From the Press Release
When it comes to getting screwed-over by women, singer/songwriter Zach Caruso doesn't get mad, but he does get even with the release of his fourth album, "Might Be The Rain," a sizzling set of eight high-impact blues-influenced rock tracks. Several of which, Caruso admits are craftily worded get-backs aimed at the women in his life who claimed they loved him, then done him wrong. In celebration of the CD release, the artist is making the album's first single, Nobody Knows My Name, available as a free download on his homepage: www.zachcaruso.com.
"Finding the right words in a conversation is often hard for me, so I always use music to express what I really feel," Zach Caruso, the New Jersey-born artist, said. "When my relationships began falling apart, I didn't really know what to say to fix things, so I just started writing songs, and those songs eventually became the core for this new album."
Whatever word skills Caruso may lack as a conversationalist he more than makes up for as a lyricist. A former journalism major with a master's degree, he stokes his album with smart, surprising metaphors that let listeners feel the aches and pains, and anger and frustration he experienced while his romantic relationships crashed and burned before his eyes. With song titles like, Love is a Dog from Hell, Caruso manages to convey more emotion with six words than less talented songwriters could convey with 6,000.
Blues rock fans that get their hands and ears on the new CD are going to appreciate Caruso's rhythm guitar grooves, his inventive riffs during the breaks, and his use of tasty hooks to kick-start and sustain the album's tracks. A few might even say his innovative work as a guitarist is overshadowed by his skillful use of his most impressive and powerful performance tool: his soulful, expressive voice, clearly a gift from the Blues Rock Gods.
Caruso's near-raspy, never strained, and from-the-heart vocal style combined with his chops on the six-string have begun to trigger comparisons by listeners to several indie blues rock legends.
"Fans of Jonny Lang, Gary Clark, Jr., the Black Keys, and Joe Bonamassa seem to find our sound similar," Caruso said. "I think Joe Bonamassa is a musical genius, and as an independent artist he's showing the rest of us how it's supposed to be done. Obviously we're honored to be mentioned in the same breath along with him or any of these artists."
In addition to being both a fan and ardent student of Bonamassa, Caruso unashamedly admits his writing and playing style was, and still is, majorly influenced by Billie Joe Armstrong and Green Day. Although, it was the Black Crows "Shake Your Money Maker" album that really got him turned on, and tuned in to the power of the blues rock genre.
"There was something about the music, the sound, the swagger, that really hooked me," Caruso said. "For some reason it opened a door for me, and I started getting into blues music and went on to devour every blues-influenced album I could find, from "B.B. King" to "Led Zeppelin." The music I produce today is a blend of all those influences."
New Caruso fans who come out to see him perform at his live gigs may be surprised to see the performer up on stage playing guitar and accompanied by only drummer Frank Abrami, bassist Frankie Prendergast, and backup singer Alicen Ragonese. Using just three instruments and the magic of his own voice, Caruso and his band mates manage to fill the room with toe-tapping, butt-shaking sound. His new CD exactly captures that toe-tapping, butt-shaking sound.
It is not to bother telling Caruso's ex-girlfriends that he wrote songs about them. They will not understand the lyrics, he said.
Fans can check out Zach Caruso's new CD, "Might Be The Rain," view his summer performance schedule, and download the free single Nobody Knows My Name, at www.zachcaruso.com.