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Braintree, MA native Nick Santino has released his full length debut solo album titled Big Skies. The former lead singer of A Rocket To The Moon is expanding his horizons with a collection of folk based tunes that is markedly different from his prior band, and seeks to delve deeper into his influences that are aimed at an entirely different musical audience who will definitely appreciate the message and diversity emanating greatly from his current musical location.
"Bad Taste" starts things off with an easy-going, laid back folk vibe permeating the outset of the track and features Nick's easy going vocal delivery that he perfected with his other side project called Nick Santino & The Northern Wind that allowed him to get his feet wet with this particular type of music that appears to suit him particularly well. "Can't Say I Miss You" is my favorite track off the album, a highly melodic and vibrant track that really signifies a deep change of pace within Nick's life that has completely altered his vision of music and the path that he's on that is leading him to places never before imagined and the musical imagery that is conjured up here is beyond remarkable. "Jackson Browne" is a more downtempo number featuring Nick's remarkable vocal range hard at work once again delivering a quality number that speaks to mind about the depth and quality of talent that Nick is churning out right here before you, and is only destined to get better as the album goes along. "Keep It Going" features an old school folk vibe with some neat piano arrangements working in its way for a real authentic and homespun track serving up some Southern comfort for the listener that is easily enjoyable from listeners of all genres.
The second half begins with "It Is What It Is", a banjo infused number that is beyond incredible in any sense of the imagination and presents Nick's earnest and refreshing blend of folk rock that is giving him a whole new mindset and audience that is enthralled with his musical presence and everything he has to offer. "Have A Little Faith In Me" dims the lights down low with a romantic vibe that is perfect for you to curl up with your loved one and share wavelengths as you take in the aura of everything around you that sums up the mood perfectly and eloquently. "Mood Ring Eyes" gets us ready for the conclusion of the album with a bombastic number that amps up the musical velocity substantially with upbeat instrumentation and Nick's voice once again setting the stage for what is about to come. "She Don't Miss Me" ends it all here with a soft, whispering track that does a great job of wrapping everything up and best highlights and accentuates Nick's vocal abilities that are well suited for tracks with varying degrees of tempos, and Nick accomplishes that task with remarkable aplomb and more here on this one. When I first featured Nick Santino & The Northern Wind as an Artist Spotlight at the beginning of the year, it proved to be overwhelmingly popular and was viewed well over 200 times over the subsequent days after the post, and the interview I did with him 2 weeks later more than doubled those numbers overall, showcasing the overall popularity of Nick Santino not just from a local standpoint here in Boston, but is a real testament to his fans all across the country and the world over who generally appreciate his style of music and the message embedded within the lyrics.
Overall, an absolutely astounding and well polished effort from Nick Santino, who has delivered on all fronts to create a concise and cohesive studio effort that adequately articulates his musical mission of self-discovery that has taken him to all sorts of places and made him realize who he as a musician and human being. Highly recommended!
Album Score: 4.5/5
Track Listing:
Bad Taste
Can't Say I Miss You
Gone Like Yesterday
Jackson Browne
Keep On Going
Back To Where I'm From
It Is What It Is
Have A Little Faith In Me
Long Way Home
Mood Ring Eyes
She Don't Miss Me