MUSIC REVIEW: Anthony Neff, Blood Beneath the Sun

Anthony Neff doesn’t make music like other people. Bless him. Tucked neatly inside the minimalist CD jacket of Blood Beneath the Sun, lie 15 tracks of original sound and song, an under the radar gem, that is solid and slightly unknowable; a musical journey of many manifestations, from country story telling sensibilities of busted hearts and dogged ambitions cradled in a smooth Bryan Ferry-like voice, then churning gold to gravel in a blink.

From the opening track on This Side to the closing track on That Side, we—the listeners—are keenly aware of a couple of things.

1. Neff is an interesting musician, because he combines two things: Truth and Surprise. Everyone is capable of telling the truth, and everyone has been surprising at least once; which means that being interesting is a choice, but a difficult one, because it feels risky. They are risks that pay off for Neff, as he tempers folky ache with poignant lyrics that are, in a word, dripping in authenticity. He is a wry poet, intertwining strength with vulnerability.

And…..

1. For precisely the above reason, Anthony Neff is an artist that you will have to look for; but, it is worth the search.

Each track on the album is a slice of life from one year in a relationship, covering the highs, lows and in between. The message always clear; this is not a trip of melancholy nostalgia; it’s history being made new and it’s never as late as life wants you to believe it is.

I used to sell wine at a wine bar in Newport Beach. It was a really straight forward gig, which I loved. My pitch went something like this. I would line up TEN bottles of wine; that’s right 10, and tell my client, you are going to LOVE five of these; you are going to be able to afford three. Those are the wines you will take home with you today. It was direct and simple, sans judgement and somehow elegant. It didn’t matter if the grapes came from prestigious parts of the world, or if the wineries themselves were household names; the only thing that mattered, is what the client liked. Music works much the same way. It’s about finding what you like, in the ever growing sea of choices. The best music the world has to offer will never be heard on the radio and most of it is not being released on big record labels with cool sounding names. Street musicians, buskers and independent artists from across the globe, are bringing the best forth, and it is our job, as the audience, the fans to support and validate the work we love. That’s part of the secret for independent artistry to thrive on the edges.

In Blood Beneath the Sun, Anthony Neff has creates something that we need to look for. He chose to show up and cared enough to contribute a piece of his humanity.

To listen to the album, grab a copy and connect with Anthony Neff, visit his site:

Anthony Neff

#Turntable