Tony Venuto – City And Sand
Tony Venuto – City And Sand – Album Review
Well whaddya know…I’ve been listening to Tony’s music for about four years or so at this point, yet this is the first time I’ve actually written about it on these pages of ours here. That’s what happens when you’re the Wizard Of Oz behind the curtain…you just never know what I’m up to in this scene we share.
Anyhow! He’s just released his latest solo album, City And Sand, which has come out just a little less than a full year after he put out his debut solo record called 20 Years at the end of January in 2023. The opening track called “Go To The Light” was dropped online back in November of last year in advance of City And Sand…and that’s about what I know so far! Venuto’s based in San Francisco too if that helps ya. I think people out there should have no real trouble connecting to “Go To The Light” – it’s got a positive message, and what’s actually quite a noticeable Post-Punk thread to it, despite the upbeat way that it seems to move. Honestly, it’s not all that far removed from the happier moments you’d find in The Cure’s catalog…which, yes, does kind of make the mood/vocals a bit of an odd fit to a degree, but there’s still a vibrant allure to it all as well. The main hook is memorable, the music is tight as tight can be – and listen to those bass-lines will ya? From what I understand that’s Tim Lefebvre you’re hearing on that particular instrument, and he definitely gets Venuto’s record off to the right start. “Go To The Light” deals a lot with the recent/current state of confusion and paralysis the world/system are stuck in – and Tony offers a solid dose of advice to combat the BS in the lyricism and attitude of this first track.
Vocally, he actually reminds me a lot of Canada’s Hugh Dillon. Some folks will mistake that sound for something more akin to Jagger, but they’d be wrong – it’s definitely Dillon. So you get this interesting mix that’s got some monotone qualities to it, but at the same time, when Tony wants to flip the switch and reveal a little more melody to his words like he does on “You Can Come Home,” he’s got no problem serving that up. It sounds like his default setting is straight-ahead Rock…that’s what I’m getting at I suppose – so heck yeah, I really dig the fact he shows us there’s a lot more to him than that, otherwise I’d probably be out. “You Can Come Home” is a genuinely strong second tune when it comes right down to it…I might even argue that I personally like it a bit more than I do “Go To The Light” if I’m being real with ya. I felt like you get more opportunities to appreciate Tony’s guitar standing out in this tune, in addition to the crisp snap of the drums from Victor Indrizzo on the throne back there. Above all things, I felt like I connected with the sincerity of the main hook too…that was the main advantage this track had over the first one in my opinion. Venuto’s on the border of giving you a performance that would land him in Bachman-Turner Overdrive, but there’s enough moments of bending that monotone style of delivery into a more melodic magic with hints of Rock attitude in the mix, which is why I’d argue he’s way closer to something like you’d hear from Dillon in the Headstones where they’re not full-out rockin.’ “You Can Come Home” is a reminder that you can come home again after you leave it…and while I might be the first dispute whether or not you’d really want to do that based on my own personal experiences of having moved away and moved back…I recognize I’m not everyone, and that “You Can Come Home” if you wanna. It’s a contemplative tune that gets you thinking, yet still has an inherent catchiness to it.
You gonna tell me it’s not Dillon he reminds you of when you listen to “Imaginary?” Ok then boss. C’mon – it is so! Anyhow. In that same vein where I always felt like Hugh could do a bit more to suit the sound of the Headstones, I do feel a bit the same way when it comes to Venuto’s tunes too. They’re both great songwriters and clearly have an idea of exactly what they wanna do with their music, and I appreciate that…but yeah…they can also be a bit of a forced fit into some of the melodies they create as well when we’re talkin’ about vocals. Think of it this way – with less fluctuation in anyone’s tone of voice, you could write a million different parts in a million different songs, and you’d still come out with a vast amount of noticeable similarities dominating the conversation, as opposed to the many differences. That being said, when you hear how Venuto suits the start of “Imaginary” and how well he fits into a vibe like that, you know he’s found his sweet spot. To me, this is the most natural fit we’ve heard from him on City And Sand so far, and as a result, I feel like “Imaginary” is probably one of the album’s most accessible tunes overall. Bonus points for the backing vocals on this track as well – that’s a massive plus in this particular song, as is the transition into the main hooks of “Imaginary” as well. All-in-all, there’s a gentle thread of atmospheric Rock in this track too, not unlike something like The Verve.
In terms of universal appeal though…I’d probably be looking at “My Love For You” as the next single from the record if I was Tony. The verses are strong enough to begin with, but when you factor in how memorable the chorus of this tune is, I think he’s got something undeniably special here. I really feel like Tori Elliott has made a gigantic impact on these songs through her work in the background as the backing vocalist. Venuto’s solid and you pretty much always know what you’re going to get from him on the microphone after the first couple of songs or so, but hearing how Elliott is able to complement his style and bring that much more outta these tunes…honestly, it’s something significantly special combo. Overall though, there’s a whole lot going right in this song, and it’s established straight from the get-go. You’ll hear the warmth in the rhythm, the inviting sound at work – it would take more effort to resist a song like “My Love For You” than to just give in and turn it up, and I feel like that’s the side listeners will fall on readily. The hooks are beaming out of the music, and the vocals as well, everything about “My Love For You” feels like a comfortable fit where everything it contains found the place where it belongs.
So…where things become more problematic for myself as both a listener and a critic, would be tracks like “40th Day Of Rain.” I’ll be upfront and say that, were I just rendering some kind of judgment on what things sound like, I wouldn’t have that many objections to this track, if any at all really. My job ain’t to do the whole surface level listening thing here though…we put things right under the microscope to see what most out there would miss. Once I got to the hook of “40th Day Of Rain,” I knew I was in for some trouble – this is one of those spots of opportunity for Tony to evolve his lyricism, in my opinion. Dude’s a good writer – I feel like there is evidence of that all around here on this record, and you’ll even find some of that in the verses of this very track. Despite it being a bit to adherent to the ol’ rhyme-scheme for my own personal taste, he is at least working with interesting imagery and ideas. Then you get to the chorus and you’re like – where did that dude go? It’s like he opts out for a moment to glide along with what’s easy…and don’t get me wrong, like I was tellin’ ya from the start, it fits naturally and it sounds good – I’m not arguing that it doesn’t…I’m arguing that he’s demonstrated he’s got more to him than what we find in that particular moment, that’s all. As usual, if that makes me the villain for saying that or pointing it out, I’m always ready to shoulder that load. I’m nothing but fair, I swear – I mean…I probably made about fifty mistakes in this article alone…I promise ya, I ain’t coming atcha from an angle like I’m the almighty infallible. I just consider it my job to push people towards their full potential is all. Aside from that lyrical stuff, I think he’s working with a Lou Reed level of cool on “40th Day Of Rain” that suits him well, and Liam Howland plays a crucial role in this track filling in the details from the keyboard.
The debate on how much rhyme is too much rhyme has been around a whole lot longer than I have been, and it’ll continue to rage on long after I’m gone. Don’t get it twisted – there are plenty of times where I feel like it’s every bit as effective as you do. For myself personally, as long as I can feel like you’re still saying what you really wanna say, and not bending the frame of your idea too far to add in some random word just because it rhymes, y’ain’t gonna find me complaining all that much. And again, sometimes when things sound good, that’s all ya need – like when Tony sings “going coast to coast and chase the ghosts away” on “Coast To Coast” – we might not really know precisely what he’s singing about as much as he would, but we don’t really need to because that moment sounds THAT damn good! Even in the verses of this song, which are right on the border of too much rhyme for myself personally, I can stand behind Venuto in the sense that I get where he’s coming from on a songwriter’s level – he hits each line with intent, purpose, confidence, and the punch of energy you wanna hear – so honestly, I’m cool with it. I also dig the serious vibe he’s rockin’ with on “Coast To Coast” too…this track is a genuine hybrid when you examine the roots of its DNA up close…on paper, it’d practically be considered a Punk song…rhythmically, it’s much more dynamic & versatile than that rigid genre tends to be…and yet, what you’ll hear is a much more straightforward brand of Rock infused with the moody Post Punk overtones we were talkin’ about earlier. Whatever it sounds like to you, or what you’d label it as – there is real bite in a song like “Coast To Coast,” and you really feel like you’re experiencing a track you’ll remember as the hooks sink into ya.
The main hook of “Cubicle Nightmare” made me chuckle a bit, even though I know that wasn’t Tony’s intention – “At the end of the darkest hall, where no sunlight comes at all, you’ve got a cube, yeah it’s gray and blue.” It’s something about the way he sings “you’ve got a cube” specifically…like…it comes with the profound realization that life is about as hollow of an experience as it can be, and that cube is really all there is. I’ve got a little empathy for our cubicle folks…and probably less sympathy I guess. I’m a big believer in the whole ‘life is what you make it’ philosophy…so if you find yourself sitting in the ol’ “gray and blue” I kind of have to also believe that you’re not willing to put the work into getting on outta there so that you can do something more fulfilling. Sorry not sorry…I suppose that’s where I’m at. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t wish that corporate hell on anyone, friend or enemy…but yeah…avoid those big-ass buildings as best you can y’all…there’s a whole lot more to life than a “Cubicle Nightmare.” Which is really what this track is all about at the end of the day – Venuto’s encouraging you to get the heck outta there too and find some sunlight, which I dig. It’s a track that comes at you from the white collar perspective, and sounds a lot like there’s a bunch in common with the blue collar folks out there too really…think of all the material from Billy Roberts And The Rough Riders out there…Tony’s music is actually quite similar, especially in a track like “Cubicle Nightmare.” He sings this song perfectly in my opinion. I like the low-key way this song moves…and I really enjoyed the ending with the extra voices coming in at the end to discover the corporate rebellion, though I’d probably encourage Tony to ramp that up even more to create the finale. No sense in holding back too much in a moment like that where all hell would truly be breaking loose. Just wait until they find out that beyond that cubicle lies a valley of malls…they might all just run right back to the safety of their square space forevermore.
“Uh-oh, gotta let it go now.” #SageAdvice! This one’s tougher for me…I’d have personally left this one writhing on the ol’ cutting room floor and “Let It Go” into the ether. That being said, I ain’t everyone – and I can definitely hear that “Let It Go” still has the potential it would need to reach some ears and find a favorable verdict in the court of public opinion. I also have no real beef with the way that Tony and his crew of fully capable musicians make their music either – they know what they’re doing & they execute like professionals, which is really all that you can ever do. On the listening side of the speakers, there’s always going to be some dissenters out there somewhere, but the opposite is equally true too. So where a song like “Let It Go” is definitely not for me, there’s nothing that says it couldn’t be for you. All Venuto and his band can do is what they’ve done…they’ve put the quality into their performance when it came time to record…the rest all falls under the umbrella of personal taste and whether it lines up with what you hear. “I don’t criticize anybody else,” sings Tony…and believe me, I actually try not to either when I write these reviews…I do the best I can to remain as objective as possible and just point out what I’m hearing as factually as I can…but the occasional track like “Let It Go” gets the best of me. I’m just having a hard time with the constant rhyme-scheme in each tune being the dominant trait, and by track eight on this album, I’m looking for songs that continue to strengthen the lineup on this record. “Let It Go” falls short for me in that regard, but I acknowledge it’s catchy, and still might appeal to YOU. To be completely fair to “Let It Go,” I also feel like this track is wedged right between what would likely be my two favorite tracks on City And Sand, which can sometimes taint an opinion…it’s got the hardest spot in the lineup to fill, you know what I mean?
Back on track, I feel like “Flamethrower” would be up there with the best of the best on City And Sand. I’d say the main strengths you’ll find are certainly in the performance once again – you’ll never find that Tony and his crew of musical cohorts ever drop the ball in that category, and I definitely appreciate that. Beyond the performance, the sound selection is stellar, the mood and atmosphere is great, and the vocal melody that Venuto’s got goin’ on really works wonders all throughout this song. The verses come out strong, but it’s the chorus that eventually steals the show for me – “Flamethrower” has one of the most bulletproof hooks you’ll find in any corner of the set-list. “She’s throwing punches like a rock star. I always knew she would go far. She’s a flamethrower blowing the truth. There didn’t know what she could do. Gonna hit them with a 1 2 if they don’t change their attitude.” That’s freakin’ great! And yes, I get it, it’s still as rhymey as rhymey can be…but like I pointed out earlier, sometimes that can obviously work in your favor and it absolutely does for Tony on “Flamethrower.” Again, I’m gonna cite the Headstones as the most comparable sound, style, and vibe…maybe not quite as aggressive overall, but there’s a similarly understated degree of cool happenin’ on “Flamethrower” and it connects on every level. I’d put this up there with my favorites on this album for sure, and I’m pretty confident that I won’t be alone in that assessment. “Flamethrower” might not be as flashy as some of the other cuts by comparison, but its subtlety leads it to greatness.
“Ocean” fits well enough for its role as the final track on City And Sand. I dig the transition into the chorus, and overall, I did feel like this last cut got stronger the longer that it played. The sparkle in the guitar is nice, the vocal melody & lyricism is very…Tony…let’s put it that way. I know that seems like it’d be a given considering this is his album and all…but look at it like a testament to his own consistency – if you dig the way this record began, chances are you’ll be there right to the very end, and loving every minute in between. I think he’s enlisted a crew of seriously quality musicians to make this album, I truly do. Tim’s bass has been great throughout, Victor’s about as reliable as a drummer could ever be, Liam has been solid as the lead guitarist and also supplying further details in the songs from the keyboards – and Tori…she’s a straight-up star in the making in my opinion. Give Venuto his credit though – not only does he hold his own and attack these tunes with confidence, but to know these were the right people to play these tunes along with him is a skill to be recognized as well. He’s got room to evolve in terms of the strength of his material and how long it’s gonna hold up over time…space to grow in terms of making that extra effort to create things we’ve yet to hear…Rock’s a tough genre to stand out in y’all. “Ocean” makes for a good ending that reflects on the quality in performance & production that you’ve experienced on City And Sand…it’s another understated melody that welcomes you in to listen before it’s all over, and one of the album’s stronger tunes at the same time. Not a bad note to go out on.
Find out more about Tony Venuto from the official links below!
Main Site: https://tonyvenuto.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tony_venuto_music
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/tony-venuto/1282851424
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2LBFkkuDRIGV0ya4kq4tNy
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQXACd_2Lh50blYMoOQchRA
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