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Stronghold is the new album from ASCAP award winner John DeGrazio. John is known around the world as an accomplished songwriter/composer/producer who has a number one hit song to his credit, he played in the group Burlap to Cashmere and toured with CCM artists Jars of Clay, Dc Talk and Jaci Velasquez.
This is the third full length released by DeGrazio. Stronghold was recorded at Watersound in NJ and produced by John himself. It has been a long journey for John in releasing this album, his first release Revolution coming out back in 2001 and now 9 years on he feels...
Read More Stronghold is the new album from ASCAP award winner John DeGrazio. John is known around the world as an accomplished songwriter/composer/producer who has a number one hit song to his credit, he played in the group Burlap to Cashmere and toured with CCM artists Jars of Clay, Dc Talk and Jaci Velasquez.
This is the third full length released by DeGrazio. Stronghold was recorded at Watersound in NJ and produced by John himself. It has been a long journey for John in releasing this album, his first release Revolution coming out back in 2001 and now 9 years on he feels these thirteen songs are close to some of his best work.
The first point that captured my attention from listening on first play was the strength and richness in John's voice. His voice captures your attention straight away, and this point is more than proven in the opening title track Stronghold. The track opens with a clever orchestral musical start, haunting violins and soft evocative piano which captures the imagination straight away. John sings with affluent tones "From the days of old, To what the future holds, It's been foretold, Everlasting love, Savior of my soul, You're my stronghold" and you believe every world, a truly remarkable start to the album.
The clever, creative musicianship continues into next track I Did Fly where there is some clever and interesting chord changes that makes listening to the track interesting, on every play I seemed to pick out something new. Tomorrow is Here and New Life takes things to a more acoustic feel, two solid songs that are different in style to the previous two tracks. Sometimes with acoustic songs they can come across as very basic songs which go through the motions, but the musicality of John doesn't let this happen, it seems he is always thinking of the bigger picture, with little musical clever moments that take a song from being a good song to a great song.
You might be thinking this is just another soft acoustic album with some nice piano work, and primarily it is, but John does have a darker side which comes through in the tracks Fragile and Down I Go, John shows us a slightly gloomy sound.
Stronghold is an album that shines creatively above many albums that are out at the moment, his producing skills flow through the album showing that John DeGrazio is a very talented man. Soul searching lyrics with truths and honest feelings fill this album, John will be an artist to keep a keen eye on in the next year, but until then Stronghold is a wonderful album to get into.
Review by Jono Davies
LTTM Rating 4.5 out of 5 Stars
Standout Tracks
Stronghold
I Did Fly
Heaven Sent
