John Scarpulla
Cobleskill, New York, United States
Music
Press
singer-songwriter John Scarpulla makes acoustic music rooted in a deep burnished groove, with intonations of blues, pop, and soul. And even in the music’s darker moments—when staring down the past through a once-full beer glass in “Something in a Brown,” for example—there’s a cautious optimism that lifts his muse upward. The Cobleskill resident has a big soulful voice and some dazzling poetical chops to bolster his fine melodic sensibilities. Scarpulla’s deft songwriting touch particularly shows through on the potently soulful “Wednesday” and the breezy, comfortable “No Reason.” From Woodstock to Ballston Spa to Schoharie County, Scarpulla’s been making his live presence known in the area this year, and Blue Ruin shows him to be a singer-songwriter and performer (in the greater John Hiatt neighborhood) who is well worth your time.
- Metroland by Erik Hage
a lot of major label artists, but more and more I'm convinced the best of what music has to offer is happening off the beaten path. Last week's case in point was The Bittersweets' brilliant new album. This week, it's New York-based singer/songwriter John Scarpulla and his new album Blue Ruin.
The songs on Blue Ruin have roots in the blues but there are colors and landscapes in these songs, revealing a wider angle view of the world. They are rootsy, rustic, and filled with so many elements of classic Americana music. The compositions are spare, built around Scarpulla's acoustic guitar. There are no drums here, just guitar, bass, and an occasional fiddle (A shoutout of sorts is required as BC Magazine's own Jon Sobel provides some of the electric and fretless bass heard on this record).
I'm not a particularly visual thinker but I see these songs when I listen to them, or at least have images float through my mind. Blue Ruin sounds like a partly cloudy day, or a partly sunny day. You can still feel warmth from the sun, but might not be able to see it in all its glory. There's something very comfortable and comforting in these songs. They are also versatile.
These songs would be great company in the morning, sipping coffee on the front porch as the sun comes up. They'd also be great in a dark coffeehouse. Beyond that singer/songwriter vibe, these songs would also go nice with something a little harder than coffee on a lonesome Saturday night. This isn't a record for beer drinking and hell raising, but it could be a soundtrack for one of those quiet, contemplative, dark nights of the soul.
One song from the album, "Venus Back to Mars," is available for download through Amazon's MP3 store. The full-length CD can be purchased through CD Baby.
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Josh Hathaway is Assistant Music Editor for BC Magazine. He is formerly - Blog Critics
Scarpulla’s Second CD Gets Rave Reviews
May 2010, Cobeskill, NY – John Scarpulla has released his second CD, Before The Streetlights Come On, with resounding success. The New York City native and resident of Cobeskill, NY again conjures up soulful lyrics and blue-y-folk-rock rhythms that continue to tap the toe in a lyrical homage to the soul that seeks love, forgiveness, redemption, and joy.
His first CD, Blue Ruin, released in 2009, enjoyed critical acclaim for the bittersweet lyrics and melodies of each track. “There’s something very comfortable and comforting about these songs…and they’re great company in the morning sipping coffee…” said Josh Hathaway of blogcritics.org in his review.
Before The Streetlights Come On takes listeners deeper into the complicated life of imperfect people, and it’s lyrics like “ …and a house is made of stones and beams/without love it don’t mean nothin’ to me/I’ll tear it all down/ brick by brick/ and build a home/ where we both can dream…’ in This House that bring the listener right into the everyday dichotomies of life and love.
His music is more than Scarpulla flexing his poetic muscles; his lyrics create strong, unforgettable visual imagery from a universal past: “…people leanin’ from their sale old story windows/clothes hung like scarecrows from the lines/Daddy’s voice cut through summer/just like a shadow/said be home before them streetlights come on…’ so that the listener is instantly and gently transported to a simpler time, a time of innocence, but from the mind of a man who looks back on that time with a heart no longer as light. - Maureen Cronin
Discography
"Blue Ruin" John's debut studio recording, was released in June of 2008. It is available at itunes, CdBaby, johnscarpullamusic.com select Bordr Books, Amazon, Rhaphsody, Napster etc...A second studio album, tentatively titled "Before the Streetlights Come On," is in production, as well as a live recording.
Photos
Bio
Raised in New York City, John began playing Subway stations and bars in and around Manhattan in his early twenties. His songwriting has evolved over the past 15 years from intimate walks through the blue-black city streets and bar-rooms of New York City, to autumn brown country roads paved with gratitude. John has developed a loyal grass-roots fan base and has been touring throughout the Northeast. John's sound has been described by Jazz Bassist Joe Fonda as "true lyrical poetry that is rooted in the blues and has a deep groove. " The music is seamless and moves effortlessly between powerful testimonials of love and redemption and mournful ballads of regret and perseverance. John plays strictly acoustic music. It is clean, soulful and honest. John's music takes listeners on a journey they do not soon forget. Josh Hathaway of Blog Critics wrote that there is a truly unique quality to Scarpulla's music that, at the same time, honors blues, soul, pop and americana Scarpulla credits the longevity of the careers of his influences such as Van Morrison, Joe Cocker and Neil Young to their uncompromising honesty and individuality. Good music outlasts trends and maintains its integrity way after the sweet first bite of the flavor of the month has subsided.
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