I am prejudice when it comes to Tony’s songs as just hearing his voice on the phone touches my heart, and his love and talent for creating music is one (among many) of the things that I love about him.  Also, I find words falling short when attempting to describe my experience of Tony’s music.  Having said that, I think IN THE POISON GROVE is a unique and inspiring collection of songs.  Some of the things I love about this music are  Tony’s vocals and poetic lyrics, the mix of styles, Tony’s wonderful guitar work, and the intensity and depth of the messages conveyed.  While I find it a pleasure to listen to the entire collection, I especially enJOY:  “Original Face” * “Maitri” * “On a Clear Day” * “We” * “In the Poison Grove” * “Bollywood Nights” * and “On My Way”.  I highly recommend this cd and strongly suggest that you take the time to really listen and experience Tony's music for yourself.
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In the Poison Grove, Tony Spatarella's newest cd combines sultry rock rhythms with poetic lyrics that dare to ask the big questions. Those really big meaning of life questions about love, sex, impermanence and the nature of reality itself. But these themes are always delivered with Tony's classic, hard-driving yet melodious rock beat. Many of the songs are inspired by the Dharma and Buddhist Meditation- especially on Naked Street and the cd's title track In the Poison Grove. Naked Street offers up a mediation on impermance set to a contagiously catchy upbeat tempo. The hauntingly beautiful Poison Grove deals with perceptions of reality and the posibilty of liberation. If reality is just our perception of a diluted dream like illusion, then poison can be transformed into medicine. One of my favorite pieces, She's Serving Wine, is a sexy, passionate ballad with a killer refrain that gets in your head and refuses to leave. The cd's one instrumental Bollywood Nights, combines indian rhythms with a pulsating hot Florida rock beat, that almost steals the show. All in all, you get passion, spirituality and classic rock. What more could you ask.
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I enjoyed listening to Tony's new CD.  His guitar rifs enter and exit smoothly within the song. "She's serving wine" resonates in my mind.
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I confess that, when it comes to Tony Spatarella, I am prejudiced.  I've known this brilliant guitarist/singer/songwriter for many years, experienced the development of his unique lyrical voice, and been fortunate enough to feature his signature guitar work on my last two CD projects.  That said, In the Poison Grove is the latest stage in the evolution of Tony's genre-bending rock/jazz/acoustic (dare I include folk and punk?) style, edgy, nuanced and textured, with a strong Eastern influence.  This is a beautiful collection of songs, with intimate production values and (as always) thoughtful, provocative lyrics.  I especially like the gentle but biting "Original Face" and "Stones from Your Lips," and the closing track, "On My Way" is, in my opinion, Tony's finest vocal performance ever.  Whether you've been a faithful follower from Day One or you're just now coming to this party, whether the mainstream masses ever "get it" or not -- this CD is an unqualified success.
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