Search - Franklin Bruno :: Cat May Look at a Queen

A Zen Tone review

08/14/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When I first heard of this CD, I truly wondered if Franklin could top 'Kiss without makeup' by far one of his finest works. Then one word came to mind...believability. I have to admit that this album took a little bit to grow on me, but once again this work only proves that Franklin Bruno is one of the Inland Empires best songwriters. The arrangements and production is placed in such a manner that even the trained ear has to listen more than twice to appreciate the effort put into the work. If one thing besides the choice of chords that defines Bruno's talent, is his subtle placement of verse. You have to have subject matter which is relevant and honest. That is 'have a story'. 'Dashboard Issues' is a jewel of an opening tune, which sets a perfect pace for the album. A must for driving in So. California. 'Janet Shaw', a ballad of the lost and forgotten pictures that tell the story of peoples passion for life. A very moving piece.
'Lies on your lips' only goes to show the country approach does work for Franklin, without leaving a bad taste in your lover's ear. Any time I get to a 'Cat may look at a Queen', my friends look at me a little sideways, but all in all, I can appreciate the approach.Here I have to point out two personal favorites...'I blame you', a tango lounge attack that puts a situation in context with lyrics like' You're the best chance I ever blew, and for that dear, I blame you...' and the jewel of the album, a revised version of 'Loves got a ghetto', a must for the struggling lover to have.This album is a must for any Bruno or Nothing Painted Blue fan.
If you are not familiar with Bruno's work, this is a mature effort on his part as a songwriter, and any collage student or vinyl collector should buy this work. This guy just gets better and better."