Album Notes

PHILADELPHIA'S BEST KEPT SECRET - SILENT TOO LONG
-- James A. Rourke "word4word" (Philadelphia)

Okay, I'll get this out of the way first: I was lucky enough to be invited to a special occasion party, at which Steve Cohen was part of the entertainment. It was a small group, perhaps a dozen, most of us never having heard of Steve Cohen. He sang for well over an hour, including a few cuts from "Silent Too Long". I was totally floored by his voice--kind of a combo of Bruce Springsteen at his best, and perhaps a hint of Bryan Adams.

Steve sings of many things, but in "Silent Too Long", he sings of love with an amazing grasp of the truths and lies, the glory and pain...he tells us where he's been and how he's survived in lyrics that wrap themselves around us with an all too honest familiarity. Oddly enough, this is far from a sad or manipulative collection of songs. Steve's message, ultimately, is one of positivity and hope, no matter the heartaches or illusions of the past. What I love about "Silent Too Long" is the profound wisdom it evokes with a gentle humility as its guiding force.

Steve understands, down in his soul, what he's singing, and he knows how to use tiny, barely noticeable at first, subtleties to make his point. Each song is a wonderful gem of experience, from the painful realizations revealed in "Like We Used To"...to the non-compromising, dignified edict in "Home For the Holidays"...to the comically upbeat fantasies in "I Want to Be a Jock"...and to the hopeful realization of self-worth and love in "I've Got the Strength". The other cuts also have their own theme; no two are alike, which gives this album such a mature range.

Rarely does a male vocalist dig so far beneath the surface of things...and even more rarely, is he willing to share his findings, as if to tell us, "No matter what happens in life, it will all be okay." Give this one a listen; you won't be sorry. And if you ever get the opportunity to see Steve perform live, do it! Feeling his magnetism and hearing his voice will be a long-remembered experience. Steve Cohen is Philadelphia's gift to the world. We hope you'll love him like we do.