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Robert Bidney – It’s All About The Love
Posted on July 13, 2015 by Dan Harr
by Janet Goodman
“Making this first album was a pure labor of love…Maybe, just maybe, my songs
will make a difference,” writes Fort Lauderdale-area singer/songwriter Robert
Bidney, in the liner notes of his debut CD, “It’s All About the Love.” Produced by
Fernando Perdomo and recorded in Southern California, this collection of original
songs, of which Bidney has a hand in penning all nine, reveals an artist who has
lived life yet remains youthfully optimistic; he’s a seasoned ad man by day, a
romantic by night.
Opening with his title track rap, Bidney weaves stories in a variety of musical
styles: the sweetly reggae-grooved “Love to Share;” the upbeat theatrical “Daring
to Dream;” the brassy rockabilly “Musicians Come from Mars.” Raw and lived-in
vocals compliment his poignant piano work, as on The Band-vibed “Love Me
Now,” and he shows his vocal range and love for Bacharach on 60’s pop “Take
Away Your Love.”
But his best works are songs that either hit you in the heart or in the gut. In pop
rock “Pill for Poverty,” Bidney sings with a relentless, attention-grabbing
conviction that’s unforgettable. Written in the midst of his own personal financial
crisis, he painfully shares in the bridge: “Over the counter or under the table/I need
a remedy with hope on the label.” Co-written with Wendy Sager Pomerantz, the
image-laden “From the First” gives listeners a rarely offered glimpse of intimacy
among aging couples: “They still leave the light on/They still bring the night
on/With an undying hunger and thirst.” His is a strong, new voice on the indie
album scene that’s been a long-time coming.
Visit the artist’s website www.robertbidney.com