It's Tuesday and time to check out this week's Artist Spotlight featured artist! This week, we have an up and coming singer-songwriter hailing from Bourne, MA named Mike DeBenedictis. Mike DeBenedicitis is a very unique and rare talent who uses his home grown talent to create a sound that is organic and earthy. When hearing his music, you get the feeling that you're watching Mike perform outside on your front porch on a cool summer night with the breeze flowing and the calming sounds of Mike's acoustic guitar to keep everything flowing. Upon first hearing this, I was very impressed with his uncanny ability to meld together the sounds of nature with his own music to give it that authentic, down home feeling that is very hard to come by these days. As we anticipate warmer weather coming our way very soon, his music will definitely make you long for that warmer weather even more with simple, concrete acoustic guitar arrangements and Mike's melodic, down home voice putting everything at ease.
To check out the music of Mike DeBenedicitis, head on over to his MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/mikedebenedictis He also has a Facebook page where you can connect to him and you can go over to http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mike-DeBenedictis-music/112119945531289 to access that site as well! I just took the time to listen to his debut album, Environs and you can check out my review of it right below:
Hailing from Bourne, MA Mike DeBenedictis has arrived on the scene with his debut solo album Environs. The mostly acoustic inspired album is littered with pure, unadulterated acoustic tunes that are the perfect companion for a cool summer night watching the stars.
The album opens up with "Brass Tacks" an earthy, delightful tune that features Mike's soothing vocals permeating the airspace in and around the song. If you listen closely, you can hear the sounds of crickets chirping in the background, making the song sound real and authentic. "Wayward Stay" is a short, straight to the point acoustic tune that blends in electric guitars to give the song a little balance and offer up something new for the listening audience. "The Machinist's Son" is a passionate, heartfelt ballad that sees Mike really letting his talents shine with his vocals adding emotional intensity to the track.
The album's second half continues to take shape with "Old Northern Roads" a fast paced, melodic acoustic track that switches tempos from the earlier tracks to provide some vivacity that makes the song feel refreshing and exciting. My favorite song off the album is "The Sight, The Sense" a calming, mid tempo acoustic number that shows off Mike's unique talents in one song that makes it short and sweet to get the point across to the listener. The final track "Union Pacific" is a simple, reflective number that allows Mike to relax and let it all roll out on a fantastic track. Mike is one of those rare talents that only comes around once in awhile where the performer has a communal bond with nature. Some of the songs have the sounds of crickets in the background and other natural sounds that give the songs a big, emotional facelift and add some character and depth to the tracks as well. A very exciting and pleasurable listen!
Overall, a great debut effort from Mike DeBenedictis, who has brought his own unique method of performing to a higher platform to give the curious listener an idea of what his music is like and what to expect to hear from him as the album takes its course.
Album Score: 3.5/5
Track Listing:
- Brass Tacks
- Pine Forests of the Northern Sun
- Wayward Stay
- The Machinist's Son
- Instrumental
- Old Northern Roads
- Like A Virginian
- The Sight, The Sense
- Union Pacific
- Reprise
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