Music for the rest of us... Guitar-based roots rock abundant with pop sensibilities

13 MP3 Songs
ROCK: Roots Rock, ROCK: Classic Rock



Details:
The 13 songs on âSoul Dividedâ showcase John "JD" Stefanâs artistry on everything from his crisp songwriting, memorable hooks and vocal talents to his considerable skills as a musician and producer. Having performed everything on the CD (even the art design), JDâs Soul Divided about as true a solo album as one can get.

Soul Divided is a musical odyssey disguised in a traditional rock/pop format though the songs occasionally twist just enough to elude any specific categorization. Drawing on a wealth of influences JD has created an album that is both emotive and accessible giving the listener everything from the straight-up pop/rock of âRoll With Meâ to the shimmering strains of âA Thousand Reasonsâ paying a bit of homage to earlier reverb-drenched halcyon days. His songs seem to slide deftly under the skin to resonate in the body with an efficient subtlety that takes one by surprise as the melodies resurface minutes, hours or days later.

In some contrast to the sheen of the album (given JDâs notable recording and engineering skills) thereâs the hint of something darker seeming to bubble beneath the surface and a touch of rawness around the edges. The combination succeeds in giving the disc an open feel which is surprising considering the fact that everything was performed by JD alone. JDâs writing and pop sensibilities create tracks that are often instantly memorable on the first pass but Soul Divided is one of those collections that continue to reveal many facets and layers with each subsequent spin.

JD has been the main creative force behind the San Francisco Bay Area band Overcurve for several years and has also recorded as a member of the San Francisco band Dart and produced a new-age style CD for the former Berkeley, CA retailer, The Nature Company. Soul Divided is his first solo effort into the mainstream.