 
|
Album: Katie Trotta: Release
Street Date: March 2004
Length: 67:04
Rating: 
From: Indianapolis, IN
Reviewed by: Brian
Buy it: CD Baby
Katie Trotta is an up-and-coming singer/songwriter from Indianapolis, IN. With her debut album Release, Trotta shares with the world 15 songs she wrote while still in high school. Recording for the piano/vocal album finished up just two months after Katie turned 18.
1. Blurr - The album starts with a slow, melodic piano piece. One thing that works in favor of this track is because the piano is so slow and melodic, you can really focus on the lyrics and Trotta's voice, which is very distinctive. Blurr is the shortest track on the album (2:46), but is a good opener for what is to come.
2. Last Night - This is a more upbeat piece, and musically reminded me of a Delta Goodrem-ish piano/vocal, just to throw a comparison out there. Lyrically speaking the content is something a lot of people can sympathize with, and can compare their own life situations to.
3. If I Fall - One of the most outstanding songs on the album. The piano/vocal arrangement for the song works beautifully, and the lyrical content is heartfelt and is again easily applicable to the listener's own life situations.
4. Anymore - Anymore is a mixed bag musically, there is some slower piano with a bit more of a mid-tempo playing mixed in. Another strong song lyrically, brought across well with solid vocals.
5. Piece of the Sky - This is a slower, more classical sounding piano piece. The lyrics and vocals are solid, but it is definitely the piano which carries this piece. It is so strong that it could be something that was played without vocals and would sound just as awesome as it does with vocals over it.
6. Dance - Another stand-out track on the CD. Musically the song is in a slower mid-tempo which has more of a classical sound with a newer pop twinge to it. Lyrically it fits into and speaks about the timeframe in which Katie wrote these songs, high school years. The lyrics tend to display feelings that a lot of people felt and/or realized during their formative high school years (I’ve lived my whole life / pretending / to fit into the crowd / but that wasn’t me).
7. Enough - One very noticable thing about this song is that Trotta shows her vocal range a bit singing in different tones/pitches throughout the song. The piano is slow, but again melodic and flows with the vocals well. A strong song lyrically as well.
8. Ordinary - Lyrics are the main thing that carry this track. It has a hook that will grab your ear, and the song expands from there. The piano is nothing special overall, but sounds rather pretty at some points. Vocally the song is good.
9. Bad Day - A very sobering song lyrically, and Katie's vocal tone and piano work blend well with the lyrics to evoke emotion from the listener. Again, this is a song many listeners can relate to lyrically.
10. Sarah Jane - This is a slower song in the story-telling lyric mode. It is a nice change. The piano while slow, does well to keep up with the vocals when they speed up, and does a nice job setting the tone with some crisp solos.
11. Lazy Sunday - Lazy Sunday is just kind of a light, fun track which distinguishes itself away from some of the more serious tracks on the CD. The piano is light and hearty with fun, relatable lyrics brought forth by upbeat vocals.
12. Masquerade - The lyrics for Masquerade definitely carry this song. Trotta again shows off her range a bit, which brings the song along well. The piano is alright, but doesn't stand out as much as it does on a few of the other tracks.
13. Same Old Thing - While not the best song on the album by any means, this song is very solid. The best part is the bridge where Trotta shows more vocal range and there is a fantastic 15 second solo piano bridge.
14. Good Girl - The third track which stands out above the rest on the album. Everything flows together masterfully. Again, Katie's lyrics come from the heart and are written in a way that many listeners can relate to them easily.
15. P.S. - Essentially, this song equates to a tribute song to a close friend lyrically. Very powerful lyrical content which almost every listener could relate to. Emotionally driven vocals compliment a soothing piano melody to end out the CD on a good note.
Overall Impression
For not even being out of high school when these songs were written, I was extremely impressed with the lyric writing ability of Katie Trotta. Most of her lyrics are meaningful, throught provoking, and are very easy for the listener to pick up and apply to their own life. That is a very important quality in her corner if she is ever given the chance to achive mainstream success.
Trotta's piano playing also impressed me. She used a mixed bag of arrangements, and especially on a 15 track album that is all piano/vocal, it is a must to change musical tones so the listener will not get bored.
The vocals are very solid, especially considering how young Trotta was when the CD was recorded. She has a very distinctive voice that is all her own, and the exciting part is as she gets older and continues to sing her vocal range and consistency will only get better.
Currently, Katie Trotta is in the process of putting together a band to record a new EP. For more information on Katie Trotta, you can visit katietrotta.com or Katie Trotta on MySpace.
|
All content is © 2004-2017 AlbumBuzz.com / Staff & Site Credits
|
 
|
