Jeff Scott Soto Beautiful Mess
by Joe Mis
Staff Writer
Beautiful Mess is the latest release by one of the most powerful and durable voices in the music world – Jeff Scott Soto. With this go ‘round, he has reinvented himself as “JSS” and put together a solid disc that is unlike anything he’s done in the past.
Soto has pulled up his roots from the hard rock world and put together an eclectic mix of songs that range from bluesy rock to funk soul to radio-friendly almost “arena rockers.” His music career has carried him from the classical metal of Yngwie Malmsteen to the Euro-metal of Talisman and Axel Rudi Pell and on through the AOR world of movie soundtracks and big-arena bands. It seems that he’s picked up bits and pieces from his past and rolled it all together to produce a truly Beautiful Mess.
Unlike his previous solo works, Beautiful Mess is not a straight-up rock disc, nor is it the power metal of his past, or the commercial family-friendly sound of Journey. It is a full partnership with musician/songwriter Paulo Mendonca. Surprisingly, Soto has taken a big step away from full control of the creative side of the album. He only is credited with songwriting on seven of the 14 songs and shares production credit with Mendonca. JSS only sings on this release, despite being a very talented mutli-instrumentalist – another step away from his earlier works. It’s almost the polar opposite of his time with Human Clay when he and Marcel Jacob did all the writing, playing and producing in what was a true two man group.
The CD opens with “21st Century,” a kicky tune that mixes elements of modern and classic rock. “Cry Me a River” drops the energy level a bit but presents a very strong funk-influenced rhythm line with fine vocals and great musicianship. “Gin & Tonic Sky” is a very mellow rocker with incredible vocals. One easily could imagine this song being done in a massive arena by Jon BonJovi and Richie Sambora instead of Jeff and Paulo. The mood changes again with “Hey,” a very upbeat acoustic-electric pop rock tune with some great hooks and a catchy chorus. But it darkens again with the moody “Broken Man” and funk rock “Mountain.” “Our Song” would be a great radio track with wide appeal, followed by the funk and soul-laden trio of “Eye,” “Bring It Home,” and “Testify.” “Wherever U Wanna Go” displays some of Soto’s amazing vocal chops and leads into the final official track, an almost ‘60s-‘70s sounding “Kick It”.
Of course, the physical release comes with two bonus tracks, “Heart Starts Healing” and “Take U Over With Me” and the requisite bonus DVD (a few videos, interviews, computer wallpapers and the like).
The production and engineering effort is excellent, with solid sound quality across the board. The musicianship is top-notch, and Soto’s vocals simply are the best. The only things missing are a real heavy metal track to display the full power of Soto’s voice and the multi-track self-harmonies that previously dominated his music.
Beautiful Mess IS DEFINITELY NOT a hard rock CD. It IS NOT a cohesive collection of blues or funk, or any single genre. Beautiful Mess IS a true showcase release for the immense talent and versatility of Jeff Scott Soto. He sings from the heart, and it shows.
Label: Frontiers Records
Web: www.frontiers.it & www.jeffscottsoto.com
Track Listing:
“21st Century”
“Cry Me A River”
“Gin & Tonic Sky”
“Hey”
“Broken Man”
“Mountain”
“Our Song”
“Eye”
“Bring It Home”
“Testify”
“Wherever U Wanna Go”
“Kick It”
“Heart Starts Healing” (bonus)
“Take U Over With Me” (bonus)
HRH Rating: 9.5/10