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Late Review: "This Love"

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By George GomezPublished 4 years ago 10 min read
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Taken from bobbyoroza.bandcamp.com. All rights reserved. No copyright intended.

Music is often a reflection of us.

With the idea of industry plants and copycats, some would say there are very few genuine artists out there.

To say Bobby Oroza is one of a kind would be an understatement. Oroza manages to create his sense of self through his music. It has a mixture of old 50's and 60's guitar riffs and production. It's in this way that helps him to express himself in the purest way. This, in turn, captures the heart of listeners, including myself.

Bobby Oroza is a Finnish-born artist with family roots in Cuba (hence the surname Oroza). Growing up with music all around him, Oroza decided to follow the same path. After working some time in the Finnish music scene in the background and for other artists, Oroza went ahead and studied in Cuba where he looked to hone in and refine his sound.

Coming back and finding the unique members and producers to fulfill his vision, Oroza signed with LA based record label Big Crown Records (home to artists such as The Shacks and El Michels Affiar). With this signing came, Bobby Oroza's debut album, This Love.

The 12 (with 1 bonus track) track album offers a wide range of crooning vocals and nostalgic melodies. At the same time, much of the production blends into each other. There are often pairs of tracks that sound eerily similar. This can be a good thing yet sometimes, it can be a little mundane.

*The track-by-track analysis will start from this point on.*

The opening track, "Maybe, Maybe, Maybe", is a slow tempo ode to feeling better, to put it simply. There is a deep bass line and a steady cymbal in the background to set the tone of the song with a smooth guitar riff to cover the rest of the bases. Bobby's voice melts into this song with his unique crooning and his accent that can be heard ever so slightly. He is not necessarily a very talented vocalist, but he knows the limitations of his voice and how he can make up for it (this will be a recurring thought with some of the later tracks). With lyrics like "I've been running and running / just to be late" and "Now I feel the breeze on my face / Maybe, maybe, maybe / my luck will change", the songwriting isn't impeccable but it is a solid introduction to what we will hear for the rest of the album.

The second track, "Your Love is Too Cold", has to be the most up-tempo and one of the more popular songs off the album. Clearly borrowing from early swing tracks, Bobby sings of a lover who does not seem to reciprocate his feelings back. The song begins with backing vocals, a catchy echo almost. The lyrics start off with lines that get the point across fairly quickly: "You don't see me how much I'm trying / Don't mean a thing to you". The track gives off a dance feeling to it. It almost makes you want to dance like that famous scene from Pulp Fiction.

Up next is "Alone Again", the third track and probably one of the more somber songs on the album. It starts with haunting backing vocals and a very soft guitar riff. It deals with heartbreak, the empty feeling once that special person has left, and how accustomed Bobby (and the listener) is to the feeling. In these verses, he details how lonely he is and ponders where the love went wrong. "I'm rolling down the empty street / and the lights are turning green / I'm grieved in your memories / Back when you were sitting next to me". He does a great job of letting his voice feel the emotion. He lingers on some lines which makes us understand a sense of pain in his voice.

The fourth track (one of my favorites) "Falling in Love" comes out just as one could imagine. A delicate and soft guitar riff starts things and in comes Oroza's vocals. It details embracing love once again. Falling in love can be scary, but in this song, Oroza is ready to take that change again. What stands out about this track is the swooning Oroza does. During the chorus, he does not overextend his vocals yet hits the mark. It is one of those songs where you might find yourself singing along as well. "Here I go again / I'm falling in love / like a little child / with an open heart". It is a feel good song that helps digest the somber tracks beforehand.

In comes Bobby's Mood, the fifth track. It serves as a small interlude for track number six. Interludes have a positive stigma about being the best tracks on albums but in this case, it serves its purpose and nothing more.

Now the sixth song, "Should I Take You Home", has to be one of the standout tracks. It is a cover of the same song by Sunny & The Sunliners (a staple in Chicano music). Carrying the same riff and tempo from "Bobby's Mood", this song has a solid production. The organ in the background only adds to the intimacy of the track. It truly captures the low-produced early 1950's vibe. With a steady drum beat, Oroza's vocals once again rest smoothly over the layout of the track. Using very simple yet poignant lyrics, it laments how Oroza should take his lover home after a night together. Take this one for example: "We told your momma we'd be in by eight / She's probably wondering why we're late". It captures the essence of a relaxed night with a lover yet not wanting to end so soon. It adds enough of Oroza' own spirit to spin and make this track his yet still homage to the original artist.

At track number seven, we have "Keep On Believing". Opening with Oroza's squeaky yet satisfying vocals, the song takes a sudden turn into optimism. The previous songs have been about heartbreak or an attempt to woo a lover but not this song. It is an attempt to manifest something that Oroza holds dearly. It is clear that it is kept ambiguous so people can relate and attach their personal feelings to the song. It is very upbeat compared to the other songs, a standout track in its own right.

The eighth track and the one of the most popular songs, "This Love" tells the story of a love that is just not right. Whatever the reason it may be, Oroza makes it clear that he needs to get over this love (hence the title). The beginning is eerily similar to "Should I Take You Home" and the later track "Deja Vu" but once the other instrumentals come on, the song begins to take on a life of its own. With very catchy guitar riffs and lyrics such as "You're the kind of girl / who can make a man lose his mind", it's easy to see why the song's amount of success and popularity.

The next track after is "Lonely Girl". Coming in at number nine, it's a love song dedicated to a lonely girl (get it?) and how Oroza can change that one day if she just notices him. The backing guitar riff is very melodic and helps capture a sense of wonderment. There's nothing too special about the lyrics but it serves the purpose in this case (see what I mean?). Lyrics like "Let's go where the music is playing / let me take you there / come into my arms" are just some lines that don't present anything too straightforward but nothing subtle either. It's meant to woo a special girl and the song can't get any better than that (it's a pretty good song to start off with)!

The most sentimental track on the album has to be "Down On My Knees". A ballad of sorts, except not to a person but himself and to those willing to listen. It ultimately details how life can be extremely difficult at times. A very guitar riff sets the tone and continues on to the lyrics. Oroza howl-sings, "Life can turn you inside out / Take away everything / Smash your heart into pieces / Can you mend it?". It's almost a plea for help. It's the very way that Oroza enunciates these lyrics; the pain almost translates over to the listeners. This sentimental track has to be one of the more mature tracks; it clearly shows the potential that Oroza has as a songwriter.

The second to last track happens to be "Deja Vu". It begins with a simple bass chord progression, and is matched with a similar guitar riff. There are very few things that stand out during this song except for the crooning which falters back and forth due to the production. In addition, towards the 2:40 mark, an interesting breakdown that brings a bit of life to the song. Overall a solid track, just outshone by the other songs on the album.

Last but not least, is "There Can Be No Love", to close it off. When comparing this song to the others, it does not sound anything similar. Oroza's high-pitch vocals sweep over the track, backed up by choir-like harmonizing for the opening (and during the chorus). What stands out has to be the heavy bass line that overlays the entire track. It adds another layer to the track as Oroza's lyrics about heartbreak top it all off. "No, there can be no love / between / You & I", this down-to-earth chorus explains all we need to know about the song.

As an added bonus, there is a 13th track (lucky number 13) on some physical versions and most streaming platforms. Titled "This Love Pt.1 & 2", it is an extended version of track number eight. It is essentially the same song except with an added guitar instrumentation and a few more vocals from Oroza. The guitar solo at the end does add a sense of pleading that seems to lack in the original. If this is considered to be the last track, then it does a fine job of bringing the album to a smooth finale.

Bobby Oroza's debut album introduces the masses to an artist who takes his craft extremely seriously. Oroza knows the sound he is attempting to create and it hits the mark every time.

Since Oroza attempts to recreate the sound of early 1950s/60s music, the production value seems to falter at times. There's almost an old school filter whenever Oroza's vocals appear which is done on purpose. Although it does the job, it can get a bit redundant. He is not the best singer and it shows, at times, when he attempts to croon and hit high notes. Some tracks, like previously mentioned, sound eerily similar. When listening to the album from start to finish, this blending-in can happen towards the middle and end of the album. These songs have very similar drum beats up in the background or often use the same organ pattern, it seems.

In terms of songwriting, Oroza takes a minimalist approach. When it comes to such serious emotion such as heartbreak and loss, he uses the simplest words or phrases to convey them. It's not necessarily bad, but when considering the themes of tracks such as "Down On My Knees" and "Alone Again" that hint at other emotions besides heartbreak, it can be a bit frustrating.

Overall, This Love is a solid introduction to Bobby Oroza. It makes me look forward to any new material from him, an artist that is clear in their understanding of who they are.

Rating: 8.3/10.

*If you ever enjoy reading my reviews, please share them with your peers! In addition, if you have any recommendations or pieces of media that you would like me to review, feel free to reach out!*

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About the Creator

George Gomez

Screenwriter first, Mexican-American second, Trying to change the world with my words third.

www.gutsfilms.com

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