It says it all.
Thank you Ray for all you give us, G_d bless you.

LAST EARTHLING LOVE

A meteorite crossed on its way

The sleepy, setting Betelgeuse,

It was the signal for my soul -

Wonderful miracles do occur.

And instant love filled my heart,

Love for a pure, kindred spirit;

Definitive love, as the certainty

Of our sure, absolute mortality.

And so I knew then, as I do now -
And nothing could change it, no  -
I've met my latest earthling love
The sign heralded it  from above.

And even if we will never meet 
It  matters not, the dies are cast;
My earthling love is here to stay
As long as I , on Earth, will last.
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Joanna & Ray Scudero’s debut duo album is actually somewhat of a wedding album. Now that’s a novel concept! The cover photo of J&Ray is courtesy of the Office of the Mayor of Limassol Cyprus;it’s their official wedding photo and they are both just beaming. Every time I hear the vows in “Our Wedding Song” tears well up in my eyes like the proverbial Aunt on the aisle. And while this song is the cherry on top of the wedding cake, the album never ceases to pick me up out of the dumps and deposit me gently at a much better place. It is therefore indeed a unique album to be treasured and maybe even heir loomed in a dowry.

Joanna opens the CD with a sweet  & silky rendition of “Aimless Love” and sets you up for Ray’s contrasting sea captain voice, full of nautical terms such as: sea swells, sailing in the eye of the wind, charting a course, being at the helm and finally, dropping anchor in a turquoise-blue lagoon. 

The last time I heard so much naval jargon, I was enjoying Jack London’s Sea Wolf.

These musical/poetic voyages are far more than a bounty, as J&Ray’s quintessentially refreshing dynamics and wit bestow upon the listener an endowment of endearing music. Thanks to Ray’s amazing recording engineering, when Joanna’s and Ray’s voices are double and multi-tracked, the one plus one equation at times equals either an angelic heavenly choir, or superbly exquisite vocal ensembles.

Ray’s exotic handmade instruments also add another enjoyable auditory dimension to his terrific instrumental arrangements. The opening lilting riff of the title tune is reminiscent of “You Found A Fine Time To Leave Me Lucille” but it rapidly develops into a hysterically funny commentary on life in NYC that actually forces you to sing along in anthem style: “…here’s to the poor working slob.”  The song is a tour de force, and was a show-stopper at the last Jacob’s Ladder Folk festival. I would have preferred a live concert recording here instead of the drunken laughter at the end of the song, because the actual laughter and excitement of the audience was simply more dazzling.

Joanna also debuts as an independent songwriter on four songs, and her “We Shall Want No More” is such a natural feel-good dream anthem of lost innocence. Ray then presents her with a “Wildflower Bouquet” while beautifully conjuring-up blue herons, daisies, butterflies & birch trees. The love-fest continues with Jo&Jo double-tracked and soothing our raging souls with a great rendition of “Sweet Haven” in your arms. With hearts a-bursting all over the place, it was now a propitious time for “The Jig is Up”, an instrumental sojourn that could have graced Pete Seeger’s acclaimed Nonesuch album. Yet another show-stopper follows with the hilarious “The Devil’s Cell Phone” telling you how to dial directly to hell. Finally a jointly written “If I Could Only” creates a spell that you’re afraid will soon end, but is gratefully followed by “Horizon Dawn” which leaves you hankering for more. Luckily we get a superb anti-war love finale called “Through the Night”.  Wow! There’s nothing poor or slobbish about this CD. OK - enough glowing expletives. Judge for yourselves. I gotta go listen to it again.
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POOR WORKING SLOB is truly great. Your music and words connect to the Mind and reach the Heart. Thanks, Joanna and Ray, for writing, performing and producing this outstanding CD.
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The CD reflects the artist's intense will to life.  A real winner.
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