Welcome all to 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿, a series of weekly reviews by Charles Connolly - an artist in his own right. Here, Charles delves into the greatest brand new singles brought to you by the best unsigned artists on our electrifying and eclectic set of 𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝘼𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙎𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 playlists.
𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙖 𝙗𝙚 - 𝘼𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙖 𝙍𝙖𝙞𝙨𝙞
Charles attempts to please the majority…
"You can't please everyone". How many times have we heard this? It has been said by all walks of life - a parent, teacher, close friend, accountant, lawyer, and just about anyone else who feels the need to provide some sort of unhelpful input. It seems that when you are in a predicament, the simple and seemingly innocent response is, "You can't please everyone". It is something automatic that people say. And I suppose in a way it’s utterly true. Factually correct. But still, it does not help in the slightest, and is not so much advice as the feeling of having advised. The feeling that they care about you, as their hand rests on your shoulder, before being carted off to the electric chair. What it really means is, it’s out of your hands and there’s nothing you can do. You’re completely and utterly screwed, whichever way you look at it. Wonderful. Just wonderful. You choose one option and someone isn’t happy. You do the other thing, and someone else isn’t happy. You’re damned if you do etc…. So, where does that leave us? You could hide under the duvet until it all goes away? Seems pretty planny, but it doesn’t, does it. Just go away… It sits there, festering. Twiddling its thumbs and tapping its foot, knowing that you will eventually need to come up for air. And there it will be, just as you left it, staring at you with eager eyes. So maybe you make a stand and become selfish? Please neither side and choose yourself instead? What’s best for YOU? To be all that YOU want to be. But that won’t work either.
We see this in politics ad nauseam. One side against the other, with the population in the middle - having no say (which is a good thing - who wants THAT job??). But it’s the population that matters. It’s the population that is affected. Do we go far right and anger the left? Do we go far left and irritate the right? Impossible to say, of course. But how’s about this for an idea… Somewhere in the middle? Where no one is particularly enthused with the way of things, but very few are infuriated. Deep resentment and fury are surely what is to be avoided. It may be a dull solution, but still, it’s an idea. The other plausibility is to weigh up how many would be appalled and disgruntled either way, then pick the least offensive option. Boring!! Where’s the fun in THAT??
What this all proves is, it isn’t easy. And that I cannot imagine anything worse than having that volume of power. These reviews are just about as much power as I can handle. And even that is on the limit. Does everyone like my reviews? Nope. Do I please everyone? Nope. CAN I, even? You guessed it: nope. But do I TRY to? Nope. I mean, yes. Yes, I do. I think THIS is all we can do. We can TRY to please as many as possible, knowing full well that we will never achieve a 100% success rate. Perfection will never occur. And even if hypothetically I were to achieve total perfection, there would still be some little bugger who refuses to like it. Because there’s always one. One of the biggest problems I have in life is trying to please everyone, and ending up hurting or annoying them all - or at least feeling that way. I should have listened to the nauseating, predictable, uninspired repeaters: “You can’t please everyone”. There should be an extra bit tacked on the end: ”…but if you try, you may end up pleasing no one”. Or maybe that does exist. I don’t know. I don’t listen to anyone anymore.
Maybe I should have listened to someone else. Someone who is taken to attempting the impossible. Someone who seemingly manages to please just everyone. Well, at least everyone she has attempted to please. And that’s good enough for me. I am talking about New Artist Spotlight newcomer, Alessia Raisi. She has been with us for less than a month, and not only is she a brilliant artist, but she is supportive of other artists and grateful for the love and appreciation she receives. All the more reason to feature her here! This week brings my third review in a row of songs released on September 9th. What a day of music it was! But Alessia released not one, but four songs on that very day of days. Well, correction, one song, four times. Seems like a good dollop of egotism, no? Well, nope! Maybe an error…? Nope. You see, Alessia is originally Italian. But has also realised that Italian lyrics will not go down well in the rest of the world. So English lyrics, then? What, and risk alienating your own beloved country…? Maybe try English lyrics with an Italian accent? No no no, that’s just what I meant about trying to please everyone but ending up pleasing no one. Alessia Raisi has put together an EP called ‘ROCK !’, and it contains one song in four languages. Okay, but why choose English, Spanish, Italian and Chinese? Well, because her live performances are most popular in Argentina, Italy and China! Yup, she travels the world! But what about English? Well, ya know. You gotta have English. She has even released a French EP in the past! The brand new song is called ‘All that I wanna be’. Or, Todo Lo Que Quiero (All that I want), Tutto Quello Che Voglio (All I want), 我想要的一切 - Wǒ xiǎng yào de yīqiè (Everything I want). Is the translation exact? Nope. Does it matter? Nope. Because the point is clear, and the song is fabulous. And weirdly, after English my favourite is actually Chinese! Something about that bendy way of singing the chorus - sounds marvellous!
And on to the music. ‘All that I wanna be’ assimilates the best of the 80s and the best of the 90s to achieve a classic sound. The main influence to me is Alanis Morissette, but without that irritating thing Alanis does with her voice. You know what I mean - you love it or you hate it. It’s like a song from 1995, mixed and produced by a man who achieved fame from his work in 1982. It’s LIKE that. I’m not saying it IS that. I have recently realised that the best producer/engineers seemed to be in the 80s. Anyway! The most satisfying drum fill starts off the piece - I have air-drummed to it many times. Alessia is on the mic before the guitars have barely had a chance to be donned. There is already strength in her voice, but there is a suggestion that she has much more power in reserve, for later. Usually it would be guitars carrying the lead voice for a rock song of this style, but here rather unusually it is the bass that rolls those shiny new strings with assertive yet controlled assurance, lending space for the guitars to come. As we reach the chorus, Alessia and her band do not disappoint. I mentioned that reserved power… Well here it is! Alessia digs in and belts those lyrics with such passion and determination. Aside from Alanis, I also hear bits of Spice Girl, Mel C (in her early solo rock phase). It is at this moment that I realise the striking yet coincidental resemblance to the sound of NAS artist, Panem. Only in sound and feel, not in song. Which, considering Panem has always been one of my favourite bands on the NAS, is not a bad thing. But as is usually the case, despite these familiarities in sound, Alessia Raisi manages originality, and ultimately it is the sound of her. I can only imagine that Alessia is astounding live, in a huge arena setting. As opposed to a small arena…
Alessia has attempted to please the nations of four languages. And in doing so, has succeeded! So while it’s still true that you can’t please EVERYone, she proves that you can please who you set out to please.
Come on, come on! Please please me (woah yeah) like I please you.
Listen to 𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙖 𝙗𝙚 on the 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿 Spotify playlist HERE!
Listen to 𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙖 𝙗𝙚 on the 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿 Apple Music playlist HERE!
Listen to the 𝙍𝙊𝘾𝙆 ! EP on Spotify HERE!
Listen to the 𝙍𝙊𝘾𝙆 ! EP on Apple Music HERE!
Follow 𝘼𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙖 𝙍𝙖𝙞𝙨𝙞 on Instagram HERE!
Please share this post and let me know your thoughts in the comments below
I could write a response purely on the statement "you can't please everyone". But this review was spot on. The fact that she recorded this song in four different languages is amazing just by itself! Then to hear the actual song, the lyrics, the instrumental, etc makes it all worthwhile and more powerful. Great review as always!
i'm really a nitwit because i comment on comments and then don't have much left to say by the time i get to my own. Allesia Araisi sure does ROCK and i'm completely jealous that she can sing in four different languages so seemingly effortlessly! Some people are way too talented and Alessia is one of them.Since jealousy ain't gonna get me anywhere i'll just accept the fact that this lady sure is brilliant.i do hear those shades of Alanis and the 80's and 90's coming through but that just makes this one but four song even more attractive to me because i love the music from those decades. Had to smile when you wrote about hiding under a duvet CC.When i…
Absolutely love that the song got multiple releases in different languages! And as always a fab review CC
Always a great review🎶
I tend to love that 90s and 80s sound in all music, so I'm glad they did a review on this artist