Humility is everything in this business, and if you learn how to bring it into the studio with you, you’re already a mile ahead of well over half the recording population in 2023. It takes a lot to stay strong and even more to break out some good swagger when we need it the most, and in his new single “Make the World Go Away,” Bruce Sudano chooses the latter and comes out sounding like a genuine hero. There are a lot of different ways to show solidarity with the masses in times like these, and Sudano shows us here that extending musical kindness is among the best gestures we’ve still got in this world.
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/brucesudano/?hl=en
You don’t have to be super familiar with the classic works that this player has under his belt ahead of “Make the World Go Away” to appreciate the bones of the composition as it’s been stylized here, but for those who are, it’s a respectful release I think you’re going to approve of. Back in the day, Sudano set a standard that few to have come after him have been able to live up to, but rather than trying to do the impossible with this latest song, Sudano experiments and makes it feel and sound like something born of his a new chapter rather than something old.
Bruce Sudano preserves the melodicism of “Make the World Go Away” diligently, but he also leaves everything else on the table essentially wide open to a versatile, improvisational wit that becomes the guiding hand behind his lyrics here later on. A lot of bands can throw together a jam when they’re playing a show and looking to transition into the next part of their setlist, but this has a life of its own that doesn’t feel so amateurish. It’s poetry in motion, and better yet, it’s pumped up by unvarnished warmth.
The vocal charisma here bleeds into the music and spreads warmth to the audience in a fashion that just wouldn’t have been possible were someone else holding the mic as opposed to Bruce Sudano, and I think this is indicative of a man who has found his signature sound. He’s making a simple soft rock song feel like a piece of material that he conjured up with a lot more thought and dedication than anyone would initially assume plausible for this genre, and if this isn’t something to celebrate professionally, I do not know what else would qualify.
APPLE MUSIC: https://music.apple.com/us/album/make-the-world-go-away/1664276805?i=1664277196
A charming single of rare value to both the casual pop aficionado and those who demand quality music in their lives, Bruce Sudano nails it with “Make the World Go Away” while making it clear to us that he has not yet reached his artistic peak. There’s still a lot of ground for this guy to cover that he’s barely scratched the surface of in singles like this one, and despite facing a lot of competition from around the underground and the mainstream the same, his moxie is pushing him into the spotlight once again in this performance and likely those that will come in its wake.
Jodi Marxbury