Galliano Sommavilla – One Song #2
Galliano Sommavilla – One Song #2 – Single Review
The real question is folks, if I write as long as a Harry Potter novel in these reviews, is that my fault, or yours? What would you say there Galliano my friend?
Because I’d tell ya it’s inspiring to be inspired…that applies to him, that applies to me, and if you’ve ever felt the feeling you know it applies to you too when the time is right…it’s the kind of thing in the creative world that thrives & feeds off of itself. The more people out there you spread that inspirational vibe to, the better…the wheel keeps turning…one inspires the next, so on & so on, beautifully. I’ve heard nothing but fantastic music outta this guy since I started listening this year…and you better believe it inspires these fingers to get their tippity-tap goin’ on and tellin’ you all about what I’m hearing. Back with another incredible composition from his One Song series released earlier this year, I’ve had the second forty-minute-plus tune spinning through my speakers all week long, and I’ll be more than happy to keep that streak going long, long after I’ve finished typing out whatever it is I have to say here today.
I don’t think there’s anyone out there that loves piano, innovation, imagination, and creativity that wouldn’t find their way into what Galliano Sommavilla brings to his music – especially these “One Song” tunes. Just like the last time around in reviewing the first of the set, he’s rockin’ solo-piano, all composed avant-garde right there on the spot & in the moment – and also just like last time, this sounds absolutely gorgeous from start to finish…maybe even more-so. Perhaps with having conquered this challenge once already, the confidence Sommavilla was able to take into this next endeavor has him shining just that 10% more – all I know is, everything I’ve been listening to on “One Song #2” is just as stunning, hypnotic, and fascinating as I could have hoped it would have been in creating a sequel.
Of course it’s damn near impossible for the human mind to remember every twist & turn of a forty-minute long experience from a couple weeks back and compare it to another one of equal length in the present…at least for the tiny details. In general, I remember “One Song” as revealing more of a delicate & gentle approach, as opposed to the stark drama & theatrical boldness that often roars up at the heights of intensity on “One Song #2.” Still every bit as stunning and beautiful in that same sense as its predecessor, but “One Song #2” really did feel like it got every opportunity to advance on what was created before and take it that much further this time around. You still get the same indelible technique and a ton of endearing moments of pure melody that’s every bit as gentle, inviting, and welcoming as the original “One Song” – but you’ll hear a noticeable amount of more tension, drama, and boldness threaded between those moments on “One Song #2.” Again folks, it’s inspiring to be inspired – and like I was tellin’ ya, that applies to Galliano too of course; after rightfully claiming victory on that first forty-minute epic, I can only imagine the excitement this dude felt in going in for another round, knowing this time that he could completely pull it off from start to finish without have to second-guess himself. “One Song #2” becomes a victory lap instead – further proof that his incredible accomplishment the first time around was no fluke at all, but in fact, simply more confirmation of this man’s amazing connection to music. It flows from him, into the piano, and right out into our ears without hiccups or hesitation; much like I felt with “One Song” the original, I could sit and listen to “One Song #2” for what seemed like days on end – and maybe it has been, I’ve lost track of time – but it doesn’t ever seem to matter when I’m listening to Galliano Sommavilla’s music…whatever it is the world needs, it can wait – I’ll deal with it all later on. When I’ve got these One Songs on, THAT is exactly what’s happening & nothing more – I’m not half-watching the internet, I’m not scrubbing my pots & pans while it’s on in the background – what makes Galliano’s music so special, is that it’s SO lively, laden with sincerity & character, and played with such profound passion, that there’s no argument to be made other than this being the MAIN source of entertainment when these tracks are playing. They play like stories unfolding in your mind…like paintings being painted…pictures coming into focus…piece by piece, these crystalline compositions continually display exquisite sound you can’t take your ears off of, because it is absolutely captivating. You don’t need your iPhone…you don’t need to think about your taxes right now…you certainly wanna avoid politics & the pandemic at this point in 2020 – so why not treat yourself and your ears to the sound of peace through the piano and the musical mind of Galliano Sommavilla? You deserve it!
And sure…I know what a few of you out there are thinking…you’re thinking so what? Forty-plus minutes is the average length of a concert more or less and before Covid, you remember you used to see those all the time! So big deal Galliano, right? Wrong! Remember – whatever set you were watching was (hopefully) forty minutes of REHEARSED music…as in, bands & artists that were dialed-in, ready to roll with a lineup of songs they’ve been playing for MONTHS, and maybe even for just that one moment! These One Songs are a totally different animal. While I’m sure it’s fundamentally no different to a degree in how a rapper would have bars & a rhythm he can rely on, or a guitar player with riffs he knows he can always nail – all these kind of individual components of a song are of course excellent to have, but at the end of the day, in a dedicated setting like this is, where the goal is to go for a forty-minute stretch without a break, it really becomes all about how everything flows and moves together. Which is why what Galliano does is all the more magical in my opinion, because everything really does seem like it consistently belongs, and from moment to moment as you listen to “One Song #2” transition, twist, and turn through its stunning string of ideas, you can’t help but marvel at just how much is included, yet how cohesive the entire experience is. I don’t know what kind of David Copperfield like magic this guy is capable of, but it sure sounds like plenty…in my honest opinion, to hear things go as RIGHT as they consistently do in Galliano’s music speaks volumes about the strength of the connection he has to it all.
He can play that piano with a touch as light as a feather, or filled with the drama & power of thunder – and throughout “One Song #2” he makes fantastic use of both sides of the extremes of melody & sound. I’d reckon what makes it so exceptional and outstanding to listen to, is that all the quietest moments where space & pace become so pivotal to the experience that, when Galliano ramps up his energy or the tension or the seriousness in the tone around those moments, you really feel the dynamics shift in highly effective ways that can’t help but grab your attention through the sheer diversity on display. I mean, it really is what it is…yes it’s “One Song” perhaps – but no one song’s worth of ideas would ever be enough to keep you interested in a forty-minute long listening session; hence you get a verifiable album’s worth of ideas in a composition like this, seamlessly sewn together through technique and impeccable musicianship. That make any sense to anyone out there? I’m saying that you couldn’t possibly get bored with the sheer range of ideas that roam throughout the length of what Galliano’s creating…he ain’t phoning these moments in, he’s challenging himself as an artist, and better yet, he’s not trying to take any shortcuts with it! This is genuine love-of-the-game and immersed in the craft type-stuff…you don’t make music like Galliano Sommavilla does if you don’t truly love the art of/in it.
He’ll take you through the jazzy splendor of sound with truly classic & timeless vibes sparkling as “One Song #2” begins…the kind of beginning that instantly has you feeling at home with the music & ready for whatever else might come atcha. It doesn’t take Galliano all that long before you can hear the more urgent emotion applied to the delicate sound, as this forty-plus minute epic starts to take shape heading into the second minute. Running a play-by-play at you on each development and tiny new detail that makes a song like this great would be like calling a football game, in the sense that there’d be a whistle & stoppage every second play at least just to keep up with all the things happening & changes being made. Suffice it to say that, in full control of his ability to entertain, Galliano Sommavilla is able to both keep us engaged as listeners AND generate something remarkable at the very same time – and once again folks, therein lies the magic. Whereas I’m sure many an artist would find some point along the way throughout forty minutes where they might stumble or falter – Galliano seems to thrive on the thrill of the challenge & the love for the art – and in the process, a metamorphosis occurs that take these gigantic tunes from becoming a mere challenge conquered, into highly accessible & stunning material. Like stuff you’d ACTUALLY spin, because the sound, melodies, and musicianship are spectacularly beautiful & bold; not like you’re spinning “One Song #2” just to see if Sommavilla can hit the specs of a challenge such as this. Sure that gives it a cool edge-of-your-seat aspect to listening to it…somewhat like a rollercoaster ride & wondering if everything will remain as intact as when you first started out the ride – but in all honesty, as neat as that can be, it’s absolutely the sound & style that keeps us coming back.
Like listen to the passionate rolls through the keys in the ninth minute, or how quiet the whole place becomes as you head into the tenth…how masterfully Galliano’s got his music pushing & pulling the contrast of those loud/quiet dynamics to create tension, serenity, intensity, and calm – and at any given point in time, he could switch the whole sound on a dime from one side of the extremes to the other. I think the dude is a straight-up incredible player with a nearly a touch on the keys that’s pretty much second to none…and to hear it in such a creative & unfiltered way like Sommavilla’s been creating on these giant tunes not only speaks on behalf of his ambition, but also on behalf of what he really can accomplish. There’s not a doubt in my mind that we’d all essentially hear what he does in very similar ways – and the idea that his consistency, exceptional melodies, and passion-filled performances wouldn’t hit each and every one of you listening with the same strength that it all hits me with. They call it a universal sound in the ol’ music-biz there folks…and Galliano’s got plenty of it when you measure it all up…sure he’s got the advantage of a beloved instrument that’s tried, tested, and true…but man…like any real musician will tell ya out there, it’s not about what you’re playing, it’s all about HOW.
And when you listen to the music of Galliano Sommavilla, you can’t help but understand why that’s a thing people say out there…because it’s musicianship like this that makes that statement completely true. He plays his music in a really clever way…allowing himself to be confident & bold when he knows he’s latched onto something undeniably vibrant & catchy, or allowing the notes to ring out & use the space when he’s quickly forming that next idea…it’s likely all subconsciously achieved from being right in the moment & fully present…but I’m sure we can all agree that, no matter the method, the results are pure gold. Like, listen to the spot around the seventeenth minute as he heads towards the eighteenth minute…there’s an entire SONG and a huge hook right there…and in this particular setting, just one tiny minute out of more than forty of’em, Galliano sails right by like he could just create’em all day long without even blinking. Any other artist out there would be backing up the tape, stopping it, rewinding, figuring out what they did, and trying to reshape that into even more gold somehow…but with Sommavilla, it’s about how all these nuggets & gems end up stacking into something worth so much more. Same goes with moments like the twenty-second minute and its graceful flow, or the enchanting way he’ll slow everything down soon afterwards to nearly a full-stop, only to rise up and start to take the whole song in yet another new direction at just past its mid-point – or what about the incredible sound of what’s happening in the twenty-fourth minute and the way he plays it with such precision & passionate tones…the list could justifiably go on and on I tells ya. The fact that you could pick any given moment or cite any part in a song…and know that you’d be talking about yet another piece of what makes a track & accomplishment like “One Song #2” so special…is quite honestly staggering. Galliano Sommavilla’s batting average when it comes to making music is far, far beyond average; as far as my ears are concerned, this guy knocks it straight outta the park every opportunity that comes his way.
Find out more about Galliano Sommavilla at his official homepage here: https://www.galliano.com.au
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