SCOTT CELANI
Saturday
Independent Release

Usually when we get sent an independent release that contains the words “singer/songwriter” we whence a bit. The garage is full of such CDs. That’s not to say they’re all crap, but 80% come damn close. When we heard from New York native Scott Celani we were a bit leery at first but after several back-to-back sessions with Saturday we can boldly go on record as saying, “for a singer/songwriter this one kicks ass.”

Whether it’s Celani’s ‘70s style of writing, his strong use of vintage keyboard/piano/organ or his ability to capture soulful, melodies, Saturday harkens back to a time where songs lasted. Falling somewhere between Rupert Holmes in “Long Road To Nowhere”, the Doobies in funky “Saturday” and Jimmy Buffett in “Dalhi,” Celani builds on his backbeats then fully delivers during the chorus.

As a guitarist he moves with ease through mid-tempo rockers “In Spite Of Me” and the drum-heavy “Tell Me It’s Over”. The piano-based ballad “Smile While You’re Crying” reaches out to mid-‘80s John Waite while the stripped down “Stand Up” makes the most out of an acoustic framework. The record benefits from a tight production courtesy of Brent Bodrug (Alanis Morissette) and puts Celani’s smooth tenor up front where it belongs.

Website: www.scottcelani.com.

Todd Smith, http://www.thecutting-edge.net