A few years back, I saw Daniel Rinaldi on Warped Tour as singer for Bedlight For Blue Eyes, which was right before the band called it quits. So when I came across Rinaldi’s new, self-titled EP, I was interested in hearing what direction he has gone in, especially now with a Michael Bublé-looking gentleman staring at me from the record’s cover. With only five songs offered, I figured it would be a quick listen, but what I didn’t expect was to be listening to someone poised to be the next big thing.
By the time the first track “Keep On Dancing” is over, it’s impossible not to have a smile all over your face while singing along. It’s a perfect marriage of good ol’ American pop rock and the sweet and powerful vocals Rinaldi possesses. Every song just begs for the listener to sing along as the music builds up to magnetic pop rock soundscapes. Lyrics are relatable, smart, and there’s a charm to his voice that makes you feel like he’s singing directly to you, especially on “One On One.”
With what I feel is the stand out song on the EP, “Outta Control” takes a more a passionate tone and lets Rinaldi bring out vocals with bite. Yet, there feels to be some restraint in his singing and makes me wonder what else he has up his sleeve for future work. In an opposite direction, he takes “Hurts Like Hell” to a pure pop sound that makes you want to get up and dance.
There’s one major factor that Rinaldi seems to have effortlessly accomplished, being created music that can easily be enjoyed by a variety of listeners. He renews faith that there are still great songwriters out there. Unless you have a true distaste for pop music, you won’t be able to find many negatives with this EP, only allowing yourself to fall in love with the music.
In A Word: Superb
