Tony Pascarella
04/23/06, 02:26 AM
Dave Melillo – Talk Is Cheap EP
Release Date: April 18, 2006
Record Label: Drive-Thru Records
With only five songs, Dave Melillo has proven his ability to captivate listeners. His online-released Talk Is Cheap is an exploration of being a teenager. It is not meant to be a philosophical look at the meaning of life—it is some of Dave’s experiences packed into five tightly wound, infectious songs to which you cannot help but sing and dance. As far as musical comparisons go, look no further than The Starting Line’s 2003 EP, Make Yourself At Home. If you liked that one, Talk Is Cheap is a sure bet to find a home on your iPod.
“Sam’s Song” ranges from youthful insecurity to abject devotion, all in a clean-cut package that features the bare-bones twang of an acoustic guitar. Melillo does not overdo the emotion, nor does he bury it under a constant stream of production. This raw, honest songwriting will become a favorite for the romantics among us. “Vatican Roulette” is everything that “Sam’s Song” is not. Beginning with a Motion City Soundtrack-esque synth part, this song incorporates handclaps like nobody’s business. "Vatican Roulette" is a cool pop-rock tune that has some serious radio potential. A tale of getting drunk, losing your virginity, and not remembering it the morning after, this one may hit home with many listeners. Dave offers a bit of a warning in the song as you’re in the middle of dancing your ass off. It is catchy but there is a point to it.
“Knights of the Island Counter” starts as the most brooding song on Talk Is Cheap, but it picks up some. Almost a logical continuation of “Vatican Roulette,” this song touches on getting completely wasted as Melillo croons soulfully to the listener. Is it ironic that one of the most poignant lines in “This is 2005” includes the phrase “I’d like to believe the best of me is something I have yet to see”? Possibly. The song’s uplifting piano melody and thoughtful lyricism makes it another favorite of mine, and certainly not just for a little bit of similarity to The Starting Line. “Morris County Blues” closes the EP, and it is lyrically a bit more expansive, although the instrumentation drops a little bit in quality. It is a song that live, you would probably jump around like an idiot to (maybe even mosh to), but you need to appreciate on CD first. Everything Dave does on Talk Is Cheap seems to have a profound meaning and a distinct purpose.
I love this EP for so many reasons: partly because of its brutal honesty, partly because of its flowing melodies, and partly because of its occasional blemishes. Some of Dave’s lines are not as fluid as they could be, and sometimes either the vocals or the instruments overshadow the other, causing a song to be a bit unbalanced. However, Talk Is Cheap gives listeners all over a chance to experience the talent of this gifted songwriter firsthand. Dave Melillo is a rising star in the music industry as long as he continues writing music this emotional and captivating.
Buy Dave Melillo's Talk is Cheap on iTunes (http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=PjIvm57kicI&offerid=78941&type=3&subid=0&tmpid=1826&RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fphobos. apple.com%252FWebObjects%252FMZStor e.woa%252Fwa%252FviewAlbum%253Fi%25 3D274928083%2526id%253D274928058%25 26s%253D143441%2526partnerId%253D30 )
01. Sam's Song
02. Vatican Roulette
03. Knights of the Island Counter
04. This Is 2005
05. Morris County Blues
Release Date: April 18, 2006
Record Label: Drive-Thru Records
With only five songs, Dave Melillo has proven his ability to captivate listeners. His online-released Talk Is Cheap is an exploration of being a teenager. It is not meant to be a philosophical look at the meaning of life—it is some of Dave’s experiences packed into five tightly wound, infectious songs to which you cannot help but sing and dance. As far as musical comparisons go, look no further than The Starting Line’s 2003 EP, Make Yourself At Home. If you liked that one, Talk Is Cheap is a sure bet to find a home on your iPod.
“Sam’s Song” ranges from youthful insecurity to abject devotion, all in a clean-cut package that features the bare-bones twang of an acoustic guitar. Melillo does not overdo the emotion, nor does he bury it under a constant stream of production. This raw, honest songwriting will become a favorite for the romantics among us. “Vatican Roulette” is everything that “Sam’s Song” is not. Beginning with a Motion City Soundtrack-esque synth part, this song incorporates handclaps like nobody’s business. "Vatican Roulette" is a cool pop-rock tune that has some serious radio potential. A tale of getting drunk, losing your virginity, and not remembering it the morning after, this one may hit home with many listeners. Dave offers a bit of a warning in the song as you’re in the middle of dancing your ass off. It is catchy but there is a point to it.
“Knights of the Island Counter” starts as the most brooding song on Talk Is Cheap, but it picks up some. Almost a logical continuation of “Vatican Roulette,” this song touches on getting completely wasted as Melillo croons soulfully to the listener. Is it ironic that one of the most poignant lines in “This is 2005” includes the phrase “I’d like to believe the best of me is something I have yet to see”? Possibly. The song’s uplifting piano melody and thoughtful lyricism makes it another favorite of mine, and certainly not just for a little bit of similarity to The Starting Line. “Morris County Blues” closes the EP, and it is lyrically a bit more expansive, although the instrumentation drops a little bit in quality. It is a song that live, you would probably jump around like an idiot to (maybe even mosh to), but you need to appreciate on CD first. Everything Dave does on Talk Is Cheap seems to have a profound meaning and a distinct purpose.
I love this EP for so many reasons: partly because of its brutal honesty, partly because of its flowing melodies, and partly because of its occasional blemishes. Some of Dave’s lines are not as fluid as they could be, and sometimes either the vocals or the instruments overshadow the other, causing a song to be a bit unbalanced. However, Talk Is Cheap gives listeners all over a chance to experience the talent of this gifted songwriter firsthand. Dave Melillo is a rising star in the music industry as long as he continues writing music this emotional and captivating.
Buy Dave Melillo's Talk is Cheap on iTunes (http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=PjIvm57kicI&offerid=78941&type=3&subid=0&tmpid=1826&RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fphobos. apple.com%252FWebObjects%252FMZStor e.woa%252Fwa%252FviewAlbum%253Fi%25 3D274928083%2526id%253D274928058%25 26s%253D143441%2526partnerId%253D30 )
01. Sam's Song
02. Vatican Roulette
03. Knights of the Island Counter
04. This Is 2005
05. Morris County Blues