CD review of "Blood and Moonlight"
author: Bill Ribas @ nyrock
Mike Borgia, Blood and Moonlight (© 2003 Mike Borgia)
On the opening track, "Where You Are," the anguish and turns of Borgia's voice bring to mind Janis Joplin – throaty, gin-drenched, and filled with pain. Yet the following number, "You Were Something," is not a dirge, but an up-tempo pop number. You can still feel the pain and emotion in his voice in this song though, and in all songs for that matter. To keep things interesting, the numbers vary stylistically so that you get the sense Borgia is more of a songwriter than a guy with a hit or two and a bunch of filler. And I am a bit miffed at not getting the whole CD, and forced to make a judgment call off clips, in that getting a sense of dynamics and song architecture is near impossible. Miffed as well because this sounds like a disc worth having in one's collection. Borgia's first effort is mostly acoustic (though the breakout rock-and-roll numbers are good as well). Just his pipes and guitar, and as a troubadour he does a splendid job; there are gobs of emotion spilling out, crafty songwriting, and off I go to buy a copy. Check him out at www.mikeborgia.com.
Read more...
author: Gail Worley
It’s always been my contention that a singer/songwriter should be able to actually sing. You don’t have to have a conventionally “pretty” voice (hell, look at Joe Cocker), but at least have a palatable, distinctive style. Surprisingly, New York singer/songwriter Mike Borgia’s claim to delivering “vocals reminiscent of Chris Cornell” is fairly accurate, though his delivery is closer to Cornell’s acoustic work on his solo debut, Euphoria Morning than the Herculean lungpower that defined Soundgarden’s entire body of work. At least he’s in the ballpark. Borgia only has one track posted on Starpolish, the poppy, alt-country-ish “Find My Way.” It sounds Like The Goo Goo Dolls covering/reinterpreting a Black Crowes song. I like it.
---Gail Worley (Starpolish.com)
Read more...