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Everything is Different is, overall, an appropriate title for Joe Piket’s latest full-length album. Similarities exist between some tracks but Piket makes it clear early on diversity is the order of the day. The Long Island singer/songwriter owes much of his reputation to the work he wrote and recorded with The Storm, but this eight song effort finds the guitarist and vocalist taking off in several improbable directions yet making it all cohere for listeners. There is an unifying confidence defining these songs and, even if they tackle multiple different styles, each track shares the same commitment to instrumental excellence. The production is stellar. Fans of wide-ranging artists unafraid to take risks will enjoy Joe Piket’s Everything is Different.
“Now I Have Everything” begins the release on an auspicious note. It opens on a classical note with lush strings setting a rather elegant stage for listeners. Piket, however, tantalizes listeners with his musical sleight of hand and shifts gears into a warm and convincing homage to doo wop. This could come off as the equivalent of pinning butterflies under glass; Piket, instead, turns in a loving rejuvenation of a bygone style.
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He executes a stylistic 180 with the second track. “Coke Stevenson” invokes the name of a long dead Texas governor with salvos of Heartland guitar rock. Piket’s weathered vocals strike the right effect without ever over-exaggerating, but he packs ample brio into the song. His commitment to each song, no matter which direction it turns, is a highlight of Everything is Different. There’s a Tom Petty-ish vibe surrounding the track but it’s never pushed hard to a crass sort of way.
Female backing vocals pair well with Piket’s voice during “My Breath to You”. This track, for me, is reminiscent of Steely Dan without some precocious oddball persona driving the musical mood. The smooth texture of the arrangement contrasts every bit as much with the preceding cut as “Coke Stevenson” did with the album opener. The slightly miraculous thing, however, is that he does it all with the same seamless skill. It all sounds natural.
“Piles” has an assortment of musical elements working in its favor. The Hammond organ coloring the song’s opening parries nicely with the drums. There’s a feeling of steady momentum building, the song generating steams as it progresses, and the fanfares layered through the track are exceptional. It gives this relatively brief song an expansiveness it would otherwise lack. Listeners will appreciate his daring.
AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/Everything-Different-Joe-Piket/dp/B07G3DXPGK
Daring doesn’t need to manifest itself as progressive rock leanings. “She’s Funny that Way” is a gender-specific reworking of the Billie Holliday classic that Piket deserves kudos for even attempting. It isn’t a reworking that rivals the original, but Piket’s aims are much different. His version of this venerable gem is re-interpretation and never attempts displacing the original. Joe Piket’s Everything is Different goes a long way towards establishing his bonafides as a solo artist. It is a substantial artistic statement with the unique capacity for entertaining the casual and hardcore music fan alike.
by Bethany Page
