GREAT, GREAT ALBUM!
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I listened with pleasure to Rob Cannillo and Friends’ CD WHAT LIFE CAN BE -a follow-up to their THE LONG ROAD HOME.  Neither Rob nor any of the Friends were consulted about this the review, so I thank them in advance both for their artistic talent and then for expressing it on CD, getting it out there.  I calculated the speeds exactly as it is on the CD—if anyone wants to know a thing about what the speeds may mean, what might fit it well with in a playlist, please visit my website as per above.
A Rob Cannillo notes in the liner notes, “”This CD was recorded in just a few live sessions and only begins to capture what this band can do in concert.  Perhaps the next RC & F CD will be a live effort (!), but for now, I thought the CD most excellent, honest, candid, kind, assertive and certainly worthy of review.  All speeds are given as even eighth or quarter notes, as they were recorded.  
Track#1-“I Can Hear You Callin’”—117.5 beats per minute.  This is an energetic love song that tells us that with our free will, we ought to embrace changing our lives for the better.  As: “Witchcraft,” Frank Sinatra, 117.4, “Out Of Love,” Toto, 117.5 beats per minute, “Glory Days,” Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, 117.6 beats per minute, “Exit,” U2, 117.8 beats per minute, “Let Him Run Wild,” The Beach Boys, 117.8 beats per minute.
Track#2-“What Life Can Be”—120.3 beats per minute (114-127). A song about letting go, living free, enjoying liberty in appreciation of life.  As: “Wasted Words,” The Allman Brothers Band, live, Check The Oil, etc, 119.9 beats per minute (118-122), “Wish Fulfillment,” Sonic Youth, 119.9 beats per minute (116-123), “Magic To Do,” (theme from Pippin, Ben Vereen/original stage version), 120.1 beats per minute (116-123).
Track#3-“Evil falls”—124.0 beats per minute.  A song about being ready to be receive mercy and absolution upon confession of bad ways that are now changing for the better with a sense of defeating the demons. As: “Achy-Breaky Heart,” Billy Ray Cyrus, live, Grammy awards, 2/24/1993, 124.0 beats per minute, “Layla (part 2),” Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, Elton John, Bryan Adams, live, Prince’s Trust Concert, London, PBS TV, 1988, 124.0 beats per minute, “Losing My Religion,” R.E.M., live, Saturday Night Live, 4/13/91, 124.0 beats per minute.
Track#4-“Hard Times, Good Times,”—82.5 beats per minute. A song where one is confessing to having strayed into a life of loneliness at the loss of a woman, perhaps, and here asks for a chance to be redeemed.  As: “Rocky Mountain High,” John Denver, 81.7 beats per  minute, “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More,” The Allman Brothers Band, live, Check The Oil, etc, 82.5 beats per minute, “Melissa,” The Allman Brothers Band, 83.2 beats per minute.
Track#5-“Crazy World”—77.4 beats per minute.  A song at the precise Meanspeed (square root of 60 seconds times 10, and the real mean of all speeds—where one cannot even make up one’s own mind as to being happy, sad, or simply dealing with both emotions at once. The song conveys, to me, pure yet split, by definition, bittersweet emotion.  Good apples, bad ones; good days, horrible days, and so on.  As: “Ain’t No Sunshine,” Bill Withers, 76.9 beats per minute, “I See It Now,” Frank Sinatra, 77.0 beats per minute, “Strong Enough,” Sheryl Crow, 77.4 beats per minute.
Track#6- “Southbound”—124.0 beats per minute.  Joyous remake of Allman standard.  As: “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” Marvin Gaye and Florence Lyles, live, Holland 1978, 124.0 beats per minute, “It’s Alright,” The Pet Shop Boys, 124.0 beats per minute, “The Way You Do The Things You Do,” The Temptations, 124.0 beats per minute.
Track#7-“Shooting Star Guy”—49.5 beats per minute.  This song reflects unconditional love for and unmistakable affiliation with the spirit of unconditional love toward the individual and the and the world, in general.  As: “Them Belly Full (But They Hungry,” Bob Marley, 73.9 beats per minute, “Love Me Tender,” Elvis Presley, 74.0 beats per minute, “Tears Of Love’s Total Recall,” k.d. Lang, 74.0 beats per minute. 
Track#8-“God Will”—91.9 beats per minute.  This composition reflects enthusiastic poise--a balanced focus ready to meet whatever God brings head on. As: “Don’t Kill The Whale,” Yes, 91.9 beats per minute, “Fourteen Black Paintings,” Peter Gabriel, 91.9 beats per minute, “Boom Boom Mancini,” Warren Zevon, 92.0 beats per minute.
Track#9-“Thrill Is Gone”—111.0 beats per minute. While the artist may have lost or as this rendition would imply ‘dismissed’ his lover, he has renewed his clarity and strength and reaches out.  I think this performance is the bold sex song of the CD.  As: “Magic Carpet Ride,” Steppenwolf, 110.2 beats per minute, “The Way It Is,” Bruce Hornsby & The Range, 111.1 beats per minute, “Addicted To Love,” Robert Palmer, 111.6 beats per minute.
Track#10-“Sometimes”—73.7 beats per minute.  The song reflects a patience, fortitude, acceptance of circumstance while knowing that bad times pass.  A “trust in God” type song, as I hear it..  As: “All My Love’s Laughter,” Art Garfunkel, 73.7 beats per minute, “The Greatest Love,” Aaron Neville, 73.7 beats per minute, “Roberta,” Billy Joel, 73.7 beats per minute, “Rocket Man,” Kate Bush, 73.7 beats per minute, San Jacinto,” Peter Gabriel, live, Plays Live CD, 73.7 beats per minute.
Track#10[b]—“Roosevelt Was Burning”—part 2, 114.1 beats per minute. 
Track#11-“Moved”—83.5 beats per minute.  This song is an admission of literally feeling like you *need* someone else’s love, not getting it at the moment, and holding up your head notwithstanding anguish.  As: “The Closer I Get To You,” Roberta Flack, 60.8 beats per minute, “Drive,” The Cars, 83.5 beats per minute, “The Gift,” Annie Lennox, 83.5 beats per minute, “My Love Is Leaving,” Steve Winwood, 83.5 beats per minute, “Comes A Time,” Neil Young, live, Live Rust, 83.6 beats per minute, “Helter Skelter,” Beatles, 83.6 beats per minute, “Mama,” Genesis, live, London 1986, 83.6 beats per minute, “Mama,” Genesis, live, Way We Walk CD, 1991, 83.6 beats per minute.
Track#12—“God Will,” (acoustic) 89.2 beats per minute.  As for the theme, see track 8 above.  As per speed, same range, a bit slower, as: “Ungorgettable,” Nat King Cole, 89.1 beats per minute, “Aimmee,” Pure Prairie League, 89.2 beats per minute, “Do It Again,” Marilyn Monroe, 89.2 beats per minutes.
Thanks again to musician on the rise Robert Cannillo and Friends: Charles Ventre/drums, Paul Cerrato/bass, Will Smith/sax, flute and Bobby MacDougall/guitar, backup vocals.
WHAT LIFE CAN BE is a candid, joyous, optimistic, gutty CD with excellent compositions.  Five Stars. 
Ian Schneider
ian@meanspeed.com
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