Sergio Napoletano is a skilled multi-insturmentalist, singer, and songwriter with lots of experience in performance with the best acts emerging from Staten Island’s diverse music scene like ‘Pablo’ which was actually Paul and the Tall Trees before the name change. He is joined by his musician friends and band members for his recent release; AJ Pantaleo on drums who also is the drummer of ‘The Jazztronauts’ and Thomas Pistilli on bass and Joe Pecora who plays lead guitar in “LockJaw”, one of the songs in the newly released EP.
They just released “Memory Aisle”, a five-track EP that will take you to a chilled yet meditative state of mind. A collection of songs that were developed over years and different events. It’s the kind of music you would enjoy by the beach on a chilled breeze summer night with the sound of the waves in the background and you’re gazing at the stars. It’s a mix of indie chilled mood with a challenging wild side that leaves you relaxed but alert and reflective. One of the elements that I found common in all five songs is the instrumental solos within them and how they are highlighted and given a space of expression and conversation.
Each song has a different theme that is reflected well in the musical aesthetic, the alignment, and the orchestration of instruments. Even the titles of the song describe them perfectly, giving you a hint on what to expect. “Kids In the Hall” opens with a sweet melodic theme and a soft tune as a symbol of the kids’ purity with a solo electric guitar later in the song answering back to the lyrics. “Petty Folks” on the other side has a different beat than the rest of the songs with a groove that leans towards the Country music genre. While “Downtown” opens with an acoustic guitar and a calm vocal line, giving a soft introduction before the drums and electric guitar come in to add richness and harmony to the sound.
The songs were recorded at different times throughout the years, the ideas were first recorded on an iPhone and an iPad then developed with layers of melody added and drum lines which were recorded in AJ’s basement with their sound engineer Joe Pecora. Later it was all finally brought together at Red Room Studio with Pecora still on it. The artist is mainly influenced by Tom Petty, Kurt Vile, REM, Spoon, Jeff Tweedy, and Wilco.
