Islesworth sparklin' vocal, tasteful guitar, "we're not in kansas anymore."
INDIE SPIRIT Sheli Aarden-Monacchio is writing songs from a place that she hadn’t yet discovered on her debut release, Digging For Daylight. On her follow up effort, Kansas, she has a feet and her pen firmly planted on confident ground and is writing the types of songs that she was always meant to write. Songs that breathe with a no fear, confessional tone, that give the listener a crystal clear picture of exactly what she is trying to bring across with each and every song. Kansas is the album that she has been working toward, since she first graced the New Jersey coffee house circuit in 2004. The Robbinsville, NJ resident has been burning the candle at both ends, not only with the April 2011 release of Kansas, but by following it up six months later with a collaboration project with her husband, Keith Monacchio, aptly titled The Monacchios – Wedding Album. It’s more than a bit of an understatement to say the this girl has been busy. Sheli Aarden-Monacchio has been a fixture on the NJ “coffee house” circuit since 2004. She has multiple Asbury Music & JAM (Jersey Acoustic Musician) award nominations to her credit. This year saw her pick up an award for Best Folk Act for her Monacchios offshoot project. Branching out of the regular circuit of music haunts, Aarden-Monacchio is playing anywhere and everywhere to make sure as many ears as possible hear her music. There may be “a storm approaching”, but Sheli Aarden-Monacchio’s Kansas, sounds like the work of a woman who is writing with the clarity of the clearest sky and a future that is brimming with possibility.
Road Movie.. Great smooth vocals and an engaging drive and sense of purpose to this melancholic alt folk/pop song laced with roadtripping 50s tremelo, that builds n transforms itself into a rock song by the end
Over The Moon Two Really enjoyed this track - great pace, interesting lyric and vocals.
Hi Ho Steverino Black storm clouds gathering over the North Central plains as the song builds to a climax
LEGENDARY MUSIC Being MIA from the review scene here for several months while attending to other projects and responsibilities, I am now playing a little catch up. Having seen the post by Sheli Aarden-Monacchio in the Shout box here on my Legendary Music station, then checking out her page, it took but a few scant seconds of listening to "Kansas" until I was hooked by this great song. An uplifting, spirited and ringing melody sets the pace for Sheli’s engaging vocals and great lyrics as the song moves into rock mode bolstered by a blazing blistering guitar solo followed by Sheli in a top down, hit the road, pedal to the metal hell-bent for leather groove – a hypnotic, mesmerizing, driving and smoking gun tune. Welcome to Legendary Music, Sheli.