Search - Jim Boggia :: Safe in Sound

Phenomenal and Phantastic

NY Music Fan | 05/07/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This record is incredible. Each song is powerful and different than the next on the record. Jim Boggia's voice is spectacular and engaging, the music is overwhelming, the songs are moving. The people who support him on this album are clearly there because they are fans as well. Aimee Mann, Wayne Kramer, Jill Sobule, Emmitt Rhodes, the drummer from the Eels, Beck's bass player, the list goes on and on and on. But they are all there to support the true talent that is the man on the cover. Jim Boggia puts the singer/songwriters who are in the mainstream right now to shame. He is so much more evocative and interesting. I can't think of a better way to spend $12."

Where the hell has Jim Boggia been hiding?!

George Dionne | Cape Cod, MA | 05/18/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The Good

"Shine" combines calming acoustic guitar with a subtle drum back-beat that builds to an empowering chorus. Boggia's vocals are soft and melodic. "Show My Face Around" is lead by soulful and passionate vocals that are set to simple acoustic melodies. As it progresses, drums and percussive effects are introduced. "Underground" punches up the tempo and distortion, and leans a lot on keyboard effects as well. Boggia channels his inner Bryan Adams on this one.



A great finger-picking run introduces the ballad "Where's the Party". Jim's emotional delivery is just awe inspiring. The song's arrangement is instantly memorable. Twangy guitar tones and driving riffs propel "Made Me So Happy", which is about a girl that leaves Jim speechless. There's just something about the rhythm and structure that will have you snapping or tapping you foot along with it. It has a real Queen influence in the vain of "You're My Best Friend".



The Bad

The hidden track is lame.



The Verdict

Where the hell has Jim Boggia been hiding?! With only his first album, Boggia sets his own bar fairly high with catchy, likeable, and well-written rock songs."

Excellent songwriting, interesting arrangements, terrible pr

S. GRAY | Newton Falls, Ohio United States | 01/10/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I first heard Jim Boggia at a bookstore in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. I was immediately impressed with his excellent melodic and catchy songwriting, as well as his unique personality and humor. I bought "Fidelity is the Enemy" and have enjoyed it very much. I happened to catch a track from "Safe in Sound" on Pandora, and had to run out and get it.

I was immediately disappointed- not with the music, as it is interesting, well written, and a step beyond "fidelity", but with the production. Whoever produced this has done Jim's music a great disservice. The first thing I noticed is that many of the tracks are compressed into oblivion. I'm not talking about the normal over-compression typical on todays recordings... this is just HORRIBLE! It's to the point of being distorted on some of the tracks. It mostly obscures the interesting arrangements that are going on within the music, which become nothing but a wall of blurry sound. There is an annoying piercing "AM radio" quality (think low bit-rate mp3 sound without the flutter) that quickly becomes fatiguing to listen to. I assume this is a product of the compression. I also noticed was that Jim's vocals are WAY too forward on some songs- not in the mix, but because of the EQ used. I mean, a presence peak is one thing, but they almost sound bandwidth limited on some tracks, and are noticeably contrasted to some of the very natural sounding acoustic guitar on the cd. This is multi-tracking at it's worst!

If you can find a way to ignore the bleeding ear production, the songs are excellent. Jim's music is a great blend of old influences and new sounds, with a deep hook in every song. I love some of the synth sounds swimming in the background."