-produced. Don't be surprised if Anthony outlasts most of his Indie contemporaries and is still making viable, compelling music a generation hence. He's that kind of talent.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Griffin Anthony at http://www.griffinanthony.com/ or www.myspace.com/griffinanthony. You can purchase Crazy Ways as either a CD or Download from CDBaby.com. Downloads are also available through iTunes.

Cosmo Jarvis - Cosmo Jarvis (Hum As You Hitch / Son Of A B!tch)

Cosmo Jarvis - Cosmo Jarvis (Hum As You Hitch / Son Of A B!tch)
2009, Cosmo Jarvis

Harrison Cosmo Krikoryan Jarvis was born in New Jersey to an American/Armenian mom and a British dad. Jarvis has found his way back to his father's homeland (Newton Ferrers), where he has written over 250 songs at the tender age of nineteen. With over 100 songs recorded (and self-produced), Jarvis' recording studio is his bedroom. Jarvis even went so far as to displace his bed to the hall in order to fit all of the recording equipment in his room. Jarvis also makes, directs and stars in short films (over 40!). This prodigious level of production apparently does signify over-extension as an artist, at least to judge by the music on Jarvis self-titled album, alternately titled Hum As You Hitch/Son Of A B!tch, due out on November 3, 2009 in the UK. Cosmo Jarvis is revelatory.

Opening with Crazy Screwed Up Lady, Jarvis displays a musicality and presence that is beyond his years. His voice is somewhat anachronistic, but works perfectly amidst inspired Folk/Pop arrangements driven with hints of punk energy. Wild Humans is a humorous ditty that takes accessory pricing to a whole new level. The song is highly entertaining and active. Jessica Alba's Number is an entertaining fan-boy song and tribute all rolled into one. Featured dream girls include Alba, Jessica Simpson, Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, and Beyonce Knowles, Kate Nash, Jennifer Lopez and The Pussycat Dolls. The Royal F**k Up is a humorous but angry written from the perspective of an every day person who resents the views that the rich and powerful have of everyone else; in this particular case the target appears to be the British Monarchy, but the theme is a universal one. The song is tongue-in-cheek but full of the hyperbolic, repressed rage that fuels eventual social change. Sort Yourself Out is mix-tape material of another sort. Everyone knows someone they'd love to dedicate this tune to; an angry and pointed calling out and dressing down of someone who tends to have no regard for others. Jarvis closes with Mummy’s Been Drinking; another deeply angry song done as a rap that calls out a mother for hiding from responsibility/reality. The song is entertaining with a bit of the car crash mentality in there for good measure.

Cosmo Jarvis is an absolute breath of fresh air, blowing up the conceptions of traditional pop music with flair and a distinct sense for good musical decisions. Jarvis is an all-around entertainer who can write very well and hits on some real musical magic on Cosmo Jarvis (Hum As You Hitch / Son Of A B!tch). Jarvis' wit is prodigious on his debut album, but there's no air of novelty to the songs. This is a serious collection dished out with healthy doses of humor, impatience, anger, vitriol and ultimately a maturity that's beyond his years. Cosmo Jarvis is very much worth getting to know!

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Cosmo Jarvis at www.myspace.com/cosmojarvis or http://www.cosmojarvis.com/. Cosmo Jarvis (Hum As You Hitch / Son Of A B!tch) drops on November 3, 2009. You can pre-order the album through Amazon.com as a pricey import, or you can pick it up a bit cheaper by going to Play.com and simply paying the exchange rate here in the US. If you’re buying from the UK it’s much cheaper.