Stratospheerius – Headspace (2007)
Stratospheerius, led by the talents of Joe Deninzon on Lead vocals and a multitude of acoustic and electric violins, is probably best described as a light jazz group with a little Progressive Rock, country and Funk thrown in for good measure.
The production is exquisite and the musicianship is top notch. There are no low points on this album, although there is a cover song I wouldnât have included for sake of making room for another original.
New Material: Funky, melodic and very reminiscent of a more talented Lenny Kravitz.
Old Ghosts: A nice jazzy piece. Very spooky in it’s feel. One of the hot spots on the album.
Sold Out: A Progressive Hoe-down intro melding into a funk-grove with a nice light jazz melody. Sublime.
Today is Tomorrow: Light and airy with a nice vocal. This is a beautiful song that keep your ear interested.
Mental Floss: Odd times and funky grooves. This is a well constructed instrumental piece that shows off the talents of everyone in the group.
Gutterpunk Blues: Western/Bluegrass feel to the intro with a nice seamless transition into a a solid metal groove. Another of the hot spots on this album. Nice melding of styles.
Driven to Tears: This is a groovy cover of one of my favorite Police tunes. While I love this arrangement, I feel it would have served better as a b-side or web download and made room for another original piece.
Yulia: Probably the most jazzy piece on the album. Very melodic and sad, with a tinge of hope.
Long Rd.: Funk-jazz piece with a great solo. The vocal verses are entertaining but I find the chorus very repetitious and somewhat tedious.
Heavy Shtettle Part II: Eastern and Persian influences abound on this wonderfully crafted instrumental. The music is imperative, demanding attention.
Added: June 27th 2007
Reviewer: Koggie