CD Review: Manny Blu – Country Punk
by Antony Bailey for Country Music News International
- Doin’ Fine
- 95
- Balance
- Prove Me Wrong
- Too Bad So Sad
Canadian born Nashville singer-songwriter Manny Blu has capped off an exceptional year with the unveiling of his five track EP ‘Country Punk’ on New Year’s Eve, providing his fans with their party soundtrack to welcome the New Year. The first track on the EP ‘Doin’ Fine’ was initially released as a single to offer fans a taster of what was to come, and it kicks things off with an uplifting tempo and hard-hitting improvised fills to piece each section of the song together.
‘95’ follows with little change to the tempo and rhythm while offering a reflective tone from a lyrical perspective with lyrics such as ‘’17 was like a dream / ’Don’t forget the road you grew up on’’. ‘Balance’ is packed with a strong sense of turmoil by taking the listener on a rollercoaster of struggle as the music attempts to find a sense of emotional stability.
‘Prove Me Wrong’ offers the listener a sense of nostalgia with reminders of the ‘90s American pop-punk era brought on by power chords and a fast-paced tempo packed with raw energy and emotion. ‘Too Bad So Bad’ concludes the EP on a rather sombre note as the song starts with a gentle acoustic approach and the narrative is concerned with the end of a relationship showing little signs of forgiveness or reconciliation.
Lyrics such as ‘’Too bad so sad / You made your bed’’ reaffirms those sentiments as the dynamics suddenly shift to place further emphasis and emotional tension on the meaning of the song. It has been a year to remember for Manny Blu with the release of his new material along with some scintillating performances. He has also recently announced that he will touring across Canada to perform at the Some Things Never Change Tour in 2022 so be sure to visit his social media pages to stay in the loop.
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