Album Notes

Ultraviolet Catastrophe, A Review
by Professor Jim Price of the Pennsylvania Musician

"On “Fingerpainting,” the opening track to her latest solo album, Ultraviolet Catastrophe, Gina Riggio declares “This is what my insides look like/And I don’t care if people stare.” The keyboardist and singer for local improvisational jam-music troupe Mysterytrain, Riggio proceeds to reveal her own colorful musical personality through the disc’s 11 tracks; weaving together elements of pop, jazz, blues and even classical music into thoughtful, multi-toned compositions. With a style often suggesting a jazzier Tori Amos or Kate Bush, Riggio isn’t afraid to paint outside the lines; crafting adventurous and intricate melodies that serve as backdrops for her lyrical dissections of emotions and thoughts. She offers contemplative themes on “One Way Out,” “Simple Things,” the tranquil piano ballad “Sleep” and the Beatle-like “The Cure for Everything”; and indulges her classical side on the soul-searching “Masquerade.” Referencing a location in her hometown of State College, “Martin Street” is more playful and jazz-driven; and the relationship study “Spitting Wooden Nickels” invokes a Van Morrison “Moondance”-like flavor. Also upbeat are the introspective “Body” with its search for identity, and the Latin-flavored jazz-pop of “Not Fooled.” Gina Riggio sells her words with a clear, calm voice and observational tone; as her own classical-geared piano flourishes blend with Tom Chojnicki’s deep cello tones, Mysterytrain bandmate Jacob Haqq-Misra’s variable percussion and Eric Barthmeier’s upright bass foundation. Recorded at State College’s Frigo Recording and Audible Images, and mixed by Marc Frigo, the disc sounds clean, clear and balanced, with Riggio’s voice front and center, the instruments given equal voice in the mix, and occasional layered vocal harmonies adding emphasis and depth. Gina Riggio bares more of her musical soul on Ultraviolet Catastrophe, expanding her own senses of adventurism and artistry. "