Bryan Scary's Mad Valentine EP Reviewed by Elizabeth Murphy

In today’s music, it’s hard to find an artist that can be played around the whole family without having to worry about explicit language or adult content. Bryan Scary’s new album, Mad Valentine EP is one that the whole family can enjoy. The album is a smooth flowing collection of tracks among which everyone will find at least two favorites.

The track, “Andromeda’s Eyes,” is a fast-paced, energetic song that has a great combination of Pop and Rock beats. The beginning starts off with rapid-paced piano playing. It is interrupted shortly after by the loud sounds of a guitar. Together the sounds produce a crazy mixture, and gets you thinking, “Is this what it would sound like if Liberace and Jimi Hendrix got together and did a track?” The lyrics are lively and catchy. When the lyrics are sung to the rapid tempo that the piano and guitar play, the listeners get a burst of energy. This was a great way to open up this EP. The speed of the lyrics and the fast music produces a rush and it plants a curiosity about what the listener will be exposed to with the following tracks.

“A Gambler’s Whirl” begins with singing and a nice array of instruments. It
comes across as a very dreamy-sounding track, much slower in tempo from the
previous song. The guitar comes in toward the end of the track with some
strong notes, giving the track a futuristic feel. The singer’s voice is pleasant and soothing, but he doesn’t sound as good as he does when he’s singing on a faster paced song. However, the lyrics do contain a bit of character. For instance, when singing the title of this song, it sounds like he’s saying, “Gambler’s world” when he is really singing “Gamblers whirl.” Slight word play like this one suggests playful lyrics and the CD’s great-humored assortment.

Returning to a slightly faster paced song, “The Garden of Eleanor”, begins with rapid piano playing, much like the album’s first track. But the track following this one, “Maria Saint Claire” is faster, almost as if each track is slowly creeping up in tempo to ultimately reach the level of, “Andromeda’s Eyes.” However, “Maria Saint Claire” definitely sounds like it comes straight from the Partridge family. Near the end of the song comes the best part, there’s this singing that doesn’t sound like English. You will find yourself replaying the song to see if you can catch exactly what the lyrics are. Only to find out that it’s probably gibberish.

“Bye Bye Babylon” begins sounding very much like something Coldplay would
play by the way the drums and piano glide into each other. It’s a slower
song and seems to bring the album down a few notches from the joy of a ride
we been on. This song was a great turning point to follow the album’s last
track, “Red Umbrella.” And, no this isn’t another “Umbrella Song”. The track has a
rock edge. The echo of the shouts screaming, “Hey [and] okay” between the chorus’ direction to follow the “Red Umbrella” seems to fit perfectly with the effect trying to be created. This album is definitely an “enjoyable” that you can play on a long car ride.