PETE SINJIN —BETTER ANGELS RADIO (Self-Released)

[Maurice Hope]

www.betterangelsradio.com 

www.petesinjin.com 

Here we have a first for me of hearing the work of New York singer-songwriter Pete Sinjin. A man of no little talent his songs are well-written and on or two quite wordy and for that one reason alone comparisons to fellow recording act, Tom Pacheco are prompted.

 

For songs that best underline his ability we have ‘The Funeral Train’ (hints of Billy Bragg when he did his Woody Guthrie project; I love it!), ‘Brand New Year’ and the plaintive closing track ‘Schuylkill Red’. Plus the opening track ‘Driving California’ that speaks of freedom of the wide open spaces of the state with as he speaks of Neil Young on the radio. It is more often than not to use the name of a town, country or person people know in one's lyrics and Sinjin hasn't to be told this. His mention of Young is most apt he features a little harmonica alongside lap steel, banjo and harmony vocals as he travels, unrestricted through the land. It doesn’t stop there either for ‘Snowflakes In Your Hair’ skips along at a lively friendly pace as he relaxes from the darkness of ‘All That Remains’. While he speaks of the demise of his local record store on ‘All The Record Stores’ and there is the even more unthinkable ‘Broken Radios’ to go with the muscular ‘Times Like These’. That speaks of his face being all crooked and how he finds himself up against the ropes...it is a song that could and does have a number of meanings. So strong and true to life on careful studying of lots of people.  

All in all there is plenty for the listener to get their teeth into and a fine balance of light and shade, good playing, production. Sinjin just needs a little luck and arguably one or two songs and he will gain a greater and wider audience faster. Because his song ‘Yer Mah Gurl’ and those noted above not only show potential but are strong enough in many ways to blow some of your more established acts out of the water!   

 

Apart from Sinjin’s own acoustic, electric guitar, banjo, mandolin and harmonica Sinjin has musicians Riley McMahon, Mike Davis, Dan Vonnegut, Tim Vaill, Joe Deninzon between them provide electric and stand-up bass, drums, percussion, violin, lap steel, piano and Wurlitzer and harmony vocals (Michaela Anne Neller).     

 

                                                          Maurice Hope