The Other Side
DayQuest, 2022
8/10
The Brooklyn-born guitarist, singer and songwriter Raymond Castronovo returns with 4 tunes of his timeless New York flavored rock’n’roll formula that welcomes Joe Martinez, Linda Mackley, Carl Obrig, and Heather Simon.
“440” opens the listen with thick guitar and spoken word, before Castronovo’s smooth pipes are complemented by Simon’s soulful voice and Mackley’s proficient drumming, and “Hold On” continues with much elegance entering alongside Castronovo’s spirited guitar and Martinez’s very precise bass playing.
The back half of the listen showcases the dynamic rhythm section of the harmonic “Marinara Maddie”, where both spoken word and soaring vocals are present amid the fuzzy guitar, and Obrig’s very warm sax populates the retro-spirit of “Shadows In The Sky”, that’s quite romantic.
An excellent way to test the waters of Streetwise, though Castronovo and company are still very much a new outfit, he’s held an unwavering interest in music his entire life, and he’s finally at a place to let his creativity pour out.
Travels well with: Streetwise- Crossing Bridges; D.K. Lyons- Vandalism