Justin Sconza is back! Following up from last year’s ‘Campfire’, the Chicago-based troubadour now returns with a brand-new LP, ‘Standards’, a vivid, honest and heartwarming slice of soft rock and psych influences. A keen songwriter, Sconza doesn’t hide his passion for nostalgic lyricism and personal reflections, taking hints from life as a whole and translating them into lyrical form.
The aural character follows suit: ‘Standards’ takes a different approach than ‘Campfire’, with Justin making good use of actual drums (instead of drum machines) and revamping his old Yamaha DX7 (a seminal synth, staple of the celebrated 80s sound). Collecting a bunch of old songs – some of which had a good home in Sconza’s live sets for years – the American creative perfectly mirrors the album’s title, standing as a collection of ‘personal classics’, pieces that were familiar to Sconza, just not yet to the world.
The end result is rather surprising, with ‘Standards’ oscillating between fierce fuzziness (the likes of ‘Lovely Monica’) and hazier, more rounded gems (‘Pretty Picture’, ‘Suddenly’). Speaking about the inspiration behind the record, Justin shares: “It reflects on the push and pull between past and future, and the search for meaning in an ever-changing world.”
Recommended! Discover ‘Standards’ on Spotify:
