RadioIndy is proud to present Bryan Gorsira a GrIndie Award for their CD "The Best Years." A GrIndie Award is RadioIndy's stamp of approval that this CD is an excellent quality CD. Please join us in congratulating this artist on this accomplishment.
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Style :  Americana                                                            
 Rate (1-5) : ****                                                          
                                                                            
 Not so long ago I discussed the quite pleasant album "New World", by Bryan Gorsira. His music is hard to define and while I go for Americana the man himself prefer the moniker Independent Music. Whatever you choose, the fact is his tunes are rather enjoyable and often create a fairylike atmosphere. "The best years" is a 12 track album, composed out of tunes that Bryan wrote over the years. Some are brand new others are years old.   Hence the difference in styles! Two tracks were already on his previous    
 album (New world and Give me a day) but for the rest, everything is freshly recorded! Like I said the styles are a mixed bag here from soulful tunes over a Neil Young inspired song to relaxing songs and everything in between.                                                                   

The Opener "The best Years" is a hidden gem for sure. Very romantic both in music and lyrics, Dana Cooper duets on this tune with one of the female singers that keep returning throughout the album. (Julie Forester). More romantic sounds can be found on the "Caught". This is for me the best new  
 tune on the album for sure. (Although "Give me the day", which is reprised on this album is still my number 1 favorite). On "Caught" we hear snares in a typical Spanish style, not quite flamenco, but definitely Latin inspired. "Generations" sprouts a more mystic atmosphere, due to a repetitive guitar riff and enigmatic voice. "Carry Me Away" is one of those tunes that burst with blues and soul influences. Rocking good stuff with a nice horn section that makes you swing in no time. "Wash Me" takes the musical journey to another place. New Orleans infested roots rock is without doubt the best description I can give for this music. It's really quite amazing what that guy delivers over and over again. On "Another Old  day" the music sounds like Marillion. Hardly roots rock, I know but like I said before these tunes are representing many years of songwriting and thus sprouting out all kinds of styles and genres.                         
                                                                            
 The Best Years is not a compilation of any sort, It is simply said is the second album of Bryan Gorsira who brings joy and entertainment with his music! While many styles and genres on one album are often resulting in a mixed bag that isn't interesting at all, Gorsira and producer Tom Manche wonderfully works this out as a musical journey.  Once more "The Best Years" is an album that grows on you but once you have it under your skin, I'm pretty sure it'll be hard to let it go.                                
                                                                            
 Mr. Blue Boogie
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What is a a 50 year old Wildlife Biologist doing putting out on CD? That would probably be your first question, and you'd be right to ask it. Bryan Gorsira has been writing songs for over thirty years. By his own admission he is not the performer he might like to be, so he's enlisted the help of some very talented people to help make his musical vision shine (Tom Manche, Dana Cooper and Julie Forester, to name a few). The first thing you should know is that Bryan Gorsira is actually a talented songwriter, and with the musical guidance of Tom Manche, has created a surprisingly pleasing collection of singer/songwriter tunes called The Best Years.

The title track sounds like something that could have been a #1 hit on 1980's country radio, and wouldn't fare too badly in today's market either. Caught is a piano ballad ala early Tori Amos (without Faerie talk). Love Is Pain is a definite keeper as kind of a blues-tinged country tune. Carry Me Away dances right into honky-tonk territory and will have your toes tapping. New World is another song that might have some commercial potential on Adult Contemporary radio, and Hide My Heart is worth picking this disc up for.

This is an interesting collection. There are flashes of brilliance here, and there are some things that just didn't work for me. The high points are good enough to make The Best Years worth having. I am certain that most readers will find something here that speaks to them, which speaks more to the success of Bryan Gorsira's songwriting than I ever could.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)
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“The Best Years” by Bryan Gorsira is a contemporary, adult folk rock CD that is filled with a pleasant, gentle ambience and positive, loving messages about life and love. On “The Best Years” Bryan gives tribute to special relationships between those who choose to share a lifetime together. This album seems to have something for almost everyone. It has a mellow quality throughout but with a lot of variety. As a songwriter Bryan shines. He portrays the feelings of life in a way that gives each of us a peek into who we are and into our own life and experiences. Bryan's outstanding, relevant songwriring is nicely embodied in the talents of the excellent vocalists and musicians featured on the CD. “New World” celebrates love and romance and the joys of having a child. "Caught" features an especially noteworthy female vocal performance and a quite acoustic/piano arrangement that has a Kate Bush quality to it with a harmony-filled chorus. "Love is Pain" has a strong rock groove, effective male vocals, and cool harmonica riffs. If you enjoy adult contemproary/rock music that exudes family values and real-life experiences, you will enjoy this CD.
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