SIMONE FELICE —SIMONE FELICE (Reveal Records)

[Maurice Hope]

www.simonfelice.com 

www.revealrecords.co.uk 

Simone Felice formerly the drummer and a vocalist with The Felice Brothers is an outstanding talent. An astute and well versed in a number of areas he puts his knowledge of the world and life to good use. To date his has been an extraordinary ride for him and not only because prior to this his debut solo album he was with his brothers in The Felice Brothers, Duke And The King and had books on short stories, poetry and recently his first novel published but he has also survived a couple of huge healthy scares. He has the ability to take a story, a piece of history or news whatever and from the seed cultivate it into something tangible. To some he is something of a cult-like figure yet to others this amazing talent who soaks up ideas and delivers songs of great depth. While his voice draws the listener in close, enough to hear his heart beat and with a great affinity with America’s native Indian race he is also a humble man. A man who in just sharing his work helps make the world be a better place. Shame there isn’t more like him. Simone Felice with help from his brothers, Ian and James Felice, Josh Rawson, Greg Farley, Jeremy Backofen, Robert Burke and from Mumford & Sons, Ben Lovett and Ted Dwane plus others delivers his finely spun tales with exquisite taste. Recorded over a period of time in locations from London to New York City via Beacon plus up near he was born, Woodstock in Upstate New York he has worked hard and long on the record. That was hatched and nurtured after his latest brush with death while convalescing.  

 

Very much an arty person he speaks with sympathy of the loneliness of Courtney Love, Dawn Brady’s Son (that has such clever lyrics as raising up the flag was easier than a son) and Sharon Tate as his stories speak of drugs, death and a good deal of darkness. Like in New York Times that reports the story of Eddie Blackbird, an Indian from South Dakota who stole a gold Range Rover and led the authorities a dance prior to his death.

 

Felice’s way of targeting the tales of woe, sorrowful tales help him build a dark foreboding feel mixed with wisps of the mystical, that though good on record live the songs will be even better! As anyone who has seen him play will readily testify. I am currently edging more and more into his songs and music that contains elements of a number of things, but singer-songwriter muse is the one that feels the most comfortable. Like on ‘Courtney Love’ that possesses some timey blasts of harmonica and shuffling acoustic guitar Simone handles the piece like a potter does clay, in that he caresses the lyrics in a meticulous, careful fashion where no detail, however small it is not missed. For with this man, whether by way of lyric or playing no excess is to be found.

 

A man of great imagination who gives his all at whatever he does. His work is precise and though not stuff to dance to (although he does quicken considerably on the infectious ‘You & I Belong’; with Lovett and Dwane) the passion of his work is hard to match never mind surpass.    

 

                                                            Maurice Hope