Pittsburgh singer-songwriter Jesse Denaro premieres his Fire EP on CelebMix. The EP finds Denaro stuck betwixt and between conflicting desires. On the one hand, he’d like to settle down with the love of his life and start a family; on the other hand, a part of him wants to lead a nomadic life, wandering from place to place, unfettered.
Despite the fact the album grew out of the pain of divorce and its accompanying emotional wreckage, the EP finds optimism in the middle of the blues. It’s Denaro making music devoid of any artistic pressure, making music simply because he wants to.
Denaro explains it like this: “You come to a point where you realize that no one really gives a shit about your music.” He laughs. “It sounds sad, but it’s almost freeing. No one’s waiting hand and foot for your music, so you can take your time and make sure that the product is good. I’ve just taken a lot of time in the past few years writing these songs, crafting them to make sure that what I put out is something I still want to play in twenty years.”
Embracing six tracks, Fire opens with “Breathe,” a deliciously measured alt-pop tune infused with dark colors, sad and lingering, oozing the ache of private, inner anguish. Denaro’s evocative voice, impassioned with intimate timbres, expresses the rough bumps and gouges in his feelings.
Other entry points include the title track, a cathartic song about the moment you realize this person is the love of your life. “Handle” finds Denaro opening up about the pain he’s experiencing, trying to deal with it by emptying his emotional pockets and picking up what is his. I love the pulsing alt-rock guitar riffs and potent rhythm on this track.
“Slow Dance” opens on dark, heavy guitars exuding bluesy flavors, as Denaro’s slightly rasping voice delivers visible sonic disturbances, tight and turbulently sensuous. “Stay” melds alt-rock with garage-flavored prog rock elements, surges of dirty, gleaming guitars flowing with reckless dynamism, as well as the residual energy of desire and need trembling in Denaro’s passionate tones.
On Fire, Jesse Denaro exposes his emotions to public view, providing listeners with a peek into the innermost corners of his soul. This is a grand collection of deeply moving songs.
