A. P. MAURO
Rainmakers
You’re A Rainmaker – She Dances With My Heart – These Chains – Lonesome Highways – Two By Two – Urban Outlaw
This is not a ‘country’ album, or a review of a
country album. It’s rock and roll, and quite frankly, after some
consideration, it could be called ‘country’ by today’s qualifications.
His voice is way too far down in the mix to be really understandable,
but it is a very interesting collection of original songs. I appreciate
the thoughts and incredible dedication and hard work each and every
original song must have, to become even slightly known. They are all
like ‘children’ and they will never ever not be a part of the one who
created them. In the music world, lots of children are stolen away.
Someone else either takes the entire creation, calling it their own, or
the composer is cheated out of his creation by an unscrupulous
publishing company or recording company. A. P. Mauro, however has his
very valid stamp on these five songs, and what he is writing about is
‘today.’ I can see no relationship the record label, Lamon Records, has
placed in their description of what Mr. Mauro is writing, calling it
Country-Americana. Country-Rock yes, but even Americana can not take
this fledgling work as their own. Even ‘country’ as the descriptive
term for a musical genre today, is so far removed, that as Blake Shelton
called me an old fart and jackass because I don’t buy his records
because it isn’t ‘country’ enough. I leave this as it’s own statement.
Fiddles, steel guitars, acoustic guitars, banjos, and like minded
instruments created a musical genre called country. That does not exist
in the so-called ‘country’ music of today, so therefore how can it be
called the same name. Mostly this is a theft experience. Mr. Mauro
however, is his own man, writing songs that reflect his views on the
world today, especially politics. “You’re A Rainmaker” is a cynical
commentary about politicians and presidential candidates. When pressed
to name names, the elusive Mr. Mauro said, “I think songs touch us in
personal ways and some are best left to our own imagination. A song is
special when we can relate to it, and that’s what’s important.” I
definitely agree, however in that first song I see both Clinton and
Trump. Wow, how the times have changed. Sony is distributing this well
done production. I’ll leave it to the more knowable of those in rock
and protest music to make the final judgements.
country album. It’s rock and roll, and quite frankly, after some
consideration, it could be called ‘country’ by today’s qualifications.
His voice is way too far down in the mix to be really understandable,
but it is a very interesting collection of original songs. I appreciate
the thoughts and incredible dedication and hard work each and every
original song must have, to become even slightly known. They are all
like ‘children’ and they will never ever not be a part of the one who
created them. In the music world, lots of children are stolen away.
Someone else either takes the entire creation, calling it their own, or
the composer is cheated out of his creation by an unscrupulous
publishing company or recording company. A. P. Mauro, however has his
very valid stamp on these five songs, and what he is writing about is
‘today.’ I can see no relationship the record label, Lamon Records, has
placed in their description of what Mr. Mauro is writing, calling it
Country-Americana. Country-Rock yes, but even Americana can not take
this fledgling work as their own. Even ‘country’ as the descriptive
term for a musical genre today, is so far removed, that as Blake Shelton
called me an old fart and jackass because I don’t buy his records
because it isn’t ‘country’ enough. I leave this as it’s own statement.
Fiddles, steel guitars, acoustic guitars, banjos, and like minded
instruments created a musical genre called country. That does not exist
in the so-called ‘country’ music of today, so therefore how can it be
called the same name. Mostly this is a theft experience. Mr. Mauro
however, is his own man, writing songs that reflect his views on the
world today, especially politics. “You’re A Rainmaker” is a cynical
commentary about politicians and presidential candidates. When pressed
to name names, the elusive Mr. Mauro said, “I think songs touch us in
personal ways and some are best left to our own imagination. A song is
special when we can relate to it, and that’s what’s important.” I
definitely agree, however in that first song I see both Clinton and
Trump. Wow, how the times have changed. Sony is distributing this well
done production. I’ll leave it to the more knowable of those in rock
and protest music to make the final judgements.
RECORD REVIEW BY BOB EVERHART – President, NTCMA – www.ntcma.net
for Country Music News International